Good Friday is often a solemn day in the church calendar.
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Prophecies about Good Friday
From man’s first sin through the last prophets, we see many prophecies through Scripture that point to Jesus’ death on the cross. Most prominently, Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 have shown striking similarities to what took place centuries later.
Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Psalm 22:16: “Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.”
Psalm 41:9: “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.”
Isaiah 53:5: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
Zechariah 11:12-13: “I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.”
Zechariah 13:7: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.”
Good Friday according to the Four Gospels
All of the Gospels contain an account of what happened on Good Friday. Jesus, arrested and put on trial, was found guilty of blasphemy. Although Pilate, the Roman regional leader, can find nothing wrong with him, he gives in to the crowd’s demands for Jesus’ crucifixion. Not before Jesus endures the torturous pain of whips and beatings.
Matthew 26:64-68: “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”
Mark 15:21-24: “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.”
Luke 23:38-43: “There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
John 19:25-27: “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[b]here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home..
The Last Words of Jesus Verses
Jesus technically has more last words than what we see below (see the article linked). On the cross, he fulfilled Old Testament prophecy by literally speaking it (I thirst; my God why have you forsaken me?). Even in his last moments, he forgives the crowd who jeers at him below and also offers a thief who flanks his side the hope that they would see each other in paradise.
Matthew 27:46: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”
John 19:38: “I am thirsty”
John 19:30: “It is finished!”
For more of the last words of Jesus, check out this article here.
Bible Verses about the Cross
The cross changed in meaning after Jesus died and rose again from the grave. The Israelite people would’ve originally viewed the cross as a cursed thing (Deuteronomy 21:23). But after Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, the object changed in meaning. It represented dying to oneself to live with Christ. It also reminded Christians of Christ’s sacrifice so that they could experience eternity with him.
Beyond the Gospels, the apostle Paul, and other writers, talked about the importance of the cross and what it means for Christians. We cannot have Christianity without the cross.
Matthew 16:24: “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Philippians 2:8: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
1 Peter 2:24: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
A Prayer for Good Friday
Sweet and Precious Jesus, on this day I reflect upon the events of Good Friday. Even though they tried you unlawfully and sentenced you to death, you did not open your mouth in protest. I stand amazed at all you have done for me. That my God in heaven cared so much about my salvation that he lived the life I should have lived and died a brutal death. Jesus, so often I can forget everything you have done for me as I go about my days. I can never say thank you enough for your sacrifice on the cross. I surrender to you daily and am at a loss for words. Amen.
Christians can often get uncomfortable about Good Friday. Jesus had died in a cruel way, and to think he had done so for us can often seem unfathomable at times.
But we must remember and think on this day, just as much as we do on Easter Sunday. Good Friday reminds us of the gravity of our sins, and how much God was willing to sacrifice to be reunited in a relationship with us. Even though we do recognize the solemn nature of Good Friday, we wait in anticipation for the Resurrection Sunday where we can, at last, declare, “He is risen!”
Further Reading
Why Is it Called ‘Good Friday’?
What’s So Good about Good Friday?
This article is part of our larger Holy Week and Easter resource library centered around the events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through his son Jesus Christ!
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What is the Holy Week?
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What is Maundy Thursday?
What Is Good Friday?
What Is Easter?
Easter Prayers
At Easter, the Son of God took on the world’s sin and defeated the devil, death, and the grave. How is it that history’s most glorious moment is surrounded by fearful fishermen, despised tax collectors, marginalized women, feeble politicians, and traitorous friends?
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