Good Friday

Jesus had entered Jerusalem on the Sunday prior. It is an understatement to say He received a royal welcome. John tells us that the Pharisees were so overwhelmed by the spectacle of Jesus' entry that it felt like "the whole world has gone after him" (John 12:19).

I love John's accounting of the final week of the life of Jesus. Right after the Pharisees offer this concession, John records, "Now there were some Greeks who went up to worship at the festival" (John 12:20). These Greeks (Gentiles) asked to have a meeting with Jesus. In fact, the whole world was going after Jesus! Even at Passover, both Jews and Gentiles were seeking Him.

The teaching that follows this incident in John's account sets the stage for what was to happen next. Back in John 2, Jesus encountered a potentially embarrassing situation when a family friend ran out of wine at a wedding. His mother asked Him to intervene. Jesus responded by saying, "My hour has not yet come" (John 2:4). John uses the Greek "hora" (hour) to refer to Jesus' redeeming work on the cross. In John 7, Jesus was in Jerusalem ant the crowd tried to seize Him but His "hour" had not yet come (John 7:30).

However, in John 12:23, Jesus declared, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." It was time. John mentions this again in John 13:1, "Jesus knew that the hour had come . . ."

It was time.

It was time for the Life-Giver to offer up His own life for all of humanity. It was time for the Prince of Peace to receive all of the attacks of the prince of this world (John 12:31). It was time for the Advocate to be assaulted by the Accuser. It was time for the Savior to face Satan.

It was time for the Son of Man to act on behalf of all the sons and daughters of the world. It was time for the Son of God to fulfill the work assigned to Him by the Father. It was time for the King of Kings to be inaugurated. The Kingdom of God had come on earth. Strangely enough, it would required the death of the King. But, Jesus said that His death would bring about life for others (John 12:24).

It was time for the sins of the world to be answered by the Lamb of God (John 1:29). It was time for the one who had come down from Heaven's throne to be lifted up on a sinner's cross (Philippians 2:6-8). It was time for the love of God to be on display for all the world to see (John 3:16). It was time for God to reconcile the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). 

The hour had come.

Almost two thousand years have passed since that fateful week in Jerusalem. We have the benefit of history and God's revelation to help us digest the events that occurred that week. Thousands of theologians, priests and preachers have digested these events. We are truly blessed in that regard.

However, each one of us -- as a follower of Jesus -- has the opportunity to simply pause and reflect on the meaning of the death of Jesus Christ. Good Friday is the day to do it.

It is time.