Despite the varied attempts to argue for a Thursday, or even the old argument, revived by Lorraine Boettner, that Christ was crucified on a Wednesday, both historical scholarship and the tradition of the church affirms that on Good Friday (either in AD 30 or 33) Jesus of Nazareth died on a Roman cross outside Jerusalem for the sins of His people.

This simple, yet not simplistic, fact is recorded in the most authentic and authoritative voice from on high, from God Himself. As such it is not what is commonly referred to as a “brute fact” alone as the Lord has given us an interpretation of the act of Christ’s death. That biblical apostolic interpretation and commentary upon the death of Christ is the Christian doctrine of the atonement.

In short, the church confesses, in fidelity to its Scriptures and to the confessional documents that summarized the regula fidei in the creeds of Christendom, such as the Apostle’s Creed and the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed that Jesus died and was raised again on the third day.

This was the act of love to the greatest of sinners by the greatest person. It was the greatest travesty of justice that resulted in the justification of the ungodly. In the cross we see the greatest crime in history perpetrated by man, and in the very act of the felony, the greatest deed of the deity. Here we see the greatest humility and yet the raising of many sons to glory. We marvel at the ugliness of the cross and yet are drawn by its charms. It was not to be a capstone to our efforts or works but was the underlying act of grace.

In the cross we see our shame and guilt, yet from the cross derives our forgiveness and pride. The cross for us is both a burden and a joy. In the end we glory in it supremely as in nothing else. Indeed, nothing in my hand I bring; simply to thy cross I cling. And we cling to the salvation of the cross by the grace of the cross alone.

Hallelujah! What a Savior.

TZ.