Good Friday - Tenebrae: Darkness

FRIDAY MORNING — 14th of Nisan (Good Friday)

1. Morning council — the Sanhedrin formally ratifies the death sentence at dawn (Luke 22:66-71)
2. Judas's remorse and death — returns the 30 pieces of silver: "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." They refuse it. He throws the silver into the Temple and hangs himself. The priests buy the Potter's Field with the blood money. Fulfills Zechariah 11:12-13 and Jeremiah 32:6-9 (Matthew 27:3-10). Acts 1:18-19 gives a different account of Judas's death.
3. Jesus before Pontius Pilate (first hearing) — "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus: "You have said so." "My kingdom is not of this world." Pilate finds no fault in him (John 18:28-38 / Luke 23:1-5)
4. Jesus before Herod Antipas — Pilate sends Jesus to Herod (Luke only). Herod questions him. Jesus gives no answer. Herod's soldiers mock him and dress him in a gorgeous robe. Sends him back to Pilate (Luke 23:6-12)
5. Jesus before Pilate (second hearing) — Pilate declares Jesus innocent again. Offers the crowd a choice: Jesus or Barabbas. The crowd, stirred by the chief priests, demands Barabbas. "Crucify him!" Pilate's wife sends a message: "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream" (Matthew 27:19). Pilate washes his hands: "I am innocent of this man's blood." The crowd: "His blood be on us and on our children" (Matthew 27:24-25)
6. Scourging — Pilate has Jesus flogged. Roman flagellation with the flagrum (Matthew 27:26)
7. Mocking by the soldiers — stripped, dressed in a scarlet/purple robe, crown of thorns pressed onto his head, reed placed in his hand as a scepter. "Hail, King of the Jews!" They spit on him, strike him on the head with the reed, kneel in mock homage (Matthew 27:27-31)
8. Ecce Homo — Pilate presents Jesus to the crowd: "Behold the man!" (Idou ho anthropos). They cry: "Crucify him!" (John 19:4-6)
9. Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified

FRIDAY — THE WAY OF THE CROSS

1. Jesus carries his cross — led out bearing the crossbeam toward Golgotha (John 19:17)
2. Simon of Cyrene — compelled to carry the cross for Jesus (Matthew 27:32 / Mark 15:21 / Luke 23:26). Mark identifies him as the father of Alexander and Rufus.
3. The Daughters of Jerusalem — women weep for him along the road. Jesus: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children" (Luke 23:27-31)

FRIDAY — THE CRUCIFIXION (approx. 9 AM to 3 PM)

1. Arrival at Golgotha — "the Place of the Skull" (Kranion in Greek, Calvaria in Latin). Jesus is offered wine mixed with gall/myrrh; he tastes it but refuses to drink (Matthew 27:33-34)
2. The Crucifixion — Jesus is nailed to the cross, between two criminals. The titulus is placed above: INRI — Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (John 19:19). "It was the third hour" — approximately 9 AM (Mark 15:25)
3. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" — the first word from the cross (Luke 23:34)
4. Soldiers cast lots for his seamless garment — fulfills Psalm 22:18 (John 19:23-24)
5. The crowd mocks — "He saved others; he cannot save himself." "If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross" (Matthew 27:39-44)
6. The penitent thief — one criminal reviles Jesus; the other rebukes him: "We are receiving what our deeds deserve, but this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus: "Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise" — the second word (Luke 23:39-43)
7. Jesus sees his mother and the Beloved Disciple at the foot of the cross. "Woman, behold your son." To the disciple: "Behold your mother" — the third word (John 19:25-27)
8. Darkness over the land — from the sixth hour (noon) to the ninth hour (3 PM). Three hours of darkness (Matthew 27:45 / Mark 15:33 / Luke 23:44)
9. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" — Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? The fourth word. Psalm 22:1. Bystanders think he calls for Elijah (Matthew 27:46-47 / Mark 15:34-35)
10. "I thirst" — the fifth word. A sponge soaked in sour wine is raised to his lips on a reed. Fulfills Psalm 69:21 (John 19:28-29)
11. "It is finished" — Tetelestai — the sixth word (John 19:30)
12. "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" — the seventh word. Jesus cries out with a loud voice and breathes his last (Luke 23:46)
13. The death of Jesus — approximately 3 PM, the ninth hour. The moment of the Passover lamb's slaughter in the Temple.
14. The veil of the Temple is torn in two, from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51 / Mark 15:38)
15. Earthquake — rocks split, tombs opened, bodies of saints raised (Matthew 27:51-53)
16. The centurion's confession — "Truly this man was the Son of God" (Mark 15:39)
17. The piercing of Jesus's side — a soldier thrusts a lance into his side; blood and water flow out. Fulfills Zechariah 12:10 and Psalm 34:20 — "not a bone of him shall be broken" (John 19:31-37)

FRIDAY EVENING — BURIAL

1. Joseph of Arimathea asks Pilate for the body — a secret disciple, member of the Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:57-58)
2. Deposition from the Cross — the body is taken down (Mark 15:46)
3. Nicodemus brings myrrh and aloes, about 75 pounds (John 19:39)
4. Burial — the body is wrapped in a clean linen shroud, placed in Joseph's own new rock-hewn tomb. A great stone is rolled over the entrance (Matthew 27:59-60)
5. The women watch — Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses see where he is laid (Mark 15:47)

Tenebrae: Darkness

Tenebrae (/ˈtɛnəbreɪ, -bri/[1]—Latin for 'darkness') is a religious service of Western Christianity held during the three days preceding Easter Day, and characterized by a gradual extinguishing of candles, and the strepitus or "loud noise" in the total darkness at the end of the service.

Tenebrae was originally a celebration of matins and lauds of the last three days of Holy Week (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday) in the evening of the previous day (Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday) to the accompaniment of special ceremonies that included the display of lighted candles on a special triangular candelabra.