Rather than just a vague report that Jesus died, the Gospels provide compelling details

3 min read

But God shows his love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

-Romans 5:8

If a certificate of death had been completed for Jesus on the day of his death, it would have stated that the time of death was 3 PM.

We know this detail because of the testimony of the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all mention the time of the day that Jesus died. They agree that darkness fell across the land from noon until 3pm that Friday, when at last Jesus cried, “It is finished.”

He was up on the cross at 9am and breathed his last at 3pm. They would take his body down shortly thereafter for burial.

Why does it matter?

For one, the details of the Gospel accounts and the consistency of the narrative remind us of the credibility of the story. Each account is from a different vantage point, but their stories agree, all the way down to details about time.

The law of Moses required two or three witnesses to establish judicial facts. The Gospels more than meet this burden of proof. There is abundant evidence that Jesus did in fact die on the cross.

This detail matters because the penalty of sin is death. For Jesus to pay that penalty on our behalf as the Lamb of God, it was necessary that he die. And he did.

Time of death: Good Friday, 3pm.

Friend, if you believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you haven’t been duped. Your faith is on firm ground. Not only do you believe the witness of the Holy Spirit within you, you believe the recorded testimony of credible witnesses, all of whom agree on what happened that Friday long ago.

It’s Good Friday. And Friday is good because Sunday is coming.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.