Today, we commemorate the crucifixion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to the Gospels, Jesus was betrayed by Judas on the night of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday.
According to the Gospels, the royal soldiers guided by Jesus’ disciple Judas Iscariot, arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas had received 30 pieces of silver for betraying Jesus and told the guards that whoever he kissed would be the one they were to arrest. As it has happened, the soldiers arrested Jesus who was taken to the house of Annas, father-in-law of the high priests Caiaphas. There he was interrogated, with little result, then sent bound to Caiaphas the high priest where the Sanhedrin had assembled. The high priest condemned Jesus for blasphemy.
The whole assembly then brought Jesus to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate under charges of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and making himself a king. When Pilate learned that Jesus was from Galilee, he referred the case to King Herod, who was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Herod questioned Jesus but received no answer; Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate told the assembly that neither he nor Herod found Jesus to be guilty; he resolved to have Jesus whipped and released. But the crowd asked him to set Barrabas free instead. Pilate asked what they would have him do with Jesus and they said, “Crucify Him.” Pilate knew that Jesus had nothing to be thus punished. Pilate’s wife had seen Jesus in a dream earlier that day, and she warned Pilate to have nothing to do with this righteous man.
Pilate had Jesus flogged and then brought him out to the crowd to release him. The chief priests informed Pilate of a new charge, demanding Jesus to be sentenced to death, because he claimed to be the Son of God.
Pilate declared Jesus innocent and washed his hands to show he had no part in his condemnation. He handed Jesus over to be crucified in order to forestall a riot carried his cross to Golgotha – in Hebrew and in Latin “Calvary.” There he was crucified with two criminals.
He agonized on the cross for six hours. During his last three hours on the cross, from noon to 3 p.m., darkness fell over the whole land. Then Jesus said in a loud voice: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Soon afterwards, Jesus gave up his Spirit. There was an earthquake, tombs broke open, and the curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom. The centurion on guard at the site of crucifixion declared, “Truly, this was God’s son!”
Up to his death, Jesus showed how he was obedient to the will of His heavenly Father. He knew that he could ask the Father whatever he wanted. But he humbled himself, for the salvation of all, even dying at the cross. To the world he gave all he could give, showing for us a reason to live.