Why is " Good Friday" so named?

Question

What is the "history" of the name?

Answer 1

Calling the day of the Crucifixion ‘Good’ Friday is a designation that is peculiar to the English language. In German, for example, it is called Karfreitag. The Kar part is an obsolete word, the ancestor of the English word care in the sense of cares and woes, and it meant mourning. So in German, it is Mourning Friday. And that is what the disciples did on that day—they mourned. They thought all was lost.

I have read that the word good used to have a secondary meaning of holy, but I can’t trace that back in my etymological dictionary. There are a number of cases in set phrases where the words God and good got switched around because of their similarity. One case was the phrase God be with you, which today is just good-bye. So perhaps Good Friday was originally God’s Friday. But I think we call it Good Friday because, in pious retrospect, all that tragedy brought about the greatest good there could be.

I can see virtue in either terminology. If we call it Mourning Friday, as in German, we are facing reality head on, taking up the cross if you will, fully conscious that the Christian walk is seldom a walk in the park. But if we call it Good Friday, as in English, we are confessing the Christian hope that no tragedy—not even death—can overwhelm God’s providence, love, and grace.-

Answer 2

Here is one explanation from http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06643a.htm

From the earliest times the Christians kept every Friday as a feast day; and the obvious reasons for those usages explain why Easter is the Sunday par excellence, and why the Friday which marks the anniversary of Christ's death came to be called the Great or the Holy or the Good Friday. The origin of the term Good is not clear. Some say it is from "God's Friday" (Gottes Freitag); others maintain that it is from the German Gute Freitag, and not specially English. Sometimes, too, the day was called Long Friday by the Anglo-Saxons; so today in Denmark.

Answer 3

Why is it called Good Friday?
The name may be derived from 'God's Friday' in the same way that good-bye is derived from 'God be with ye (you)

Why is it called Good Friday?
Calling the day of the Crucifixion ‘Good’ Friday is a designation that is peculiar to the English language. In German, for example, it is called Karfreitag. The Kar part is an obsolete word, the ancestor of the English word care in the sense of cares and woes, and it meant mourning. So in German, it is Mourning Friday. And that is what the disciples did on that day—they mourned. They thought all was lost.

I’ve read that the word good used to have a secondary meaning of holy, but I can’t trace that back in my etymological dictionary. There are a number of cases in set phrases where the words God and good got switched around because of their similarity. One case was the phrase God be with you, which today is just good-bye. So perhaps Good Friday was originally God’s Friday. But I think we call it Good Friday because, in pious retrospect, all that tragedy brought about the greatest good there could be.

I can see virtue in either terminology. If we call it Mourning Friday, as in German, we are facing reality head on, taking up the cross if you will, fully conscious that the Christian walk is seldom a walk in the park. But if we call it Good Friday, as in English, we are confessing the Christian hope that no tragedy—not even death—can overwhelm God’s providence, love, and grace. Either way seems fine to me!

http://www.kencollins.com/Question-11.htm

Love & Blessings
Milly

Answer 4

It is a deception by men, to dishonor God the Father, who art in heaven. I am 55 years old, Easter Sunday has always celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of April, the date has been changed because the times is at hand to fulfill all prophecies concerning The Gentiles.

Jesus died on Thursday, April 16, 33 AD, not Friday, and Rose form the dead on April 19, 33 AD, he was glorified and ascended to heaven on April 20, 33 AD
His body, the bread, represents the true Word of God.
His blood, the oath of the covenant represents the New Testament- the Gospel-

Jesus came exactly during the last season of the 5th Age and the Set-up of the 6th Age, (The 2 Times in TIMES =1960)
"This generation shall not pass till all be fulfilled"

Answer 5

I believe the Good is from God, like Goodbye comes from God be with you. It's also called Holy Friday by the Orthodox church.

Historically... here's a good site actually:
http://www.funmunch.com/events/good_friday/good_friday_history.shtml

Answer 6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Friday

The general opinion is that just like Goodbye is a shortened form of God Be With You, Good Friday is a shortened form of "Godes Friday" [God's Friday].

Answer 7

Its called good friday 1 cause it is on a fridayy,and 2 because christ was dieing for our sins so we don't suffer and burn and have a crappy time in hell when we die. i'd say thats pretty good.

Answer 8

Because on good friday jesus died for our sins, and we were forgaven. then on easter he came back.


Oh and etonwrites, He chose to die, jesus lived on earth for over 30 years and never sined once. so dont be like that be thankful

Answer 9

we as Christians believe that the Son of God, Jesus, came down to earth to die on the cross for us, taking the punishment that was supposed to be on us for our sin, unto Himself, hence setting us free. so though it seems sad, it is that He had to undergo such suffering for us, but it is good as we are free and God had accomplished what He wanted to do, which is to set us free, for He loves us all.

Answer 10

I think it has something to do with it being the day before saturday