Good Friday is one of the most revered holidays in the Christian calendar, as it represents the day Jesus was crucified — an event described in detail in the gospels.
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There are a plethora of Good Friday Bible verses throughout the New Testament that speak to the details of the event, answering an important question: When did Jesus die — and what was the purpose of his death?
Good Friday Bible Verses
Jesus Resurrection Prediction
The Bible records the fact that Jesus predicted His own death and resurrection, and we can see in Mark 10 just how specific the Christian savior was about the things that would eventually happen to Him.
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Mark 10:33-34 (NIV) records one of Christ's most powerful and prophetic Good Friday quotes:
"'We are going up to Jerusalem,' he said, 'and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law,'" the verses read. "'They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.'"
While this particular part of scripture doesn't address the question "When did Jesus die?" or "What happened on Good Friday?" it speaks to Jesus' own foreknowledge about Good Friday meaning and details.
Christ's statement about His own death and resurrection confused His apostles, as they had no idea what it meant and what was about to happen. This scripture passage predicting the events of Good Friday shows us that Jesus knew what His fate was and accepted God's will for His life. It also shows us that He knew the act would be hard on His apostles and all those who cared for Him.
To watch the events of Good Friday unfold, stream "Risen," the resurrection story told from a non-believer's point of view. Watch it now on Great American Pure Flix.
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Diving Into the Gospels
When we dive into Good Friday Bible verses we have the chance to see what unfolded, as Good Friday quotes and biblical events give us a lens into what Christ faced on the cross.
When we look at the Book of Matthew, we see Judas, the disciple who had abandoned and betrayed Jesus, feeling intense guilt and taking his own life. We also see Jesus standing before Pilate, who asks Christ if He is the "king of the Jews."
The events that follow show the pain and suffering Jesus faced, as the crowd chanted, "Crucify him!" As we explore Good Friday meaning and look at the Good Friday quotes recounting what Jesus faced in those hours, we see He was flogged and handed over to be crucified on the cross.
Here are just some of the painful details from Matthew 27:27-31 (NIV):
"Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him."
As we explore Good Friday meaning and what happened on Good Friday, the verses that follow are immensely important. These Good Friday Bible verses tell us that Jesus was mocked, and forced to carry His cross to a location known as Golgotha.
Matthew 27:32-37 (NIV) reads:
As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
As mentioned in this Good Friday passage, Golgotha is the place of the skull. It is said it was named because the hill literally was the shape of a skull. This place was a common place for crucifixions for criminals. The Jews believed Jesus was a criminal because He proclaimed that He was God Himself and the Jews challenged that He was not the Messiah they were promised. Jesus was crucified along with two criminals, one on either side of Him. To see the story of Good Friday from the two criminals crucified with Christ, watch "Two Thieves" on Great American Pure Flix.
The imagery of that name "Golgotha" makes us recall that it somberly represents the place where our Savior died there, paying the price for our sin. It reminds us that He conquered death, rising from the dead victorious and able to give us eternal life.
When Did Jesus Die? How Did Jesus Die?
The Events of Good Friday & Resurrection Sunday
Matthew 27 explains what unfolded leading up to Christ's death on the cross, with darkness overtaking the land. Verses 45-46 read:
"From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' (which means 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?')."
Jesus gave up His spirit on the cross, saving humanity from our own sins. The significance of Good Friday meaning has been felt throughout the past 2,000 years, but the Bible also records the moment of Jesus' death — and the events that followed are stunning.
Matthew 27:51-54 (NIV) have more:
"At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, 'Surely he was the Son of God!'"
You can read more about Good Friday meaning in Matthew 27 over at Biblica, including details surrounding Christ's burial. You can also read more Good Friday quotes and Good Friday Bible verses in the other gospels: Luke 23, Mark 15, and John 19.
Want more inspiration? Become a Great American Pure Flix member today to stream faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows related to Easter! Use your free trial to watch "The Blind," "Risen," "The History of Easter," and many more Easter movies.
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