Thousands were executed by crucifixion by the Roman Empire during its existence. Thousands upon thousands more throughout history have been scourged and beaten for unknowable reasons.
Only one in all published history has had the details of His day of death preserved in such painstaking detail.
Four writers whom we know about, and probably more whom we don’t know about, preserved nearly every moment of the original “Good Friday”, even noting when prophecies made centuries before were fulfilled.
This note by John the Beloved caught my attention this morning:
“Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.” — John 19:23-24
Jesus’ coat was too rare, too valuable to cut into parts. One of the soldiers, whomever won the game of chance, took it home.
Jesus’ coat was valuable, but to them His life was cheap.
I wonder where He obtained such a costly coat. Perhaps one of the female disciples made it for Him with loving care so that “the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.”
I would love to hear that story one day. Who made this coat? Who sacrificed their money to purchase the wool, and their time to handcraft a coat fit for a King?
It was David’s prophecy fulfilled in this moment. Jesus’ own ancestor wrote a hymn about the Messiah known as Psalm 22 in our Bibles.
In it, among other things, David prophesied:
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from [my cries of distress] …
“All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him …
“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels …
“For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me …
… and the key verse here:
“They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”
Only One made Good Friday good and it’s because His life meant EVERYTHING, and that because He perfectly fulfilled the mission assigned by His Father.
[artwork: unknown]
