John’s passion narrative, our Good Friday reading, is different than the passion narratives of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

All the gospel readings tell the same story: Jesus was arrested in the garden, judged and put to death by crucifixion, then taken down from the cross and buried. 

All indicate the ultimate triumph of his resurrection, but in different ways. The synoptic gospels point to external miraculous signs, namely the veil of the temple torn, the tombs are opened and the bodies of the saints come out, the Roman soldier cries out his belief. 

John’s gospel sees the signs in Jesus himself. His words bring those come to arrest him to fall, Pilate is rebuffed by his presence, the water and blood from his side bring life. He himself reveals God’s glory in his passion. 

Our first Good Friday reading from Isaiah portrays the Suffering Servant, an image of Jesus and his mission. It points to someone raised up in glory and recognized beyond his own place by all:

“See, my servant shall prosper,  he shall be raised high and greatly exalted Even as many were amazed at him so marred was his look beyond human semblance and his appearance beyond that of the sons of man— so shall he startle many nations, because of him kings shall stand speechless; for those who have not been told shall see,  those who have not heard shall ponder it.”

He has a mission of expiation, not just for his own people, but for all:

“Yet it was our infirmities that he bore,  our sufferings that he endured,while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole,  by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all.”

For his saving work, God shall raise him up in glory:

“If he gives his life as an offering for sin,  he shall see his descendants in a long life,  and the will of the Lord shall be accomplished through him.Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days.”