Mary, Mary, Mary, and Salome (John 19:28-30)

Seeing that it's one of the biggest religious days of the year, I felt it only appropriate to skip ahead in the book of John to match.

I find it interesting that verse 25 specifically list only four people near the cross. All four are women, and three are named Mary.

Also on my mind recently is why do we call it “Good Friday.” On that day Jesus certainly wasn't having a good time. Neither were his followers since they were either freaking out or hiding. Some say it's “Good” Friday because in retrospect it was good for us. Others say it's a corruption of the original name, God's Friday. Well that sounds reasonable, but I think the good day for us and God's big day is the resurrection on Easter. Any dude can die, but it was God that overcame death. So the pain from Good Friday seems more of a necessary evil due to our shortcomings than a cause for celebration. I think I prefer the German name Mourning Friday or Norway's Long Friday. It has a more proper respect for Jesus' sacrifice. However, after firmly establishing this argument, I will keep calling it Good Friday because it's a day I don't have to go to work. Praise the Lord!


If you knew John the Apostle was Jesus' cousin: