For me, the significance of Good Friday is that this was when Jesus died; which he needed to do in order to fulfil, to complete, his core mission.
He did not need to die in the way he did, because any mode of death would suffice; and death was inevitable one way or another, sooner or later, for Jesus as for all mortal Men...
But Jesus did need to die; in order to resurrect, and ascend to Heaven.
I believe that Heaven as a state-of-being already existed before Jesus died, and that Lazarus was probably its first inhabitant - albeit Lazarus returned to dwell on earth, for a while.
But in order for "everybody" who thenceforth desired resurrection and eternal life to be able to achieve these; Jesus himself needed to die, be resurrected, ascend.
That salvation for "everybody" includes those who had died before the time of Jesus - and who resided as spirits in Sheol/ Hades, or had reincarnated, or were ghosts, or even demons who were not fully corrupted...
Which is what "the harrowing of Hell" on Easter Saturday, represents in a symbolic but distorted fashion.
I thought about this post during Good Friday service.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the first part of the post. I think the death of Jesus was implied in the incarnation. Its now customary to read Passion narratives from the Gospels in the Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday service, and I think it would be more appropriate to read them, if they are going to be read at any time other than Good Friday, at the Christmas service! It was also not necessary for Him to be tortured to death to fulfill His mission.
I see God becoming incarnate as a mortal man in His own creation as similar to a drill sergeant doing the same number of push-ups he has just ordered his men to do, because he is not a tyrant (this is normal practice in the army). I am now becoming doubtful about Atonement theology. That explanation does not fit with the death of Jesus being the natural result of the incarnation, which is usually not ascribed to some sort of substitution to the punishment (by whom?) that would otherwise be inflicted on mortal humans.
The other significance of Good Friday is as a reminder that, as soon as people realized that God was present in their midst, they crucified him.
@Ed - Thoughtful comment - thanks.
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