Why is “Good Friday” called Good?
Why do we call Good Friday “good,” when it is such a dark and bleak event with a day of suffering and death for Jesus
On Good Friday we remember the day Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. It is followed by Easter, the glorious celebration of the day Jesus was raised from the dead, heralding his victory over sin and death and pointing ahead to a future resurrection for all who are united to him by faith.
Still, why call the day of Jesus’ death “Good Friday” instead of “Bad Friday” or something similar?
Some Christian traditions do take this approach.
In Germany, for example, the day is called Karfreitag, or “Sorrowful Friday.”
In English, in fact, the origin of the term “Good,” some believe it developed from an older name, “God’s Friday.”
Regardless of the origin, the name Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic conclusion of God’s plan to save his people from their sins.