http___bogoposveteni.bg_index.php_2016-09-29-15-53-58_2016-12-31-07-39-19_85-a_415-14-04_1.xml
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ВЕЛИК ПЕТЪК Чествуване Страданието Господне ПЪРВО ЧЕТИВО Той бе изпоранен за нашите грехове. Четене из книгата на пророк Исаия. 52,13-53,12 Ето, моят слуга ще благоуспее, ще се въздигне, ще се възвиси. Както мнозина бидоха смаяни, гледайки на него - толкоз ликът му беше обезобразен повече, отколкото на синовете човечески - така той ще смая много народи; царе ще затворят пред него устата си, защото ще видят онова, за което не им е било говорено, и ще узнаят, каквото не са слушали. Кой повярва на това, що е чул от нас? И кому се откри мишцата Господня? Защото той изникна пред него като младочка и като израстък из суха земя; няма в него ни изглед, нито величие, ние го видяхме, и в него нямаше изглед, който да ни привлича към него. Той беше презрян и унизен пред людете, мъж на скърби и изпитал недъзи, и ние отвръщахме от него лицето си; той беше презиран и ние за нищо го не смятахме. Той взе върху си нашите немощи и понесе нашите недъзи; а ние мислехме, че той беше поразяван, наказван и унизяван от Бога. А той бе изпоранен за нашите грехове и мъчен за нашите беззакония; наказанието за нашия мир биде върху него, и чрез неговите рани се изцелихме. Всички ние блуждаехме като овци, отбихме се всеки от пътя си - и Господ възложи върху него греховете на всинца ни. Той бе измъчван, но страдаше доброволно и уста си не отваряше; като овца бе той заведен на клане, и като агне пред стригачите си е безгласно, така и той не отваряше устата си. От затвор и съд той бе грабнат. Но рода му кой ще обясни? Защото той бе изтръгнат от земята на живите; за престъпленията на моя народ претърпя смърт. Отредиха му гроб със злодейци, но той биде погребан у богатия, защото не бе сторил грях, и в устата му нямаше лъжа. Но на Господа биде угодно да го съкруши, и той го предаде на мъчение; а кога душата му принесе умилостивителна жертва, той ще види дълговечно потомство, и волята Господня успешно ще се изпълнява чрез неговата ръка. С доволство той ще гледа подвига на душата си; чрез познанието, което ще имат за него, той, праведникът, моят слуга, ще оправдае мнозина и греховете им върху си ще понесе. Затова Аз ще му дам дял между великите, и със силните плячка ще дели, задето душата си на смърт предаде, и към злодейци биде причислен, когато между това той понесе върху си греха на мнозина, и за престъпниците стана ходатай. Това е Божие слово. ОТПЕВЕН ПСАЛОМ Пс 30,2 и 6.12-13.15-16.17 и 25 (О: Лк 23,46) Отче, в Твоите ръце предавам духа си. На Тебе, Господи, се уповавам, да се не посрамя на веки; по Твоята правда избави ме. В Твоите ръце предавам духа си, Ти си ме избавил, Господи, Боже на истината. О От всичките си врагове станах за укор, дори пред моите съседи, и за моите познати: които ме видят на улицата, бягат от мене. Забравен съм в сърцата като мъртъв; Аз съм като разбит съд. О Аз пък на Тебе, Господи, се уповавам; казах: "Ти си мой Бог", дните ми са в Твоя ръка." Избави ме от ръцете на враговете ми и от гонителите ми. О Яви на Твоя раб светлото си лице; спаси ме с Твоята милост. Дерзайте, и да крепне сърцето ви, дерзайте всички, които се надявате на Господа. О ВТОРО ЧЕТИВО Научи се на послушание, и стана причина за вечно спасение за всички, които Му се подчиняват. Четене от посланието до евреите.4,14-16; 5,7-9 И тъй, като имаме велик първосвещеник, който е преминал през небесата, Исуса, Сина Божий, нека се държим по вероизповеданието. Защото ние имаме не такъв първосвещеник, който не би могъл да ни съчувствува в нашите немощи, а такъв, който е изкушен като нас във всичко, освен в грях. И тъй, нека дръзновено пристъпваме към престола на благодатта, за да получим милост и да намерим благодат за благовременна помощ. Защото Христос в дните на плътта си, със силен вик и сълзи отправи молби и молитви към Оня, който можеше да Го спаси от смърт, и, като биде чут поради благоволението Си, макар и да е Син, той се научи на послушание чрез онова, което претърпя, и, като се усъвършенствува, стана за всички, които Му са послушни, причина за вечно спасение. Това е Божие слово. СТИХ ПРЕДИ ЕВАНГЕЛИЕТО 2,8-9 Христос стана за нас послушен дори до смърт, и то смърт кръстна. Затова и Бог Го високо въздигна: и Му даде име, по-горно от всяко име. ЕВАНГЕЛИЕ Страданието на нашия Господ Исус Христос според Иван. 18,1-19142 Хванаха Исуса и Го вързаха. В онова време: Исус, като излезе с учениците Си отвъд потока Кедрон, където имаше градина, в която влезе Сам Той и учениците му. А това място знаеше и Юда, който щеше да Го предаде, защото Исус често се събираше там с учениците Си. Тогава Юда, като взе една чета войници и слуги от първосвещениците и фарисеите, дохожда там с фенери, светила и с оръжие. А Исус, знаейки всичко, каквото щеше да стане с Него, излезе и им рече: "Кого търсите?" Отговориха Му: "Исуса Назорея." Исус им казва: "Аз съм." С тях стоеше Юда, който Го предаваше. И като им рече: "Аз съм", те се дръпнаха назад и паднаха на земята. Пак ги попита: "Кого търсите?" Те рекоха: "Исус Назорея". Исус им отговори: "Казах ви, че съм Аз; и тъй, ако Мене търсите, тях оставете да си отидат." За да се сбъдне словото, казано от Него: "От ония, които си ми дал, никого не погубих." А Симон Петър, който имаше нож, измъкна го, удари слугата на първосвещеника и му отряза дясното ухо. Името на слугата беше Малх. Но Исус рече на Петър: "Тури ножа си в ножницата; да не изпия ли чашата, която Ми е дал Отец?" Отведоха Исуса първом при Анна. Тогава четата и хилядникът и слугите юдейски хванаха Исуса и Го вързаха и отведоха Го първом при Анна; защото той беше тъст на Кайяфа,който през нея година беше първосвещеник. А Кайяфа беше оня, който бе дал на юдеите съвет, че "е по-добре един човек да погине за народа." След Исуса вървяха Симон Петър и другият ученик. А тоя ученик беше познат на първосвещеника, и влезе с Исуса в двора първосвещеников. А Петър стоеше вън до вратата. Другият пък ученик, който беше познат на първосвещеника, излезе, та говори на вратарката, и въведе Петър. Тогава слугинята вратарка казва на Петър: "Да не си и ти от учениците на този човек?" Той отговори: "Не съм." А робите и слугите бяха си наклали огън, понеже беше студено, и стояха, та се грееха. Петър стоеше с тях и се грееше. А първосвещеникът попита Исуса за учениците Му и за учението Му. Исус му отговори: "Аз открито говорих на света; Аз винаги съм поучавал в синагогите и в храма, дето отвред се събират юдеите, и скришом нищо не съм говорил. Защо питаш Мене? Питай ония, които са слушали, що съм им говорил; ето, те знаят, що съм говорил." Когато Той каза това, един от слугите, който стоеше наблизо, удари плесница на Исуса и рече: "Тъй ли отговаряш на първосвещеника?" Исус му отвърна: "Ако говорих зле, докажи злото; ако ли пък -добре, защо Ме биеш?" Тогава Анна Го прати вързан при първосвещеника Кайяфа. Не си ли и ти от Неговите ученици? Не съм. А Симон Петър стоеше и се грееше. И рекоха му: "Да не си и ти от Неговите ученици?" Той се отрече и каза: "Не съм". Един от слугите първосвещеникови, сродник на онзи, комуто Петър бе отрязъл ухото, казва: "Не те ли видях аз в градината с Него?" Петър пак се отрече; и тозчас петел пропя. Моето царство не е от този свят. Поведоха Исуса от Кайяфа в преторията. Беше заран; и те не излязоха в преторията, за да се не осквернят, та да могат да ядат пасхата. Тогава излезе Пилат при тях и рече: "В какво обвинявате Тоя Човек?" Отговориха му и рекоха: "Ако той не беше злодеец, не щяхме да ти Го предадем." Пилат им рече: "Вземете Го вие и Го съдете по вашия закон." Юдеите му рекоха: "Нам не е позволено да убием никого." За да се сбъдне думата Исусова, която беше казал, когато даваше да се разбере, от каква смърт щеше да умре. Тогава Пилат пак влезе в преторията и повика Исуса и Му рече: "Ти ли си Юдейският цар?" Исус му отговори: "От себе си ли говориш това, или други ти казаха за Мене?" Пилат отговори: "Та аз юдеин ли съм? Твоят народ и първосвещениците Те предадоха на мене: Какво си сторил?" Исус отговори: "Моето царство не е от тоя свят; ако беше царството Ми от тоя свят, Моите слуги щяха да се борят, за да не бъда предаден на юдеите; но сега царството Ми не е оттук." А Пилат Му рече: "И тъй, цар ли си Ти?" Исус отговори: "Ти казваш, че съм цар. Аз за това се родих, и затова дойдох на земята, за да свидетелствувам за истината; всеки, който е от истината, слуша гласа Ми." Пилат Му рече: "Що е истина?" И като каза това, пак излезе при юдеите и им рече: "Аз не намирам никаква вина у Него. Но у вас има обичай, да ви пускам едного за Пасха; желаете ли да ви пусна Царя Юдейски?" Тогава пак закрещяха всички, казвайки: "Не Него, а Варава." Варава пък беше разбойник. Здравей, Царю Юдейски! Тогава Пилат хвана Исуса и Го бичува. И войниците, като сплетоха венец от тръни, наложиха Му го на главата и Му облякоха багреница. И идваха при Него и думаха: "Радвай се, Царю Юдейски"; и Му удряха плесници. Пилат пак излезе вън и им рече: "Ето, извеждам ви Го, за да разберете, че не намирам у Него вина." Тогава Исус излезе вън с трънения венец и в багреница. И рече им Пилат: "Ето Човекът!" А когато първосвещениците и слугите Го видяха, завикаха и казваха: "Разпни, разпни Го?" Пилат им казва: "Вие Го вземете и разпнете, защото аз не намирам у Него вина." Юдеите му отговориха: "Ние имаме закон, и по нашия закон Той трябва да умре, защото Себе си направи Син Божий." Когато Пилат чу тая дума, повече се уплаши. И пак влезе в преторията и рече на Исуса: "Отде си Ти?" Но Исус му не даде отговор. Пилат Му казва: "На мене ли не отговаряш? Не знаеш ли, че имам власт да Те разпна, и власт да Те пусна?" Исус отговори: "Ти не щеше да имаш над Мене никаква власт, ако ти не бе дадена свише; затова по-голям грях има оня, който Ме предаде на Тебе." Махни Го! Махни Го! Разпни Го! От тогава Пилат търсеше случай да Го пусне. Юдеите обаче викаха и казваха: "Ако пуснеш Тоя, не си приятел на кесаря. Всеки, който прави себе си цар, е противник на кесаря." Пилат, като чу тая дума, изведе вън Исуса и седна на съдището, на мястото, наречено Литостротон, а по еврейски Гавата. Тогава беше петък пред Пасха, около шестия час. И рече Пилат на юдеите: "Ето вашия цар!" Ала те завикаха: "Премахни Го, премахни, разпни Го!" Пилат им казва: "Вашия цар ли да разпна?" Първосвещениците отговориха: "Ние нямаме друг цар освен кесаря." И тогава им Го предаде, за да бъде разпнат. Разпънаха Го, а с Него и други двама. И взеха Исуса и Го поведоха. И носейки кръста Си, Той излезе на мястото, наречено Лобно, по еврейски Голгота; там Го разпнаха, и с Него други двама, от едната и от другата страна, а посред - Исуса. А Пилат написа и надпис, и го постави на кръста. Написано беше: "Исус Назорей, Цар Юдейски." Тоя надпис четоха мнозина от юдеите, понеже беше близо до града мястото, дето Исус бе разпнат, и написаното бе по еврейски, гръцки и латински. А първосвещениците юдейски казваха на Пилат: "Недей писа: Цар Юдейски, но че Той каза: Цар Юдейски съм." Пилат отговори: "Каквото писах, писах." Разделиха помежду си дрехите му. Войниците пък, като разпнаха Исуса, взеха дрехите Му (и ги разделиха на четири дяла, по един на всеки войник) и хитона. Хитонът не беше шит, а изтъкан цял отгоре до долу. Тогава рекоха си един другиму: "Да не го раздираме, а да хвърлим за него жребие, чий да бъде: за да се сбъдне реченото в Писанието: "разделиха дрехите Ми помежду си и за одеждата Ми хвърлиха жребие." Тъй направиха войниците. Ето Твоят Син. - Ето твоята майка. При кръста Исусов стояха майка Му и сестрата на майка Му, Мария Клеопова, и Мария Магдалина. А Исус, като видя майка Си и стоещия там ученик, когото обичаше, казва на майка Си: "Жено, ето син Ти!" После казва на ученика: "Ето майка ти!" И от оня час ученикът я прибра при себе си. Свърши се! След това Исус, като знаеше, че всичко вече е свършено, за да се сбъдне Писанието, казва: "Жаден съм." Там имаше съд, пълен с оцет. Войниците напоиха гъба с оцет, надянаха я на исопова тръст и поднесоха на устата Му. А когато Исус вкуси от оцета, рече: "Свърши се!" И като наведе глава, предаде дух. Тук се коленичи и пази кратко мълчание. И веднага протече кръв и вода. И понеже тогава беше петък, юдеите, за да не останат телата върху кръста в събота (защото оная събота беше велик ден), помолиха Пилата, да им пребият пищелите и да ги снемат. Тогава дойдоха войниците и пребиха пищялите на първия и на другия, разпнат с Него. А когато дойдоха при Исуса и Го видяха вече умрял, не Му пребиха пищелите; но един от войниците прободе с копие ребрата Му, и веднага изтече кръв и вода. И който видя, засвидетелствува, и свидетелството му е истинско; и той знае, че говори истина, за да повярвате вие. Защото това стана, за да се сбъдне Писанието: "Кост Негова няма да се строши." И пак друго Писание казва: "Ще погледнат на Тоя, когото прободоха." Повиха тялото Исусово в повивки с благоухания. След това Йосиф, от Ариматея (ученик Исусов таен, поради страх от юдеите), помоли Пилата да снеме тялото Исусово, и Пилат позволи. Той дойде и сне тялото Исусово. Дойде също и Никодим (който беше ходил изпреди при Исуса нощем) и донесе от около сто литри смес от смирна и алой. Тогава взеха тялото Исусово и го обвиха в повивки с благовонията, както по обичая си юдеите погребват. На онова място, дето беше разпнат, имаше градина, и в градината - нов гроб, в който още никой не бе полаган. Там положиха Исуса, поради петъка, понеже гробът беше наблизо. Това е слово Господне.
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The two greatest holy days commanded in the Law of Moses are Passover and the Day of Atonement. Passover (in Hebrew, Pesach) commemorated the night that each Jewish family in Egypt had to sacrifice a lamb and put its life blood on their doorposts to escape the Angel of Death sent to punish Pharaoh and Egypt. (Exodus 12) The Day of Atonement (in Hebrew, Yom Kippur) was the single day that the High Priest of Israel was commanded to pass through a curtain into the Holy of Holies, God’s inner sanctuary on earth, and there make atonement before God for the sins of Israel. He did so with the life blood of a sin offering. (Leviticus 16) In all of history Passover and the Day of Atonement converged to fulfillment just once, in a single day–a day like no other. Let us examine it. That is one day, in Bible terms. The Lamb Many lambs were sacrificed to atone for the sins of Israel under the Law of Moses. But only one man was ever declared to BE the Lamb. John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus to Israel by saying, “Behold, God’s Lamb!” Isaiah wrote of Jesus centuries earlier: “Just as many were astonished at you, my people, so his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: Thus will he sprinkle many nations….” (Isaiah 52:13,14 NASB) “He was despised and forsaken of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face. He was despised, and we did not esteem him. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth. “By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due? “His grave was assigned to be with wicked men, yet with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in his mouth. “But the Lord was pleased to crush him, putting him to grief; if he would render his soul as a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in his hand….. Remember Isaiah’s words, as we walk through the Day of the Lamb, as told in the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. This account combines all four Gospels into one narrative of this day, as you will see. Sundown, the Upper Room Sundown, the Upper Room. For Jesus, that greatest day of Passover began with sundown and gathering for a Passover seder with his twelve disciples. John and Matthew identify that dinner as beginning after sundown. Mark names the day of the dinner as “the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover Lamb.” So does Luke: “Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the Passover must be killed. And he [Jesus] sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat.” Jesus had given them instructions to find the room for the Passover–the Last Supper–which included finding a man carrying a water jar. He also sent an explanation to the room’s owner: “My time is near.” The instructions were carried out to the letter, leading to an upstairs room now referred to as the Upper Room. About 6:30 PM, the Upper Room About 6:30 PM, the Upper Room. The day must have begun around sundown with the sacrifice of a Passover lamb, its blood sprinkled on the doorposts, as the Law commands. The Passover dinner itself followed; the location was supernaturally confirmed, but even so, the disciples did not expect what happened at this Seder. About 8 PM About 8 PM. Then Jesus broke the Passover unleavened bread and passed the cup, giving the disciples revelation understanding of how to partake of Himself in the bread and wine. He said of the bread, “This is my body,” and of the cup of wine, “This is my blood of the covenant, blood which is being shed for many, for the forgiveness of their sins.” About 8:30 PM About 8:30 PM. The dinner itself ended with surprise after surprise. First a striking act: the Messiah Himself took a towel and a dish of water to wash His disciples’ dusty feet! In the next minute, He prophesied Judas’ treachery, then shooed him out of the dinner. Judas, one of the twelve disciples, was fully a traitor to Jesus by now. Fearfully, that was a settled fact. Jesus did not let who Judas was or what Judas was about to do hinder Him. About 9 PM About 9 PM. Instead, Jesus began to describe the New Covenant to them, the one He would seal with His own life blood. He spoke revelation, prophecy, promise, commandment, encouragement and warning to his disciples, as recorded in John 13 – 16. About 10:30 PM About 10:30 PM. The day was less than five hours old. Jesus had given His disciples their last spiritual feast before the Cross, and then prayed the longest, most striking prayer recorded of Him in Scripture. He kept, as He always did, a poise and balance in the midst of the extraordinary. They took time to sing a hymn, then crossed the brook Kidron to go to the Garden of Gethsemane. (Mark 14:26, Matthew 26:30, John 18:1) About 11 PM, Gethsemane About 11 PM, Gethsemane. John writes that Judas knew the Garden of Gethsemane well. Jesus went straight ahead anyway; He made no attempt to hide. He prayed “in an agony” there: “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” Yet He prevailed to pray, “Father…nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) Jesus knew what He faced, and He chose to offer Himself as the sacrificial Lamb. The disciples couldn’t keep their eyes open, and nodded off twice. (Matt. About midnight About midnight. Judas Iscariot arrived at the garden, bringing a detachment of soldiers and a big crowd of underlings of the priests, scribes and elders, carrying torches and lamps. In that moment Judas fulfilled prophecy: “Even my own familiar friend, who eats my bread and in whom I trust, betrays me.” After Judas kissed Jesus, and Peter lashed out at the crowd with a sword, Jesus healed the servant’s sliced-off ear, then spoke a word to spare his disciples from arrest, only to see them flee for their lives. That too fulfilled prophecy: “Smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered.” (Zechariah 13:7) The soldiers bound Him and marched Him out of the Garden. (Matt. About 1 AM, Annas’ house About 1 AM, Annas’ house. Jesus’ captors brought him briefly to Annas, the high priest’s father-in-law. Annas sent Jesus, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest. About 2 AM, the High Priest’s residence About 2 AM, the High Priest’s residence. Jesus was brought face to face with the High Priest, Caiaphas. (Matt. This was a tribunal by lamplight: the chief priests, the elders, and the whole ruling council gathered there in the middle of the chill night, determined to do away with Jesus. First Caiaphas tried to interrogate Jesus about His disciples and teaching. Jesus replied that he had taught openly, so ask the people that had heard him. An officer slapped Him across the cheek for His reply, but He stood firm. The interrogators then tried to get two or three false witnesses to agree on their accusations against Jesus. They failed. For all the hostility, they could not get willing liars to agree on the same set of lies. Exasperated, the high priest asked one central question: “Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?” About 5 AM About 5 AM. Jesus said, “Yes, I am.” The High Priest did not recognize the suffering Messiah in front of him–Jesus had declared Himself to be God’s Lamb. The High Priest tore his clothes, a sign of ritual sorrow, and called for a death sentence on the grounds of blasphemy. The condemnation was unanimous. Some of the people there immediately began to mock Him, spit on Him, blindfold and hit Him. “Prophesy who hit you!,” they jeered. At about the same time Peter was in the outer part of the palace, denying for the third time that he even knew Jesus. When Peter realized what he had done, he went out to weep bitterly, but the Lamb stayed silent. The cock had crowed, so it was nearly dawn. The day of the Lamb was half done. About 6:30 AM, Pilate’s judgment hall About 6:30 AM, Pilate’s judgment hall. The chief priests, elders, scribes and council, and the whole mob left the High Priest’s palace at daybreak and delivered Jesus bound to Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator (a kind of governor), to have Him executed. (One person had dropped out of the mob, probably back at the palace: Judas Iscariot, seized with remorse, threw the blood money down in the Temple and went off to kill himself.) (Matt. Pilate wanted nothing to do with Jesus, and asked the Jews to judge Jesus in their own courts. They replied that He deserved to be executed, and only the Romans had authority to carry that out. Then the crowd shouted against this Galilean troublemaker, that He had made Himself a King. Jesus a Galilean!–Pilate seized the opportunity to step out of this early morning crisis: Since Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, was in Jerusalem then, send the Galilean to Herod! About 7:00 AM, Herod’s quarters in Jerusalem About 7:00 AM, Herod’s quarters in Jerusalem. Jesus was taken before Herod. Herod was really delighted, since he was consumed with curiosity to see a miracle from the “miracle-maker.” He peppered Jesus with questions, lots of questions. Jesus did not answer him. Herod quickly saw Jesus was not going to satisfy his curiosity at all. What’s more, the chief priests and scribes had come over to visit Herod, too, and they stood fiercely accusing Jesus. So Herod’s mood quickly swung to mockery. He and the soldiers of his personal guard mocked Jesus. To ridicule His claim to be a King, they put an expensive robe around His shoulders and sent Him back to Pilate. (Herod, not a Jew but a Gentile Edomite, correctly supposed that mocking a Jewish rabbi like this would probably draw a smile from his Roman superior, Pilate. It must have, because Herod and Pilate moved from mutual hostility to friendship that day, cemented by their mutual despising for the Lamb.) About 7:40 AM About 7:40 AM, at Pilate’s judgment hall. They brought Jesus back to Pilate. The chief priests and scribes then launched their many accusations against Jesus. He didn’t reply a word. Pilate marveled. This fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy: “Like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth.” (Matt. Pilate’s first two tries at avoiding the issue had not worked, so he took Jesus aside and asked Him whether He was a King. Jesus answered Pilate directly with two statements: that He was a King whose Kingdom is not of this world, and that He had come to witness to the truth. That was about as understandable a description of Who He was as could be given to a Gentile like Pilate. Pilate the cynic replied, “What is truth?” He didn’t wait for an answer. Pilate went back outside, and summoned the Jewish leaders again. “Neither Herod nor I found Jesus deserving to die, he said, so why don’t I have Him flogged and let Him go?” This was a feast day, the first day of Passover, when the Romans had an annual custom of a prisoner release. Pilate offered Jesus as the prisoner to be released. The crowd around the judgment hall would have none of it, and urged on by the chief priests and scribes, began to shout for a notable trouble-maker and murderer, Bar-Abbas, to be released instead. Pilate persisted again on this, his third try to avoid handling the issue of Jesus. The crowd, still led by the chief priests and elders, kept shouting: “Take Bar-Abbas; put Jesus to death on a cross!” Just at this point, Pilate’s wife sent a message to him, urging him not to do anything against this righteous man Jesus–she had just had a terrible dream to warn her. The crowd had pushed, and Pilate released Bar-Abbas. Now Pilate asked what he should do with Jesus. Only one answer from the crowd: Crucify Him! At that point Pilate ceremoniously washed his hands in front of them all–to deny his responsibility for condemning Jesus. Then Pilate tried for the fourth time to head off the issue by handing Jesus over to some of his Roman troops. About 8:15 AM, the Praetorium About 8:15 AM, the Praetorium. The Roman soldiers took Jesus inside the Praetorium (their garrison) to work Him over in private. They flogged Him, shoved a crown of thorns onto His head. Blood flowed. They put a purple robe on Him and put a reed as a mock scepter in His hand, then hit Him over the head with the reed. They punched Him in the head and spat on Him as they mocked, bowing the knee to Him. “King of the Jews!,” they jeered. About 8:30 AM, Pilate’s judgment hall About 8:30 AM, Pilate’s judgment hall. Pilate spoke to the crowd outside once more to see if his humiliation of Jesus would buy them off from shouting for crucifixion. Then he had Jesus brought out to the crowd’s view, beaten up, with purple robe and crown of thorns. The chief priests and their allies shouted their reply, “Crucify Him, because he made himself the Son of God.” Real fear gripped Pilate then. “Made himself the Son of God,” they said–and there was his own wife’s warning dream, and the fearless silence of the man standing before him. He went back inside where they had taken Jesus, and asked Him, “Where do you come from?” Jesus the Lamb said nothing. “I can have you put to death,” Pilate said. Then the Lamb spoke, “You could have no power except it were given you from above, so he who betrayed me to you has the greater sin.” Pilate was agitated and went out to the crowd again. He tried a fifth time to get off the hook; they shouted that he would be no friend of Caesar if he let Jesus go. Both the mob and Pilate understood politics, after all. About 8:40 AM, at the Pavement (Gabbatha) About 8:40 AM, at the Pavement (Gabbatha.) Hearing that, Pilate brought Jesus outside to the outdoor judgment seat there. The sun was well up in the sky, as bright as noonday, so the crowd could get a good look at how he had been beaten, mocked and tormented. Pilate shouted to the Jews, “This is your king!” But they replied, “We have no king but Caesar.” Pilate made up his mind. He feared his Jewish subjects and their anger more than he valued the Lamb’s innocent life. The Lamb would die. About 8:50 AM, on the way to crucifixion About 8:50 AM, on the way to crucifixion. A large crowd followed the soldiers and Jesus. Jesus, though he was exhausted and beaten, warned the many women who were weeping for Him, prophesying to them that terrible days were ahead for Jerusalem. He was already looking past the death just ahead. He was still shepherding the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 9 AM, at Golgotha (Calvary: “Skull Place,” in English) 9 AM, at Golgotha (Calvary: “Skull Place,” in English.) Jesus was crucified between two thieves, hung on a wooden cross to the death. The Romans pierced His hands and feet to do it. A prophecy fulfilled from the Psalms: “They pierced my hands and my feet.” (Psalm 22:16) They offered Him a drink of wine mixed with myrrh; He refused. As He hung there, Jesus prayed for His executioners, “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.” Passers-by mocked Him, “If you’re the Son of God, come down off that cross.” Chief priests, scribes and elders on the scene mocked, too, railing against His claim to be Son of God and King of Israel. The four Roman soldiers mocked Him, and offered him a drink of vinegar laced with bitter gall. That fulfilled another prophecy in the Psalms: “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” Pilate mocked from afar, leaving a sign tacked high on the cross, on which he had written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Even the crucified thieves, facing their own deaths in the hours ahead, they mocked Him. Meanwhile, the four Roman soldiers divided up Jesus’ clothes; He wouldn’t be needing them. But they cast lots over Jesus’ coat, because it was woven without a seam. Another detail, another prophecy fulfilled from the Psalms: “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my clothes.” Then, as one thief kept mocking Jesus, the other thief had a change of heart. Rebuking his fellow thief, he asked King Jesus to remember him when Jesus came into His Kingdom. Eyes of faith, at last, in an unexpected place! Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Noon, all over the land Noon, all over the land. Darkness came over the whole land. Sometime during those three dark hours, He looked down on His mother Mary and John His disciple, standing near the cross with others of His friends. Ignoring His own condition, He arranged for His mother by putting her in John’s care. About 3 PM, at Golgotha About 3 PM, at Golgotha. The Lamb shouted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” using the words of Psalm 22:1. He cried again, “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit,” and yet once more shouted, “It is finished!,” and died. The Lamb had been sacrificed. It was finished. About 3 PM, at the Temple in Jerusalem 3 PM, at the Temple in Jerusalem. The veil between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was split open from top to bottom. There was an earthquake and great rocks were split. Bodies of many godly people were raised from the dead. A little after 3 PM, at Golgotha A little after 3 PM, at Golgotha. The Roman centurion in charge and others with him saw all this, and were terrified, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” One thing the Romans marked was how Jesus shouted as he died. The Romans knew all about crucifixion. They knew that the victim’s body weight, hanging from a cross, would little by little crush the lungs and suffocate the victim. Men dying by crucifixion died, not with a shout, but a whisper. The people who had stood at a distance watching, including many of the women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to help Him, now dispersed. About 4 PM, Pilate’s judgment hall About 4 PM, Pilate’s judgment hall. Some of the Jesus’ persecutors again approached Pilate. Break the legs of the three crucified men, they asked. That way they would hang limp and die faster, and not still be on the crosses on the Sabbath, some 26 hours away. Pilate assented, so the Roman soldiers broke one thief’s legs, then the other’s…but Jesus was already dead, so not a bone was broken. Another fulfillment, because God commanded through Moses that not one of the Passover lamb’s bones should be broken. About 5:30 PM, Pilate’s judgment hall About 5:30 PM, Pilate’s judgment hall. As the day waned, Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man and counselor who became a secret disciple of Jesus, boldly asks Pilate’s permission to bury Jesus’ body. Pilate was so amazed to hear Jesus was already dead that he summoned the centurion from the crucifixion squad. When the centurion confirmed the death, Pilate granted their request. They could have the body. Pilate marveled, for he understood crucifixion. Death was generally measured in days, not hours. Dead in six hours! About 6 PM in a garden near Golgotha About 6 PM in a garden near Golgotha. Joseph bought clean linen cloth, then took the body down. Nicodemus the Pharisee, another secret believer, joined Joseph, bringing a large quantity of burial spices, myrrh and aloes. Together, they wrapped His body in the cloth with the spices. They put Jesus in Joseph’s own new tomb, hewn out of rock. Buried in a rich man’s tomb–fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy: “His grave was assigned to be with wicked men, yet with a rich man in his death.” (Isaiah 53) Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, two of Jesus’ followers, watched as Joseph rolled a large stone to cover its doorway. Sunset The sun set on the Day of the Lamb. It began with a Passover lamb, and ended with the Passover Lamb. It was finished. Resurrection lay three nights and a sunrise away. The new day beginning was called the day of pre-Sabbath preparation, the next day was the Sabbath, and the third day was the first day of the week. Jesus’ sacrificed body lay dead during daylight hours of Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and the nighttime hours of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday–three days and three nights in the earth. As He Himself had foretold. By P. K. Chamberlain © 2013 The New Testament Missionary Fellowship