The Disciple Jesus Loves, Part 15 (Good Friday Special)

Part 15 opens with the deeply human struggle of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. After the Last Supper, Jesus leads His disciples to pray in a familiar place, asking Peter, James, and John to stay close. As He falls to the ground in anguished prayer, Jesus wrestles with the weight of what’s ahead—pleading for the cup of suffering to pass, yet ultimately surrendering to His Father’s will. Despite His vulnerability, the disciples fall asleep, leaving Him to face the moment alone. The narrative emphasizes His resolve to obey God’s plan, even as betrayal draws near.

The betrayal comes swiftly with Judas leading a band of soldiers and guards to arrest Jesus. Despite being bound, Jesus remains composed and in control—healing the ear of a servant Peter strikes in a moment of misguided loyalty and insisting that the disciples be allowed to go free. John follows Jesus closely, recounting how he and Peter attempted to remain near as Jesus is taken to Annas, then Caiaphas. A midnight trial, illegal by Jewish law, is held where Jesus is falsely accused and ultimately condemned for claiming to be the Son of God. Meanwhile, Peter—outside in the courtyard—denies Jesus three times, just as foretold, before fleeing in bitter sorrow.

At dawn, the Sanhedrin meets formally at the Temple to confirm their sentence. Jesus is led to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, who questions Him and is disturbed by His calmness and mysterious authority. Pilate, reluctant to convict an innocent man, sends Jesus to Herod Antipas, who mocks Him and returns Him in ridicule. Despite declaring Jesus not guilty, Pilate succumbs to the pressure of the crowd and religious leaders demanding crucifixion. He presents a choice between Jesus and the rebel Barabbas—when the crowd shouts for Barabbas, Pilate symbolically washes his hands and hands Jesus over to be crucified.

Jesus is beaten, mocked, crowned with thorns, and made to carry His cross through Jerusalem until He collapses. A bystander, Simon of Cyrene, is compelled to carry it for Him. At Golgotha, Jesus is crucified between two criminals. Even in agony, He speaks words of mercy and love—pardoning His executioners, comforting a repentant thief, and entrusting His mother to John. As darkness covers the land, Jesus cries out in abandonment and pain, ultimately surrendering His spirit with the words, “It is finished.” At that moment, the temple curtain is torn in two and an earthquake shakes the earth—signs that this death was no ordinary death.

The episode concludes with Jesus being pierced to confirm His death. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus request His body and bury Him in a new tomb before the Sabbath begins. Mary Magdalene, John, and the other women observe His burial, their grief immense but their devotion unshaken. As night falls and the tomb is sealed, the haunting quiet of Good Friday settles in. But through the final song, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming,” the audience is reminded that death does not have the last word—resurrection and redemption are on the horizon.