Why's it called "Good Friday"? What happened, and why's it matter?
The short answer to the first question: we're not really sure. It might have to do with the language similarity between "God" and "good" -- "God's Friday" -- or it may have to do with "good" being substituted for "holy" or "pious", or it may have to do with the ultimate result of Good Friday: Resurrection Sunday (which is very good).
Regardless of the common English term, the events are simple to describe, but harder to signify. Jesus has been handed over to jealous authorities who conspire to have him brutally executed. I won't go into the details here -- there's plenty of detail available out there -- but it was physically brutal (yet designed not to take life quickly) (by the way, the word "excruciating" derives its origin and meaning from the kind of pain inflicted from crucifixion) and emotionally and spiritually brutal as well, embarassing and degrading. By the scripture accounts Jesus endured several hours on the cross, and died before sunset on Friday. He received a hasty but kind burial in a rock-hewn tomb.
I do not intend this quick post to fully address "why it matters," except to say that somehow, either through the crucifixion or in spite of it, Almighty God chooses to offer new life to all the world. And that is good news.
Sunday's comin'
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