Friday, April 6, 2012

Passover Days of the Crucifixion of Jesus

Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Pontius Pilate p...
Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Pontius Pilate presenting a scourged Christ to the people Ecce homo! (Behold the man!). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Before vav yom shishi = "sixth day," Friday, was he yom chamishi = "fifth day,"
which the Church calls Maundy (L.(commandment) Thursday.

Jesus and the first, the twelve, disciples commemorated the Passover (see Exodus 12) meal together. Jesus washed the disciples' feet, hosted the meal, and taught His disciples about the bread and wine meaning His body to be broken and His blood to be shed for the sins of the world.
     Then, the Garden of Gethsemane (Mount of Olives) for prayers. In anguish. "Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine..."
     The High Priest's soldiers came. Jesus was betrayed and arrested.

Inside Jerusalem that night 
Jesus was put on trial before the Jews' High Priest. 
In the High Priest's courtyard, Peter, one of His closest, feared the people and denied Jesus three times before the break of morning.

Friday (vav yom shishi = "sixth day")
Inside Jerusalem that morning
     Jesus was put on display before a crowd and mob    
     Roman magistrate Pontius Pilate had final say
     Verdict about Jesus was announced: Death
     Roman soldiers delivered Jesus up
       to be mocked
       Flogged
       Hit
       Ridiculed
      
"Crowned"...with thorns
       
      The soldiers presented a cross for Jesus to get beneath and carry
       Under guard
     
Outside Jerusalem
     Golgotha ("Place of The Skull")
     Jesus was nailed to a cross
     The Cross was raised between two others
     Jesus was crucified
    
There were mockings
     Piercings
     Gambling
     At the foot of the Cross,
         His robe was divided by Roman soldiers who gambled there
     The foot of the Cross was
         a place of sin, sorrow for sin, and mourning by those who loved Him
     Seven times He spoke from the Cross
     He prayed to the Father "forgive them for they know not what they do."
     Last, He said "It is finished"
     At afternoon, the Son of God also Son of Man committed His spirit into the hands of His Father. Not one of His bones was broken. The flesh of His side had been broken by the piercing sword.
     
He breathed His last breath
     Darkness covered the earth
     The sun darkened
     Earth trembled, quaked, and split
     Graves opened
     Bodies of the dead walked forth
     The veil of the temple was ripped in two
     The Holy of Holies was exposed
           
     His Cross was brought down while it was still day, Friday
          (vavyom shishi)
      His body was removed from the Cross and from Golgotha

      His body was laid in a tomb before evening
     Believers brought cloth wrappings and myrrh...

     Many Jews in those days trusted in God that Jesus, a Jew, born of a Jewish maiden and of the line of David, was the promised Redeemer, the Christ. These included rabbis and other leaders among the Jews. In days to come...Gentiles would believe, too, and accept God's adoption into the Israel of God. God's prophet Isaiah had foretold all these things centuries before.  
    
     Sundown marked the beginning of the next day, the Sabbath (sh''q), Saturday.
      And evening marked the next day, known today Sunday or "the Lord's Day" because of the Resurrection of Jesus, when God raised Him bodily from the dead and the grave on the Third Day.

In every part of the world "from every tribe and nation" followers of the risen and living Christ Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords celebrate His life. 
     Halleluia!  
     Christ has died. 
     Christ is risen. 
     Christ will come again!



 
*Source for Jewish days is Introduction to the Jewish Calendar

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