The Events Of Good Friday

The Events Of Good Friday (This Is Love) Harmony of the 4 Gospels After the Last Supper was finished, Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane. Once there, Jesus looked at His disciples and said, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He prayed, “My Father, if it’s possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it’s not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.” When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes My betrayer!” Jesus Arrested While He was still speaking, a large crowd of soldiers and officials sent from the chief priests carrying torches and lanterns, armed with swords and clubs arrived. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest Him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. Jesus replied, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Then the men stepped forward, and Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I Am He,” Jesus answered. Then the men seized Jesus and arrested Him. But then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. But Jesus touched the man’s ear and healed him. Then Jesus said, “No more of this! Put your sword back in its place. For all who live by the sword shall die by the sword. Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture Me?” Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled. The detachment of soldiers arrested Jesus and they bound Him. They led Him away and took Jesus to Caiaphas the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put Him to death. But they didn’t find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in 3 days.’” Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are You not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against You?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. So they struck Him. Then the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question Me? Ask those who heard Me. Surely they know what I said.” When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped Him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. Jesus answered, “If I said something wrong, testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why do you hit Me?” The high priest said to Jesus, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Messiah, the Son of God!” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned Him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at Him; they blindfolded Him, struck Him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” The guards took Jesus and continued mocking and beating Him. At daybreak, they led Jesus and handed Him over to the Roman governor, Pontus Pilate. “Are You the King of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about Me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people handed You over to me. What is it You have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest. But now My kingdom is from another place.” “So You are a king, then” asked Pilate. “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.” “What is truth?” Pilate replied. Pilate found no charge against Jesus, and upon learning Jesus was a Galilean, send Him to Herod. When Herod saw Jesus, he hoped to see Jesus perform some sort of a miracle. He asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus gave no answer. So Herod and his soldiers ridiculed Jesus and sent Him back to Pilate. (CANDLE 1) So Pilate called together the rulers of the people and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against Him and neither has Herod. He has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I’ll punish Him and release Him.” Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. They brutally beat Jesus. Then some of the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head. They stripped Jesus, put Him in a purple robe, and went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” They mocked Him, slapped Jesus in the face, and brought Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate once again began asking Jesus questions. He said, “Aren’t You going to answer? See how many things they are accusing You of!” But Jesus made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A well-known man named Barabbas, a murder, was in prison. And the crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. So when the crowd gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” But the chief priests persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas. “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?” asked Pilate. “Barabbas” they yelled. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!” “Why? What crime has He committed?” asked Pilate. But they just shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!” “Look, I’m bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him. “ He brought Jesus out and said, “Here is the man!” As soon as the chief priests saw Jesus, they shouted even more, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” The Jewish leaders insisted Jesus had to die, because they had their law, and according to that law, Jesus had to die because He claimed to be the Son of God. When Pilate heard this, he asked Jesus, “Where do You come from?” But Jesus answered not a word. “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t You realize I have power either to free You or to crucify You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” Pilate looked at the crowd and said, “Here is your king.” But they continued to shout, “Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” asked Pilate. “We have no king but Caesar” they yelled back. When Pilate saw an uproar was building, he took water and washed his hands in front of everyone. Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them, and he handed Jesus off to be crucified. (Candle 2) Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand. Then they knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again. After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him. Crucifixion So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. As they were going out, Jesus was carrying His own cross. But He was tired, beaten, and fell under its weight. So the soldiers stopped a man named Simon who was passing by, and they forced him to help carry the cross. A large number of people followed Jesus, including women, who mourned and wailed for Him. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but He didn’t take it. Then they crucified Him, along with criminals – one on His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” After they had crucified Him, the soldiers divided up His clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over Him. It was nine in the morning when they crucified Him. Those who passed by sneered and hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save Yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked Him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but He can’t save Himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him. But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. (Candle 3) Death Of Christ It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until 3 in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And at 3 in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Later, Jesus said, “I thirst.” Someone ran to a jar of wine vinegar that was there, soaked a sponge in it, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. The earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs broke open. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” When He had said this, He gave up His Spirit and breathed His last. (Candle 4). Burial of Jesus To make sure Jesus was dead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely He was the Son of God!” Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus, and with Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about 75 pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, they wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, cut out of the rock, in which no one had yet been laid. There they placed Jesus’ body, wrapped in strips of new linen. Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joseph, saw where Jesus was laid. Then they rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb, and went away. (Candle 5) IT IS FINISHED