REMEMBERING THE CRUCIFIXION
On a dark Friday two
thousand years ago, Jesus of Nazareth was crucified. Powerful members of the
religious, political, and military communities colluded to strip him naked,
mock him publicly, and crucify him. Yet two millennia later, Christians—who
believe that Jesus is the Son of God—celebrate that dark day by calling it Good
Friday.
On the Christian Holy Day known as Good
Friday, observed the Friday before Easter, Christians commemorate the passion,
or suffering, and death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Good Friday, which is the
end of Holy Week, as the week before Easter is called, concludes
with the remembrance of the tortuous death Christ endured to bring salvation
and everlasting life to his people. On that day, he was beaten, whipped, spat
upon and cursed at. He carried his cross to the top of a mountain (Golgotha/Calvary
outside of Old Jerusalem).
His death that day not only fulfilled the Old
Testament scriptures about his sacrifice, but also set the stage for his
resurrection on Easter. The beating he took on Good Friday fulfilled the
prophesy in Isaiah 53 that states "He was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our
peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed."
It does seem odd to refer to anybody’s death as "good."
Yet, God’s good plan is often counterintuitive: As Jesus says, “He who finds
his life will lose it, and he who loses his life will find it; “the
first are the last and the last are the first” (Mark 10:31).
Think on this: even while powerful men were
conspiring to kill the Son of God, God himself was acting to save the world
from itself, once and for all. Even while the world’s authorities were
conspiring to perpetrate history’s greatest evil, God was working to bring
about history’s greatest good. Take note
of the heart of the Son of God as he hung dying on the cross for our sins.
Biblical accounts
According to the accounts in the Gospels, Jesus
agonized on the cross for six hours. During his last three hours on the cross,
from noon to 3 pm, darkness fell over the whole land, and Jesus spoke from the
cross, quoting the messianic Psalm 22: "My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?"
- Jesus Christ
made seven final statements during his last hours on the cross. As much as
possible, given the approximate sequence of events as portrayed in the
Gospels, these seven last words of Christ are presented here in
chronological order.
1) JESUS SPEAKS TO THE
FATHER
Luke 23:34
Jesus said, "Father,
forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (NIV)
During his excruciating
suffering, the heart of Jesus was focused on others rather than himself. Here
we see the nature of his love -- unconditional and divine.
2) JESUS SPEAKS TO THE
CRIMINAL ON THE CROSS
Luke 23:43
"I tell you the
truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (NIV)
One of the criminals who
was crucified with Christ had recognized who Jesus was and expressed faith in
him as Savior. Here we see God's grace poured out through faith, as Jesus
assured the dying man of his forgiveness and eternal salvation.
3) JESUS SPEAKS TO MARY
AND JOHN
John 19:26-27
When Jesus saw his mother
there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother,
"Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is
your mother." (NIV)
Jesus, looking down from
the cross, was still filled with the concerns of a son for the earthly needs of
his mother.
None of his brothers were
there to care for her, so he gave this task to the Apostle John. Here we
clearly see Christ's humanity.
4) JESUS CRIES OUT TO THE
FATHER
Matthew 27:46 (also Mark
15:34)
And about the ninth hour
Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that
is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (NKJV)
In the darkest hours of
his suffering, Jesus cried out the opening words of Psalm 22. And although much
has been suggested regarding the meaning of this phrase, it was quite apparent
the agony Christ felt as he expressed separation from God. Here we see the
Father turning away from the Son as Jesus bore the full weight of our sin.
5) JESUS IS THIRSTY
John 19:28
Jesus knew that
everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures he said, "I
am thirsty." (NLT)
Jesus refused the initial
drink of vinegar, gall, and myrrh (Matthew 27:34 and Mark 15:23) offered to alleviate
his suffering. But here, several hours later, we see Jesus fulfilling the
messianic prophecy found in Psalm 69:21.
6) IT IS FINISHED
John 19:30
... he said, "It
is finished!" (NLT)
Jesus knew he was
suffering the crucifixion for a purpose. Earlier he had said in John 10:18 of
his life, "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I
have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I
received from my Father." (NIV) These three words were packed with meaning,
for what was finished here was not only Christ's earthly life, not only his
suffering and dying, not only the payment for sin and the redemption of the
world -- but the very reason and purpose he came to earth was finished.
His final act of obedience
was complete. The Scriptures had been fulfilled.
7) JESUS' LAST WORDS
Luke 23:46
Jesus called out with a
loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When
he had said this, he breathed his last. (NIV)
Jesus closes with the
words of Psalm 31:5, speaking to the Father. We see his complete trust in the
Father. Jesus entered death in the same way he lived each day of his life,
offering up his life as the perfect sacrifice and placing himself in God's
hands.
With a loud cry, Jesus gave up his spirit. There was
an earthquake, tombs broke open, and the curtain in the Temple was torn from
top to bottom. This tear, according to Christian tradition, signified a removal
of restriction of the common Jews from the Temple's "Holiest of Holies",
and that God's people now could, themselves, communicate directly with their
advocate before God, Jesus the Christ, rather than needing the Temple's High
Priest as an intercessor. The centurion on guard at the site of crucifixion
declared, "Truly this was God's Son!" (Matthew 27:45–54)
Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and
secret follower of Jesus, who had not consented to his condemnation, went to
Pilate to request the body of Jesus (Luke 23:50–52). Another secret follower of
Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin named Nicodemus brought about a hundred-pound
weight mixture of spices and helped wrap the body of Jesus (John 19:39–40).
Pilate asked confirmation from the centurion of whether Jesus was dead (Mark
15:44). A soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a lance causing blood and water
to flow out (John 19:34), and the centurion informed Pilate that Jesus was dead
(Mark 15:45).
Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body, wrapped it in a
clean linen shroud, and placed it in his own new tomb that had been carved in
the rock (Matthew 27:59–60) in a garden near the site of crucifixion. Nicodemus
(John 3:1) also brought 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes, and placed them in the
linen with the body, in keeping with Jewish burial customs (John 19:39–40).
They rolled a large rock over the entrance of the tomb (Matthew 27:60). Then
they returned home and rested, because Shabbat had begun at sunset (Luke
23:54–56). Matt. 28:1 "After the Shabbat, at dawn on the first day of the
week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb". i.e. "After
the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, .......". "He is
not here; he has risen, just as he said..........”. (Matt. 28:6) On the third
day, which is now known as Easter Sunday (or Pascha), Jesus rose from the dead.
It is indeed a Good Friday because_
1. On the cross, Jesus suffered so that we would not
have to suffer.
2. Through the cross, we can be reconciled to God and
each other.
3. Because of the cross and resurrection, we have hope
for the future.
The Bible connects Jesus’ crucifixion with his
resurrection. After Jesus suffered on the cross, he was buried, but on the
third day he rose from the grave! When he rose from the dead, he not only
confirmed his divinity but declared that he would return one day to make things
right. He will return to disestablish evil, sin, and death from their
artificial throne, and establish himself as the true King over a kingdom
characterized by justice, peace, and love (Rev 21-22).
In Christ,
Janet
Irene Thomas
Director,
Playwright, Producer,
Gospel
Lyricist, Screenwriter
Founder/CEO
Bible
Stories Theatre of Fine &
Performing
Arts
