The Passion of Christ (1)
The Passion of Christ describes the eighteen odd hours from when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (“… yet not as I will, but as You will”) until his death on the cross. During these hours Jesus is arrested, abandoned, tortured, tried, and sentenced to death, exchanged for the notorious prisoner, Barabbas. He was forced to drag His own cross on the road to Golgotha until, in His humanness, he collapsed and Simon of Cyrene was conscripted to carry it. At Golgotha Jesus was nailed to the cross, which was then hoisted up and dropped into a hole dug for that purpose.
Here are the seven last words of Christ as he gave His life for ours:
1. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
2. Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
3. Woman, behold thy son.
4. My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?
5. I thirst.
6. It is finished.
7. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
Anne Graham Lotz on Good Friday
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Isaiah 53:4-12
Matthew 26:36 – 27:55
Mark 14:32 – 15:40
Luke 22:39 – 23:49
John 27:1 – 19:37