Holy or “Black” Saturday and Resurrection or “Easter” Sunday

This is part 4 of a 4-part series on Passion Week.

Passion Week: Holy or “Black” Saturday

Location: Jerusalem

On Saturday, Jesus’s bewildered followers scattered and wept in sorrow. They hid from the religious authorities as they tried to make sense of the crucifixion of their beloved leader. They had thought Jesus was the Messiah, the righteous king God had promised would rule forever (Isaiah 9:7). He had even affirmed privately that he was the Messiah.

Jesus had also seemed to be the promised prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15). All the signs were there, including miracles greater than had ever been seen before. He was a godly man and a brilliant teacher with the power to heal, cast out demons, and even raise the dead.

But now he lay dead in the tomb of a rich man, having been crucified between two criminals. He now seemed more like the Suffering Servant than the Messiah who would rule forever:

And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Isaiah 53:9

Saturday was dark. But Sunday was coming.

Read

• Deuteronomy 18:15-19
• Isaiah 53

Passion Week: Resurrection or “Easter” Sunday

Resurrection

Location: Jerusalem

“He is risen,” said the angel.

On the day of the Feast of Firstfruits, Jesus rose from the dead.

At the temple that Sunday, Jews would offer the firstfruits of barley that had risen to life in their fields. Most did not know that Jesus had that morning become the firstfruits of people to rise to life from this earth.

As the firstfruits of barley anticipated the greater harvest to come, so the resurrection of Jesus anticipates the greater resurrection to come, for “Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Just as seed lay in the ground until life raised it up, so Jesus lay in the tomb until life raised him up. Just as the Jews raised the firstfruits of their harvest on Sunday before the Lord, so Jesus raised himself as the Firstfruits of the harvest of God’s children on Sunday.

Paul puts Passion Week in perspective:

 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8

Christians can be sure we have eternal life because He is risen!

Read

• Leviticus 23:9-11
• Matthew 28:1-10

Conclusion

The triumphal entry led to the crucifixion which won the resurrection. Hallelujah!

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In This Series

1. Here’s What Happened During the Remarkable Passion Week: Palm Sunday and Holy Monday
2. Holy or “Fig” Tuesday and Holy or “Spy” Wednesday
3. Holy or “Maundy” Thursday and Good or “Passion” Friday
4. Holy or “Black” Saturday and Resurrection or “Easter” Sunday

Related Post

• An Easter Poem

Books You Might Like

• Easter Enigma: Are the Resurrection Accounts in Conflict? by John Wenham
• The Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D.A. Carson
• Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament, by Jean E. Jones, Pam Farrel, and Karla Dornacher
• Discovering Good News in John, by Jean E. Jones, Pam Farrel, and Karla Dornacher