Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection

The five central phases in the life of Jesus Christ are His Birth, Baptism, Transfiguration, Crucifixion and Resurrection.

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His resurrection are the two most important events in human history. These two happenings form the stronghold on which a new religion, Christianity, was based 2000 years ago. Jesus had Himself prophesied His own crucifixion, death and resurrection. The night He was betrayed, Jesus and His disciples had partaken of the Passover meal in the early evening. Jesus Christ and His crucifixion are the grand subjects of the Old Testament. Christians believe Jesus’ suffering was foretold in the Hebrew Bible, such as in Psalm 22. Even St. Paul finds the crucifixion of Jesus in Isaiah 53 and His resurrection on the third day in Jonah 1:17.

Jesus was stripped off His clothes, slapped, punched, kicked and spat upon. He was crucified on a Cross where His hands and feet were nailed to a wooden cross. Jesus Christ, after being slaughtered, finally entered the tomb at sunset.

But before this, on the cross, the Lord shed His precious blood to pay for all our sins and transgressions and made salvation possible for all of mankind. All the four Gospels are centered on the Lord Jesus Christ, His Crucifixion, Burial and Resurrection. Matthew’s gospel mentions an earthquake and resurrected saints.

After Jesus was crucified, Joseph of Arimathea had Christ’s body placed in a tomb. God raised Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion. This event is referred to in Christian terminology as the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Easter). They also believe that Jesus was their awaited Messiah, their expected Christ.

Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, the third day after Good Friday – the day He was raised from the dead! The resurrection of Jesus is what makes Christianity unique and radically different. The journey from the night of betrayal to His resurrection is also referred to as the “passion of Christ” – the sacrificial suffering and death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion on mount Calvary.