Posted on 04/16/2003 5:39:27 AM PDT by RaceBannon
According to the Bible, the events of the lives of the Jews that were recorded in the Old Testament were recorded so that we as Christians would understand certain examples of how to live the Christian Life and the meaning of God’s plan for believers. While the ultimate meaning of these events was a mystery to the Jews, we as Christians have the fulfilled and finished Word of God revealed to us through Scripture.
In 1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
It is necessary to examine the events of the distant past to come to the truth on what I believe is a serious subject related to Easter, Passover, and on just what day did Jesus die on the cross.
What I want to examine in this paper, is the relationship of the Passover to Christ’s death, and to settle the question once and for all: What day of the week was Jesus Christ crucified? Some don’t think this is important. I believe ANY doctrine that involves the Lord Jesus Christ IS important, and we should strive to be accurate. To do this, we must look at what God said of His feasts known to us as Passover and the Feast of First Fruits.
The Passover was the Feast instituted by God to teach the Jews of the coming final judgment against Egypt that would end in the release from slavery for the Jewish people. God told Moses that He would come down about midnight to kill the entire first born of Egypt:
Exodus 11: 4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. 7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
God told the Israelites He would kill the entire first born. God, however, told Israel that there was a way that they could escape punishment from this death, To do so, God instituted the Feast of the Passover; meaning a Feast of celebration and remembrance of the Day that God Passed Over them, leaving them alive, but Killing all the first born of Egypt and of those who did NOT follow God’s instructions.
In the Book of Exodus, we read of the Passover, the first Holiday commanded by God as given to the Jewish people.
Exodus 12 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
Note here, that God declared this Holiday so profound, that the month that it was in, was to mark the beginning of a new year for the Jewish people. The month to celebrate the Passover was to now be the first month. The Jewish people in the start of their year were being told to remember God in a wonderful way.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
This is a significant point. The LAMB of the Passover must have been selected previously in order that the Jewish people knew they had a perfect lamb for this feast day, but it was this day, the 10th, that it was to be declared to be THE LAMB, the one they would sacrifice and eat.
6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
For 4 days, this LAMB was known to be THE LAMB until it was killed and eaten for the Passover. The Jewish day began at Sundown, so it was the 3rd day after the presentation that this LAMB was to be killed, to be eaten at the beginning of the Passover Day, which began at 6PM. This means that in order to have the LAMB killed and prepared for the meal at 6PM, the LAMB had to be killed beforehand. Jewish tradition is that the LAMB was killed around 3PM on the 13th of the month, dressed, and prepared for the Passover meal immediately after 6PM, the beginning of the Passover on the 14th.
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
Note here that the entire animal was to be eaten. Nothing was to remain. It had to be a total acceptance of the LAMB as a meal. The Jewish people were not to eat just the legs, or just the ribs, but the entire animal. This was the lesson taught to the Jewish people. God said to eat it all, and let none remain, and if your family was too small to at it all, have friends over to help you finish it.
11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S Passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
Note here that after the Passover, there was to be deliverance. The people were to be ready, to move, to act on what God said, fully clothed, and with your shoes on. God was coming to enact judgment! What is also interesting, is that those who were obedient to God, would not have this judgment upon them, they would be PASSED OVER. God’s judgment would not affect them if they put the blood over their doorway in the manner God said. It was to be over the top and along the sides.
Some have said that the manner in which the blood was put on the doorway, was to brush the top post horizontally, and the side posts vertically. But notice something else from this verse:
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
If a person just takes his hyssop branch and strikes the side posts and upper post, he would leave a mark of blood, but where would this mark be when we look at it? If a person is told to just walk up to a doorpost and told to leave a mark with a brush, that person will most likely leave a mark about shoulder high or chest high. If you told them to leave a mark on something overhead that they can reach, they will make a mark generally in the center. Imagine a doorway where someone told you to leave a mark on the posts on the side and one on the overhead beam, and what would these marks tend to form? A visual image might appear to the natural eye, forming a cross within the doorway that you just marked!
This first High Holy Day was again mentioned in Leviticus chapter 23.
Leviticus 23 23:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. 3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. 4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
It is important to note, here, that Sabbath Days were Holy Days, there was to be NO WORK done on those days. These days were to be HOLY UNTO THE LORD, DAYS OF REST, Days spent in prayer and worship.
5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord’s passover.
Note here the Passover begins at Evening.
6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
Note here something significant: The first Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a HOLY DAY, it is a Sabbath. The rules apply to this day as to other days concerning the Sabbath regarding work, travel, and all behavior.
All this is leading up to something that has affected the Church for two centuries. All my childhood, I was taught that Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross was on a Friday, but is this what the Bible teaches? I believe that Jesus Christ was Crucified on Wednesday, the 13th, on the Day of preparation, the same day and about the same time as the lambs that were about to be eaten for the Passover meal.
In order to examine this, we need to go over again, from the Bible, the events that lead up to Christ’s Atoning death on the cross.
Some days of this time period are mentioned quite specifically:
Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
What is obvious here, is that Jesus arose on the first day of the week, Sunday. We Christians know this as Easter Sunday. We Christians believe this is our Holiest Day for it is the day that Christ arose to prove the power of Christ over death. This power over death is what we look forward to as believers, to be with Christ in eternity, arisen with Him in new resurrected bodies.
In order to examine what day Jesus died, though, we obviously need to dig deeper. John the Baptist announced the Lord Jesus Christ to the world when Christ’s official ministry began at His baptism.
John 1: 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Note that Jesus is called the LAMB OF GOD. We have seen earlier, that it was a LAMB that was to be chosen to be sacrificed for the feast known as PASSOVER. John called Jesus THE LAMB OF GOD. If the Passover LAMB was to be a type of Christ, then there should be a connection between the death of the Lamb in the Passover feast and Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross.
The purpose of Christ’s death was foreshadowed in the death of the Passover Lamb:
Exodus 12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. 24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. 26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
Christians understand the meaning of this as the Egyptians are the representing of Sin in the Believers life. When a person is Born Again, they pass under the Blood, they are saved by the Blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross for our sins, that we are no longer servants of sin, but alive unto God.
(Rom 6:17 KJV) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
(1 Pet 1:18 KJV) 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Being a slave in Egypt is likened to being a slave to sin. When a person is Born Again, they are released from this bondage, being now a child of God. They are to approach this life with their clothes fully on, and their shoes on, just like the Jews were told to eat the Passover meal, fully clothed, and with their shoes on their feet, ready to move, ready to live for God. While the Believer will still suffer temptation and still sin, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for their sin, and the bondage of eternal punishment is over.
Knowing all this, what can we expect to find concerning Christ’s relation to the Passover? The Passover Lamb was presented to the people on the 10th day of the month. The Bible tells us this concerning what day Jesus was ‘Presented’ to the people of the land of Israel which we call PALM SUNDAY. However, we can determine other things from the Bible, and prove what day of the week Jesus was Crucified for our sins.
John 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Since we believe that Jesus was THE LAMB OF GOD, we can start with the assumption that the Crucifixion was on the 13th, the Day of Preparation before the PASSOVER, then the 9th would be the Sabbath: Where would we expect Jesus to be? The Bible is silent on this, but we must consider: Jesus did no sin, nor did He lead others to sin. Before Jesus entered Jerusalem, He would have spent the Sabbath observing the Sabbath, His travel into Jerusalem would have been the day after the Sabbath, and since the 9th is the Sabbath, Jesus entry into Jerusalem would have to be the 10th of the month. The people’s response would be considered a work in a way, they would have been moving about, exercising and traveling to see the Messiah, something inappropriate for the Sabbath Day. That means Jesus entered Jerusalem on the 10th, 4 days before the Passover. We Christians call this day Palm Sunday. And, since Sunday would be the 10th, Passover the 14th would be Thursday.
Matthew 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strowed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
Mark 11:1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. 3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. 4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. 5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? 6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. 8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strowed them in the way. 9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. 11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
Note here, we read the first mention that Jesus spent the part of the day in the Temple.
Luke 19: 28 And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. 29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, 30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. 31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. 32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. 33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? 34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him. 35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. 36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. 37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; 38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. 41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
If the Passover Sacrifice is meant to be a type of Christ, then this mention by Jesus in verse 44, that Jerusalem did not know the time of their visitation, that must be a reference to the Presentation of the Passover Lamb, the sacrifice provided by God to be the sacrifice for sin and atonement. The next references to Jesus in the Bible, concern Christ teaching in the temple. Christ did return to Bethany after His first entry into Jerusalem, but He returned each day and taught in the Temple.
Christ’s presentation to the people would have lasted 3 days, from Sunday to Tuesday, to then be killed on the day before the Passover if the Passover truly was a type of Christ. That means that Christ would have been killed on the 13th, the day of preparation, just like the Passover Lamb, in the afternoon of the 13th, so the Jewish people could begin the Passover in the evening of the 14th beginning at sundown. This would account for the 4 days of the Passover Lamb being presented to the people: the 10th as the day of preparation, the 11th and 12th, then the 13th, the day the Lamb is slain for the Passover. Is this what the Bible teaches?
Jesus and His disciples ate the Passover meal the day before the Passover. In Matthew 26:
Matthew 26:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. 3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him. 5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people. 6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
Mark 14:1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. 2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people. 3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
Luke 22:1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.
The Pharisees made it clear: Jesus was NOT to be killed on the feast day, the Passover, the 14th. That means Jesus had to be killed before the 14th.
The Disciples and Jesus were still in Bethany 2 days before the Passover. That would be the 12th. While there, Jesus was anointed by Mary (John 12:3). Jesus told His Disciples to go into the city of Jerusalem to a certain house:
Matthew 26:17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? 18 And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. 20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. Mark 14: 16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.
With the coming of the evening, that would be a new day, the 13th, the Day of preparation, the day before the Passover, which was on the 14th. It was this evening that Jesus was betrayed by Judas, apprehended by the Romans, and placed on trial.
Christ’s trial lasted that night and into the morning, when at first light, He was brought before Pilate. Pilate had a habit of pardoning prisoners for the Passover Holiday:
Matthew 27: 15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
Mark 15:6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.
Luke 23: 16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him. 17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
John 19: 10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. 12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. 13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 15 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. 16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. 17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
It is clear, then, that Jesus was crucified on the day before Passover, and that would be the 13th. This is again confirmed that Jesus died on the Day of Preparation in the account of Jesus Burial:
MARK 15:42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. 44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. 45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
LUKE 23:50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: 51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. 54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
John 19: 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away….. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. 42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Knowing all this, now, we need to examine the 3 days Christ spent in the tomb. Christ predicted He would spend 3 days in the tomb: Matthew 12: 38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 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. 41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
Matthew 16: 21 From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Matthew 20: 17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
Mark 8: 31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Luke 11: 29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
John 2: 18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
The story of Jonas is the story of Jonah. Jonah was sent by God to pronounce judgment on the city of Nineveh. Jonah refused to go, and tried to escape by ship. God sent a storm and the ships crew realized that Jonah was the reason for the storm. When Jonah admitted he was running from God, the crew reluctantly threw him overboard, where a great fish swallowed Jonah. According to Jonah’s testimony, Jonah was dead and in Hades, crying out to God:
Jonah 1: 17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 2:1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, 2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. 5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. 6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. 7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. 8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. 10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
Jonah’s statement that he went to the bottoms of the mountains and that he was brought up (his life) from corruption, indicates that Jonah was dead inside the great fish. God’s word tells us he was in the fish 3 days and 3 nights.
Christ tells us His sign to the Jews was that He would be 3 days and three nights in the tomb, and that He would be alive again.
We have already seen that Jesus Christ died on the day of preparation, the 13th, and that He was put in the tomb at evening just as the Passover was beginning. This means that Christ’s first day in the tomb would begin on the Passover Day, a High Sabbath.
Also, we read that the day after the Passover was another Sabbath known as The Feast of Unleavened Bread, and this Holiday begins on the 15th of the first month. This means that Christ’s second day in the tomb would begin on a Sabbath day, also, the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
If the Day of Preparation was Wednesday, the 13th, beginning at 6PM Tuesday Night and ending Wednesday 6PM, that means the Passover was the 14th, beginning Wednesday at 6PM and ending Thursday 6PM, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread beginning at Thursday 6PM and ending Friday at 6PM.
This only covers two days, however. The third day in the tomb must be accounted for. If we start with the Passover being the first day in the tomb, the Feast of Unleavened Bread being the second, the third day in the tomb would have to be the normal Sabbath day. Christ’s tomb was discovered empty on the first day of the week, Sunday, before sunrise. The three days would have been over for about 12 hours, with the third day ending on the Sabbath Day at 6PM.
This is significant. When we consider that the crucifixion happened on a Wednesday, Christ’s entire time in the tomb would have been 3 Sabbath Days! Also, when we consider that the tomb was discovered empty 12 hours after the 3rd day was over, we see that there might be another connection to the Sign of Jonas (Jonah). When Jonah was spewed out of the fish’s mouth, he traveled a full day’s journey into the city, which was described as 3 days journey across in size. That means Jonah would have been walking about 12 hours into the city before he announced judgment. When we consider how Christ said He would give the sign of Jonah, He could have been including the Biblical reference to these 12 hours between Jonah’s journey into the city and a connection to Christ being already raised from the tomb; the similarity is interesting. Christ, in order to fulfill the prophecy that He would spend 3 days and nights in the tomb, would have His 3rd day over at 6PM Saturday night. The tomb was not discovered empty until almost 12 hours later. Jonah spent 3 days and nights in the belly of the great fish and then traveled a day’s journey into Nineveh before he announced judgment.
Another thing to consider when we look at the time period of when the tomb was discovered, was that the 3rd day ended at 6PM, or sundown, the evening. To travel at night unescorted was dangerous then, especially for a woman. The Bible states the Disciples were scattered because of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. (Matthew 26:56; Luke 23:49). Also, it might have been known to them of the guard placed at the tomb by the Romans and they were afraid to appear at the tomb lest they be arrested (Matthew 27:62-66). The Jews clearly knew what Jesus said about Him coming alive again, that’s why they placed the guard, so they could prevent the Disciples from ‘stealing’ the body and claiming a false resurrection. These factors may have been why there were no Disciples at the tomb at the time the 3rd day was over.
What I believe this all proves is that Jesus was Crucified on a Wednesday, and that for centuries Christians have been observing the wrong day for the remembrance of Christ’s death on the Cross. With the Crucifixion on Wednesday, all 3 days of Christ’s death inside the tomb were Sabbath days, with the First day being the Passover, the Second Day being the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Third day being the normal Sabbath. This alone points to the day Christ was Crucified as Wednesday, not Friday.
4th day of NisanSun 6PMTo Mon 6PM
5th day of Nisan Mon 6PM To Tue 6PM
6th day of Nisan Tue 6PM To Wed 6PM
7th day of Nisan Wed 6PM To Thur 6PM
8th day of Nisan Thur 6PM To Fri 6PM Christ eats Supper with Lazarus in Bethany
9th day of Nisan Fri 6PM To Sat 6PM Sabbath Day Christ in Bethany
10th day of Nisan Sat 6PM To Sun 6PM Day of Presentation Of the LAMB Before the People, Palm Sunday
11th day of Nisan Sun 6PM To Mon 6PM
12th day of Nisan Mon 6PM To Tue 6PM
13th day of Nisan Tue 6PM to Wed 6PM Day of Preparation
14th day of Nisan Wed 6PM To Thur 6PM Passover
Day-1 15th day of Nisan Thur 6PM To Fri 6PM Feast of Unleavened Bread
Day-2 16th day of Nisan Fri 6PM To Sat 6PM Normal Sabbath
Day-3 17th day of Nisan Sat 6PM To Sun 6PM Resurrection Day of Preparation, Last Supper Of Christ, Killing of The LAMB, Christ Crucified The same time Passover Begins at Evening at 6pm, 1st day in the tomb ends at Thur 6PM Feast of Unleavened Bread Begins At 6PM, 2nd day in the tomb ends at Fri 6PM
Sabbath Begins at FRI 6PM, Ends at Sat 6PM, 3rd day in The Tomb Ends at Sat 6PM Tomb Opened Anytime After 6PM Saturday Tomb Found Empty Before Sunrise Sunday
Who cares what day it was???
I have often heard Matthew 28:1 used as evidence to support a Wednesday crucifixion (or at least disprove a Friday crucifixion) because the word "sabbaton" (Greek) in Matthew 28:1 is plural. Is this a valid arguement/translation especially in light of the verse below?
The other passage often cited is John 19:31 where it intimates that the next day was a “special sabbath." Upon looking at this, the word used in that passage is also "sabbaton", but the usage appears to be in the singular from the context. So while the point that it is a "special sabbath" may be valid (implying that there was more than one sabbath that week), doesn't its usage in the singular preclude the multilpe sabbaths argument from Matthew 28:1 from being valid?
That is, can it be translated in the singular in one verse, and plural in the other and still used as a solid argument to base a scriptural position on?
Nice post!!!
It seems like we are!
I would say, for those who can understand it, that God was in effect saying it is completely done, no further work needs to be done. 3 Sabbath Days in a row, one right after another, and then Christ rising from the dead on the first day of the week...Quite a firm statement from God as to His view of the work, wouldn't you say?
Think of it this way: There is something to be learned about the nature and character of God in this. First, it confirms the correspondence between the Feast of Passover, and Christ as the Passover Lamb. Second, it confirms the words of Christ when he said He would rise on the third day, making His words literal, which is how they were meant and understood by His disciples. Thirdly, God is totally consistent in how He does things, and is accurate down to the smallest detail, which is proof of His general revelation to all men. In other words, the proof is there if you have eyes to see it.
God is not man, that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. Hath He said, and shall He not do it? Hath He spoken, and shall He not bring it to pass?
It's not about esteeming one day above another, it's about seeing that God is absolutely accurate in His deeds, and totally consistent in His actions. Besides, what would it hurt to esteem the day of Christ's crucifixion as an important day, and likewise the day of His resurrection? In so doing we honor Him who died for us, that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.
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