Immediately after Jesus gives up His soul to God while on the cross, the earth quakes and the curtain of the Holy of Holies in the Temple—which blocks the entrance to God’s presence—is torn in two from top to bottom. This signified that the way into God’s presence was now open to all people through a new and living way, Jesus Christ. As the book of Hebrews says, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God” …

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 …

By now it’s mid-afternoon on Friday, meaning that the Sabbath day of rest approaches at nightfall with the setting of the sun. And Passover would begin for Judeans. While northern Jews, such as Jesus and His disciples from the northern region of Galilee, celebrated Passover on Thursday evening, because they calculated days from sunrise to sunrise, Judeans in the south celebrated Passover on Friday evening because they calculated days from sunset to sunset. Thus, …