Table of Contents
Introduction.
In our lives, there are two important dates that define our existence in this world, and that is our dates of birth and our dates of death. We can’t change these dates as we please, and no wonder we get a certificate to certify their occurrence. But this is NOT the case with our Lord Jesus Christ, since no one seems to know his date of birth or death. Why is this the case?
Just imagine that, the dates of birth and death of other founders of religion like Buddha, Muhammad, and many others are known. But why is it not so with our Lord Jesus Christ? Could it be that God never intended us to worship that day he was born as Christmas or died as Good Friday and Easter, but instead to worship the one associated with that day, that is Jesus Christ.
Just imagine how unfair it is to keep playing around with this date of death for our Lord Jesus Christ, and the church keeps moving this day year after year. Sometimes Good Friday is in March while some other times its in April and also at different dates, for instance:
The Good Friday Calendar(2021-2024)
- 2021 — April 2
- 2022 — April 15
- 2023 — April 7
- 2024 — March 29
What Is The Origin Of Good Friday?
In accordance with Romans 1:25, most of the world honors the day (Good Friday) and not the lord of that day, Jesus Christ. It is even celebrated by other religions unknowingly because businesses and workplaces are closed legally as a holiday, and no wonder we have Good Friday. Good Friday is a Christian holiday that celebrates
Good Friday is also known as Great Friday, Black Friday, Easter Friday, preparation day, or Holy Friday and its also known as silent day, sorrow Friday or lamentation day in German. The word Good means “pious” or “holy” and it was used for the first time around 1300 AD, remember those days in the past “Good” and “God” sometimes got interchanged for one another (for example; the word goodbye comes from the phrase “God be with you”), so it should be called “God’s Friday.” Spanish and Italian people also called the day “Holy Friday.
Many people from different countries and Christian denominations, including the Anglican, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, Oriental Orthodox, and Reformed traditions, celebrate the anniversary of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, and death on the Friday before Easter Sunday. They do it through prayer and fasting. Many church services are held in the afternoon, usually around noon to 3 pm, to remember the hours Jesus was on the cross.
The purpose of remembering Christ has been lost over the years and has even been misrepresented by false Christs and messiahs of our time (Matthew 24:24), who have been preaching a different gospel from the one the disciples and Christ preached (2 Corinthians 11:4) and also who have been preaching a different Jesus from the true Christ (Galatians 1:8).
But always remember that according to 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, we are reminded to do everything in remembrance of Jesus Christ and NOT the day. So, we should remember Jesus not only once a year ( On Good Friday)but regularly.
Even the world has its own Black Friday where people believe they are saving the world from poverty. Some churches have also what we call Holy Saturday to honor the day Jesus laid on the Tomb.
That is why even an evil Moab King tried to save his nation by offering his only Son as a sacrifice. In 2 Kings 3:26-27, “…When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail. So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land.“
This king must have known that god honors sacrifices, and that is why he did it fortunately for him God did honor his sacrifice, but this was temporary because when his son died, unlike Jesus, the son never resurrected and hence it was temporal. But when Jesus died, he resurrected and still fights and intercedes for us against forces in heaven(Romans 8:34). So other sacrifices can never replace Jesus, not even animal blood. So, there is no salvation without Jesus shedding his blood for you and me to have eternal life (Leviticus 17:11).
What Things Or Rituals Do People Do On Good Friday?
Most scholars believe that the practices and customs of Good Friday and Easter have their origins from pagan rituals. Christians are the only people who shut everything down on Good Friday. Some of the things they do on Good Friday are:
- During Good Friday some churches ring their bells 33 times to mark Jesus’s earthly life, right after a 3-hour service called Tre ore, purposed to honor the time of death(12-3 pm);
- Other Churches refused to decorate their altars on Good Friday.
- Statues and pictures of Jesus are also covered with black cloth as a sign of mourning.
- In some Churches in countries, such as Belgium and Mexico, people dress in black on Good Friday in memory of Jesus’s suffering on the cross.
- Some churches also follow the way of the 12 stations of the cross.
- Processions are held in many countries such as India, Italy, Malta, the Philippines, and Spain.
- Some Believe if you bake bread on this day it will not rot at all.
- Some Nail themselves to crosses as a show of their faith.
- Handmade Kites are flown in Bermuda on Good Friday to symbolize the cross that Jesus died on, as well as his ascension into heaven.
- Most Christians in Poland fast on dry bread and roasted potatoes. Egg decorating is also part of the Easter preparations in Poland and many other countries.
Amazing Facts About Good Friday:
According to Matthew 27:50-54 When Jesus was pierced and his blood touched the earth, there was an earthquake that happened where Jesus was nailed to the cross, and directly below that place was the ark of the covenant. So, this ark of the covenant had not received the blood from animal sacrifices for years, but at this time when Jesus was pierced in the ribs, his blood came out and the ark then received the promised final sacrifice which was Jesus Christ.No wonder people were resurrected in Golgotha the place of Skull. Scientists have also discovered the Dry blood of Jesus is still alive after a test conducted by a lab in Israel.
Why Did Simon of Cyrene Help Jesus To Carry His Cross?
It was a prototype(or example) of how Jesus is asking us to give him our burdens (the Modern day cross) for him to help us, just like he was helped. So why are you trying to carry your burdens by yourself? According to Galatians 6:2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way, we obey the law of Christ.
“Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Psalm 55:22. Before his arrest and betrayal, Jesus said to his would-be followers, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
Simon of Cyrene following behind Jesus with the cross, is the picture of discipleship. Christ has gone first. He has gone and is going to where we cannot. Still, we follow in his steps, bearing the cross behind him.
From the beginning of time, man lost connection with heaven after he sinned, and God began the process to restore man back. From the days of Adam, God himself slaughtered a lamb to try and restore man back (Revelation 13:8; Revelation5:9). We know that the Israelites have celebrated Passover every year pointing to Jesus Christ who was to die for our sins (John 1:29 and 36). That is why he died on the cross, It was to save the whole world which he succeeded in doing when he said it’s finished on the cross (John 19:30).
Without the cross, which happened on “Good Friday,” there could be no “Gospel” or “Good News.” Therefore, the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11,14) and “Good Master” (Matthew 19:16)(Mark 10:17)(Luke 18:18) gave His life on the cross on “Good Friday” so that we can share the “Good News.” The “Good” in Good Friday is all about Jesus, who He is, and what He has done (Romans 5: 8).
Assuming that Jesus was crucified and died on a Friday, should Christians remember Jesus’ death by celebrating Good Friday?
Nowhere in the whole Bible does it instruct us to remember Christ’s death by honouring a certain day. The Bible does give us freedom in these matters, however. Romans 14:5 tells us, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” Rather than remembering Christ’s death on a certain day, once a year, the Bible instructs us to remember Christ’s death by observing the Lord’s Supper. 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 declares, “…do this in remembrance of me…for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
READ MORE ABOUT GOOD FRIDAY AND HOLY WEEK:
Pastor Nathaniel
