Why Is It Called “Good” Friday? Understanding the Name

A Sad Day with a Surprising Name

What Good Friday Remembers

Good Friday is a very important and serious day for Christians. It happens every year on the Friday right before Easter Sunday. On this day, Christians remember when Jesus Christ was killed on a cross. This event is called the crucifixion. It was the end of a hard time for Jesus called the Passion, where he suffered a lot. He was betrayed, lied about, hurt, made fun of, and finally killed in a painful way used by the Romans back then. For Christians, Good Friday is a day to be sad, think about what Jesus went through, pray, and often eat less food (fasting).  

Why the Name Seems Strange

Because Good Friday is about remembering such a sad and painful event – Jesus suffering and dying – the name “Good Friday” can seem strange. How can a day about something so terrible be called “good”? The reason has to do with what Christians believe came out of Jesus’s death. They believe the final result was something very good, planned by God.  

Where Did the Name Come From?

There are a few ideas about how the name “Good Friday” started.

“Good” Meaning “Holy”

One idea is that the word “Good” used to mean something like “holy” or “special for religious reasons” a long, long time ago. So, “Good Friday” might have just meant “Holy Friday.” We still see this old meaning of “good” in phrases like “the good book” for the Bible. People started calling it “Good Friday” way back around the year 1290.  

Other Ideas: “God’s Friday” or “Long Friday”

Another idea is that maybe “Good Friday” came from “God’s Friday.” Also, in Old English, the day was called “Long Friday.” This might be because the church services and fasting on that day felt very long.  

Why It’s “Good” for Christians: The Deeper Meaning

Even though the name might have started because “good” meant “holy,” most Christians today think of it as “good” because of the amazing things they believe happened because Jesus died.  

Jesus’s Sacrifice

Christians believe Jesus’s death was the greatest sacrifice ever made. They believe Jesus, who was God’s Son, chose to die out of love for all people. This sacrifice is believed to save people from their sins (the wrong things they do).  

Making Things Right with God (Atonement)

This sacrifice is believed to fix the relationship between people and God. Christians believe that sin separates people from God. Jesus’s death is seen as taking away that separation, making it possible to be close to God again. It’s like Jesus took the punishment that people deserved for their sins. The Bible says, “God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  

Showing God’s Love

The story of Jesus dying on the cross is seen as the biggest proof of God’s amazing love for the world. Jesus suffered and died not to punish people, but to show love and offer forgiveness.  

Leading to Easter’s Joy

The main reason Good Friday is called “good” is because it leads to Easter Sunday. Jesus’s death wasn’t the end. Christians believe he came back to life three days later (the Resurrection). This proved that his sacrifice worked and that he defeated sin and death. One source says, “That terrible Friday has been called Good Friday because it led to the Resurrection of Jesus and his victory over death and sin and the celebration of Easter”. When Jesus said “It is finished!” on the cross, Christians believe he meant his job of saving people was done, making Easter possible.  

Feeling Sad, Believing in Good

Remembering the Pain

Saying Good Friday is “good” doesn’t mean forgetting how sad it was. It’s still a day to remember a terrible death, betrayal, and great pain. The serious mood, fasting, and special prayers show how important Christians feel Jesus’s sacrifice was. One kids’ lesson called it the “Sad Day” before the “Happy Day” of Easter.  

God’s Plan

Christians believe that even though bad things happened on Good Friday, God was still in control and used it all for a good purpose – to save people. It’s like a story in the Bible where a man named Joseph was treated badly by his brothers, but he later said to them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20). Christians see Good Friday as the biggest example of God bringing good out of bad things.  

Conclusion: The Goodness That Points to Easter

So, the name “Good Friday” is more about what Christians believe resulted from Jesus’s death than about the event itself. While the name might have started from an old word for “holy,” people today think of it as “good” because they believe Jesus’s sacrifice showed God’s love, paid for sins, fixed the relationship between people and God, and made eternal life possible. Even though it’s a sad day, Good Friday is called “good” because it was the necessary step that led to the hope and joy of Easter Sunday.