Walk With Jesus During Holy Week: Good Friday Early Morning

We have been “participating in” all that Jesus did this week. Today we continue on that journey; a painful journey that takes us from a garden to a hillside.

Have you ever had your day start off badly? If you remember from yesterday, we left off with Jesus being betrayed by one of His (formerly) closest allies, leading to Him to be arrested on the trumped up, and made up, charges (John 18:12). Have you ever been falsely accused of something you did not do or say? How did that make you feel? Angry? Betrayed? Lonely? We are sure that is how Jesus also felt at this moment.

As badly as Maundy Thursday ended for Jesus, today, Good Friday didn’t start off any better. After being falsely arrested, Jesus’s disciples, who had been with Him in the garden, did not try and stop the injustice. Instead, the scriptures tell us that they fled for their lives (Matthew 26:56, Mark 14:50). Have you ever deserted a friend in their time of great need because you were more concerned about your own well-being than the well-being of your friend?

Jesus is arrested, bound, and taken to the home of the high priest. Once there, things continue to get worse. Jesus is put through six trials; three religious trials by the Jewish leaders and three civil trials by the Romans. There was no such thing as the double jeopardy clause (fifth amendment of our US Constitution) in those days. First Jesus is questioned Annas before being sent to Caiaphas, who finds Jesus guilty of blasphemy (by proclaiming Himself to be the Son of God); this charge carries a death sentence. If that isn’t enough, Jesus then faced the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling authorities), who declared Him guilty of blasphemy. Jesus is then sent to the Roman Governor of Judaea, Pilate, for legal sentencing of death.

Rome isn’t buying the blasphemy charge, so Jesus is charged with treason, punishable by death under Roman law, but Pilate said, “I find no guilt in this man (Luke 23:4).” Jesus is sent to Herod Antipas, who questioned Jesus but also found no guilt (Luke 23:9). Jesus then faced Pilate for a second time, again charged with treason, but once again Pilate finds Jesus not guilty of all charges (Luke 23:14). It is here that Pilate caves into pressure from the Jewish leaders and the crowd, offering to release either Jesus or Barabbas (Matthew 27:16 calls him a “notorious prisoner”).

You know how the story goes: Jesus loses the vote and is condemned to die by crucifixion, but not before He is flogged and beaten horrifically. Nails were then pounded in Jesus’s hands and feet and He died a long and painful death, giving up His spirit around 3 PM. Jesus endured all this for you, never once trying to argue His way out of the charges.

(The trials and crucifixion narratives can be found in Matthew 26:57-27:44, Mark 14:53-15:32, Luke 22:66-23:43, John 18:12-19:27.)

Have you ever wondered what God the Father was thinking as He watched His Son being so unfairly, and inhumanly, treated? Will you tell God and Jesus thank you right now; thank you for their extraordinary display of love for you? Not just in words, but also by the way you conduct your life!

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