We mourn as we remember Jesus’ suffering and agony in Gethsemane and on the cross. Yet that sorrow is swallowed up as we rejoice in the joy of his Resurrection. Christ’s victory over death and sin are the greatest expression of divine love this world has ever been given.
“‘My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?’: Psalm 22 and the Mission of Christ,” Shon D. Hopkin, BYU Studies Quarterly 52, no. 4
Psalm 22 is a prophecy of the events of Christ’s suffering and crucifixion in detail, including his statement spoken from the cross. Words in this psalm show that Christ fulfilled his mission of redeeming humankind with his worthiness and authority from the Father intact.
“The Old Testament and Easter,” Kent P. Jackson, Ascending the Mountain of the Lord, BYU Religious Studies Center
Palm Sunday, Jesus’ suffering in Gethsemane, and Jesus’ Resurrection are closely tied to the Old Testament.
“The Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign March 2008
Through his suffering, Jesus redeemed the souls of all men, women, and children, descending below all things so that he might comprehend all things. It is the greatest expression of divine love this world has ever been given.
“The Israelite Roots of Atonement Terminology,” by T. Benjamin Spackman, BYU Studies Quarterly 55, no. 1
This article focuses on three common English terms—atonement, salvation, and redemption. The semantic lines between these Hebrew terms have been blurred in modern English usage, if not erased entirely; they have also become highly theological, eschatological, and heavenly, whereas their conceptual Israelite linguistic origins are often grounded in the concrete, this-worldly, and practical. The article suggests that recovering the Hebrew sources of the three terms yields more clarity about the theology of atonement. Atonement is connected to regular ritual cleansing, kinship, and help.
“Dating the Death of Jesus Christ,” Jeffrey R. Chadwick, BYU Studies Quarterly 54, no.4
While we can’t be certain, evidence suggests that Jesus was crucified on a Thursday in the spring of AD 30, on the eve of Passover, the 14-day Jewish month Nisan, which in that year fell on April 6 in the old Julian calendar.
“The Search for the Physical Cause of Jesus Christ’s Death,” W. Reid Litchfield, BYU Studies Quarterly 37, no. 4
Clues in the Bible describing Jesus’s crucifixion have led to theories of the physical cause of his death (a ruptured heart, asphyxia, etc.). In this article, Reid Litchfield examines those proposals and makes his own argument that Jesus died of a cardiac arrhythmia.
“The Use of Gethsemane by Church Leaders, 1859-2018,” John Hilton and Joshua P. Barringer, BYU Studies Quarterly 58, no. 4
Critics have stated that Latter-day Saints look to Gethsemane rather than the cross as the place of the Atonement. These researchers counted references to Christ’s death and analyzed their themes, concluding that Church leaders clearly emphasize the cross over Gethsemane.
“The Teachings of Church Leaders Regarding the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, 1852-2018,” John Hilton III, Emily K. Hyde, McKenna Grace Trussel, BYU Studies Quarterly 59, no. 1
This research, a companion to the previous article, looks at the themes Church leaders are teaching when they discuss Christ’s crucifixion. Some talks narrate, some point to the Resurrection, and some teach about redemption or ordinances or Christ’s suffering or other themes. This study shows an emphasis on Christ atoning for sins on the cross.
