Good Friday 2022: 5 books you should read to understand the Christian holiday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, and Black Friday. Members of many Christian denominations, including the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, etc. observe Good Friday with fasting and church services. From the early days of Christianity, Good Friday was observed as a day of sorrow, penance, and fasting, a characteristic that finds expression in the German word Karfreitag or "Sorrowful Friday". This year, Good Friday will be observed on Friday, April 15. In light of this, here are 5 books you should read to understand the Christian holiday.
'Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die' by John Piper
As per the book's blurb, the central issue of Jesus’ death is not the cause, but the meaning - God’s meaning. That is what this book is about. Piper has gathered from the New Testament fifty reasons. "Not fifty causes, but fifty purposes - in answer to the most important question that each of us must face: What did God achieve for sinners like us in sending his Son to die?"
Pic credit: Crossway Books
'The Case for Christ' by Lee Strobel
In this, Strobel cross-examines a dozen experts with doctorates from schools such as Cambridge, Princeton, and Brandeis, asking hard-hitting questions, and building a captivating case for Christ's divinity. He asks challenging questions, including Strobel asks challenging questions like: How reliable is the New Testament? Does evidence for Jesus exist outside the Bible? Is Jesus who he said he was? Is there any reason to believe the resurrection was an actual event?
Pic credit: Zondervan
'Death by Love' by Pastor Mark Driscoll & Gary Breshears
It is a compilation of heartfelt letters written by a pastor to his people that explains Jesus' work on the cross. Written in the form of pastoral letters, the book outlines the twelve primary effects of Jesus' death on the cross and connects each to the life of a different individual.
Pic credit: Crossway Books
'The Cost of Discipleship' by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
It is a compelling statement of the demands of sacrifice and ethical consistency from a man whose life and thought were exemplary articulations of a new type of leadership inspired by the Gospel, and imbued with the spirit of Christian humanism and a creative sense of civic duty.
Pic credit: Touchstone
'The Robe' by Lloyd C. Douglas
The book explores the aftermath of the crucifixion of Jesus through the experiences of the Roman tribune, Marcellus Gallio, and his Greek slave Demetrius. Prince Gaius, to rid Rome of Marcellus, banishes Marcellus to the command of the Roman garrison at Minoa, a port city in southern Palestine. In Jerusalem during Passover, Marcellus ends up carrying out the crucifixion of Jesus but is troubled since he believes Jesus is innocent of any crime. Marcellus and some other soldiers throw dice to see who will take Jesus' seamless robe. Marcellus wins and asks Demetrius to take care of the robe.
Pic credit: Namaskar Books
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