The Mystery Of Good Friday: Unveiling The Truth

Good Friday is a Christian holy day that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. The day is also known as Black Friday, Holy Friday, Great Friday, and Great and Holy Friday. Good Friday is observed as a day of sorrow and penance, with Christians honouring the sacrifices of Jesus, including the way he was crucified, his sufferings, the tortures he went through, and his painful death.

Jesus' arrest and trial

Jesus was then taken to the house of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest. There, he was interrogated and bound and sent to Caiaphas, where the Sanhedrin had assembled. Many witnesses brought forth conflicting testimonies against Jesus, to which he answered nothing. Finally, the high priest adjured Jesus to respond under oath, asking him if he was the Son of God. Jesus ambiguously replied, "You have said it, and in time you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, coming on the clouds of Heaven." The high priest condemned Jesus for blasphemy, and the Sanhedrin concurred with a sentence of death.

In the morning, Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, by the whole assembly. They charged him with subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and making himself a king. Pilate authorised the Jewish leaders to judge Jesus according to their own law and execute sentencing. However, the Jewish leaders replied that they were not allowed by the Romans to carry out a sentence of death.

Pilate questioned Jesus and found no basis for sentencing. Upon learning that Jesus was from Galilee, Pilate referred the case to the ruler of Galilee, King Herod, who was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Herod questioned Jesus but received no answer, and so sent him back to Pilate. Pilate told the assembly that neither he nor Herod had found Jesus guilty, and resolved to have him whipped and released.

Under the guidance of the chief priests, the crowd asked for Barabbas, a murderer, to be released to them instead. Pilate asked what they would have him do with Jesus, to which they demanded, "Crucify him." Pilate's wife had seen Jesus in a dream earlier that day and forewarned Pilate to "have nothing to do with this righteous man." Pilate had Jesus flogged and then brought him out to the crowd to release him.

The chief priests informed Pilate of a new charge, demanding that Jesus be sentenced to death because he claimed to be the Son of God. This possibility filled Pilate with fear, and he brought Jesus back inside the palace and demanded to know where he came from. Pilate then declared Jesus innocent and washed his hands of the matter, nevertheless handing him over to be crucified to forestall a riot.

Jesus was then made to carry his cross to the site of execution, called the "place of the Skull", or "Golgotha" in Hebrew and "Calvary" in Latin, where he was crucified.

The crucifixion

Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, betrayed by his disciple Judas Iscariot. He was then put on trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin, falsely accused of blasphemy, and then sent to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, who sentenced him to crucifixion.

Jesus was forced to carry his cross to the site of execution, called the "place of the skull" or "Golgotha" in Hebrew and Calvary in Latin. He was then nailed to the cross by his wrists and feet. He was offered wine mixed with gall to drink but refused. Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those passing by hurled insults at him, and the chief priests, teachers of the law, and elders mocked him.

Jesus hung on the cross for six hours, during which he spoke seven last words. At about 3 pm, he gave up his spirit. There was an earthquake, tombs broke open, and the curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom. The centurion guarding the site of crucifixion declared, "Truly this was God's Son!".

Jesus' body was taken down and placed in a new tomb, which had been carved in the rock near the site of the crucifixion, by Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and a secret follower of Jesus. Another secret follower, Nicodemus, brought about 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes and helped wrap the body.

Jesus' death

The crucifixion of Jesus occurred in 1st-century Judea, most likely in AD 30 or AD 33. The events of Good Friday are recounted in all four Gospels of the New Testament.

Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper with His disciples. He was then put on trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, who sentenced Him to crucifixion at the demand of the chief Jewish priests.

Jesus was flogged, forced to carry his cross to the site of execution, and then nailed to the cross by his wrists and feet. He was crucified between two thieves, one of whom defended him, and the other who mocked him.

Jesus hung on the cross for six hours, during which time He spoke seven last words. At about 3:00 pm, He gave up His spirit.

Extraordinary events marked the death of Jesus. The sky was completely dark for three hours as Jesus hung on the cross. At the moment of his last breath, the earth shook, the temple curtain split from top to bottom, and the tombs of saints opened and their bodies raised from the dead.

The crucifixion of Jesus was a part of God's plan from the very beginning of the birth of Jesus. The sinless life of Jesus was lived and given so that man could receive salvation and eternal life in heaven.

The earthquake and torn temple curtain

The torn curtain is believed to have been the barrier that guarded the entrance to the "Holy of Holies", the most sacred part of the Hebrew Tabernacle. This chamber represented the presence of God, and no one but the High Priest was allowed to enter, and even he could only do so once a year on Yom Kippur. The barrier was for the protection of the people, who could not survive a direct encounter with God.

The tearing of the curtain is thought to have two key meanings. Firstly, it symbolises that God's plan to save his people from their sins had been fulfilled. Secondly, it symbolises that the way believers can now approach God has fundamentally changed. As R.C. Sproul of Ligonier Ministries writes, it was "an opening of heaven, that God may now invite the members of his Son to approach him with familiarity".

The earthquake that occurred at the moment of Jesus' death was also widespread. Tombs broke open, and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

Jesus' burial

After Jesus died on the cross, Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy Jewish council member and a secret follower of Jesus, asked Pontius Pilate for Jesus' body. Pilate granted his request, and Joseph gave Jesus a proper burial. Joseph wrapped Jesus' body in a clean linen cloth and placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved into the rock. Joseph was assisted by Nicodemus, another secret follower of Jesus and a member of the Sanhedrin, who brought about 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes, which were placed in the linen with the body, in accordance with Jewish burial customs. They rolled a large rock over the entrance of the tomb and returned home to rest, as Shabbat had begun at sunset.

The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John provide detailed descriptions of Jesus' burial, as well as conversations between Jesus and his followers before and after his death. These accounts are supported by ancient secular texts and archaeological remnants, lending credibility to the biblical depiction of Jesus' burial site and tomb.

The burial of Jesus also holds prophetic significance. It fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah, who predicted that Christ would be "with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth". Additionally, the empty tomb discovered by Jesus' female followers validates the fulfilment of scripture and serves as a core tenet of the Christian faith.

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