Holy Week Reading
Monday:
Matthew 21:12-17 Jesus “Cleansed theTemple” of the Money Changers. This happened prior to His cursing the fig tree.
(This is one of the dangers of not being inclusive of the overall picture of the Gospel lessons on a particular subject.)
We remember that Jesus went directly into the Temple (the place of worship) and there at the Outer Courts of the temple he found people selling animals/beast that the people needed for sacrifice.
Some of the people had come from a long way- and it was more convenient and sensible for them to purchase the animals that they needed to offer for the sacrifice when they arrived in Jerusalem.
Now, there was absolutely nothing wrong with them buying and selling animals FOR the Holy sacrifice IN JERUSALEM -BUT it was not to be done INSIDE of the Temple.
(Jesus had once before cleansed the temple of the money changers (Bankers-if you will), those that sold animals for sacrifice and overturned the tables inside of the temple - as recorded in John 2:13-16. This was when He had just begun His ministry. (Approximately 3 years earlier)
_________________________________________________________________________
*** How many times have we been told not to do something because it was wrong- BUT when the authority figure is not there, or not looking, we went right back to doing it our way?
He told them the first and the latter time “My Father’s House shall be called a House of Prayer- but you have made it a den of thieves.”
They were doing just what is happening in our communities and this world today (PPE supplies, testing kits and ventilators)- they were robbing the people through charging them outrageous prices for the things that the people were in need of.
Jesus then healed the blind and the lame INSIDE of the temple
Matthew 21:18-21
“Now in the morning as he returned into the city (Jerusalem), he hungered.
(Mark 11:12)
And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
(Mark 11:13)
And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
JESUS KNOWS
Here we see that Jesus had a distinct advantage over us. HE KNEW before he came into this world that He came, purposely, to die on the cross.
On many occasions He either said or indicated that “His time had not yet come” therefore He either did or did not do some things.
However, during this week (HOLY WEEK) everything that He did and said was in preparation for His death out on Calvary.
In other words, He is seen here operating with a sense of urgency!
I have often thought how differently we might live our lives IF we KNEW (for sure) that our time of death was imminent. Not because the doctors said so- BUT because God had shown us that “Our time of death was now at hand”.
Are there places we would not go – or things that we either would or would not do?
In this season (last week) of earthly life- Jesus was getting His assignment completely/absolutely DONE!!
To me- this week is reminiscent of a person summoning their family to stand at their death bed and saying what needs to be said BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!
In that season, there’s no time for small-talk or idle gossip. We need to “Be about our Father’s business” and Get it Said and Done!
Wouldn’t it be grand if we lived every day/week that way?
We need to ask ourselves: Are We Bearing Any Fruit? He’s coming Back….
Tuesday:
This is the busiest day of the week for Christ’s last week of earthly ministry- as he was headed on His way to the cross at Calvary.
As we were reminded on yesterday Jesus approached this week with a sense of urgency.
*** These are some companion scriptures to the words of Encouragement that Minister Bookert shared with us. Please go to the church’s webpage and Facebook page.
It was on Tuesday that Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees (chief priest and elders). These were the leaders “Big Dog’s” of/in the Temple.
They were angry with Jesus because they felt that He was undermining their authority. He was clearly doing things that they had never seen done before- and THEY COULDN’T DO THEM. Jealously is nothing new to the church.
They confronted Jesus about the following issues (trying to trap him and back him down):
- Matthew 21:23-27 They asked him about where he got his Authority to do the things that He was doing?
- Matthew 22: 15-22 About the paying of tribute. (VERSE 17).
- Matthew 22:23-33 Regarding the Resurrection
- Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus explains what is the Greatest Commandment? (VERSE 36)
Matthew Chapter 23 Teaches us about Jesus’ denunciation of the Pharisees. In this chapter He is teaching against religious hypocrites and those that think their POSITION make them “All of that and a bag of chips”.
John 12:20-50 Explains the request by the Greeks
Matthew - 24:1-42 and 25:1-46 is called the Mt. Olivet Discourse. This is Jesus’ longest, and third from the last, sermon before His crucifixion. In this sermon He takes great pain/time to explain the Signs of the end of time (chapter 24) and about the Final Tribulation (Chapter 25).
There is much to be gleaned from Tuesday of HOLY WEEK.
God bless you one and all.
Wednesday
Since, Jesus’ Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem, on Sunday, He has been going back and forth from Bethany to Jerusalem every day.
Tuesday was a very long day of defending the faith and the fact that He IS “the Son of God”.
Further, He spent a great deal of this final week (on His way to the cross) teaching and preparing his Disciples and others.
**This should remind us all of how we Always make every effort to prepare our children for life- and for the things that we know they will have to face.
Can we go a little bit deeper?
When a storm is forecast (or those of you/us that have part is our body that indicate when bad weather is coming) we go out of our way to ensure that the pipes are covered or that the animals are secure. We cover our plants and take all measures that we can to ensure that everything is in proper order. (Get your bread and milk- LOL)
This is what Jesus was doing for His disciples.
He took advantage of every moment to prepare them for the tremendously tough times that were on the way.
HE KNEW that their faith would be tested to its limits – and a good teacher prepares his/her students for the coming test.
______________________________________________________________________________
It has been a long week (for his flesh) already- but He had to endure until the end.
I ask that you also recall that Jesus was the perfect explanation of what is called the “Hypostatic Union” which means that He was both Perfectly Human and Perfectly Divine at the same time.
Keeping that in mind the human side of Jesus needed REST. Therefore, he “socially distanced” himself from Jerusalem, on Wednesday. Hence, there is not much recorded in scripture as to what He did that day.
It is believed, by some theologians, that He went away from the disciples/people to Pray to the God the Father, to Rest and to Recover as He would need his physical strength in order to endure all that was ahead.
Just imagine, How would you/we feel if WE KNEW the dangers that laid ahead of us - YET there was no way to avoid the pain, suffering and death that was sure to come within the next 48-72 hours?
Distancing himself for a time was nothing new as Jesus would do this from time to time- while he was robed in his earthly body ad engaged in earthly ministry.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*** Looking at Wednesday, from Matthews writing, we will find in Chapter 26:6-13 that Jesus was at Simon the Lepers house (for a time) and it was there that Mary (the sister of Lazarus and Martha) anointed his head with expensive oil/perfume from an Alabaster box.
[John 12:3 records that she anointed his feet with the oil and wiped His feet with her hair].
I think that we can safely say that she did Both, and the disciples became concerned that she would “waste the expensive oil in that manner”.
Isn’t that like some “Church folks” worrying about the wrong things.
Matthew 26:14-16 goes on to tell us that Judas became upset and went to the chief priest and bargained/offered to betray Jesus.
_____________________________________________________________________
I also surmise that he took some time to pull away (from people, places and things) in order to Rest, Recover and Meditate:
- Luke 4:1-2, 14-15;
- Mark 6:30-32
- Matthew 4:1-13
- Luke 6:12-13
- Luke 22:39-44
- Luke 5:16
Could it be that during this 2021 season of LENT God knows that we need to remain “Self Quarantined” and “Socially Distanced” so that we can clearly hear what He has to say, to us, in times like these? (IJS)
Thursday
As we look at “Maundy” Thursday we come to a place where Jesus makes His final earthly journey, prior to His Death on the cross.
How must he have felt KNOWING that His death is just around the corner. Even though many of us say/think we want to know everything about everything – we are extremely blessed that God does not share every detail of life/death to us before hand.
Jesus knew that “His time had now come” and Mark 14:12-16 tells us of the instructions that were given, by Christ, to two of His disciples about where they were to prepare that they should eat the Passover meal together with Him.
While Mark 14: 17-26 teaches us of the events that happened at the table of “The Last Supper” with Christ - John chapters 13-14 and Matthew 26:30-35 teach us about their accounts of what happened at the table.
As John 13:4-20 begins by teaching us that Jesus took time out to wash His disciples feet – as a demonstration of the fact that we need to be willing to LOVE one another and to demonstrate that love by SERVING one another. We often say “Love is not what it says; but what it does” and here we see evidence of this. In this passage the savior of the world bows down and does what servants of that time would do for guest - and that is to wash the feet of others.
*** This is truly one of things that we don’t often find and that is “Foot Washing” Christians. (By saying that I don’t mean those that , literally, wash others feet; But those that are willing to SERVE and LOVE others- unconditionally.)
John is the book of the Bible that teaches us about the Sonship/Deity of Christ and in chapters 15-17 gives us a very detailed account of the events that took place as Jesus was preparing to go to “The Garden of Gethsemane”.
While all three of the above chapters are very important- it is noteworthy for us to not overlook what is called the “High Priestly Prayer” as it is captured in John 17:1-19.
- In Verses 1-6 Jesus prays for himself.
-In Verses 7-19 Jesus prays for His disciples.
- In Verses 20-26 He prays for us -the Future Believers.
What a loving, caring and merciful Savior He is that even on His “last mile of the way”- He took time out to pray for you and for me.
In Matthew 26:36-56 the writer tells us of the events that happened in the Garden of Gethsemane.
He told 8 of His disciples to “sit here while I go yonder”.
He then took Peter, James and John (His inner-circle) a little further with Him but when He became exceedingly sorrowful – He (Distance Himself) went alone to pray.
He told his inner circle “Tarry here and watch with me”.
The weight is now getting heavy to bear – so He PRAYED!
When he returned, twice, he found his disciples asleep and on the third time Verses 45-46 says; “Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.”
Luke 22 chronicles:
- How that Judas betrayed Jesus for a few pieces of silver;
- How that Jesus was arrested;
- How that the right ear of one of the servant’s of the high priest was cut off.
In John 18:10 we learn that it was Peter that cut off the ear of Malchus and Jesus , in a final miracle before the cross, touched and healed the ear of Malchus.
The trials began.
Strange thing is that Jesus even though He was arrested and taken from Judgment Hall to Judgment Hall- the scriptures never say that He was ever placed in jail or a dungeon.
***************************************************************
The question may be asked, WHY is Thursday of Holy Week called “Maundy” Thursday?
Good question. The word Maundy means “commandment” Thursday.
So, it points us to the fact that one of the greatest things that was done on that Thursday was done at the table of the Last Supper. (After Judas had left the table headed to betray Jesus.)
The text is recorded in John 13:31-35:
“Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Friday:
On Thursday evening following the Last Supper Jesus was arrested after being betrayed, in the Garden of Gethsemane, by Judas Iscariot.
We must recall that Jesus was then faced seven Unfair (illegal) Trials during the night- and on into Friday morning:
1. At Annas’ house (John 18:12-24)
2. At Ciaphas’ Palace (John 18:15-27)
3. Jesus was formerly convicted by the Sanhedrin Council (Luke 22:66 -23:1)
4. He was then taken to Pilate’s Hall ( Matthew 27:2, 11-14 John 18:28-38)
5. From Pilate’s hall to Herod’s Palace (Luke 23:7-12)
6. From Herod’s Palace back to Pilate’s hall (John 18:39 – 19:16) This is where Pilate brings the names of Jesus and Barabbas before the Jews, offering to release one of them - according their custom. Eventhough Barabbas is a KNOWN criminal - the crowd said “Give us Barabbas” and “Crucify Him!” (Jesus). While Pilate did pronounce sentence on Jesus to be crucified and Barabbas to be freed – He, publically, washed his hands while stating “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man.”
7. Jesus is then taken to the Praetorium (open air ) Courtyard. (Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20) It was at the Praetorium where the soldiers: Stripped him, clothed Him in purple and placed a crimson(red) cloak around Him, Pressed a crown of thorns upon His head, placed a reed in His right hand, bowed down and said “Hail to the King of the Jews”, Spit on Him and struck Him in the head with the reed.
As they led Jesus from the Praetorium toward Calvary (Matthew 27:32-36; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-49; John 19:16-37) He collapsed under the weight of the cross- as He had been beaten with nine cattails (a crude instrument that ripped his flesh to the point that He had lost a great deal of his (earthly) life sustaining blood).
As you do the above readings you will discover how brutally they mistreated our Lord and Savior.
On the way to the cross (Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26) all detail that when Jesus collapsed under the weight of the cross, and was unable to carry it any further, a man named Simon, of Cyrene (Africa) was made to bear the cross of Jesus down that dusty road called the Via Delarosa all the way up to Calvary’s mountain. There Jesus was nailed to the cross, lifted up, pierced in His side and at one point given gall and vinegar to drink- all of this fulfilling O.T. Prophesy.
Jesus hung there from 9:00am until 3:00pm- but from noon until 3:00 darkness covered the earth.
Can you imagine Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and four others as they stood and watch our Lord and our God in His dying hour?
In the reading you will find the 7 Last Words (sayings) that Jesus uttered from the cross.
Finally, He yelled with a loud voice “Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit” and He gave up the ghost!!
Yes, there are many more details of the suffering, pain and anguish that Jesus endured (for you and for me) – but I don’t want to steal your joy of this study- just encourage your appetite.
SO, looking at All that Jesus endured, WHY do we call it - “Good Friday”?
Simply put - It was a Good/Great thing that He did for you and for me.
Had He not Died- there could be no Resurrection!!
Monday:
Matthew 21:12-17 Jesus “Cleansed theTemple” of the Money Changers. This happened prior to His cursing the fig tree.
(This is one of the dangers of not being inclusive of the overall picture of the Gospel lessons on a particular subject.)
We remember that Jesus went directly into the Temple (the place of worship) and there at the Outer Courts of the temple he found people selling animals/beast that the people needed for sacrifice.
Some of the people had come from a long way- and it was more convenient and sensible for them to purchase the animals that they needed to offer for the sacrifice when they arrived in Jerusalem.
Now, there was absolutely nothing wrong with them buying and selling animals FOR the Holy sacrifice IN JERUSALEM -BUT it was not to be done INSIDE of the Temple.
(Jesus had once before cleansed the temple of the money changers (Bankers-if you will), those that sold animals for sacrifice and overturned the tables inside of the temple - as recorded in John 2:13-16. This was when He had just begun His ministry. (Approximately 3 years earlier)
_________________________________________________________________________
*** How many times have we been told not to do something because it was wrong- BUT when the authority figure is not there, or not looking, we went right back to doing it our way?
He told them the first and the latter time “My Father’s House shall be called a House of Prayer- but you have made it a den of thieves.”
They were doing just what is happening in our communities and this world today (PPE supplies, testing kits and ventilators)- they were robbing the people through charging them outrageous prices for the things that the people were in need of.
Jesus then healed the blind and the lame INSIDE of the temple
Matthew 21:18-21
“Now in the morning as he returned into the city (Jerusalem), he hungered.
(Mark 11:12)
And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
(Mark 11:13)
And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
JESUS KNOWS
Here we see that Jesus had a distinct advantage over us. HE KNEW before he came into this world that He came, purposely, to die on the cross.
On many occasions He either said or indicated that “His time had not yet come” therefore He either did or did not do some things.
However, during this week (HOLY WEEK) everything that He did and said was in preparation for His death out on Calvary.
In other words, He is seen here operating with a sense of urgency!
I have often thought how differently we might live our lives IF we KNEW (for sure) that our time of death was imminent. Not because the doctors said so- BUT because God had shown us that “Our time of death was now at hand”.
Are there places we would not go – or things that we either would or would not do?
In this season (last week) of earthly life- Jesus was getting His assignment completely/absolutely DONE!!
To me- this week is reminiscent of a person summoning their family to stand at their death bed and saying what needs to be said BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!
In that season, there’s no time for small-talk or idle gossip. We need to “Be about our Father’s business” and Get it Said and Done!
Wouldn’t it be grand if we lived every day/week that way?
We need to ask ourselves: Are We Bearing Any Fruit? He’s coming Back….
Tuesday:
This is the busiest day of the week for Christ’s last week of earthly ministry- as he was headed on His way to the cross at Calvary.
As we were reminded on yesterday Jesus approached this week with a sense of urgency.
*** These are some companion scriptures to the words of Encouragement that Minister Bookert shared with us. Please go to the church’s webpage and Facebook page.
It was on Tuesday that Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees (chief priest and elders). These were the leaders “Big Dog’s” of/in the Temple.
They were angry with Jesus because they felt that He was undermining their authority. He was clearly doing things that they had never seen done before- and THEY COULDN’T DO THEM. Jealously is nothing new to the church.
They confronted Jesus about the following issues (trying to trap him and back him down):
- Matthew 21:23-27 They asked him about where he got his Authority to do the things that He was doing?
- Matthew 22: 15-22 About the paying of tribute. (VERSE 17).
- Matthew 22:23-33 Regarding the Resurrection
- Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus explains what is the Greatest Commandment? (VERSE 36)
Matthew Chapter 23 Teaches us about Jesus’ denunciation of the Pharisees. In this chapter He is teaching against religious hypocrites and those that think their POSITION make them “All of that and a bag of chips”.
John 12:20-50 Explains the request by the Greeks
Matthew - 24:1-42 and 25:1-46 is called the Mt. Olivet Discourse. This is Jesus’ longest, and third from the last, sermon before His crucifixion. In this sermon He takes great pain/time to explain the Signs of the end of time (chapter 24) and about the Final Tribulation (Chapter 25).
There is much to be gleaned from Tuesday of HOLY WEEK.
God bless you one and all.
Wednesday
Since, Jesus’ Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem, on Sunday, He has been going back and forth from Bethany to Jerusalem every day.
Tuesday was a very long day of defending the faith and the fact that He IS “the Son of God”.
Further, He spent a great deal of this final week (on His way to the cross) teaching and preparing his Disciples and others.
**This should remind us all of how we Always make every effort to prepare our children for life- and for the things that we know they will have to face.
Can we go a little bit deeper?
When a storm is forecast (or those of you/us that have part is our body that indicate when bad weather is coming) we go out of our way to ensure that the pipes are covered or that the animals are secure. We cover our plants and take all measures that we can to ensure that everything is in proper order. (Get your bread and milk- LOL)
This is what Jesus was doing for His disciples.
He took advantage of every moment to prepare them for the tremendously tough times that were on the way.
HE KNEW that their faith would be tested to its limits – and a good teacher prepares his/her students for the coming test.
______________________________________________________________________________
It has been a long week (for his flesh) already- but He had to endure until the end.
I ask that you also recall that Jesus was the perfect explanation of what is called the “Hypostatic Union” which means that He was both Perfectly Human and Perfectly Divine at the same time.
Keeping that in mind the human side of Jesus needed REST. Therefore, he “socially distanced” himself from Jerusalem, on Wednesday. Hence, there is not much recorded in scripture as to what He did that day.
It is believed, by some theologians, that He went away from the disciples/people to Pray to the God the Father, to Rest and to Recover as He would need his physical strength in order to endure all that was ahead.
Just imagine, How would you/we feel if WE KNEW the dangers that laid ahead of us - YET there was no way to avoid the pain, suffering and death that was sure to come within the next 48-72 hours?
Distancing himself for a time was nothing new as Jesus would do this from time to time- while he was robed in his earthly body ad engaged in earthly ministry.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*** Looking at Wednesday, from Matthews writing, we will find in Chapter 26:6-13 that Jesus was at Simon the Lepers house (for a time) and it was there that Mary (the sister of Lazarus and Martha) anointed his head with expensive oil/perfume from an Alabaster box.
[John 12:3 records that she anointed his feet with the oil and wiped His feet with her hair].
I think that we can safely say that she did Both, and the disciples became concerned that she would “waste the expensive oil in that manner”.
Isn’t that like some “Church folks” worrying about the wrong things.
Matthew 26:14-16 goes on to tell us that Judas became upset and went to the chief priest and bargained/offered to betray Jesus.
_____________________________________________________________________
I also surmise that he took some time to pull away (from people, places and things) in order to Rest, Recover and Meditate:
- Luke 4:1-2, 14-15;
- Mark 6:30-32
- Matthew 4:1-13
- Luke 6:12-13
- Luke 22:39-44
- Luke 5:16
Could it be that during this 2021 season of LENT God knows that we need to remain “Self Quarantined” and “Socially Distanced” so that we can clearly hear what He has to say, to us, in times like these? (IJS)
Thursday
As we look at “Maundy” Thursday we come to a place where Jesus makes His final earthly journey, prior to His Death on the cross.
How must he have felt KNOWING that His death is just around the corner. Even though many of us say/think we want to know everything about everything – we are extremely blessed that God does not share every detail of life/death to us before hand.
Jesus knew that “His time had now come” and Mark 14:12-16 tells us of the instructions that were given, by Christ, to two of His disciples about where they were to prepare that they should eat the Passover meal together with Him.
While Mark 14: 17-26 teaches us of the events that happened at the table of “The Last Supper” with Christ - John chapters 13-14 and Matthew 26:30-35 teach us about their accounts of what happened at the table.
As John 13:4-20 begins by teaching us that Jesus took time out to wash His disciples feet – as a demonstration of the fact that we need to be willing to LOVE one another and to demonstrate that love by SERVING one another. We often say “Love is not what it says; but what it does” and here we see evidence of this. In this passage the savior of the world bows down and does what servants of that time would do for guest - and that is to wash the feet of others.
*** This is truly one of things that we don’t often find and that is “Foot Washing” Christians. (By saying that I don’t mean those that , literally, wash others feet; But those that are willing to SERVE and LOVE others- unconditionally.)
John is the book of the Bible that teaches us about the Sonship/Deity of Christ and in chapters 15-17 gives us a very detailed account of the events that took place as Jesus was preparing to go to “The Garden of Gethsemane”.
While all three of the above chapters are very important- it is noteworthy for us to not overlook what is called the “High Priestly Prayer” as it is captured in John 17:1-19.
- In Verses 1-6 Jesus prays for himself.
-In Verses 7-19 Jesus prays for His disciples.
- In Verses 20-26 He prays for us -the Future Believers.
What a loving, caring and merciful Savior He is that even on His “last mile of the way”- He took time out to pray for you and for me.
In Matthew 26:36-56 the writer tells us of the events that happened in the Garden of Gethsemane.
He told 8 of His disciples to “sit here while I go yonder”.
He then took Peter, James and John (His inner-circle) a little further with Him but when He became exceedingly sorrowful – He (Distance Himself) went alone to pray.
He told his inner circle “Tarry here and watch with me”.
The weight is now getting heavy to bear – so He PRAYED!
When he returned, twice, he found his disciples asleep and on the third time Verses 45-46 says; “Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.”
Luke 22 chronicles:
- How that Judas betrayed Jesus for a few pieces of silver;
- How that Jesus was arrested;
- How that the right ear of one of the servant’s of the high priest was cut off.
In John 18:10 we learn that it was Peter that cut off the ear of Malchus and Jesus , in a final miracle before the cross, touched and healed the ear of Malchus.
The trials began.
Strange thing is that Jesus even though He was arrested and taken from Judgment Hall to Judgment Hall- the scriptures never say that He was ever placed in jail or a dungeon.
***************************************************************
The question may be asked, WHY is Thursday of Holy Week called “Maundy” Thursday?
Good question. The word Maundy means “commandment” Thursday.
So, it points us to the fact that one of the greatest things that was done on that Thursday was done at the table of the Last Supper. (After Judas had left the table headed to betray Jesus.)
The text is recorded in John 13:31-35:
“Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Friday:
On Thursday evening following the Last Supper Jesus was arrested after being betrayed, in the Garden of Gethsemane, by Judas Iscariot.
We must recall that Jesus was then faced seven Unfair (illegal) Trials during the night- and on into Friday morning:
1. At Annas’ house (John 18:12-24)
2. At Ciaphas’ Palace (John 18:15-27)
3. Jesus was formerly convicted by the Sanhedrin Council (Luke 22:66 -23:1)
4. He was then taken to Pilate’s Hall ( Matthew 27:2, 11-14 John 18:28-38)
5. From Pilate’s hall to Herod’s Palace (Luke 23:7-12)
6. From Herod’s Palace back to Pilate’s hall (John 18:39 – 19:16) This is where Pilate brings the names of Jesus and Barabbas before the Jews, offering to release one of them - according their custom. Eventhough Barabbas is a KNOWN criminal - the crowd said “Give us Barabbas” and “Crucify Him!” (Jesus). While Pilate did pronounce sentence on Jesus to be crucified and Barabbas to be freed – He, publically, washed his hands while stating “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man.”
7. Jesus is then taken to the Praetorium (open air ) Courtyard. (Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20) It was at the Praetorium where the soldiers: Stripped him, clothed Him in purple and placed a crimson(red) cloak around Him, Pressed a crown of thorns upon His head, placed a reed in His right hand, bowed down and said “Hail to the King of the Jews”, Spit on Him and struck Him in the head with the reed.
As they led Jesus from the Praetorium toward Calvary (Matthew 27:32-36; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-49; John 19:16-37) He collapsed under the weight of the cross- as He had been beaten with nine cattails (a crude instrument that ripped his flesh to the point that He had lost a great deal of his (earthly) life sustaining blood).
As you do the above readings you will discover how brutally they mistreated our Lord and Savior.
On the way to the cross (Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26) all detail that when Jesus collapsed under the weight of the cross, and was unable to carry it any further, a man named Simon, of Cyrene (Africa) was made to bear the cross of Jesus down that dusty road called the Via Delarosa all the way up to Calvary’s mountain. There Jesus was nailed to the cross, lifted up, pierced in His side and at one point given gall and vinegar to drink- all of this fulfilling O.T. Prophesy.
Jesus hung there from 9:00am until 3:00pm- but from noon until 3:00 darkness covered the earth.
Can you imagine Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and four others as they stood and watch our Lord and our God in His dying hour?
In the reading you will find the 7 Last Words (sayings) that Jesus uttered from the cross.
Finally, He yelled with a loud voice “Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit” and He gave up the ghost!!
Yes, there are many more details of the suffering, pain and anguish that Jesus endured (for you and for me) – but I don’t want to steal your joy of this study- just encourage your appetite.
SO, looking at All that Jesus endured, WHY do we call it - “Good Friday”?
Simply put - It was a Good/Great thing that He did for you and for me.
Had He not Died- there could be no Resurrection!!
