If you would like to view this article in pdf format, please click here.

Why There is NO Good Friday

        Easter is a holiday celebrated around the world by believers and the unbelieving alike. Organized churches often hold “Easter Egg Hunts” on Saturday, and sunrise resurrection services on Sunday! This mixture of paganism with Christianity ought never to be (II Corinthians 6:14-17).

            One part of this holiday that disturbed me was the celebration of “Good Friday.” Even when I was far from spiritually mature, I knew it created serious problems with the following words spoken directly by Jesus,

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40

            If “Good Friday” were really true, then Jesus’ words would be untrue! Yes, I have heard numerous attempts to explain how to cram “3 days and 3 nights” into 1½ days and 2 nights; it just doesn’t add up. Everybody knows what 3 days and 3 nights are, and God is not the author of confusion!

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. James 3:14-17

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. I Corinthians 14:33

            A part of me also considered how that perhaps the day was simply moved to Friday out of convenience. This was a ridiculous thought, but I was hoping that more people within churches actually believed all the words of the Bible, and would be distressed at changing it. When you see how billions now accept “Good Friday” as true, it is easy to also realize how faith has slipped away from the organized church in these end times. Doesn’t it bother you? If we can’t know that every word of the Bible is true, then how can we trust in our salvation?

            Thankfully we can be sure that God’s Word (KJV) is absolutely true and accurate in the way it has been preserved by God! So therefore the truth about the death and resurrection of Christ can also be found within the Word, if we look and believe. Preachers need to be sharing these things with their congregations, instead of merely going along with popular sentiment! Yet preachers trained through Bible schools and seminaries are taught that we can not believe every word of scripture, and especially not that archaic King James Bible!

            When the Word refers to the resurrection, we see it was on the first day of the week (Sunday) which immediately followed the weekly Sabbath (Saturday). Jewish days run from 6 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thus, the weekly Sabbath actually starts at 6 p.m. Friday and goes until 6 p.m. Saturday (for a time I worked with a Messianic Jew).

            Yet there is another Sabbath known as “High Sabbath,” which comes once a year. It is made clear in John 19:31 that Jesus’ death was immediately before this Sabbath, not the one on Saturday! This is the day referred to in Exodus 12:18. It comes once a year on the fourteenth day of that first Jewish month; established from that first Passover when the Israelites were freed from Egypt.

            Knowing these facts, it is a simple matter to trace back the calendar years to determine the actual day of crucifixion. In that year the High Sabbath fell on Thursday; which actually begins Wednesday at 6 p.m. according to Jewish observance. So Jesus went into the tomb Wednesday before 6 p.m., and was resurrected at the same time on Saturday—exactly 3 days and 3 nights later! Scripture records the women coming to the sepulcher at early day break on Sunday, but Jesus was long resurrected already (No sunrise service!).

            As we see this lie the churches have embraced, we may properly ask what other lies have been yielded to.

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Luke 16:10

            What about Easter itself? Long before Jesus’ earthly ministry, the pagan holiday of Easter was being observed. The term “Easter” is derived from the name of the goddess of fertility Ishtar. Ishtar was the mother of Tammuz (sun god), who died on December 21^st and rose again—observed December 25^th! This paganism has been brought by the Catholic Church, which is actually pagan sun-worship with names from the Bible history attached (see Catholic Faith section).

            The real concern for God-fearing, Christ-loving believers is the position taken by the Holy Word of God (actually Jesus:  see John 1). Remember that we are to take the words that are there, without adding to it. We can look to King Saul in I Samuel chapter 15 as an example of one who decided to honor God as he (Saul) saw fit—not as he was directed by God! This is “another gospel” (Galatians 1:8), and is accursed. Additional instructions to obey may be found in Deuteronomy 4:2, Proverbs 30:5,6, and Revelation 22:18,19.

            The word holiday is an actual composite of the two words; holy-day. In our nation, numerous holidays are observed which have no religious meaning. Days like Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day. Beyond this, the actual observance of special religious holidays was taken away in the New Testament. Now it is observed as venturing back into the works-based salvation instructed by the Law, and we are plainly shown this in Galatians 4:10,11:

Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. Galatians 4:10,11

            Neither is this the only verse which alludes to the “holy-day” principle. Please see our section on observing the Sabbath for greater detail. What you will see there is how Jesus went out of His way to repeal the Sabbath as a law. It’s observance had become utterly corrupted by the Jews. And while many abode by the regulations imposed, their hearts were still far from God!

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. Isaiah 1:13,14

            Even in the Old Testament we are shown the Lord’s true sentiment. We are shown how to truly repent in verses 16-18, and this is our hope.

            The Bible never tells us to observe Jesus’ birth or resurrection, only His death. We see the obvious promotion of lies and the embracing of pagan rituals through “Good Friday” and Easter. We may also casually observe why God hates special days so much. Many perform these religious traditions without any real commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ on the inside. Don’t you see how full churches are at Easter and Christmas? People you never see there come out on these holidays. I’ve even heard it said they were only doing it for “Mom and Dad” or other relationship obligations.

            Even if you have been sincere, God does not approve of your adding to His Word by unscriptural religious tradition. Communion (not the Mass) is the only correct function within the current observance of Easter, and it was never assigned to be performed on that day! We should do this with regularity, numerous times throughout the year.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. I Corinthians 11:23-26

            Remember that the number of times to observe it, when and how to observe it, are not mentioned in God’s Word. It is to be kept from a sincere heart.

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalms 51:16,17

            Satan has filled the world with great varieties of religious practices like holidays. Let us honor our Heavenly Father through obedient reverence to His Word. Let us give the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit what they have long desired—fellowship with us. A relationship that is steady and life changing on a daily basis, not only on special occasions! And let us also contend for the truth, even as Jesus Christ has contended for our salvation.

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 3,4