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On this day, Jesus was betrayed, arrested, abandoned, accused, denied, condemned, beaten, mocked, humiliated, tortured, crucified, and ultimately executed on a cross with two other criminals. This was, without doubt, the lowest point in Jesus’ life.

Why does the Christian tradition call such a horrific event “Good Friday?” At face value, it seems to resemble more the events of a horror film from Friday the 13th. And—more importantly, why did Jesus go through such an excruciating, traumatic, and horrific death? Sometimes, within our culture, we hear people suggest that Jesus died to “save us from our sins.” That might be a good enough answer to get us by in Sunday School, but the truth is that answer is vague and somewhat confusing. What do the Scriptures have to say about this?

Well, in Matthew’s account of the crucifixion, he makes a big deal about an obscure curtain inside the Jewish Temple located in Jerusalem (Matthew 27:50-51). You see, within Judaism, the Temple was central to Jewish life and worship. This curtain was meant to divide the rest of the temple from the Most Holy Place where the very presence of God was to be found. Only the High Priest had access to this room, and once a year to offer a special sacrifice to God for himself and the Jewish people (Hebrews 9:1-7).

When Jesus died, Matthew tells us that “..Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split” (Matthew 27:50-51). What does this mean? The author of Hebrews goes on to tell us that this means that Jesus, on the cross, was acting as the ultimate High Priest (someone who represents us before God), and as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, truly taking in our stead the penalty for our sins—and thus securing our eternal redemption by freeing us from our sin debt.

He wrote: “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:11-12).

In other words, on the cross, Christ was acting as our High Priest before God the Father. Becoming humanity’s representative before God, he entered into the very presence of God the Father as the ultimate sacrifice, dying in our place. Thus, what happened in the spiritual realm manifested itself on Earth. The curtain was torn because Christ's sacrifice on the cross was so perfect, so final, so comprehensive, and so exhaustive, that there is no longer a separation between us and God. We have access to God through Jesus’s death. This is why the author of Hebrews later writes: “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” (Hebrews 10:19-20).

This is why within the Christian tradition we call this Friday a Good Friday. Through his death, Jesus paid the penalty of our sins, freeing us from our sin-debt (Colossians 2:13-14) and giving us access to God. That’s the ultimate purpose of Jesus’ death. Jesus died so you and I can have a relationship with God (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus died so you and I can experience, taste, savor, and love God.

Timeline of Good Friday

4-6 AM: JESUS’S TRIAL

Matthew 26:57-68, Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:22-70, John 18:12-28

6-8 AM: JESUS SENTENCED TO BE CRUCIFIED

Matthew 27:1-26, Mark 15:1-5, Luke 23:1-25, John 18:28 -19:16

8-8:30 AM: JESUS CARRIES HIS CROSS

Matthew 27:27-32, Mark 15:16-22, Luke 23: 26-33, John 19:17

9 AM: JESUS IS CRUCIFIED

Matthew 27:35, Luke 23:33, John 19:18-22

9-9:30 AM: SOLDIERS DIVIDE JESUS’ CLOTHING

Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24, Luke 23:34, John 19:23-24

9:30-11 AM: THE SOLDIERS MOCK JESUS

Matthew 27:36-43, Mark 15:29-32, Luke 23:35-38

11-NOON: JESUS SPEAKS TO THE THIEVES

Matthew 27:38-44, Luke 23:39-43, John 19:25-27

NOON: THREE HOUR DARKNESS DESCENDS

Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33

NOON - 3 PM: TEMPLE CURTAIN IS TORN

Matthew 27:51-54, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45, Matthew 27:46-50, Mark 15:33-37, Luke 23:35-38, John 19:29

3 PM: JESUS DIES

Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34-39, Luke23:46, John 19:30