Scriptural Significance: Understanding Good Friday's Bible Passages

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday, and it is the day Jesus Christ was crucified. Good Friday is a time of quiet reflection, and some may choose to fast or attend church services. There are several Bible verses that are often read on Good Friday, including Mark 9:31, which says, The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise. Another relevant verse is Isaiah 53:5, which says, But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. These scriptures help Christians to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made and to meditate on the true meaning of Good Friday.

Jesus predicts his death and resurrection

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday, the day Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. The Bible contains several references to Jesus predicting his own death and resurrection.

First Prediction

The first prediction of Jesus' death is found in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In Matthew 16:21-23, Mark 8:31-32, and Luke 9:21-22, Jesus foretells that the "Son of Man must suffer many things" and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes. He predicts his death, saying, "they will kill him, and after three days, he will rise again." This episode occurs after Jesus feeds the multitudes and is followed by Peter rebuking Jesus, to which Jesus replies, "Get behind me, Satan!".

Second Prediction

The second prediction is recorded in Matthew 17:22-23, Mark 9:30-32, and Luke 9:43-45. This prediction occurs shortly after the Transfiguration, when Peter, James, and John witness Christ in his heavenly glory. Jesus tells his disciples, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days, he will rise." The disciples are confused and afraid to ask for clarification.

Third Prediction

The third prediction is found in Matthew 20:17-19, Mark 10:32-34, and Luke 18:31-34. As Jesus and his disciples are travelling to Jerusalem for Passover, he foretells his betrayal, mockery, scourging, crucifixion, and resurrection. Once again, the disciples do not understand his words.

Fourth Prediction

The Gospel of John also contains subtle predictions of Jesus' death. For instance, in John 12:7-8, when Mary anoints Jesus with costly perfume, he predicts his burial by saying, "Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial." Additionally, in John 13:33 and 14:25, Jesus hints at his impending death by telling his disciples that he will soon be leaving them and that he will give them the Holy Spirit in his absence.

Significance of Jesus' Predictions

Jesus intentionally came to earth to die for our sins, and by predicting his death and resurrection, he prepared his disciples for what was to come. His death was necessary for God's plan to save the world, and through his sacrifice, we receive the gift of eternal life.

Jesus' crucifixion

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday, and it is the day that Jesus Christ was crucified. The Bible tells us that Jesus bore our sins, shame, and burden on the cross, and his death changed the course of humanity.

Jesus was arrested and tried by the Sanhedrin, and then sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged and crucified by the Romans. Jesus was stripped of his clothing and offered vinegar mixed with myrrh or gall to drink. He was then led to Golgotha, which means "Place of a Skull", and hung on a cross between two convicted thieves. According to the Gospel of Mark, the crucifixion began at the third hour (around 9 am) and Jesus died by the ninth hour (about 3 pm).

During this time, the soldiers placed a sign above Jesus' head stating, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews", written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. They also divided his garments and cast lots for his seamless robe. After Jesus died, one soldier pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water gushed from the wound.

The Bible describes seven statements that Jesus made while on the cross, as well as several supernatural events. These include darkness over the land for three hours, an earthquake, the tearing of the temple veil, and the resurrection of saints.

Jesus' suffering and redemptive death by crucifixion are central to Christian theology, specifically the doctrines of salvation and atonement. His death is seen as a sacrifice that restores humankind's relationship with God, offering salvation and eternal life.

Jesus' sacrifice

Good Friday is a Christian holiday that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, whose death was a sacrifice meant to bring about the gift of eternal life for humanity.

The Lamb of God

In the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as the "Lamb of God" by John the Baptist, who also said that Jesus would "take away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). This designation reflects the story of the Passover lamb in the Old Testament, when God instructed the Israelites to kill a lamb and brush its blood on their door frames so that death would "pass over" them (Exodus 12:21-24).

Jesus is seen as the Passover Lamb for Christians, whose blood was shed and whose life was sacrificed to save humanity from eternal death and to bring them to God.

Jesus as a Ransom

In Mark 10:45, Jesus introduces himself as someone who came "to give his life as a ransom for many". The apostles also refer to Jesus as a ransom in their epistles. This idea of Jesus as a ransom can be understood through the original Passover story, where the blood of the lamb symbolised that the Israelites belonged to God, and so they escaped death.

Jesus, as the greater lamb, rescues humanity from slavery and bondage to sin by his blood. Through his sacrifice, Jesus allowed humanity to be set free from the slavery of sin and raised to a new life.

Jesus willingly submitted himself to suffering out of eagerness to accomplish the goal of reconciling the world to God. His sacrifice was not a reluctant duty, but a joy.

Hebrews 12:2b-3 says:

> For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

The Results of Jesus' Sacrifice

Through his sacrifice, Jesus bore the sins, shame, and burden of humanity on the cross, changing the course of history. As Romans 5:8-10 says:

> But God demonstrates his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Jesus' resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Christian faith. The New Testament writings contend that God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion, starting – or restoring – his exalted life as Christ and Lord.

Jesus was arrested, tried, and found guilty of claiming to be a king. His body was hung on a cross between two thieves. After his death, Jesus’ body was wrapped in linen cloth and placed in a tomb with a large stone rolled across the opening. On the third day, an early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and another Mary came to the tomb and found it empty. Sitting on the rolled-away stone was an angel of the Lord who told them not to be afraid because Jesus had risen. As the women left to tell the disciples, Jesus Christ met them and showed them his nail-pierced hands.

The Old and the New Testaments speak of the truth of Jesus being raised from death. Jesus testified about his resurrection before he died on the cross, and his disciples witnessed his body after the resurrection.

The bodily resurrection was the restoration to life of a transformed body powered by spirit. In Christian theology, the resurrection of Jesus is "the central mystery of the Christian faith". It provides the foundation for that faith, as commemorated by Easter, along with Jesus's life, death and sayings. For Christians, his resurrection is the guarantee that all the Christian dead will be resurrected at Christ's second coming.

Jesus' arrest

Good Friday is a Christian holiday that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is observed as a day of mourning, with some choosing to fast or attend solemn church services. Many also choose to meditate on Good Friday scripture, which includes many references to the day Jesus was arrested for claiming to be the son of God.

John's account of the arrest of Jesus differs from the other Gospels. In John, the prayer that Jesus prays is made at the Last Supper, and it concerns his glory and the future of his disciples. In the other Gospels, Judas identifies Jesus with a kiss, but in John, Jesus steps forward and identifies himself.

In John's Gospel, both Jewish police and a detachment of Roman soldiers come to arrest Jesus with the latest night-fighting equipment, including lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus overpowers these agents of "the world" with the name of God, repeatedly telling them, "I am" (or "I am he"), which recalls the traditional name of God. When Jesus speaks these words, his captors fall to the ground, demonstrating his superior power, which comes from God.

Jesus uses his power to secure the release of his disciples, after which his foes bind him and take him away for trial and execution. Jesus' actions show that divine power is rightly exercised through self-sacrifice, culminating in his crucifixion, where he lays down his life for others.

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