"Good" Friday

The nickname given to the Friday before Easter always used to puzzle me. I mean, it's the commemoration of one of the most brutal executions in the history of the world, what is so "good" about that?

To sum up in one word the answer I have come to over the years: EVERYTHING.

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachtani?" - which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."  

Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him." 

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

Matthew 27:45-50

If the casual reader saw these words, they'd seriously question why Christ's followers now celebrate the anniversary of this day. This seems dark, and foreboding, and not at all worthy of celebrating, let alone calling it anything close to "good."

But these verses only give part of the story. The day isn't referred to as "good" Friday because of what happened on that day, but because of the reason that event had to happen. Jesus wasn't the King that the Jews of the time expected. He hadn't come to overthrow Roman rule. But he was nevertheless the prophesied Messiah. He was the Lamb, the perfect sacrifice for the sin of man, past, present, and future. He was betrayed by one of His disciples, given over to the Sanhedrin, and crucified between common thieves. He had to die so that we can truly live.

And then, just three days later, on what is now celebrated as Easter, the following happened:

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you."

Matthew 28:1-7

Good Friday is not celebrated because Jesus was murdered. Good Friday is celebrated because of what His death signified for the world. Through His death on Good Friday, and His resurrection on Easter, we can share in His ultimate victory over death, and spend eternity with Him.

And that sounds pretty darn "good" to me.

One of the best Good Friday/Easter songs ever written. Enjoy.