Holy Week: Friday

FRIDAY

Before Pilate (Mt. 27:2, 11-14; Mk. 15:1-5; Lk. 23:1-5; Jn. 18:28-38)

Before Herod (Lk. 23:6-12)

Return to Pilate (Mt. 27:15-26; Mk. 15;6-15; Lk. 23:13-25; Jn. 18:39-19;16)

Mockery (Mt. 27:27-30; Mk. 15:16-19)

To Calvary (Mt. 27:31-34; Mk. 15:20-23; Lk. 23:26-32; Jn. 19:16, 17)

Crucifixion (Mt. 27: 35-56; Mk. 15:24-41; Lk. 23:33-49; Jn. 19:18-30)

Burial (Mt. 27:57-60; Mk. 15:42-46; Lk. 23:50-54; Jn. 19:31-42)

Good Friday is the most difficult day of Holy Week. Christ’s journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to His death.

According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning.

Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment known at the time.

Before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on Him, tormented and mocked Him, and pierced Him with a crown of thorns. Then Jesus carried His own cross to Calvary where, again, He was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed Him to the wooden cross.

About the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed His last breath and died.

By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.