Over nearly 3 decades of ministry I’ve been asked numerous times how we can call this “good“ Friday?
Yes, the day was brutal as we remember the crucifixion of Jesus in all of its horror. Yet, Christians for generations call this Good Friday for very good reasons.
One could talk about the meaning of Christ’s substitutionary death on a cross for us, the love expressed in the personal sacrifice of a Savior, or so many other deep theological truths, but it was also Good Friday because of the Old Testament definition of good.
Micah 6:8 (ESV): 8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
There are three elements to what God said was “good“ through the prophet Micah: justice, kindness and humility.
Christ death on the cross was an example of all three.
Justice - When Jesus died on the cross God did not sweep our sins under the rug, but instead God’s holy and righteous justice was satisfied in that Christ paid the price for us. The sentence was passed, the execution was ordered, and justice was fulfilled through Christ on our behalf.
Kindness - other versions of scripture translate this as mercy, and nothing was more merciful to those gathered around the cross than the sacrifice Christ was willing to make upon it for them. And we today are still gathered ground the cross, helpless to defend ourselves, but now made clean by the grace and mercy of Christ.
Humility - not only in the garden when Jesus pleaded for another way but submitted to His Father by saying “Not my will but yours,“ but through the entirety of the atrocity we see the humility of this act. Jesus could’ve called 10,000 angels, stopped the brutality at any moment, escaped back to heaven and been totally worthy to exit at any time… Yet, He endured saying “Father forgive them they know not what they’re doing.“
Yes, it’s Good Friday because it’s very good for us, but also because God has already shown us what is good. Jesus showed us that definition of good on that Friday in His justice, kindness and humility.
Many blessings to you my friends and fellow believers. It’s a beautiful, brutal, brutiful day, and there is no doubt, this is a Good Friday.