Lent: Good Friday

“Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water” – John 19: 31-34 NIV

My Thoughts:
It is Friday—sometimes referred to as ‘Good Friday.’ Jesus has been crucified, alongside two criminals. Since the crucified bodies wouldn’t have been allowed to remain on the crosses on the Sabbath day—which would begin at sundown on Friday—the Jews asked Pilate that the victims’ legs be broken to speed along their deaths. This would cause additional blood loss and agony. Once nailed to the cross the victim had to push up with his legs to support the weight of the body, so as to avoid constricting the diaphragm, which would make breathing impossible. Breaking the legs thus also prevented the victim from pushing up with his legs to avoid suffocation.

As the book of John says of the end of Jesus’ life, “Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:28-30 NIV). Usually, victims of crucifixion died much slower deaths, with it by design taking days. But since Jesus was in control, He was able to give up His soul when He was ready, committing it to God as a sacrificial offering for us. This is why the day is called ‘Good Friday.’

Action:
Watch the short video about Good Friday by Central Films and performed by Propaganda of Humble Beast.

Posted in Lent

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