• John 19:31
    Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain 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.
     
  • John 19:14
    Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”
     
  • Matthew 12:38-40
    Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
     
  • Luke 23:54
    That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.
     
  • 1 Corinthians 5:7
    Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
     
For more scripture references, please see Bible verses for Good Friday


Resources

What Makes This a 'Good' Friday?

CGG Weekly by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Good Friday is observed as a semi-holy day by many, commemorating the day Jesus died nearly two thousand years ago. However, this observance raises questions when considering Jesus' own statements about His burial lasting exactly 72 hours—three days and three nights—as the sign of His Messiahship. The timing of a …


Bucking Tradition

CGG Weekly by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

In the context of cherished holiday traditions, the observance of Good Friday reveals a significant inconsistency within the Easter narrative. Jesus Himself declared in Matthew 12:38-40 that He would be buried for three days and three nights, mirroring Jonah's time in the great fish's belly. He defined a full day as comprising …


Did Christ's Resurrection Change the Day of Worship? (Part Two)

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

The common belief among many theologians is that Jesus died on a Friday afternoon and was resurrected on a Sunday morning. However, this timing does not align with Jesus' own prophecy in Matthew 12:38-40, where He stated that He would be in the grave for three days and three nights, just as Jonah was in the belly of the great …


'After Three Days'

Booklet by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The traditional Good Friday to Easter Sunday scenario cannot accommodate the 72 hours that Jesus Christ declared He would be in the tomb. It is impossible to fit three full 24-hour days between Friday evening and Sunday morning, especially with the notion of a dawn resurrection on Sunday. The scriptural evidence clearly …


Easter: Origins and Implications

Sermonette by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Yesterday marked the observance of Good Friday, a day noted in the context of the upcoming Easter, which falls tomorrow. While tomorrow holds significance for many as Easter, for us it remains simply the middle day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Good Friday, as the precursor to Easter, sets the stage for a period where the …


Chronic Difficulties

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Many professing Christians mark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ during a Good Friday evening service, believing it to be the day of His crucifixion. They place Good Friday within a holy week that spans from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, holding to the tradition of a Friday crucifixion. This belief is widespread among millions …


Something Fishy

Sermonette by Mike Ford

Catholics eat fish on Friday as a form of penance, commemorating Christ's supposed death on 'Good' Friday. During pagan Lent, eating fish on Friday is mandatory.


The Plain Truth About Easter

Herbert W. Armstrong Booklet

Good Friday, as observed by many, is linked to the commemoration of the crucifixion, but it stands in contrast to the true observance of Passover as practiced by the early Church. This day, often kept on the Friday before Easter Sunday, emerged from the practices of Gentile Christians who identified the first day of the week …



For more resources, please see the library topic for Good Friday