What happened on Good Friday according to the Bible
Easter Sunday is a well-known holiday in Christianity because it marks the day when Jesus rose from the grave. But what exactly is so fantastic about “Good Friday”?
The Oxford English Dictionary states that the term “good” is an antiquated method of indicating that a day is revered as holy by the church. A saint’s day or a time of year like Lent or Pentecost may be considered “good.” Even though it is no longer observed, there is a Good Wednesday, which falls on the Wednesday before Easter.
However, the significance of the day is far greater for Christians. We name it “Good Friday” for a reason since it is the day on which we commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross.
The identical tale is presented in all four gospels, but significantly differently. There are conflicts between what they say at various moments as they emphasize various facets of what transpired. This is expected since we are aware that various persons who witness the same incident may recall it differently in the future. The little variations also support the veracity of the report as a whole.
Jesus was found guilty and given a death sentence by crucifixion on the first Good Friday after being put through a series of trials and questioning by Jewish and Roman authorities. Pontius Pilate, the Roman ruler, gave the mob the option of freeing Jesus or Barabbas, a murderer; although knowing that Jesus was innocent, they picked Barabbas. In order to demonstrate his innocence in Jesus’ crucifixion, Pilate ritualistically washed his hands.
He took Jesus out to be crucified after having him flogged, a cruel punishment that typically results in death for the victim. Jesus was had to carry his own cross to the scene of execution, which was customarily simply the horizontal beam. He collapsed beneath the weight, exhausted and in agony, and the Romans made a spectator named Simon of Cyrene carry it for him.
Jesus was crucified between two robbers, one of whom cursed him and the other pleaded with him to think of him when he entered his kingdom. This is the King of the Jews, said a sign over his head.
He died after six hours of pain, a relatively short time when victims could linger for days. The authorities were anxious to conclude their business before the Sabbath began, and broke the legs of the two thieves to hasten their end. Jesus was already dead, but a soldier stabbed him in the heart to make sure.
Different Gospels preserve what Jesus said as he was dying. He said of the crowd, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.’ To the thief he said, ‘Today you will be with me in paradise.’ He commended his mother and his disciple John to each other, saying: ‘Behold your son…behold your mother.’ In a moment of desolation, he cried out with a line from Psalm 22: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ He said ‘I thirst’ and was offered wine and vinegar on a sponge; immediately before he died he said, ‘It is finished’ and ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’
A centurion standing by said, ‘Truly, this man was the son of God.’
When the bodies were taken down, in contrast to the usual fate of crucified people – they were usually thrown in lime pits – Jesus was laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. The tumultuous, chaotic first Good Friday was over.
What, though, could possibly be ‘Good’ about a day like that?
Christians believe the death of Jesus accomplished something wonderful. When we try to put it into words, we struggle. But while we might believe different things about how it ‘worked’, we all believe that the death of Jesus on the cross was the moment at which God showed his highest and most costly love for the human race. As Paul says, ‘Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful’ (Romans 5.6, CEV).
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