I believe that Jesus was crucified on Thursday instead of Friday. The following post explains why. I must hasten to add, however, that it is not super important to know for sure the day on which Jesus died. What is most important is to know that He died.
The day on which Jesus died is not nearly as important as the fact that He did die.
Church tradition states that Jesus was crucified on a Friday. This is why we call it “Good Friday.”
Friday Crucifixion
The main reason for this tradition, as far as I can tell, is that the disciples of Jesus were intent upon burying Jesus before the Sabbath arrived (Mark 15:42-43; Luke 23:54; John 19:31). As most people equate the Sabbath with Saturday, it is believed that Jesus was crucified on Friday.
The primary problem with this, however, is that Jesus said He would spend three days and three nights in the grave (Matt 12:40). Many historians rightfully point out that by Jewish reckoning, any portion of a day was considered the whole day, this explanation still does not get us to three days and three nights.
Traditional Counting
Day 1: Jesus was crucified and buried on Friday before the sunset.
Night 1: He stayed in the grave Friday night.
Day 2: Saturday.
Night 2: Saturday night.
But this is all we can get. John 20:1 says that Jesus rose before sunrise on Sunday, when it was still dark. This means we cannot get a third day, let alone a third night. Some scholars say that since Jewish days actually begin at sundown, then any portion of that twenty-four hour period from sundown to sundown counts as the entire “day and night.”
Only in this way can scholars have Jesus in the tomb for three “days and nights.” He was in the tomb before sundown on Friday, which counts as Thursday night (night 1) and Friday day (day 1). Then He spends Friday night (night 2) and all day Saturday (day 2) in the tomb. Finally He rises before sunrise on Sunday, which counts for both Saturday night (night 3) and Sunday day (day 3). So even though Jesus was not in the tomb for any portion of Thursday night or Sunday day, they still get counted.
This explanation seems highly unlikely, especially when a much simpler solution is available. What is that solution?
Jesus was crucified on Thursday
But if Jesus was crucified on Thursday, then the next day was not the Sabbath, right? Wrong. John 19:31 clearly tells us that this particular Sabbath was a High Day. In other words, it was not a weekly Saturday Sabbath, but was a special holiday Sabbath.
Readers of the Gospels must understand that there are two kinds of Sabbaths in Jewish years. There is the weekly Sabbath, which always begins on Friday night and continues all day Saturday until sunset. That is the Sabbath those most of us are aware of.
There is also a second type of Sabbath: the holiday Sabbath. It does not fall on a particular day of the week, but on a particular day of the year. Whichever day of the week this holiday falls on is treated like a Sabbath. Think of it like a Federal Holiday. While most Federal offices are closed every Sunday, they will also close on holidays like Christmas, on whichever day of the week it occurs.
This is what happened the year Jesus was crucified. It was the week of Passover, and the first day of Passover, which on the Jewish calendar is Nisan 15, is a holiday Sabbath, on whichever day of the week it occurs. That year, it fell on a Friday, which means that the holiday Sabbath of Passover began Thursday night.
This then, is the order of events:
Wednesday night: Last Supper in the Upper Room, and the arrest in Gethsemane
Thursday morning: Conclusion of Trials and Crucifixion
Thursday afternoon: Death and Burial. Counting of days now begins.
Thursday Day: Day 1
Thursday night: Night 1
Friday Day: Day 2
Friday Night: Night 2
Saturday Day: Day 3
Saturday Night: Night 3
Jesus rises before sunrise, so as not to start Day 4.
Three other points of evidence for this view:
- We no longer have a “Silent Wednesday.” Most chronologies of the final week of Jesus have a void on Wednesday, because the Gospels seem to say nothing about this day. But maybe the Gospels are not silent at all, and it is our order of events that is confused.
- Jesus was technically in the grave for two consecutive Sabbaths, the holiday Sabbath and then the regular, weekly Sabbath. This fits with Matthew 28:1 which says that the two women came to the tomb where Jesus was buried after the Sabbaths (Plural. In Greek: sabbatōn) were over.
- Edit (From Matt Aznoe on my Facebook page): One other point of evidence that is interesting is Palm Sunday. If Jesus was crucified on Thursday (Nisan 14), that would place Palm Sunday on Nisan 10 which is the day set forth in the original Passover law as the day that the people chose their Passover Lamb. The imagery then is striking — on the day that the Passover Lamb is chosen, the people of Jerusalem cry “Hosanna” as the Lamb of God rides in on a donkey. (Thanks Matt!)
This still does not solve the problem of why Jesus celebrated the Passover a day early, but that is still a difficulty whether you believe Jesus died on Thursday or Friday (cf. Matt 26:17; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:1, 7-8; and John 18:29; 19:14).
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Interesting – I’ve vaguely heard about that before but not really looked into it in detail. Regarding Jesus celebrating passover a day early, it certainly wouldn’t be out of character for him to take something that was essentially Jewish, break the rules a bit and redefine it around himself…!
I guess maybe a Wednesday arrest and Thursday crucifixion would explain why the priests weren’t celebrating passover when they arrested Jesus, and would mean that Jesus was dying as everyone else was eating the passover meal. Interesting.
@Mark: I don’t think Jesus would disobey the “direct” word of God. I have to look into my notes to see if Passover was commanded to be celebrated on Friday or if it was just something from the Mishnah.
I don’t know… there’s no record of him following the temple laws regarding sacrifices, or encouraging his followers to do so, presumably because he fulfilled the purpose of the sacrifices that were commanded by God…? I’m wondering if passover could be similar – that he saw its purpose now as redefined in terms of his own act of salvation. So the way he celebrated it was in some ways continuous with the Old Testament, but in some ways maybe subtly different as he pointed towards the new covenant.
I haven’t thought or read a lot about this though… what are your thoughts?
Good discussion here!
I think that Jesus did frequently disobey some of the Jewish traditions that were related to the law, but not the actual Law of God itself.
Regarding Passover, it does appear that it had to be celebrated on Nisan 15. There are numerous theories explaining why Jesus celebrated it a day early. Maybe it wasn’t actually the Passover supper, since there is no mention of a lamb. Maybe he was following a different Jewish calendar (I read today that the Sadducees followed a slightly different calendar which placed Passover a day early). I also read somewhere that Galileans celebrated it on two consecutive days. The dating has something to do with the moon and sun, and so since they were not sure when exactly to celebrate it, they celebrated it on both days.
There are some other options also, which are mentioned in the articles I cite above.
hi, I was into this topic as the muslim uses this point of three days / nights as a discrepancy in the bible.
After reading much text, thursday crucified was most appropriate to be line with the verse of Johan. (3 days / nights)
i am nt a expert but this is what i see:
As jewish time starts from 6pm to next day 6pm, technically speaking when Jesus died on the cross at 3pm – it was night time in the eyes in the jewish culture.
hence,
Thursday time crucified – Night time ( 1 night)
Thursday 6pm – Fri 6pm – 1 day / 1 night
Fri 6pm – Sat 6pm – 1 day / 1 night
Sat 6pm – Sun 6am – 1 day
So Jesus was in the heart of earth (hell) same as johan for three days and nights.
On the third day, sun early morning, he was resurrected….
Does it makes sense?
I am sharing for the first time…
Peter tan
Peter,
Thanks for commenting. I very much appreciate first time commenters! Do you have a blog? If so, I would like to check it out.
Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are saying…
The Jewish people did not count 6pm-6am as a day, but as the night. Night preceded day.
So your chart would read as follows:
Thursday time crucified – 3pm-6pm ( 1 day)
Thursday 6pm – Fri 6pm – 1 night / 1 day
Fri 6pm – Sat 6pm – 1 night / 1 day
Sat 6pm – Sun 6am – 1 night
We end up saying the same thing, that Jesus was crucified on Thursday.
You have a point, but Jesus would’t have performed a sacrifice anyway, since he wasn’t a Levite. I’ve read a lot of the Mishnah,and while I don’t have it memorized, I know many things are ONLY listed in the Oral Law (like the amount of knots in the tzitzit (tassles), so maybe the Passover ceremeny is only in the Talmud..so that would make sense
Yeah, most of the traditions of Passover are not in Scripture, that’s true. I am not sure they are in the Mishnah either. The date of the Passover, however, Nisan 15, is stated in Scripture, so I’m not sure how Jesus dealt with this.
Just a little note but it was not the passover meal Jesus was having it was the Last supper at that point in time and by the word it was command that no yeast was to be within the house for passover so the last supper it the last day to eat yeast bread and to eat all of it so that the house was clean. He was preparing for a passover but there was so much more to his preparations than people knew at the time. So the last supper should be filled with thick yeast bread not matzo.
One other point of evidence that is interesting is Palm Sunday. If Jesus was crucified on Thursday (Nisan 14), that would place Palm Sunday on Nisan 10 which is the day set forth in the original Passover law as the day that the people chose their Passover Lamb. The imagery then is striking — on the day that the Passover Lamb is chosen, the people of Jerusalem cry “Hosanna” as the Lamb of God rides in on a donkey.
Really? So what about John 12:1 and verse 12 where is clearly mentioned the days before Passover. If the crucifixion is moved 1 day forward, the Triumphal Entry should also be put one day forward, what would be … a Sabbaths day? (not the 10 Nisan)
Hey Jeremy, are we still on for May 6? or is it 7? What do you do for work> You can message me privately if u don’t wan the whole world in on our conversation.;)
I remember learning about this theory from my JW friend in school, and it made a lot of sense.
That is a great point. I will add it to the article (and reference you). Thanks!
Interestingly Colin Humphreys of Cambridge University is also arguing this year for a Wednesday Last Supper – and now I don’t really think it was an April Fool. Did you read about what Humphreys has written? Or is it a coincidence that you are today posting the same suggestion that he is?
I was not aware of this article until after I had written the post, but before I published it. It seems, however, that he is arguing for a Wednesday supper, but still a Friday crucifixion. He says it is impossible for all the trials to have taken place overnight in such a short timespan. Still, interesting subject.
What difference does it make if it was a Friday or not?why do we find it relevant to remember the day of the crucifixion?to me it seems as if believers are getting wrapped up in the remembering of days and rituals of what those days represent…
reading this as part of my study…I would just like to comment…all of the studies and comments are so helpful….and I find myself in agreement that The most important thing is to know that Yeshua died but we do need to know why?…..I believe it was to fulfill all righteousness to carryout His Fathers instructions to be the spotless lamb sacrifice to be the Salvation of the world to all who would believe and trust Him, the Jewish people first and then to the Nations..rituals and traditions are quite different to the the instructions eg The Torah of YhVH …and I also believe that it is very important to know that He was in the tomb for 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS …Matthew 5:17, 3:15, Psalm 119:142, Matthew 12:40.
I’ve read this idea before and think it makes perfect sense. Either Thursday or Friday works for me. I believe Jesus was crucified. I also am convinced that if He were to walk the earth again today teaching and preaching, the religious types would try to kill Him again. Who likes being told that their father is the devil, especially when they’re oh so religious?
Mandy on my Facebook page asks why it matters whether Jesus was crucified on Thursday or Friday. I don’t have a good answer. It is true that we sometimes get caught up debating “Thursday vs. Friday” arguments, while the world falls apart around us.
It matters because Jesus prophesied that this is one of the signs we will know he is the Messiah (Matthew 12:40).
The sign is not how long Christ was in the grave. The sign is that He would be resurrected. That’s what matters. Luke 11: 30, 32″…for they (Ninevites) repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold a greater (prophet)than Jonas is here”. Christ was resurrected, 50 days later He was glorified (Pentecost) and 3, 000 souls were saved.
We are saved/ recreated by the resurrected life of Christ.
Hmm. Never really thought about it. I guess it is just to fulfill the words of Christ’s prophecy, and also fit in with some of the Passover symbolism as Matt mentioned above. Other than that, I can’t think of a reason right now. We do sometimes argue about some silly things while the world falls apart around us…
Thanx for your thoughts.
I studied this “discrepancy” in a university class with a biblical scholar. The difficulty in trying to logical explain either a Thursday or a Friday crucifixion is that you cannot use the gospels as a cross reference for each other. They are not meant to be supporting evidence for each other, but individual accounts and points of view of the story of Jesus.
John has a clear agenda from the very beginning to use the lamb metaphor to describe Jesus. Right from chapter one. The other three, all likely influenced by “Q”, are mostly consistent with each other in the sequence of events. You would need to do a much more exhaustive process of ensuring that all of the translated references to 3 days and 3 nights are correct and not something like “I will rebuild the temple within 3 days” where there is some temporal wiggle room.
IMHO, it’s not worth trying to figure it out because it takes our attention away from the big picture of God’s sacrificial love.
I never believed in Q. An unknown, unseen, mythical document. Why couldn’t Mark just have written what he saw, and Matthew used Mark to jar his memory? If you look at all 4 gospels, the story of who saw Jesus first are all a little different. The idea of Q is too liberal of an argument for me. Why couldn’t Luke have written Luke? And why couldn’t have John written John? The ‘Q’ theory came up during a liberal schism in the 1940’s Anglican church if I’m not mistaken.
The problem with the idea of each of them writing what they saw is that none of them were written until more than 20 years after Jesus’ ascension. Mark is the earliest, somewhere between 50-60 AD, and John’s is the latest, which many scholars have estimated that the end product we have now is a collaboration of John’s disciples.
The theory of Q actually originated in the early 1800s, along with the Markan priority that hypothesized both Matthew and Luke used Mark as their source. Q became an accepted source by 1900, and combined with the Markan Priority is the widely-accepted “two-source hypothesis” that Matthew and Luke drew from both Q and Mark. Q theory gained stature after the discovery of the Gospel of Thomas in 1945, which is merely a collection of sayings of Jesus, of which half are including in the canonical gospels. That isn’t to say that the Gospel of Thomas should be given more credibility, but that the collections of sayings in Matthew and Luke aren’t original.
I’m not sure why the Q theory is a “liberal” argument. It’s a matter of biblical history, not interpretation of the texts themselves. If we aren’t willing to learn about the contexts and histories of the texts we hold so sacred, then it’s difficult to prove we are serious about following them.
I take what ivory-towered scholars say with a grain of salt. The Pharisees were the scholars of their time, and they had no CLUE what was going on. The scholars during Luther’s time persecuted many Christians, and then the Calvinist scholars persecuted the anabaptists horribly. I learned almost nothing from scholars. The members of the body of Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit is what we need, not Roman-styled scholars. Take any book on Systematic theology from each denomination, it’ll make your head spin
We certainly should use the gospels as corroborating accounts; we have every reason to trust them as reliable accounts! The higher critical methods used for determining dates are highly subjective; in fact, there are good arguments for the gospels being written considerably earlier than you mention. John Wenham and Richard Bauckham are two top-notch scholars with powerful evidence for earlier dates.
As for Q, there is, indeed, no strong evidence for it, and every reason to hold it as suspect. The theory arose in an anti-Semitic context among those who sought to “update” Christianity to fit the modern world. It’s not a neutral theory, nor does it account well for the data we have. Those holding to Markan Priority still have not satisfactorily explained why Mark’s episodes are always longer than their parallels in Matthew and Luke, even if there are fewer of them, for example. Q is not merely or obviously a matter of biblical history.
Finally, I don’t see how the existence of the Gospel of Thomas, which requires the prior publications of Jesus’ teaching, shows that the sayings in the canonical accounts aren’t original. It seems to expect that you already know those sayings before it introduces “secret sayings” to the reader.
Tim,
That is a good point about focusing on the big picture of God’s sacrificial love. That is definitely “the point” no matter which day it happened.
In this study of Passion Week, I have found the Blue Letter Bible at blueletterbible.org to be an invaluable tool. For example,I searched the Blue Letter Bible for the phrase “first day of the week”. It brought up every occurance of this phrase in the Bible and I found that the phrase “first day of the week” occurs 8 times. Then I clicked on one of the occurances, in this case Mat 28:1. The text was then displayed in its context with six blue letters to the left side of the screen for each text. I clicked the letter “C” for concordance and a new display popped up breaking down each word in the text into its concordant parts with strong’s numbers. Then I selected a word in the text to investigate, in this case the word Sabbath. I noticed that the Greek equivalent is Sabbaton (Strongs number G4521) and that Sabbaton occurs twice in this one passage. The first time it is translated Sabbath. The second time it is translated week. It’s the same Greek word so I concluded that the translator made the choice to translate it differently each time. I wanted to know how it was translated in all of its other occurances throughout the New Testament. So I clicked on the Strong’s number G4521 to find every other occurance of Sabbaton. To my suprise, it occurs 68 times. I found that only in the phrase, “first day of the week” does the translator choose to translate it differently from Sabbath. So I thought to myself, self! What if it were to remain consistant with every other passage throughout the New Testament? What if it were to be translated consistantly as “Sabbaths”? So I plugged in “Sabbaths” for “week”. It became “first of the Sabbaths”. Then I went one step further and did the same thing with the English word “first” with Strong’s number G1520. I was amazed with what I found. ‘mia’ occurs 78 times in the Greek New Testament and it is meaningful only when it is translated as a numeral in all of its other occurances. It answers the question; How many? Which is “one”. Not the question of positional placement or degree, which is “first”. It’s “one” jot in Matt 5:18, Not “first” jot. “One” hair in Matt 5:36; not “first” hair. It’s “one” flesh; “one” hour; “a” fig tree. Never is it used as an ordinal, except in the phrase “first” day of the week. With this discovery I substituted “one of the Sabbaths” for the phrase “first day of the week”. Was I on to something? Was it on one of the Sabbaths that Jesus rose from the dead and not on the first day of the week. Why had the translators chosen to change the meanings of the individual words used in the phrase? The Bible warns against doing that. II Pet 1:20 reads that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. And that the words of the LORD are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times – Psa 12:6. I now understand that the resurrection occured on the weekly Sabbath. And because it followed the annual Sabbath, two concurrent Sabbaths were involved. What say you?
Great summary of the issue. I love the BlueLetterBible website also, and use it from time to time.
I agree with you that there were two concurrent Sabbath’s this week. One on Friday (beginning Thursday night), and another on Saturday. Most people don’t realize this can happen, and so just assume that Jesus died on Friday, because that is the day before the Sabbath. But if there were two Sabbaths that week, then He could have died on Thursday, and been in the grave three days and three nights.
Good job researching this!
Also, some believe in soul sleep, that when you die, that’s the end of the story, until the resurrection. I don’t buy into that either.
If you read Hebrews Chapter 4, we are in God’s Rest. We are in God’s Seventh Day, every day. The Seventh day is everyday for a Christian. Not just on Sunday.
The point is, sleeping is rest (sabbath), not unconscious. I know Ecclesiastes 9:5. If you were to come across a dead person on the street, and you asked that dead person a question, he will not answer you. That is what Ecclesiastes 9:5 is talking about. He cannot answer, because he is not there. Just the body.
So, as you can tell. I don’t buy into the soul sleep doctrines.
Support for Good Friday Crucifixion
Three Days and Three Nights.
Hello, my name is Ed Chapman. I have done a complete study of Passover as it pertains to Jesus. I have heard all sorts of scenarios about a Wednesday or a Thursday crucifixion. But I can prove a Friday crucifixion.
What got me into studying this is that I heard a very interesting question once. The question was, “How do you get three days and three nights from Good Friday afternoon to Ishtar Sunday Morning?” It’s either Ishtar or Ashtray, I can’t remember which.
Well, it is possible to get three days and three nights from Good Friday afternoon to Easter Sunday Morning. Especially if we get the notion out of our heads that a day is 24 hours, because three days and three nights has nothing to do with “time”, but with light and dark.
Genesis 1:5
“And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night…”
If it is light outside, it is day. If it is dark outside, it is night.
The other thing that needs to be looked at, is the notion as to when Passover begins, vs. when the lamb is to be killed. The lamb is NOT to be killed immediately upon the beginning of Passover. It is first “prepared” at the START of Passover. But when does Passover begin?
It begins IN (Pay attention to the word IN) the 14th day of Nisan AT (Pay attention to the word AT) even (evening, otherwise known as sunset).
Now, is that the 14th day, or the 15th day? Most believe that this is the 14th day. They think that Passover begins on the 14th day. But that is not what that states. That states that this is the 15th day, not the 14th.
Example: For us, New Years Day begins ON New Years Eve AT midnight. Oh, you want Biblical proof, do ya? O.K., no problem.
When is the Day of Atonement? The 10th Day of the Seventh Month. When does this begin? ON the 9th Day AT sunset.
Leviticus 23:
27Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
28And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
29For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
30And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
31Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
Verse 32 is discussing the 10th day, not the 9th day. So lets review. When does Passover begin? It begins ON the 14th Day at sunset, which is technically the 15th, not the 14th. Passover is known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Luke 22:1). It is a seven day feast, not a one day feast. It is from the 15th to the 21st, beginning on the 14th day at sunset (15) to sunset of the 21 (21). That is a total of seven days.
Jesus did not eat the Passover one day early. He ate it based on the law, on the correct day at the correct time.
The first day of Passover (15th) is a Sabbath Day (the AN HIGH DAY, or as some wish to say, a SPECIAL Sabbath). The seventh day of Passover is also a Sabbath Day. Sabbaths go from sunset to sunset…KEEP THAT IN MIND, that it is based on sunset, and not the time of the day. This indicates that the “an high day” sabbath ended at noon!
The day that Jesus died is the FIRST DAY OF THE PASSOVER, which is a Passover Sabbath, and the very next day is the weekly Saturday Sabbath.
Everything about the death of Jesus MUST MATCH that of the actual passover lamb.
Jesus died on Nisan 15, and since Jesus died on Nisan 15, that means that the actual passover lamb was also killed on Nisan 15, not on Nisan 14 as many want you to believe.
If you look at the exact words as to when the Passover lamb is to be killed, it states that the Passover “begins” In the 14th Day of the month “AT” EVEN ( I understand between the eves). That isn’t the 14th. That is the 15th. This is the time that the lamb is “PREPARED”, NOT KILLED. It is killed THREE HOURS LATER. You will see that in the following. It is the PREPARATION that is at “between the eves”, or twilight, or whatever word that you wish to use. But that isn’t when the Passover lamb is slaughtered, killed, or crucified.
Preparation is during BETWEEN THE EVES. Now, I have heard numerous definitions of this. It is funny because people actually believe that this is during the daylight hours. But it isn’t. Between the eves, or twilight, is that period of time AFTER sunset, when the sun is below the horizon, but not quite total darkness. We call that DUSK. There is also a dusk, or twilight, or between the eves just before sunrise, too.
Jesus was killed at the third hour of darkness. It was dark when Jesus died, and had been for 3 hours. That darkness is counted, or as many use the word, “reckoned” as a night in the count of three days and three nights (Genesis 1:5).
And since it was dark for three hours in regards to Jesus, that is when the actual lamb is killed, ON the 15, not the 14th. So the actual passover lamb was killed about 9 pm on Friday the 15th, which began three hours before when it was THURSDAY the 14th.
Remember the easy verification of Leviticus Chapter 23 in regards to the Day of Atonement. The 10th day begins ON the 9th day AT EVEN.
The Bible does not specify a TIME at which the lamb is to be eaten. God just said to eat in haste, and not to leave any of it in the morning, and the uneaten portions that are, that they are to be burnt. This would clarify everyone’s notion that the angel of death began his journey at midnight, as there is no time specified. It could have happened at any time of the night before sunrise.
Now, some claim that Jesus was crucified at 9:00 am, equating that crucifying means putting Jesus on the cross at 9 am. But Jesus was not on the cross at 9 am, nor was he crucified at 9 am. Mark 15:25 states that it was the third hour, but people seem to assume that Mark was discussing the third hour of the day, which would be 9 am if he was, but he wasn’t. He was discussing the third hour of the night, not the day. Darkness (NIGHT-Genesis 1:5) began at NOON. It was 3 pm, and they crucified him.
Mark 15:25 (Third hour of the night (3:00 P.M., not 9:00 A.M.))
And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
Now, check out the following:
John 19:14-16 (The Sixth Hour of the DAY (About Noon, and he had NOT been crucified yet…”TO BE CRUCIFIED”.)
“And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified.”
Mark 15:25 cannot be the 3rd hour of the day (9 AM) because in John 19:14-16 it was noon and he hadn’t been crucified yet. At noon he was “TO BE” crucified. He had not even gotten on the cross yet, until about noon. And it was THAT PARTICULAR NOON TIME that was SUNSET. This “about noon” from John 14:16 is signifying BETWEEN THE EVES, or TWILIGHT, as it was to be SUNSET at any moment, NOON. And Jesus was crucified three hours later, the 3rd hour of DARKNESS, or, the third hour of the night.
Tons of people that have a problem with a Good Friday crucifixion do not even consider the darkness (noon to 3 pm) as a part of the “reckoning”. The math can be confusing, when attempting to equate the date of the death of Jesus with the date of the death of the actual passover lamb, which by “time” reckoning was in reality 18 hours before, but was indeed the third hour of the night of Nisan 15. “Time” reckoning shows that he actual Passover lamb was killed AT 9 pm, and Jesus was killed at 3 pm. This is where the confusion comes in that Jesus ate the passover a day early. But BOTH OF THEM was killed ON Nisan 15, the third hour of the night, yet 18 hours apart.
A quick review:
The Lamb is prepared beginning AT sunset, of the 14th, which in reality is the 15th. Sunset begins twilight, or between the eves. The First day of the Passover is a Sabbath Day. The last day of Passover is a Sabbath Day. There is no such thing as a yearly Special Sabbath (An High Day). The An High Day that is discussed was in regards to the Passover Sabbath of Nissan 15, and not in regards to a Sabbath of any other day. The Preparation of the Passover (JESUS) was at NOON in John 19:14-16. That was when Jesus was put on the cross. Jesus was on the cross for three hours, not six hours. He was not put on the cross at 9:00 am. The PREPARATION of the actual passover lamb was at SUNSET of the 14th, which is the 15th, not the 14th. Three hours later, the lamb is killed/crucified.
For us, New Years Day begins ON New Years Eve AT midnight. That is how it is described for the day of Atonement, as well.
Three Days and Three Nights
Night #1. About 3:00pm Friday (PARTIAL NIGHT)
Day #1. 3:00pm to 6:00pm Friday
Night #2. 6:00pm to 6:00am Saturday
Day #2. 6:00am to 6:00pm Saturday
Night #3. 6:00pm to 6:00am Sunday
Day #3. 6:00 Sunday Sunrise(PARTIAL DAY)
Technically speaking, days are “reckoned” as sunrise to sunset, and nights are “reckoned” as sunset to sunrise. This is in Genesis 1:5. If it is dark outside, it is night. If it is light outside, it is day. The number of hours in a day or night is irrelevant. Yes, Jesus did say, “are there not twelve hours in the day?”. He did say that. But lets look at how many hours of day “LIGHT” that there is during THAT TIME OF THE YEAR. Jesus could not say that during, say, November or December, as there is more hours of darkness during that time, especially if we are “reckoning” that there is 24 hours in a day. But in the case of a literal three days and three nights, we are not discussing how many hours there is in a 24 hour day, or partial days.
Now, one final note in regards to Sunday. The Bible does not say that it was dark when the women GOT to the tomb. Nor does the Bible indicate at what time that sunrise is. Jesus rose from the grave at sunrise. There is absolutely no indication that the women got to the tomb before sunrise.
My bottom line is that the three hours of darkness on the day that Jesus died was no mistake or mystery. That darkness was extremely important, and Mark 15:25 is discussing that darkness.
I studied this for many years. What your side does is attempt to use “hours” as the tool, where I just use light and dark, aka, sunrise to sunset, sunset to sunrise.
Jesus died on Friday. There is NO DOUBT in my mind. There is no question. Yes, you can get three days and three nights from Good Friday afternoon to Sunday Morning.
Respectfully,
Ed Chapman
Ed,
Very interesting. I had never considered the 3 hours of darkness on the day of His crucifixion to count as a partial night. You might be right about that.
But then the problem is comparing Luke 24:1 with John 20:1, which together reveal that the women went to the tomb “while it was still dark.” The sun had not yet risen, which means it was still night. There is no way to get a partial day on Sunday.
But there is another problem. We cannot count the “noon to three” as a partial night because Jesus was not yet in the grave at this time. He was still on the cross. The prophecy is that he will be in the grave for three days and three nights.
In regards to the Luke 24:1 with John 20:1, I believe that Luke 24:1 answers John 20:1. What I mean is that it does not indicate that when they actually arrived at the grave that it was still dark. It only indicates that they went to the grave. Arrival and going is two different things.
And in regards to noon to three, many seem to think that Jesus said he would be in the grave for three days and three nights. He didn’t say grave. He said “heart of the earth”. That is not the EARTHLY tomb.
Some do not believe in a literal Hell with demons and fire, and torment.
But the heart of the Earth is indeed in that place.
The word “HEART” means “CORE”. Where is the core of an apple? MIDDLE.
Jesus went to the middle of the earth, where hell fire is located.
There are “spiritual” revelations in the OT that discusses what happened during that time.
Compare 2 Samuel 22:8-51 side by side with Psalms 18:3-50. Once you finish that, then look at the difference in words in Psalm 18:7 with 2 Samuel 22:8.
Finally, compare all that with Jonah chapter 2.
Do not look at what is carnal (Grave). Look at what is spiritual (Hell).
Spiritually, Hades, Gehenna, etc., is grave, hellfire, not made of earthly dirt, rock.
Some don’t believe that. I do.
Sorry…mistake…I said 2 Samuel 22:8-51…begin instead at verse 4.
You might have to spell it out a little more clearly for me. You are saying that Jesus went to the middle of the earth before He died on the cross?
No, he died while ON the cross. He went to the middle of the earth once he died.
Sin still had to be judged. Jesus took our sin upon himself. But that sin still had to be judged. That is why when he died, he had no choice but to go there.
Mark 16:2 states “at the rising of the sun”.
The next verse shows that the stone had NOT YET been removed, because they asked, “Who shall roll away the stone…?”
Then they looked, and saw that the stone was rolled away.
In Matthew 28 shows that there was an earthquake, a GREAT Earthquake and the angel of the lord came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.
Sunrise had already taken place.
I need to clarify my last. At the rising of the sun, they had NOT arrived at the “tomb” yet, because they had said, “who shall roll away the stone”. But when they GOT to the “tomb”, they saw that the stone was already rolled away. This shows that Luke and John is indicating “going” to the tomb, and not “arriving” at the tomb.
Example: If I left the house to go to South America, but I hadn’t yet arrived, and someone looks for me, my roommate will respond, He went to South America. That does not mean that I arrived in South America.
Edward,
Ok, but then back to my other point. You said that the three hours of darkness count as a partial first night. But he was still alive during all three of these hours, and did not die until afterwards. So you still cannot get a third night in there.
Jeremy, not true. It was dark when he died…not light. It did not become light until afterwards.
And, I might add, that the actual passover is killed when it is dark, too. Not when it is light. It has to match.
I see. I have never read the Matthew 27:45-50 and Mark 15:33-34 that way, instead reading a progression of events (It was dark from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, and at the ninth hour, Jesus died).
But the text is somewhat ambiguous, and so there probably are a few minutes of wiggle room in there.
Ambiguous? Wiggle room? I don’t think so. Yes, the Bible states that darkness was from the 6th hour to the ninth hour.
However, it also states at ABOUT the ninth hour Jesus said, My God My God why has thou forsaken me, and shortly thereafter that Jesus gave up the ghost.
The word ABOUT certainly does not mean “AT” or “after”.
Again, the ACTUAL passover lamb is killed AFTER SUNSET, not before or not during the daylight hours. It has to match.
Hi Mark,
Question for you –
You wrote, “This is what happened the year Jesus was crucified. It was the week of Passover, and the first day of Passover, which on the Jewish calendar is Nisan 15, is a holiday Sabbath, on whichever day of the week it occurs. That year, it fell on a Friday, which means that the holiday Sabbath of Passover began Thursday night.”
How do you know that particular year it fell on a Friday?
BTW,I’m teaching on this tonight. I’ve longed believed that Jesus was crucified on a Thursday but this question I just asked you has been the “trouble” spot for me. Any help/sources would be greatly appreciated it.
Thanks!
Paul,
I’m guessing this question was directed at me?
Anyway, there are a few things going on which make it very difficult to exactly determine the day. For example, prior to 1582, most of Western Civilization operated under the Julian Calendar. But in 1582, we adopted the Gregorian Calendar, and to do this, Pope Gregory added 10 days to the Calendar. Many Hebrew calendars don’t really factor this in too much, and they use leap-months to add additional days. It gets very confusing.
But, it appears that by the best calculations, if Jesus died in the year AD 30, then Nisan 15 was a Thursday. Here is a link to the Hebrew Calendar from that year.
Hope that helps a bit! Let me know how your teaching on this goes.
The Hebrew Calendar you link to is accurate, if, and only if, the method of calculating Passover, as defined by Rabbinical Judaism is used.
We don’t have enough data to determine when Passover was celebrated, using the rules set out in the Torah.
What I don’t know, is when Rabbinical Judaism threw away tbe Torah, when calculating the date for Passover.
Who cares? Not relevant when; just the He did…
Chris,
Well, the “when” is relevant to the extent that Jesus was fulfilling OT prophecy about being three days and three nights in the grave. If he did not fulfill this prophecy, what else did He not fulfill? But in general, yes, the most important thing is that He died and rose again.
When did any prophecy say that Jesus would spend 3 days and 3 nights in the GRAVE? I thought it was 3 days and 3 nights in the HEART OF THE EARTH?
When did people first begin equating the word “Grave” to “Heart of the Earth”?
However, grave is a spiritual term for a really hot place, not just a 6 feet under carnal place, etc.
But, heart of the earth is not a cave, or 6 feet under, either.
“In the heart of the earth” was The Son of God in the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of His Father, the Kingdom of Darkness, in that night of HIS SOUL IN ANXIETY EXCEEDING DEATH—ALIVE IN HELL—that night from “when evening had come … when came the hour and He sat down with the twelve … and it was night … when they walked out of Gethsemane The Place of the Olive Press and crossed the Dark River Kedron that flowed through the Valley of Blood and Dung from the altar in the temple court.
“In the heart of the earth” was 12 to 21 hours BEFORE “the ninth hour” when Jesus had died and “GOD LOOSED THE PAINS OF DEATH” WITH DEATH WHEN Jesus cried “in the heart of the earth … “IS FINISHED”—“finished”, ‘behn-ha-arbayim’—“between (the third and) fourth of days’ quarters (of watches)”—literally, ‘behn’ – ‘between’ : ‘ha’ – ‘the’ : ‘arba’ – ‘four’ : ‘(of) days’ – ‘yim’.
Hi all, just want to pass on a valuable Hebrew calendar resource. Go to http://www.torahcalendar.com, select the desired Gregorian/Julian year and the desired Hebrew month, and click “View Calendar”. If Passover dates are what you’re after, choose month 1. I’ve found this to be a quick and reliable way of identifying what day of the week corresponds to a given date, and it gets you past the messy and confusing details that often accompany calendar conversions. I’ve come to prefer it to the typical Hillel-based calendar converters that are available online. Its results agree in most cases with scholarly works by Finegan and Fotheringham, with the occasional difference being just that it allows the Hebrew year to begin a half day or so earlier.
Allan,
Thank you for the helpful link. I am always looking for good calendar conversion tools.
While I agree with the synopsis, I disagree with one of your statements.
“Thursday afternoon: Death and Burial. Counting of days now begins.”
The burial didn’t happen until Thursday evening, which would have been Friday, the day of preparation. Both Matthew 27 and Mark 15 said that it was evening, Mark went as far as to say that ‘evening had already come’.
I see your point.
But what qualifies as “evening”? They wanted to get him in the tomb before the sun set, because the “Sabbaths” were coming. They needed to finish putting him in the grave before sunset, which means that if they put him in the tomb on Thursday evening, it was before the “Jewish” Friday actually began.
Well, people say that in Scripture, a “part of a day” often counts as the whole day. Maybe so. Maybe not.
Greetings Jeremy Myers,
FYI. New revelation is given regarding the Hebrew phrase, “beyn ha’arbayim”. All of Judaism and Christianity currently interpret this phrase from Jewish man’s perspective. It must always be interpreted from God’s Perspective. This is visually seen in the twelve depictions of Holy Week chronology found in the free Twilight Report on my website. You are also correct, it was a Thursday Crucifixion day, sunset to sunset reckoning.
One may ask, what is different between these depictions of Holy Week chronology and others that have been posted? The answer is that these depictions show the Word of God on a chronological timeline that includes all three dimensions together on the same one timeline. 1. Day of week 2. Day of month 3. Day of Feast of Unleavened Bread
All Biblical perspectives (Judaism, Messianic Judaism, Anglican, Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant) must come to the Cross of Jesus to see God’s Perspective. Now, that is Unity!!!
In Christ’s service,
David Behrens
Sola Gloria Dei!
Thanks, David. Unity truly will develop as we learn to live life and view theology through the cross of Jesus.
On the road to Emmaus on Sunday afternoon
Luke 24:21 (NKJV) “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
Sunday is the 3rd day
Saturday is the 2nd day
Friday is the 1st day
SINCE
Thursday – the day of Jesus’ Crucifixion
It doesn’t get any plainer than that
Check out my YouTube 🙂
God Bless
Hi Jeremy, I came across your blog today. I believe that Jesus was crucified on cruel Thursday and not “good” Friday as many teach.
I studied this subject in depth about 30 years ago and came to the conclusion that a case could be made for Wednesday, Thursday, or even Friday.
Your humility and genuine concern for the truth come out in your posts. It’s greatly appreciated.
Until today, my personal opinion had been that Jesus was most likely crucified on a Thursday or Wednesday. The 3 hours of darkness argument (to get another night to make the case for a Friday crucifixion) is just too contrived to be convincing.
What moved me today to find your blog on this subject was this morning in prayer the Lord told me that Jesus was murdered on Thursday. So, I just wanted find a coherent discourse on the subject making the case for Thursday.
So, for what it’s worth — thanks for the edifying blog and discussion. It is very fruitful
Thanks!
I think many have the same opinion as we do. Of course, in the end, it doesn’t matter too much. The important truth is that Jesus died!
Yes; and the MOST important truth is that He ROSE again from the dead.
Now what is ALSO important about Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is, is that that “He ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES DIED”: “the first day they always had to KILL the passover” and that “Christ ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES THE THIRD DAY, ROSE FROM THE DEAD” —- which is thewhole and the only reason for being of the Christians’ Day-of-Worship-Rest and without which Truth “ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES” there “REMAINS”, NO “Sabbath Day’s-rest for the People of God”.
Christ rose from the dead “ON THE SABBATH” or “there remains” — I repeat — no, the SCRIPTURES repeat — “there is”, NO, “Sabbaths’-Feast-of-Christ The Substance”, “valid for the People of God” even “Christ’s Own” : “The Church” of whom “HE IS HEAD”.
Mark 16:1 spices are purchased after the sabbath. Luke 23:56 they went home and prepared the spices but they rested on the sabbath.
God wrote it plainly in the Bible in Luke.
On the road to Emmaus:
Luke 24:21 “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the THIRD DAY SINCE these things happened.
Sunday is the third day
Saturday is the second day
Friday is the first day
SINCE Thursday – the day of Jesus’ crucifixion
For the full story watch the YouTube “The Truth about the Days of Easter”
This is your “order of events”
Thursday afternoon: Death and Burial. Counting of days now begins.
Thursday Day: Day 1
Thursday night: Night 1
Friday Day: Day 2
Friday Night: Night 2
Saturday Day: Day 3
Saturday Night: Night 3
Jesus rises before sunrise, so as not to start Day 4.
The Jews started a new day at sunset. Thursday day is not followed by Thursday night, but by Friday night. Your “order of events” should read:
Thursday afternoon: Death and Burial. Counting of days now begins.
Thursday Day: Day 1
Friday night: Night 2
Friday Day: Day 2
Saturday Night: Night 3
Saturday Day: Day 3
Sunday Night: Night 4
Jesus rises before sunrise, so as not to start Day 4. (?)
To satisfy Jesus’ death and resurrection in 3 days the “order of events” is:
Friday afternoon: Death and Burial. Counting of days now begins.
Friday Day: Day 1
Saturday night: Night 2
Saturday Day: Day 2
Sunday Night: Night 3
Jesus rises before sunrise on Day 3.
To reemphasize, Thursday day is followed by Friday night, not Thursday night. A Thursday crucifixion requires four (4) Jewish days.
Ken,
By following “Day 1” with “Night 1” I was not trying to say that the night of “Night 1” is to be paired with the day of “Day 1.” I know that the Jewish “New day” begins at sundown. So the numbers in my proposal are simply a way of counting. You have decided to being your night count with “Night 2” which is not where anyone begins counting.
Also, when texts like Matthew 12:40 talks about Jesus in the grave, it is not ordered by the Jewish method of “Night and Day” but by the Greek/Hellenistic order of “Day and Night.”
Anyway, there are lots of arcane arguments for this whole discussion. The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter which day Jesus was crucified on. The truth we can all agree on is that He was crucified.
Hi Jeremy,
The first night is “day” 2, the next Jewish calendar day. Or Night 1 = Day 2.
Luke was a Greek writing to a Greek, and my research indicates he did use reckoning by the Greek based Syro-Macedonian calendar. It was lunar with a fall new year but intercalated the 13th month differently from the Jews, so the months did not always line up. It also started the new day at sunset.
The Wednesday Crucifixion is based on lack of understanding of Jewish dating and misunderstanding of the Sign of Jonah, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40)
1. The Jewish day began at sunset. “Three days and three nights,” literally, is ALWAYS four (4) Jewish days. Don’t let our modern version of the Roman calendar confuse you. Jesus was a Jew who would have confirmed this.
Jewish Day1 – Daylight 1
Jewish Day 2 – Darkness 1
Jewish Day 2 – Daylight 2
Jewish Day 3 – Darkness 2
Jewish Day 3 – Daylight 3
Jewish Day 4 – Darkness 3
2. The Talmud confirms part of a day was counted as a whole day. “A day and night are an Onah (time period) and the portion of an Onah is as the whole of it.” (JT, Shabbat 9:3; BT, Pesahim 4a)
3. “Three days and three nights” is a figure of speech for three days. See 1 Samuel 30:12-13.
4. Jesus told the Pharisees the Sigh of Jonah as a prediction of his DEATH and Resurrection, not his BURIAL and resurrection.
5. At His death Jesus was made alive in the Spirit and went into the “heart of the earth” at that time. (1 Peter 3:18-19) His Spirit did not depart him from the time of His death until his burial. Starting the count from His burial ignores when and why He went into the heart of the earth.
6. The Wednesday Crucifixion ignores the three hours of daylight from the time of Jesus death, and then reverses the order to “three nights and three days.” It is not literal.
7. If Jesus was resurrected at sunset at the end of the Saturday Sabbath, who rolled back the stone? There were guards still awake and probably others who would have been there during the twilight and full moon.
8. With a Wednesday Crucifixion the women who prepared spices, a simple process, would have come to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus on Friday. They would not have waited until Sunday, contrary to Jewish custom, and when a body was known to smell. (John 11:39)
9. After the women came to the tomb on Sunday, later that day, scripture confirms “it is the third day since all of this took place.” (Luke 24:21) The Jews used inclusive reckoning, and backing up the three days are Sunday, Saturday, Friday. Jesus was crucified on Friday.
For more details see http://www.nowoezone.com/Friday_Crucifixion.htm
Shalom ALL, there is irrefutable proof that “Sunday” (the 1st day of the week) was the FOURTH day, since these things took place. Consider Luke 24:21, the Greek word (G71-ago) that is translated “is,” should be translated “leads.” The translators were biased in thinking that Sunday was the third day. It should be rendered, “besides all this, today LEADS the third day AWAY from when these things were done.” Look at Luke 23:32, the same Greek word is used (G71-ago), and the two criminals were being LED (G71-ago) with him to be put to death. So that Sunday, the 1st day of the week was leading the third day AWAY, not that it WAS the third day. This is why the disciples were sad, the third day had come and gone, and THAT day in which they were going to Emmaus, was LEADING the third day away.
When you couple this proper translation of Luke 24:21, with Mark’s account stating the women purchase the spices AFTER the Sabbath, and Luke’s account stating they prepared the spices and ointments and THEN rest on the Sabbath in obedience to the command, the ONLY day possible for the crucifixion was on Wednesday. He was Wednesday night, Thursday night, and Friday night, along with Thursday day, Friday day, and Saturday day, three days and three nights in the tomb. He arose right at sunset (between the eves) at the end of the third day, Sabbath/Saturday evening, as the 1st day of the week was dawning/beginning.
Consider that the women were out at the tomb, right as the Sabbath was beginning (the High Feast Day Sabbath) on Wednesday at sunset. After this Sabbath is PAST, ON FRIDAY, the woman purchase the spices as Mark states. Then as Luke states, they RETURNED after they watched the stone rolled over the entrance to the tomb, and Luke gives his account from the perspective of the weekly Sabbath, and not the High Day Sabbath as Mark does. So after these women return, they ON FRIDAY, build a fire, add the spices, stir and simmer, and then let it cool down. Then they skim off the ointments, and run out of time before the weekly Sabbath starts, so they had to rest in obedience to the Commandment (weekly Sabbath command). There is not way for the women to have had enough time to prepare the burial ointments BEFORE they rested on the Sabbath unless they had been working on the ALL day Friday. And since Mark states it was AFTER the Sabbath that they purchase the ingredients, it proves that there had to have been a day BETWEEN the two Sabbaths. Hope this helps, and Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew.
You obviously haven’t read a thing anyone else has had to say.
Shalom Gerhard, I responded to this thread because of what I read, but it appears you did not read what I wrote as you failed to respond to the PROPER translation of Luke 24:21, and also explain how the ingredients were bought AFTER the Sabbath was past as Mark states, and prepared BEFORE the Sabbath started as Luke states.
The only way to address this conflict is for a “work” day to fall BETWEEN the High Day Sabbath which Jn 19:31 and Mark 16:1 speaks of, and the WEEKLY Sabbath which Luke speaks of (Luke 23:56). For anyone to logically argue that the women had enough time to prepare the burial spices and ointments PRIOR to the Sabbath beginning, is to deny that lengthy process which is spoken about in these links:
http://www.anistor.gr/english/enback/v051.htm
http://graceperfumes.net/gpage2.html
http://www.ehow.com/about_4615568_ancient-perfume-making.html
It took starting a fire, boiling oil, adding spices, cooking, simmering, and then cooling down to where they could skim off the ointments. To believe that the women, who were at the tomb right as the Sabbath (High Day) was beginning, and then RETURNED and did all this BEFORE the Sabbath started is not feasible, along with the fact that Marks states that AFTER the Sabbath was past, they bought the ingredients. How do you prepare something BEFORE you purchase the ingredients? It would have been impossible for a Thursday crucifixion in having back to back Sabbaths without a “work” day between the TWO Sabbaths for the purchasing the ingredients (Mark 16:1) and the RETURNING and preparing of the ingredients as Luke 23:56 states. This “work” day BETWEEN the two Sabbaths, demands a Wednesday Crucifixion.
And concerning Yeshua being in the “hearth of the earth,” as meaning He would be IN the GRAVE, please consider Jonah’s words:
Jonah 2:1 – 2:2
1 Then Jonah prayed unto Yahweh his Elohim out of the fish’s belly,
2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto Yahweh, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, [and] thou heardest my voice.
Jonah considered his entombment in the fish’s belly as being in the “womb/belly” of SHEOL/Hell (Grave). The GRAVE is the heart or body of the earth, and Yeshua saw this is what Jonah meant. The counting must begin and end as the time in which Yeshua was entombed in the GRAVE, three days and three nights in Sheol, the heart or womb of the earth. Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew
Re:
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Denied. Wednesday is impossible for the crucifixion.
You cannot <> … Mark’s account stating the women “purchased spices AFTER the Sabbath”, <> and allege there was <>.
Like Luke’s “First Day” was the day after Luke’s “Sabbath” in 23:56 and 54, so was Mark’s “Sabbath” the day before Mark’s “First Day of the week” in 16:2.
And as Mark’s “Sabbath” in “after the Sabbath” in 16:1 was the Sabbath after “The Preparation which is the Fore-Sabbath”—‘Friday’, just so was Luke’s “Sabbath” in “the Sabbath was nearing” 23:54, and in “they rested the Sabbath” 23:56, “The Preparation”; in fact “that day (of Friday) the Sabbath drew near”.
After THIS Sabbath was past, literally after this “Sabbath had gone through”, the THREE woman purchased (other) spices on the First Day of the week—as Mark states on Saturday evening after sunset, after this, “Sabbath, had gone through”.
Luke 24:1 is about the women “bringing their prepared spices” to anoint the body, “deepest morning of night (after midnight) on the First Day of the week”, viz., after 12 p.m. Saturday night on Sunday morning. Because “they came with their spices prepared” thinking the body was in the tomb still (“… so they might anoint Him when they would come” Mark 16:1)—, it was the women’s first visit at the tomb, but they had to discover that the tomb was EMPTY and they could not anoint the body.
So they would not go to the tomb with spices again, BUT TO RE-AFFIRM their (previous) findings—which exactly Mark 16:2-8 said they did.
Re:
“couple this proper translation of Luke 24:21, with Mark’s account stating the women purchase the spices AFTER the Sabbath, and Luke’s account stating they prepared the spices and ointments and THEN rest on the Sabbath in obedience to the command, the ONLY day possible for the crucifixion was on Wednesday.”
Denied. Wednesday is impossible for the crucifixion.
You cannot “couple” … Mark’s account stating the women “purchased spices AFTER the Sabbath”, “… with Luke 24:21” and allege there was “a day BETWEEN the two Sabbaths”.
Like Luke’s “First Day” was the day after Luke’s “Sabbath” in 23:56 and 54, so was Mark’s “Sabbath” the day before Mark’s “First Day of the week” in 16:2.
And as Mark’s “Sabbath” in “after the Sabbath” in 16:1 was the Sabbath after “The Preparation which is the Fore-Sabbath”—‘Friday’, just so was Luke’s “Sabbath” in “the Sabbath was nearing” 23:54, and in “they rested the Sabbath” 23:56, “The Preparation”; in fact “that day (of Friday) the Sabbath drew near”.
After THIS Sabbath was past, literally after this “Sabbath had gone through”, the THREE woman purchased (other) spices on the First Day of the week—as Mark states on Saturday evening after sunset, after this, “Sabbath, had gone through”.
Luke 24:1 is about the women “bringing their prepared spices” to anoint the body, “deepest morning of night (after midnight) on the First Day of the week”, viz., after 12 p.m. Saturday night on Sunday morning. Because “they came with their spices prepared” thinking the body was in the tomb still (“… so they might anoint Him when they would come” Mark 16:1)—, it was the women’s first visit at the tomb, but they had to discover that the tomb was EMPTY and they could not anoint the body.
So they would not go to the tomb with spices again, BUT TO RE-AFFIRM their (previous) findings—which exactly Mark 16:2-8 said they did.
Correction:
And as Mark’s “Sabbath” in “after the Sabbath” in 16:1 was the Sabbath after “The Preparation which is the Fore-Sabbath”—‘Friday’, just so was Luke’s “Sabbath” in “the Sabbath was nearing” 23:54, and in “they rested the Sabbath” 23:56, __the Sabbath__ after “The Preparation”; in fact __the Sabbath__ after “that day (of Friday when) the Sabbath drew near”.
Shalom Gerhard, so let me get this straight. You feel that AFTER the WEEKLY Sabbath, on Saturday evening/night, shop owners would have opened up their shops so that shopping could have occurred AFTER that Sabbath? Have you really thought this through? Shops were closed on the Sabbath, and to think that at nighttime they would have re-opened, is not looking at this from the right perspective.
Also, the point of the proper translation of Luke 24:21 “TODAY leads (G710 apo) the third day AWAY (G575 ago)” clearly shows that THAT DAY (first day of the week) was LEADING the third day AWAY, as the third day had already come and gone as IT was the WEEKLY Sabbath. The first day of the week LEADS the third day (Saturday) AWAY, making it the FOURTH day from when these things occurred. This is WHY the two disciples were sad as they saw the third day as having departed away, or as being led away by that first day of the week. Yeshua rose right at the beginning or dawning of the first day of the week, Saturday at sunset, not Sunday at sunrise, as the Sabbath was the third day, not Sunday. Blessings in The Name, ImAHebrew.
WHICH were the “three days” Jesus spoke of and referred to quite often and with obvious intent and meaning?!
~Saturday~ [Sic.] the Sabbath the Seventh Day of the week, was “the third day according to the Scriptures Christ rose from the dead on”.
That is correct and fulfilled prophetic Truth!
Yea!!
But Jesus did not rise ~right at the beginning … the first day of the week, Saturday at sunset~, but LITERALLY word for word “LATE ON THE SABBATH IN THE MID-AFTERNOON TOWARDS the First day of the week” that would begin three hours later sunset sharp the twelfth hour AFTER epicenter of being inclining daylight of the Sabbath” – ‘opse de sabbatohn tehi epiphohskousehi eis mian sabbatohn’.
~right at the beginning or dawning of the first day of the week the first day of the week, Saturday at sunset~, IS, already, the First Day (or ‘Saturday night’) on the First day of the week. Jesus did NOT resurrect ~on the First Day of the week~!
So, I cannot see why you argue as if I argue that Jesus rose on the First Day of the week — it is you who argues He rose on the First Day of the week — NOT I.
Re:
Q~The only way to address this conflict is~Q
What is ~this conflict~ you speak of? There is no ~conflict~ whatsoever. The only ~conflict~ there is, is the one you need and depend on to construct your theory upon. So the ~conflict~ is yours, your own, imaginary, unreal, ASSUMED, created, ~conflict~.
1) You a priori and totally arbitrarily decided the Crucifixion had to be on Wednesday.
2) And you a priori and arbitrarily decided the Crucifixion had to be on Wednesday because you arbitrarily and a priori decided “three days and three nights” were the number of days and nights that Jesus was supposed be in the GRAVE, BURIED.
3) And you arbitrarily and a priori decided “three days and three nights” were the number of days and nights that Jesus was in the grave, buried, because you, arbitrarily and a priori had decided that Jesus could not be buried on a ‘SABBATH’.
4)And you arbitrarily and a priori decided “three days and three nights” were the number of days and nights that Jesus was in the grave, buried, because you, arbitrarily and a priori had decided that Jesus could not be buried on a ‘sabbath’, because YOU, have a priori and arbitrarily decided that NO WORK (like buying and or preparing) was allowed on a ‘sabbath’.
Therefore—as from the start—YOU, in four steps, have FINALLY, a priori, and arbitrarily, decided: the Crucifixion was on Wednesday. Voila! You ~conflict~.
So, who needs ~to address this conflict~ that isn’t there?
Who needs ~a “work” day to fall BETWEEN the High Day Sabbath … and the WEEKLY Sabbath~ if the proper DUTIES of the ~High Day Sabbath~ pertained precisely the ~”work”~ of the particular ~High Day Sabbath~ “according to the customary ethics of the Jews”—THE LAW—DEMANDED such ~”work”~ shall be done by the faithful, “good and just” “disciple” and “honourable counsellor” of the LAW—such as Joseph and Nicodemus who “themselves”, have “waited for the Kingdom of God” and these, very “three days” in its messianic “GLORY”?
No human ~logic~ can explain the LORD’S Passover. “On everlasting arms under, the LORD carried Israel out”— through “THREE DAYS THICK DARKNESS” OF HIS SALVATION.
~Logic~ and ~long~ or short ~processes~ do not form any part of the Passover of Yahweh. A “THUS SAITH THE LORD” IN SCRIPTURE of the ACTUAL HISTORIC TRUTH of the LORD’S Passover is all that counts and makes sense in whichever detail large and small. In fact, the “WORK” of God “in the all-exceeding greatness of his Power” is made manifest not only in the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, but also in the BURIAL of Jesus in the WORK of his faithful followers ON “THAT DAY BECAUSE IT WAS GREAT DAY SABBATH” OF THE PASSOVER OF YAHWEH.
I do not deny God’s work or man’s work on “THAT DAY”—“DAY-OF-SUBSTANCE”—“BONE-DAY”—“WHOLE-DAY-OF-SABBATH” of the Passover-of-Yahweh.
I deny its denial.
Very interesting discussion. I am no theologian, but I have often asked the question, “When did Jesus really die – Thursday or Friday.” Jesus spoke figuratively on many occasions. As far as I am concerned when he was arrested on, that was indeed was a form of death. After all he was taken from us. Even his disciples abandoned him, just like Jonah who was thrown overboard. Moreover when he was on the cross darkness came over the land, symbolising the end of the darkness (Jesus is the light) and could be counted as a day. It really does not matter when he was crucified, but that he was. That is all that matters. Every denomination will twist it to suit their doctrines. Celebrate the death not the date of the death. God does not count days and time like man.
A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Psalm 90:4
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 2 Peter 3:8
I agree with Edward Chapman. Our Lord is telling us that we are to consider that darkness that occurred on Friday afternoon as a ‘ night ‘. Why? I believe I know the answer, but that’s another story.
In the meantime, because of that darkness you can look upon Good Friday to Easter Sunday as being 3 days and 3 nights.
For it to be 3 days and 3 nights for Jonah, he would have to be regurgitated on a Monday night,
if he had been swallowed during the day on a Friday.
Very interesting article Jeremy, thanks.
I arrived on this site like a shooting star and judging by the post above my comments would appear to contradict your research. That was not my intention, Jeremy, I hope you understand.
With time I hope to understand your position better.
I didn’t have time to read all the comments. But note, Paasover and Feast of Unleavened Bread were synonymous. They would often say one when meant other. Happens over and over. According to the book of exodus the Paasover takes place on the 14th. Not the 15th. The 15 begins the FOUB. And the number of days mentions could’ve Ben referring to the feast as much as the Passover. Love this discussion.
He was taken down on the evening of the Preparation day which is Thursday evening by Jewish reckoning of days. This would have also been the Preparation for Passover (actually the second day of unleavened bread). I did Shabot yesterday, and Friday evening is evening (beginning) of Shabot, the preparation evening (beginning of the preparation day) is Thursday evening the same as it has always been. This gives you the three days and nights as Jonah! Don’t let the “Scholars” continue to confuse by interepreting Jewish things by Roman/ Western understanding. Jeremy, you figured this out– Good deal!
Find the one flaw in the following quote and discover the universal fault in all wrong explanations for the days of the week Jesus died, and rose from the dead on…
Q~The main reason for this [Friday crucifixion] tradition, as far as I can tell, is that the disciples of Jesus were intent upon burying Jesus before the Sabbath arrived (Mark 15:42-43; Luke 23:54; John 19:31). As most people equate the Sabbath with Saturday, it is believed that Jesus was crucified on Friday.~Q
The flaw simply is the inclusion of Luke 23:54 instead of verse 50 with Mark 15:42-43; …; John 19:31.
Thus “That Day The Preparation” beginning with “evening already having been”, is seen as if it was ending “mid-afternoon (Friday) daylight inclining towards the Sabbath Day” after sunset.
Q~The main reason for this tradition [Friday crucifixion], as far as I can tell, is that the disciples of Jesus were intent upon burying Jesus before the Sabbath arrived (Mark 15:42-43; Luke 23:54; John 19:31).~Q
Joseph “That Day the Preparation” (‘Friday’) had CLOSED the grave “because of the Jews’ preparation” 3 hours before 6 p.m. sunset, the Sabbath would begin. Luke 23:54 John 19:42.
“That Day”, “the Preparation which is the Fore-Sabbath” and “high day sabbath” of the passover, 21 hours before “when evening had come”, had BEGUN. Mark 15:42-43 Matthew 27:57 John 19:31.
Here’s a link to a teaching on the three days and nights I found helpful:https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/three_days_nights.htm
God bless and peace,
Blake
Even though your correct in a Thursday death
Your confusing the timeline, Jesus said 3 days and 3 nights
(which is to be rendered by half days counting each half day starting Thursday sunrise and ending at Sunday sundown)
in the heart of the earth which was where paradise(Abraham’s bossom)was located
(Paul revealed in his visions he saw paradise in the 3rd heaven, so it was either relocated or sheol was a temporal paradise until Jesus gave access to the 3rd heaven.)
And where He descended in the lower regions of the earth with the saved brother that came to faith on the pole.
So Jesus was not to be 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb but in sheol within the righteous compartment where Abraham was.
As He said to the one whom put faith in Him ” today you will be with me in paradise”
So Thursday Day 1 starts off the countdown within the standard giving of 3 days and 3 nights in paradise.
The parameters giving to calculate the standard giving is in 3 days, after 3 days and the 3rd day.
Jesus was not in sheol for a full 72hrs no matter how one reckons time as Day 1 started the countdown when He died and gave up His spirit which was Thursday sunrise approximately 3pm.
So this is how He intended us to reckon his standard within the parameters he provided with half days.
Half Day 1 Thursday Sunrise
Half Night 1 Friday sundown
Half Day 2 Friday Sunrise
Half Night 2 Sat sundown
Half Day 3 Sat sunrise
Half Night 3 Sun sundown
So Jesus within 3 days although not a literal full 72 hour period, being the combined half days from Thursday sunrise to Sunday sundown
After 3 half days which would end with day 3 saturday sunrise
And the third day being the combined half day 3 and half night 3 of sat and sun .
So we can actually say that Jesus was 3 days and 3 nights in paradise to then raise a portion of the night 3 before sunrise of day 4 reckoned in this manner.
The fact that Jesus’ Day 1 would start Thursday sunrise because it was when he descended spiritually as the starting point to then say after 3 days He would raise. It makes allot more sense to count the half days up to the point of Sunday night so Jesus is in paradise 3 days and 3 nights before resurrecting a portion of the third day after 3 days and in three days.
Jesus knows that His people render time night then day, but gave us a particular standard to render day then night.
With this reckoning we come to the same conclusion of rising before sunrise but that matches with what Jesus actually said.
This is well written and well defended. It always bugged me that Friday night to the wee hours on Sunday counted as three days. Can you please include the references for the Greek documents that are plural for sabbaths in Mathew 28:1. I can’t seem to find an English Bible version that is plural in that verse
I’m late but anyway.
Jesus didn’t eat the Passover meal. He died before the meal was eaten the evening of 15th Nisan, 1st day of unleavened Bread. He said to His disciples that He desired to eat with them that Passover. The fact that He was the Passover Lamb proves that He did not eat it. He died the 9th hour in line with the sacrifice of the second lamb, I think.
He did eat the Last supper with leavened loaves.
Concerning the darkness, I believe that was the presence of God being near to Christ even after the full withdrawing of His Spirit/presence. Theres a Psalm that alludes to this moment. This is the wrath of God-withdrawing of His Spirit. Which is why Christ cried out. He was in a state of sin, separation from God. And died in that state. This is illustrated by the Unleavened Bread that was to be eaten that evening of the 15th Nisan. So Passover day is 14th but the Passover meal is eaten on the 15th.
The sign of Jonah IMHO is not to do with the number of days (only Matthew records the 3 days/ 3nights). It is to do with the fact that Jonah was seen in the City of Nineveh after being swallowed by the great fish. That’s why Nineveh repented, they believed the message of destruction because they knew (had evidence) that God brought Jonah back. Jonah came back from the dead, so to speak. That’s what I believe Christ meant. He would be dead and then be resurrected from the dead by God. It is about His resurrection. That’s the sign.
Now I say Palm Sunday is unbiblical and should not be used a point of “evidence” for Thursday crucifixion. The date, 10th Nisan, is more important as it is the day the Passover Lamb is chosen. Later on that week Caiaphas then selects Christ as Lamb to be sacrificed and Pilate declares Him righteous/ just ( without spot).
Based on the feasts:
14th Christ died and was buried. Passover
15th Lay in the tomb (put away sin) Day1 UB
16th /17th Resurrected. Wave sheaf
50days from Wave sheaf is the waving of loaves. Pentecost (glorification of Christ)
The interesting fact for me is te Lord’s Supper combines the 3 pilgrimage feasts as a memorial: looking back to Christ’s death (Passover), looking forward to glory (Tabernacles) and most importantly recognizing what we have been given-Christ Himself (Pentecost)
That’s my understanding and I may be wrong.
The Passover never falls on a Thursday. Therefore Jesus cannot be crucified on a Thursday, can He?
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5504248/jewish/On-Which-Days-Do-Jewish-Holidays-Begin.htm#The