Although this post has nothing to do with Social Media or blogging, I thought it appropriate to share all the same. Call me selfish, but my blog, my rules!

As you all know, today is Good Friday.

Now many of you may know the meaning behind today and what it stands for, but I still thought a little history lesson would be nice. In all honestly – there’s a couple things I learned myself while writing this piece.

There’s no humor, snarkiness or wits in here. Just good old fashioned Wikipedia-style info.

What is Good Friday?

Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday.

In the Catholic church, it’s the day on which we commemorate the passion (or suffering) and death of Jesus Christ on the Cross [His Crucifixion] – the act that brought salvation to those who believe.

On This Day the Following Took Place: [Biblical Accounts]

Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane by the Temple Guards through the guidance of his disciple, Judas Iscariot.

He was tried in a mock trial then beaten and flogged. A crown of long, sharp thorns was thrust upon his head before he was forced to carry his own cross outside the city to Skull Hill. Weak beyond belief, a man who was pulled from the crowd was forced to carry Jesus’s cross the rest of the way.

Upon arrival, Jesus was nailed to the cross along with two other criminals; one on each side. He agonized for 6 hours, but during the last 3 (from noon to 3 pm), darkness had covered the entire land. At 3 pm, with a loud cry, Jesus gave up his spirit.

The sign above Him read, “King of Jews”.

A question that is often asked is…

Why is a day as such – one that is filled with such pain and where such a horrible and disgraceful punishment occurred – called Good Friday?

Actually, Good Friday isn’t the only term that was (and is) used to refer to this day.

In the Roman Missal, it’s called Feria VI in Parasceve; in Greek Liturgy they say he hagia kai megale paraskeue – meaning the Holy and Great Friday; in German, it’s Charfreitag (or Karfreitag) – meaning Sorrowful or Mourning Friday; and in Norway, it’s referred to as the Long Friday – because of the length of the day’s services.

In all honesty, I don’t think anyone knows for sure why we call it Good Friday in English. But after a little digging, I noticed there were 3 recurrent explanations that could serve as answers.

1. An archaic meaning of “good” is something akin to “holy”. Hence, “Holy Friday.”
2. It was recognized that the evils of that day lead to the greatest good; the salvation of mankind. So despite the bad, the day was truly good.
3. An archaic meaning of “good” is “God” – just as “good-bye” means “God be with you.” That’s why it use to mean “God’s Friday.”

In commemoration of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the humiliation and painful death that he suffered as a sacrifice for Christians, I leave you with this verse from the Bible.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

(Brief interpretation: Jesus is pure and without sin. Only His sacrifice could cleanse Christians from their sins and offer them eternal salvation.)

[image credit: via Sermons4Kids.com]

[sources: Wikipedia, Christian Cadre, Associated Content, Rev. Ken Collins, BibleStudy.org]