Is It Holy Saturday or Silent Saturday? (This Day in Holy Week's Significance)
The day between the crucifixion and the resurrection is a day for quiet reflection.
Whether you call it Holy Saturday, Silent Saturday, or Quiet Saturday, the day between the monumental events of Christ's life deserves observance. Silence is significant spiritually because it represents a time of waiting, grief, and uncertainty for Jesus' followers, who did not yet know that the resurrection was coming.
Despite Jesus telling His disciples that he would suffer, be killed, and be raised on the third day, they didn't believe Him. All three of the Synoptic Gospels reveal that Christ told His disciples what lay in His future. I'll share Matthew 16:21 from my Living Bible:
From then on, Jesus began to speak plainly to His disciples about going to Jerusalem, and what would happen to Him there—that He would suffer at the hands of the Jewish leaders, that He would be killed, and that three days later He would be raised from the dead.
He told them again in the next chapter. Matthew 17:22-23
One day while they were still in Galilee, Jesus told them, I am going to be betrayed into the power of those who will kill me, and on the third day afterwards, I will be brought back to life again." And the disciples' hearts were filled with sorrow and dread.
In the book of Mark 8:31-32, Jesus spoke about what was coming quite frankly. Mark talks about Peter telling Jesus that He shouldn't say things like that. Jesus rebuked him and said, "Satan, get behind me! You are looking at this only from a human point of view and not from God's."
Is it possible that Jesus told his disciples what was coming so they wouldn't grieve and suffer so badly? I can't say, but if they had clung to His promise of resurrection, it would undoubtedly have saved them some grief. Silent Saturday is a day that honors both mourning and hope, reflecting the tension between the suffering of Good Friday and the joy of Easter Sunday.
The following is paraphrased from Perplexity. I'm really enjoying the app.
The term "Silent Saturday" focuses on the quiet and stillness of this day, where God seems silent but is still at work behind the scenes. It invites believers to trust and have patience in the waiting, knowing that resurrection and new life follow this silence. Some writers describe it as a "crushing silence" or a day when darkness seemed to rejoice. But ultimately, it is a day of preparation for the victory of Easter.
Whatever your plans are for the day, I hope you'll enjoy some quiet time to reflect on its significance. Imagine the grief of those who thought it was the end for Jesus. Aren't we glad we know the rest of the story? 🤗 🙌