Bible verses about
Good Friday
The day Jesus died, after being tortured, rejected, and humiliated, could be described as anything but “good.” He bore our sins, which were so polluting and defiling that they separated Him from God. No one else on earth has ever endured the agony of Jesus’ final hours — the horror of total separation from God.
But God is able to find the good in everything. He is always in complete control. What’s “good” about Good Friday is that the sacrifice Jesus made out of love for us and obedience to God, means that nothing will ever be able to separate God from any of His children ever again.
Jesus knew He was going to die, but the thought so terrified His disciples that they were afraid to ask questions
Mark 9:31-32
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.” But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
As our Savior, Jesus was destined for rejection and suffering
Isaiah 53:3
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.
Jesus repeatedly told His followers of His death; His sacrifice was intentional
Mark 10:32-34
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. “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. They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”
Jesus carried the sins and suffering of humanity — my sins and suffering
Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. 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.
Jesus was beaten and tortured in front of a mob who wanted Him dead, but He knew God was in ultimate control
John 19:1-11
So Pilate then took Jesus, and flogged him. The soldiers twisted thorns into a crown, and put it on his head, and dressed him in a purple garment. They kept saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and they kept slapping him. Then Pilate went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I bring him out to you, that you may know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the man!” When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, saying, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and crucify him, for I find no basis for a charge against him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” When therefore Pilate heard this saying, he was more afraid. He entered into the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, “Aren’t you speaking to me? Don’t you know that I have power to release you and have power to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who delivered me to you has greater sin.”
Jesus’ final hours were filled with rejection and mockery
Matthew 27:38-44
Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left. Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads 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!” Likewise the chief priests also mocking with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said, “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. He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.
Many specific details of Jesus’ death were foretold, such as the guards casting lots for his robe
Psalm 22:15-18
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. For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me. They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.
Jesus’ death happened in such a way as to perfectly fulfill Scripture
John 19:23-24
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 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. For my cloak they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.
Jesus endured the horrors of Good Friday so I never have to experience the inevitable results of my sins
Isaiah 53:5
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.
Jesus death was in complete accordance with prophecy and Scripture
John 19:33-37
But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs. However one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. He who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, that you may believe. For these things happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him will not be broken.” Again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they pierced.”
Prophecy predicted that a rich man would provide Jesus’ grave
Isaiah 53:9
They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Jesus died on Friday and rested on the Sabbath
John 19:40-42
So they took Jesus’ body, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb in which no man had ever yet been laid. Then because of the Jews’ Preparation Day (for the tomb was near at hand) they laid Jesus there.
