by Carole Brown
What do we know about Friday 13th?
- Friday the 13th occurs from one to three times per year when the 13th day of any month falls on a Friday.
- The fear of Friday the 13th is called “paraskevidekatriaphobia,” a word derived from the Greek wordsParaskeví (Friday) and dekatreís (thirteen), attached to phobia (fear).
- Some people are bound by paraskevidkatriaphobia that they avoid activities even their normal, everyday ones. They refuse to travel and seek to remain as “unnoticed” as possible.
Theories about Friday 13th’s beginnings:
- The Last Supper with the twelve disciples and Jesus making the “thirteenth” person: he was crucified and killed that day.
- Frigga, a goddess, who was banished when Christianity entered the country.
- French King Phillip IV ordered the death of all the monastery military order Knights Templar when they amassed too much wealth and power.
What should Christians choose to do?
Friday 13th is a superstition, built in and around FEAR. There are two types of fear. Fear of the Lord, which in the perfect sense means to stand in awe of. The second type of fear is a “spirit of fear” which is a detriment and should be overcome.
As such, Christians need to look to the Bible for guidance:
Encouraging Scriptures for the Christians:
- “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10.
- “Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than the sparrows.” Matthew 41:10
- “In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Psalm 56:11
There are many more scriptures in the Bible that encourage us to trust, to realize we’re not alone, that God understands our fear of destitution and weaknesses. There is power and strength in the scriptures. Keep our eyes fixed on them and on God.
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