FRIDAY, APRIL 18
Matthew 27; Isaiah 53; Hebrews 10
First light dawned on the 15th of Nisan. The Jewish leaders convened their official council, the Sanhedrin, and put Jesus on trial. They pressed Him, “‘Are You then the Son of God?’” But the only answer He gave was, “You rightly say that I am” (Luke 22:70). With this testimony, the council had the evidence they believed they needed to condemn Jesus to death for blasphemy.
Jesus was interrogated many times. He was made to wear a crown of thorns and mocked. He suffered beating and scourging. He carried His cross through Jerusalem to Golgotha. And by the third hour, around 9am, the Roman soldiers crucified Jesus with a sign above Him that read, “the King of the Jews.”
We can only imagine how Jesus’ followers felt. Trusting in Jesus as God’s promised, Anointed One. Following Him throughout Israel, supporting and preaching His gospel message. Jesus— their Lord, leader, and friend—was bloodied and broken, condemned by the political and religious leaders to suffer a criminal’s execution at the hands of foreign occupiers.
At noon, an eclipse darkened the landscape. Around 3pm, there was a great earthquake, the Temple veil was torn, and Jesus “breathed His last.” Joseph of Arimathea secretly asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body for burial. Then, he and Nicodemus carefully wrapped Jesus’ body for burial and laid it in a newly-carved tomb.
The Son of Man was dead. And the promise of Isaiah 53 was fulfilled: the Lamb of God was led “to the slaughter … cut off from the land of the living … [crucified] with the wicked—but with the rich at His death.”
The Lamb was slain, but seeds of hope remained. The Roman centurion testified to the glory of God. Two of the women watched as two members of the Jewish council that condemned their Lord to death secretly dissented. Even death could not extinguish the glory of the Son.
Jesus’ death was not God’s final word. The sins of the world were now covered by the blood of Jesus. The veil into the Holy Place was torn, signifying the end of an era: Jesus, our Great High Priest, made the final sacrifice, shedding His own blood to open the way for us to enter into the presence of the Father. The grave was under siege, and soon the sting of death would be no more.
Jesus was interrogated many times. He was made to wear a crown of thorns and mocked. He suffered beating and scourging. He carried His cross through Jerusalem to Golgotha. And by the third hour, around 9am, the Roman soldiers crucified Jesus with a sign above Him that read, “the King of the Jews.”
We can only imagine how Jesus’ followers felt. Trusting in Jesus as God’s promised, Anointed One. Following Him throughout Israel, supporting and preaching His gospel message. Jesus— their Lord, leader, and friend—was bloodied and broken, condemned by the political and religious leaders to suffer a criminal’s execution at the hands of foreign occupiers.
At noon, an eclipse darkened the landscape. Around 3pm, there was a great earthquake, the Temple veil was torn, and Jesus “breathed His last.” Joseph of Arimathea secretly asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body for burial. Then, he and Nicodemus carefully wrapped Jesus’ body for burial and laid it in a newly-carved tomb.
The Son of Man was dead. And the promise of Isaiah 53 was fulfilled: the Lamb of God was led “to the slaughter … cut off from the land of the living … [crucified] with the wicked—but with the rich at His death.”
The Lamb was slain, but seeds of hope remained. The Roman centurion testified to the glory of God. Two of the women watched as two members of the Jewish council that condemned their Lord to death secretly dissented. Even death could not extinguish the glory of the Son.
Jesus’ death was not God’s final word. The sins of the world were now covered by the blood of Jesus. The veil into the Holy Place was torn, signifying the end of an era: Jesus, our Great High Priest, made the final sacrifice, shedding His own blood to open the way for us to enter into the presence of the Father. The grave was under siege, and soon the sting of death would be no more.
On Good Friday we wish to mark that time and encourage people to pray. To help you with that, we have a special PRAYER GUIDE you can download or read it in your printed Easter devotional.
