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| "Good Friday Morning: Jesus in Prison" -- by James Tissot |
Good Friday
FIRST
READING: Isaiah
52: 13 -- 53:
12
13
Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up,
and shall be very high.
14
As many were astonished at him -- his appearance was so marred,
beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men
--
15
so shall he startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths
because of him; for that which has not been told them they shall see,
and that which they have not heard they shall understand.
1
Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the
LORD been revealed?
2
For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of
dry ground; he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3
He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was
despised, and we esteemed him not.
4
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we
esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and
with his stripes we are healed.
6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his
own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that
before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
8
By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his
generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the
living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
9
And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his
death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in
his mouth.
10
Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to
grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his
offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall
prosper in his hand;
11
he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be
accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities.
12
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall
divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to
death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin
of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
PSALM:
Psalms 31:
2, 6, 12 - 13, 15 - 17, 25
2
Incline thy ear to me, rescue me speedily! Be thou a rock of refuge
for me, a strong fortress to save me!
6
Thou hatest those who pay regard to vain idols; but I trust in the
LORD.
12
I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a
broken vessel.
13
Yea, I hear the whispering of many -- terror on every side! -- as
they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.
15
My times are in thy hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and
persecutors!
16
Let thy face shine on thy servant; save me in thy steadfast love!
17
Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call on thee; let the
wicked be put to shame, let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
25
Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the
LORD!
SECOND
READING: Hebrews
4: 14 - 16; 5:
7 - 9
14
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15
For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are,
yet without sin.
16
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we
may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
7
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications,
with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from
death, and he was heard for his godly fear.
8
Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered;
9
and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to
all who obey him.
GOSPEL:
John 18:
1 -- 19: 42
1
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples
across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his
disciples entered.
2
Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met
there with his disciples.
3
So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the
chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches
and weapons.
4
Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said
to them, "Whom do you seek?"
5
They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them,
"I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.
6
When he said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to
the ground.
7
Again he asked them, "Whom do you seek?" And they said,
"Jesus of Nazareth."
8
Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me,
let these men go."
9
This was to fulfil the word which he had spoken, "Of those whom
thou gavest me I lost not one."
10
Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high
priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was
Malchus.
11
Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I
not drink the cup which the Father has given me?"
12
So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the
Jews seized Jesus and bound him.
13
First they led him to Annas; for he was the father-in-law of
Ca'iaphas, who was high priest that year.
14
It was Ca'iaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that it was
expedient that one man should die for the people.
15
Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. As this
disciple was known to the high priest, he entered the court of the
high priest along with Jesus,
16
while Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was
known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the maid who kept the
door, and brought Peter in.
17
The maid who kept the door said to Peter, "Are not you also one
of this man's disciples?" He said, "I am not."
18
Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it
was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves; Peter also
was with them, standing and warming himself.
19
The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his
teaching.
20
Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have
always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come
together; I have said nothing secretly.
21
Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me, what I said to them;
they know what I said."
22
When he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus
with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"
23
Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to
the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?"
24
Annas then sent him bound to Ca'iaphas the high priest.
25
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him,
"Are not you also one of his disciples?" He denied it and
said, "I am not."
26
One of the servants of the high priest, a kinsman of the man whose
ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden
with him?"
27
Peter again denied it; and at once the cock crowed.
28
Then they led Jesus from the house of Ca'iaphas to the praetorium. It
was early. They themselves did not enter the praetorium, so that they
might not be defiled, but might eat the passover.
29
So Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you
bring against this man?"
30
They answered him, "If this man were not an evildoer, we would
not have handed him over."
31
Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your
own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to
put any man to death."
32
This was to fulfil the word which Jesus had spoken to show by what
death he was to die.
33
Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to
him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"
34
Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did
others say it to you about me?"
35
Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief
priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?"
36
Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my
kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might
not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the
world."
37
Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered,
"You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I
have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who
is of the truth hears my voice."
38
Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said
this, he went out to the Jews again, and told them, "I find no
crime in him.
39
But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the
Passover; will you have me release for you the King of the Jews?"
40
They cried out again, "Not this man, but Barab'bas!" Now
Barab'bas was a robber.
1
Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him.
2
And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head,
and arrayed him in a purple robe;
3
they came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and
struck him with their hands.
4
Pilate went out again, and said to them, "See, I am bringing him
out to you, that you may know that I find no crime in him."
5
So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.
Pilate said to them, "Behold the man!"
6
When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out,
"Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take
him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him."
7
The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought
to die, because he has made himself the Son of God."
8
When Pilate heard these words, he was the more afraid;
9
he entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are
you from?" But Jesus gave no answer.
10
Pilate therefore said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you
not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?"
11
Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it
had been given you from above; therefore he who delivered me to you
has the greater sin."
12
Upon this Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If
you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend; every one who
makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar."
13
When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on
the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, and in Hebrew,
Gab'batha.
14
Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the
sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"
15
They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!"
Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief
priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."
16
Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
17
So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the
place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew
Gol'gotha.
18
There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either
side, and Jesus between them.
19
Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus
of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."
20
Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was
crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin,
and in Greek.
21
The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, "Do not
write, `The King of the Jews,' but, `This man said, I am King of the
Jews.'"
22
Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."
23
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made
four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was
without seam, woven from top to bottom;
24
so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots
for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfil the
scripture, "They parted my garments among them, and for my
clothing they cast lots."
25
So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his
mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary
Mag'dalene.
26
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing
near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"
27
Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And
from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
28
After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil
the scripture), "I thirst."
29
A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the
vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth.
30
When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished";
and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31
Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies
from remaining on the cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a
high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and
that they might be taken away.
32
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the
other who had been crucified with him;
33
but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they
did not break his legs.
34
But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once
there came out blood and water.
35
He who saw it has borne witness -- his testimony is true, and he
knows that he tells the truth -- that you also may believe.
36
For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled,
"Not a bone of him shall be broken."
37
And again another scripture says, "They shall look on him whom
they have pierced."
38
After this Joseph of Arimathe'a, who was a disciple of Jesus, but
secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away
the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took
away his body.
39
Nicode'mus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing
a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds' weight.
40
They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the
spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
41
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in
the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid.
42
So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at
hand, they laid Jesus there.
