Good Friday: Atonement, Covenant, and the Cross
Golgotha Tapestry by Jean Leon Gerome Good Friday is not just a moment of historical tragedy—it is the cornerstone of redemptive history. On this day, we behold the mystery of the gospel: that the sinless Son of God was crucified, bearing the weight of sin, wrath, and judgment, not for His own sin, but for ours. To understand the significance of Good Friday, we must go beyond the events and dive into the why behind the cross. What was actually happening as Jesus hung on Golgotha? Scripture answers this with stunning clarity and depth. 1. Substitutionary Atonement: The Innocent for the Guilty At the heart of Good Friday is the doctrine of substitutionary atonement —that Jesus died in our place as our substitute. From Genesis to Revelation, the idea of substitution runs through the story of redemption. Isaiah prophesied it centuries before Christ: “But He was pierced for our transgressi...
