Good Friday is Good!

As most Christians celebrate Good Friday (and some who say the date is wrong kind of ignore it), we are nevertheless reminded of what actually happened that day. What were the events and the motives that make this a special weekend, and what we call Good Friday? Was it actually good?

– Jesus was hated by Jewish religious leaders for preaching about a different kingdom of egalitarianism, acceptance and love.

– Jesus was hated for acting in a way that would dismantle the religious leaders’ power over the people, as well as for condemning their theology.

– Jesus was seen as a threat to the Roman empire, who watched him closely in case he did incite an insurrection like many other so-called messiahs before.

– Jesus was betrayed by one of his companions who was compelled to let the empire arrest him on false charges.

– Jesus was falsely accused multiple times in false/mock trials (both religious and civil).

– Jesus was finally taken to the governor of the empire and on account of no criminal evidence, the mob threatened disruption to the system in case he was set free.

– Jesus was flogged, mocked, beaten, spat upon, stripped naked, publicly exposed and nailed to an instrument of torture.

– Jesus was most certainly pressured into thinking whether his own people, his own creation really deserved love after all this.

– Jesus struggled to breathe, was miserably cold, thirsty and in unspeakable pain.

– Jesus died.

So what makes Good Friday good? I think it’s the way his death accomplished far more than the universe could ask or think it would. Certainly the devil thought he would silence God forever. Certainly the Jews thought they were silencing this heretic, and Rome thought that one more wanna-be Messiah was gone as well.

Yet, we know the end of the story. He wasn’t silenced. In fact, what happened made way for the biggest transformation of character in his believers and consequently the world for those who do accept this story.

It’s a story about sacrifice. And about THE sacrifice. The one spoken of here:

“Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed…
…After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors.”
– Isaiah 53:4,5,11-12

Jesus was the Christ, the anointed one, the liberator of the oppressed (not only in earthly matters, but spiritually as well). We are free from the bondage of sin because He became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21).

That is why this Friday is good. Because of this reckless love that counted himself among the transgressors so you and I could go free. Have a Good Friday!