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?