"If any of you, having a hundred sheep, loses one in the mountains, will he not go to find it?" And having found it, he takes it on his shoulders and brings it home, and rejoices with his neighbors that the lost sheep has been found. Likewise, there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous men who have no need of repentance (cf. Luke 15:4-7).

Jesus Christ preached for three years. Five days before the beginning of the Jewish Passover, He solemnly entered Jerusalem to the exclamations of the people:

- Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna (salvation) in the highest! (Matthew 21:9)

Clothes were spread under Christ's feet and young palm branches were waved as a sign of the triumphal procession of the lawful King from the house of David. And even before that, people wanted to come, accidentally take Him and make Him king over Judah (John 6:15), but He turned away from this, for He said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). In Jerusalem, knowing that the Jewish elders and religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus, one of the twelve (apostles), called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me, and I will deliver Him up to you?" They offered him thirty pieces of silver; and from that time he sought an opportunity to betray Him (Matthew 26:14-16).

During the last meal of Jesus with the apostles, Judas, who had eaten with them, came out and reported where the Jews could seize his Teacher. At night, the betrayer brought many servants and seized Jesus and led him to be interrogated by the Jewish elders. And the apostles, having left him, all fled (Mark 14:50). At the Sanhedrin (the religious court of the Jews), the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin sought testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death; And they did not find it. For many bore false witness against Him, but these testimonies were not sufficient... Then the high priest stood in the midst and asked Jesus, "Why do you not answer?" why do they bear witness against Thee? But He was silent and did not answer anything. Again the high priest asked Him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus said, "I... Then the high priest tore his garments, and said, "What more witnesses have we to do? You have heard blasphemy; What do you think? And they all found Him guilty of death (Mark 14:55-54).

And the people who held Jesus mocked Him and smote Him; And having covered Him, they smote Him in the face, and asked Him, Prophesy, who smote Thee? (Luke 22:63-64) and spat in His face and choked Him; others smote Him on the cheeks (Matthew 26:67).

Then they dragged Him to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, since Judea was then under the dominion of Rome and the local authorities were not allowed to pronounce death sentences themselves.

When Pilate had heard the accusations, he said to the chief priests and the people, "I find no fault in this man." But they insisted, saying that he was stirring up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee to this place (Luke 23:4-5). The Roman governor offered the Jews to release Jesus, but they continued with a great cry demanding that He be crucified; and he prevailed over their cry and the chief priests. And Pilate decided to be at their request (Luke 23:23-24) and Jesus was beaten (i.e. scourged) and delivered up to be crucified (Matthew 27:26).

It was the third hour, and they crucified him (Mark 15:25), and put an inscription over his head, signifying his guilt: "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." Then two thieves were crucified with Him, one on the right hand and the other on the left. And those who passed by cursed Him, shaking their heads and saying: ... save thyself; if you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise, the chief priests, with the scribes, and the elders, and the Pharisees, mocking, said, "He saved others, but he cannot save himself; if He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and let us believe in Him; he trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he is pleasing to him. For He said, "I am the Son of God" (Matthew 27:37-43).

And the soldiers who crucified Him divided His garments, casting lots (Matthew 27:35). And the people stood and looked (Luke 23:35). And also at the cross of Jesus stood His Mother and His Mother's sister, Mary of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene (John 19:25). The women wept and wept for Him (Luke 23:27).

At the sixth hour, darkness fell over all the earth, and lasted until the ninth hour (Mark 15:33). And the earth shook (Matthew 27:51). At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi! Eloi! Lamma Savakhfani? — which means: My God! My god! why hast thou forsaken me? Some of those who stood there heard and said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah." And one of them ran, filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, "Wait, let's see if Elijah comes to take him down" (Mark 15:34-36).

And when Jesus had tasted the vinegar, he said, It is finished! And bowing his head, he gave up his spirit (John 19:30). Then one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out (John 19:34).

After this came Joseph of Arimathea, a famous member of the council, who himself awaited the Kingdom of God, dared to come to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus... He bought the shroud, and took it off, and wrapped it in the shroud, and laid it in the sepulchre, which was hewn out of the rock, and rolled the stone against the door of the sepulchre, Mark 15:43,46.

It was on Friday, the feast of the Jewish Passover, when the Jews remembered how, during the punishment of the Egyptians, God commanded lambs to be sacrificed, and those who anointed the doors of their houses with the blood of the sacrificial lamb were not affected, and in the rest of the houses all the firstborn died (Exodus 12:3-14).