A Fearful, Agonizing Day Called Good Friday

I think Good Friday is misnamed. How could the day that the Lord Jesus died have been called anything but horrible, heart-breaking, anguished? An explanation is that it was once called “God’s Friday” but through translation, was interpreted as Good Friday. We think of it as good because, even though it was the day the Lord was crucified, it was also the day He made eternal life possible for us. Then, there is the German word, Karfreitag, meaning, as far as I can tell, sorrowful or suffering Friday. Whatever it is called, it is a day for us to soberly consider that the result of sin is so awful the God of the universe gave His life so that we who believe and repent can live forever with Him in Heaven.

I love Easter. It is my favorite holiday. Without it, we would have no hope. Because of Easter and because we worship a living Savior, not a dead god, we have the hope of living forever in Heaven. But, the Friday before Easter? No, I don’t like to think about it. However, it was a necessary part of God’s plan of Salvation. 

Jesus had been mocked, whipped, and spat upon, not because of any crime He had done, but because the religious leaders hated Him. His friends, afraid of the authorities, fled, and He was left alone to die in a most horrible way–hanging on a cross.

Pilate’s wife sent word to her husband: Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him. (Matthew 27:19).

Pilate himself wanted to release Jesus, not the criminal called Barabbas, but the crowd cried out that he should release Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

The Bible records that while Jesus was on the cross, a thick darkness covered the earth. (Matthew 27:45). But, it isn’t only in Scripture that this is recorded. http://www.biblehistory.net/newsletter/crucifixion_darkness.htm and also https://www.lewrockwell.com/2018/03/bill-sardi/does-the-celestial-geophysical-historical-time-clock-provide-evidence-for-an-easter-crucifixion-resurrection/. 

And then, at the moment Jesus died, the veil in the temple was torn in two–not from the bottom to the top, but from the top to the bottom (Matthew 27:51) and graves were opened and the bodies of saints arose and went into Jerusalem, appearing to many people (Matthew 27: 53).

Sometimes, I think we’ve heard the Easter story so many times, that we don’t comprehend all the amazing and mighty things that happened. But, this was the Son of God, the Creator of the universe, and the universe was in anguish. When He died, all of nature writhed in grief.

Jesus would not stay in the grave. He would live again, bringing salvation to all those who trusted in Him. That’s the wonderful, blessed part of Easter. Thank the Lord that after the terrible day we call Good Friday, came the blessed morning called Resurrection Sunday.

Tumult and inhumanity abound in the world but because of Good Friday, there is also hope. I like to remember the words of Pope John Paul II: Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.