Good Friday in the Holy Bible: Awe and Inspiration

Matthew 12:39-40

39  But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.

40  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 

Matthew 26:1-2

1  When Jesus had finished all these words, he said to his disciples, 2  “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

Matthew 27:27-54

27  Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him. 28  They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29  They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30  They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31  When they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
32  As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross. 33  When they came to a place called “Golgotha”, that is to say, “The place of a skull,” 34  they gave him sour wine† to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink. 35  When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots, 36  and they sat and watched him there. 37  They set up over his head the accusation against him written, “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
38  Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left.
39  Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads 40  and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
41  Likewise the chief priests also mocking with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said, 42 “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. 43  He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44  The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.
45  Now from the sixth hour† there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46  About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
47  Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”
48  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him a drink. 49  The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
50  Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.
51  Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. 52  The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53  and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.
54  Now the centurion and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were done, were terrified, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Mark 8:31-35

31  He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32  He spoke to them openly. Peter took him and began to rebuke him. 33  But he, turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”
34  He called the multitude to himself with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

Mark 9:31

31  for he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.”

Mark 10:32-34

32  They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going in front of them, and they were amazed; and those who followed were afraid. He again took the twelve, and began to tell them the things that were going to happen to him. 33  “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the Gentiles. 34  They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”

Mark 15:16-39

16  The soldiers led him away within the court, which is the Praetorium; and they called together the whole cohort. 17  They clothed him with purple; and weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18  They began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19  They struck his head with a reed and spat on him, and bowing their knees, did homage to him. 20  When they had mocked him, they took the purple cloak off him, and put his own garments on him. They led him out to crucify him.
21  They compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them that he might bear his cross. 22  They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, “The place of a skull.” 23  They offered him wine mixed with myrrh to drink, but he didn’t take it.
24 Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take. 25  It was the third hour when they crucified him. 26  The superscription of his accusation was written over him: “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 27  With him they crucified two robbers, one on his right hand, and one on his left. 28 The Scripture was fulfilled which says, “He was counted with transgressors.”
29  Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying, “Ha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30  save yourself, and come down from the cross!”
31  Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, “He saved others. He can’t save himself. 32  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.”‡ Those who were crucified with him also insulted him.
33  When the sixth hour§ had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34  At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
35  Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.”
36  One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down.”
37  Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit. 38  The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. 39  When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Luke 23:26-49

26  When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid the cross on him to carry it after Jesus. 27  A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him. 28  But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29  For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30  Then they will begin to tell the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and tell the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31  For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?”
32  There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death. 33  When they came to the place that is called “The Skull”, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
34  Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots. 35  The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”
36  The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, 37  and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
38  An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
39  One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!”
40  But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42  He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
43  Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
44  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 45  The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46  Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.
47  When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.” 48  All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their breasts. 49  All his acquaintances and the women who followed with him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things.

John 3:16-17

16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17  For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

John 19:16-37

16  So then he delivered him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led him away. 17  He went out, bearing his cross, to the place called “The Place of a Skull”, which is called in Hebrew, “Golgotha”, 18  where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus in the middle. 19  Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. There was written, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20  Therefore many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. 21  The chief priests of the Jews therefore said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘he said, “I am King of the Jews.” ’ ”
22  Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23  Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24  Then they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it will be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says,
“They parted my garments among them.
They cast lots for my clothing.”
Therefore the soldiers did these things.
25  But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26  Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.
28  After this, Jesus, seeing† that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty!” 29  Now a vessel full of vinegar was set there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop, and held it at his mouth. 30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31  Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation Day, so that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special one), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32  Therefore the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with him; 33  but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs. 34  However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35  He who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, that you may believe. 36  For these things happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him will not be broken.” 37  Again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they pierced.”

Isaiah 53:3-6

3  He was despised
and rejected by men,
a man of suffering
and acquainted with disease.
He was despised as one from whom men hide their face;
and we didn’t respect him.
 
4  Surely he has borne our sickness
and carried our suffering;
yet we considered him plagued,
struck by God, and afflicted.
5  But he was pierced for our transgressions.
He was crushed for our iniquities.
The punishment that brought our peace was on him;
and by his wounds we are healed.
6  All we like sheep have gone astray.
Everyone has turned to his own way;
and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Psalm 22:1-18

1  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
2  My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer;
in the night season, and am not silent.
3  But you are holy,
you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
4  Our fathers trusted in you.
They trusted, and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you, and were delivered.
They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
6  But I am a worm, and no man;
a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7  All those who see me mock me.
They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
8 “He trusts in Yahweh.
Let him deliver him.
Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
9  But you brought me out of the womb.
You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts.
10  I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb.
You are my God since my mother bore me.
11 Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near.
For there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls have surrounded me.
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13 They open their mouths wide against me,
lions tearing prey and roaring.
14  I am poured out like water.
All my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax.
It is melted within me.
15  My strength is dried up like a potsherd.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have brought me into the dust of death.
16  For dogs have surrounded me.
A company of evildoers have enclosed me.
They have pierced my hands and feet.
17  I can count all of my bones.
They look and stare at me.
18  They divide my garments among them.
They cast lots for my clothing.

This psalm begins with the words Jesus uttered on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It goes on to describe his physical suffering, the mocking of his enemies, and the casting of lots for his garments. It ends with a proclamation of victory and praise to God.

Zechariah 12:10:

10  I will pour on David’s house and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication. They will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for his firstborn. 

Psalm 69:21

21  They also gave me poison for my food.
In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.

Isaiah 50:6

6  I gave my back to those who beat me,
and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair.
I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting.

Psalm 34:20

20  He protects all of his bones.

Not one of them is broken.

Exodus 12:46

46  It must be eaten in one house. You shall not carry any of the meat outside of the house. Do not break any of its bones. 

Numbers 9:12

12  They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break a bone of it. According to all the statute of the Passover they shall keep it.

Hebrews 9:11-14

11  But Christ having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12  nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption. 13  For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh, 14  how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Philippians 2:5-11

5  Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, 6  who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7  but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. 8  And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. 9  Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, 10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1 Peter 2:21-25

21  For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you† an example, that you should follow his steps, 22  who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” 23  When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. 24  He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds. 25  For you were going astray like sheep; but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer§ of your souls.

Romans 5:6-10

6  For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7  For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a good person someone would even dare to die. 8  But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God’s wrath through him. 10  For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life.