Patristic Wisdom for Good Friday

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.… [W]ho, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. (Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:7–9)

Jesus’ prayers were granted, but how were His prayers granted if He had demanded to be delivered from death? To be sure, He was not saved. He wanted to fulfill in Himself the will of the Father. And for this reason it was evident that He was the Son of God, because in behalf of human creatures He exposed His own soul for the rest of the soul of the one who sent Him, and His obedience was made evident by the hands of those who crucified Him. If, therefore, the crucifiers testify that His prayers were granted, if it is so, I say, He certainly wanted to die, and He demanded that the will of his Father was fulfilled. He offered supplications with loud claims to the One who was able to save Him from death; He who was about to die did not ask for delivery from death nor demand to be resurrected after His death because this had been promised to Him earlier, but He prayed for His crucifiers lest they might die in Him. And His prayers were granted, because the door was opened so that His crucifiers might live in Him. And the One who did these things, that is, the One who abased Himself to such humility and suffering for His murderers is the Son of God; and from this it was evident that He was satisfied in those sufferings which He endured. In fact, some of His murderers were converted, and through their repentance they were the heralds of His resurrection.

Ephrem the Syrian, Commentary on Hebrews