MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2024
Joseph Lewis D’Silva
God created human beings in His image to reflect His glory. But because of our sins, we have fallen short of reflecting God’s glory. Therefore, God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sins, so that through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the Cross, Jesus would restore it to us. (Rom.3:23; 2 Cor.4:6).
The chief priests were jealous of Jesus because they felt threatened by His teachings and His growing popularity. So, they sought to arrest him through Judas with 30 pieces of silver coins. Jesus was thus arrested and taken to Caiaphas. (Mt.26:16)
Jesus was dragged from the house of Caiaphas to Pilate and Herod. They accused Jesus of blasphemy and sedition: --- claiming to be the Son of God and inciting rebellion against Roman authority. (Mt.26:63-65; Lk.1-2).
Pontius Pilate, found no reason to charge Jesus with a crime deserving death. He washed his hands and reluctantly agreed, due to political pressure, to have Jesus crucified. In a symbolic sense, the crowd’s cry can be seen as an illustration of humanity’s sins, shouting out, for Jesus’ crucifixion. (Mt.27:24-25).
Jesus’ journey to Calvary, is believed to have started in the morning on Good Friday. On His way, He was mocked, beaten and spat upon. His head was crowned with thorns. The Cross, with the heavy weight of our sins; His shoulders were torn. Jesus falls down three times, due to the heavy Cross of our sins. Though wounded by His falls, He rises and carries it for the salvation of mankind. He sees His mother; for an instant; they gaze at each other! Oh, what a meeting of Son and Mother! There was mutual comfort in that look! Mutual sympathy! And Jesus went forward carrying the burden of our sins. As His physical strength failed and the executioners saw it, they caught hold of a stranger --- Simon of Cyrene and compelled him to carry the Cross of Jesus. Although, Jesus could bear His Cross alone, for He is God! He allowed Simon to help Him, in order to remind us that we must take part in His sufferings and have a partnership in His work. (Mt.27:32; Mk.15:21; Lk.23:26). As Jesus went up the hill covered with sweat of death, a woman, named Veronica, wiped His face with pious sympathy and the impression of His face remained on the cloth. Yes, Mary’s prayers sent --- Simon and Veronica to do their work.
The exact time Jesus arrived at Calvary is not known; but, it is commonly understood that He was crucified during the day, normally in the morning or early afternoon. On Calvary, His eyes, dimmed with blood; His mouth filled with vinegar; His head encircled by the sharp thorns; His heart pierced with the spear; thus He made amends for every kind of human sin. Jesus hung there on the Cross for three hours. During this time, He prayed for His murderers; promised Paradise to the penitent robber and committed His Blessed Mother to the guardianship of His disciples. Then He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit.
Jesus lay in the tomb for three days after his crucifixion. He descended into Hell --- the realm of the dead rather than a place of punishment; to release the righteous who had died before his resurrection. As for His ascension into Heaven, it occurred forty days after his resurrection. (Acts.1:3-11).
Good Friday is called “good” because it marks the restoration and salvation of humanity through Jesus’ sacrifice; because it is God’s final expression of His goodness towards us. Jesus was born in a rented stable; and at death, laid in a borrowed tomb.
