What Is Holy Saturday?

 

After His crucifixion, Jesus was laid in a nearby tomb, and His body remained there the entirety of Holy Saturday (Matthew 27:59-60; Mark 15:46; Luke 23:53-54; John 19:39-42).

Indeed, without the resurrection of Christ, we would be in dire straits. If Christ had never been raised, “your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). The disciples had scattered when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:50), and they spent the first Holy Saturday hiding for fear of also being arrested (John 20:19). The day between Christ’s crucifixion and His resurrection would have been a time of grief and shock as the stunned disciples tried to understand the murder of Jesus, the betrayal of Judas, and the dashing of their hopes.

The only biblical reference to what happened on Holy Saturday is found in Matthew 27:62-66. After sundown on Friday - the day of Preparation - the chief priests and Pharisees visited Pontius Pilate. This visit was on the Sabbath, since the Jews reckoned a day as starting at sundown. They asked Pilate for a guard for Jesus’ tomb. They remembered Jesus saying that He would rise again in three days (John 2:19-21) and wanted to do everything they could to prevent that. As we know, the Roman guards were inadequate to prevent the resurrection.

- Provided by "Got Questions Ministries"

What's So Good About Good Friday?

 
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”
And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

John 19:30

On a Friday morning, in a city bustling with Passover preparations, Jesus was bruised, bloodied and abandoned. The night had been long: He’d been betrayed by a friend, dragged through unjust trials, mocked and beaten. Early that morning, He was sentenced to die.

If anyone knows what it means to be broken, Jesus does.

Our world is filled with sorrows, yes. But Jesus didn’t just see our brokenness; He offered Himself to be broken for us on the cross. There, as He hung nailed to a tree like a criminal, He cried out “it is finished” before exhaling His last breath and giving up His spirit (John 19:30).

These are the very words a Hebrew priest would declare after killing the sacrificial lamb to cover the sins of the people on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). Jesus, the Lamb of God, took on the senseless violence of this world through His death, and as our High Priest, He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

In Hebrew, the word for “finished” shares a root with “shalom,” meaning peace, wholeness, restoration and completion. As Isaiah 53:5 explains, Jesus “was pierced for our transgressions … the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” . The peace of God came through the piercing of Jesus.

What’s so good about Good Friday? It’s this: By His death on the cross, Jesus broke the power of death and sin in this world. So Good Friday reminds us of the good work Jesus accomplished on the cross, leading to His resurrection and healing of this fractured world.

But before we rush to Resurrection Sunday, let’s sit with the weight of Jesus’ sacrifice today. Let us sit with the pain of the Man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3), who endured the wrath of God at the cross. Let us ponder the injustice of the spotless Lamb of God punished for our sins. Let us marvel at the astounding death of the Creator of life. Let us worship the King of glory who let go of the splendor of heaven to become flesh and blood, to humble Himself, to hunger and thirst, to suffer and hurt, to be betrayed and rejected, mocked and humiliated - all for love.

Let us worship the Maker whose death brings life. Let us bring to Him all that’s heavy on our hearts, knowing He sees, He knows and He cares. And someday soon, He will finish restoring all that’s broken in this world - and in our lives too.

Jesus, we worship You for Your sacrificial love on the cross. Help us surrender to You those broken parts of our lives, and fill our hearts with hope that You will finish what You started: You will return to make all things new. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

- Asheritah Ciuciu
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"

Note:
To learn more about the meaning of Good Friday and why Jesus’ death on the cross is so important to you, visit "Got Questions Ministries".

Jesus Wants You To Know...

"I give strength to My people; I bless My people with Peace. 'My people' are all those who trust Me as their Savior-God. My death on the cross for your sins was sufficient to provide everlasting Life because I am truly God. So rest assured that the One who provides eternal Life will also give you strength."

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“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16

- "Jesus Today" by Sarah Young

Scripture: Mark 10:45

What Is Holy Thursday?

Holy Thursday, also known as “Maundy Thursday,” is the day before Good Friday (the Friday before Easter). Maundy Thursday is the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples. It was also the day of His betrayal and arrest. Maundy Thursday commemorates the actions of Jesus associated with the Last Supper.

Two important events are the focus of Maundy Thursday:

The first event is Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper, or communion (Luke 22:19–20). This is one of the ordinances of the church. Some Christians observe a special communion service on Maundy Thursday to commemorate Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples.

The second event that remains the focus of Maundy Thursday is Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet. His act of humility and service set an example for us to love and serve one another in humility (John 13:3–17). Today, some Christians observe a foot-washing ceremony on Maundy Thursday to follow the example of Jesus’ washing the feet of His disciples.

The Gospel of John details what happened that night of the Last Supper: “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (John 13:3–5). He then told His disciples that “you should do as I have done for you” (verse 15).

The word Maundy is derived from the Latin word mandatum, meaning “mandate” or “commandment.” So, Maundy Thursday could be thought of as “Commandment Thursday.” The specific mandate is the new commandment Jesus gave the disciples that night. Before He was arrested, Jesus said,

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:34–35)

Should Christians observe Maundy Thursday? The Bible neither commands nor forbids it. It is a good thing to remember the Last Supper and the Lord’s example of service and humility. At the same time, we should avoid ritualistic observances of holidays unless they are truly focused on God and our relationship with Him.

The very best way to observe Maundy Thursday, is to make sure we are following the mandate: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34).

- Provided by "Got Questions Ministries"