Have you ever considered why we call this day “Good Friday”? Seriously why would we call a day where we humiliate, torture, and kill an innocent man, good? This used to bother me a lot. I remember sitting in a Good Friday service. Perhaps you’ve been to some. The lights are off or turned down low. The mood is somber like a funeral. Then we are asked to sit and ponder Jesus’ death.
Nails & Thorns
During one such service, I remember a girl reading an article written about crucifixion. She explained in gory details everything that happens to the human body during crucifixion. She started with the carrying of the cross and how the roughly cut wood probably gave Jesus huge splinters. She continued with the nailing of his forearms, and finished with explaining that all this torture was ultimately not the reason for death by crucifixion. The crucified individual actually died of asphyxiation…in other words, they could breath no longer. To take a breath the victim would have to painfully put all the stress on their legs to lift their body enough to take a breath. This would continue for several days until the individual no longer possessed the strength and they died of suffocation.
As you can tell, I remember vividly the image this young girl painted. It’s horrible and depressing. So again I pose the question. Are we so morbid to call all this good? What is so good about Good Friday?
Some scholars answer this question very pragmatically. The theory is that “Good Friday” is actually a corruption or misinterpretation of the phrase, “God’s Friday”. In fact in other languages it is referred to as “Holy Friday.” I think there is more to it than this though, otherwise I don’t think we would have continued the tradition. What is good about Good Friday?
I think the reason we have had such a problem answering this question is due to our emphasis on the seemingly senseless human suffering of Jesus rather than a purposeful humiliation of God through which redemption comes.
“The crucifixion of Jesus was not some bad deal that God had to try to make the best of; it was a working out of divine intention with a view to the salvation of an otherwise doomed humanity.”- Laurence Stookey
In other words, it is all a part of the plan to save us. God is not reacting to the events put is in reality directing them.
Notice with me a few, interesting accounts within John’s account of Jesus’ last hours. In the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was praying a group of soldiers came to arrest him. Jesus proclaims to the soldiers, “I am the one you are seeking.” The soldiers fall back in shock. Yet Jesus doesn’t make his escape. He proclaims again, “I am the one you seek.” Who do you think directed these events?
On the very cross Jesus chose the time. As mentioned before people could live for several days on the cross before dying. With the Sabbath so close the soldiers decided it best to finish the work quickly. So they began breaking the legs of those crucified so that they could no long gather breath. When they came to Jesus, he was already dead. He already proclaimed, “It is finished.” Who do you think is in control?
So what is good about Good Friday? The good is not in a gruesome death. The good is not in the people who killed him or the people who watched him die. The good is in a God who cares enough for us to do something about it. We are not meant to look upon this day with sorrow unless that sorrow brings you to hope. On Easter morning our hope will be fulfilled. But right now we focus on the hope that is derived from a God who loves us despite our shortcomings, despite our lack of faith, despite our inability to follow. And our God loves us enough to do something about it. And what’s so good about that? You tell me!
For More Info: read Calendar: Christ’s Time for the Church by Lurence Hull Stookey
We’re related but for obvious reasons, I don’t claim him! In all seriousness…you should check out his blog. He updates far more than I do (how I miss college free time!) and he is very entertaining. I’m proud to call him my brother.
