The Day od the week of Jesus' Crucifixion and the Apostolic Constitutions

You have submitted a very apt and remarkable synthesis! The most recent corruption (1951) is either the Immaculate Conception or that Mary had no sin

I wonder how the debate topic would fare:

There is no salvific difference between the Roman Catholic Church and the Churches of Christ.

I hold that they are the same. The differences are only the exterior wrappings: stuff like church polity and ecclesiology.

May we be ever true to God's Word!
Lloyd </font>[/QUOTE]Obviously, you don't know much about either.

 

This is brilliant, never heard of it before. On Sunday Nissan 10 Jesus was offered to Israel as the Passover lamb.

Essenes came into being in the 2nd Century.

Sorry, Nissan 14 is from Wednesday sundown to Thursday sundown. He was arrested night time Wednesday Nissan 14 and his trial the following morning Nissan 14 and the crucifixion 12 noon to 3 PM Nissan 14. As stated in Exodus 12:3,6 the lamb is chosen on Sunday, Nissan 10 and sacrificed 4 days later on Thursday, Nissan 14, not Wednesday as claimed by the author.

Mt. 28:1 states Mary went to the tomb "at dawn,"
Mk. 16:2 "after sunrise," Lk. 24:1 "very eary in the morning," John 20:1 "while it was still dark."
Most likely she left the house just before sunrise when it was still dark, by the time she reach the tomb it was dawn.

Although I find the author's chronology incorrect I'm glad to know about Nissan 10 when Christ was offered to Israel as the Passover lamb.

And He's off on the year for the crucifixion, 33 was the year not 30 C.E.

 

This is not original with me. My friend, who has studied this in great detail, wrote this.

Sorry it is so long. I will post in parts.

Part 1

Under traditional teaching Christ was crucified on Friday afternoon. He died about the ninth hour and was buried just before the Saturday Sabbath of the Jews was to begin. This would be approximately 6:00 PM on our Friday. He arose before sun-up on Sunday morning. Literally, Jesus would have only spent a maximum of 36 hours in the tomb, two nights and one day. Is this what was meant by Jesus when he said in John 2:19 “… Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Or did he really mean three full days, 72 hours? Some would argue that any portion of the day is considered the whole day and that may be true in some circumstances. But, here Jesus must prove beyond a doubt to his disciples and his critics that he is the Messiah. If he leaves any room to doubt then his profession as the Son of God would be left in jeopardy. Another point would be what he had said earlier in his ministry when confronted by the scribes and Pharisees. We see this in Matthew 12:38-40 “Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet: for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Think about what Jesus just told those scribes and Pharisees about the only sign of his Messiahship, “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Would two nights and one day do the trick and the scribes and the Pharisees would be satisfied? They went to Pilate in Matthew 27:63 and used the reasoning to get a guard posting by telling him the “deceiver said while he was yet alive, after three days I rise again.” I believe Jesus knew exactly what he was talking about and that he would be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. Jesus knew how to count time in a day and night and gave the definition of how many hours were in a day and then there was night when he stated in John 11:9, “Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him.”

Now, let us go to another point that brings the traditional Friday crucifixion into question. Jesus was crucified before the Feast of the Passover. The traditionalist wants us to believe the Feast of the Passover occurred simultaneous with the Saturday Sabbath. This is not necessarily so since the Feast of the Passover was on the 15th of Abib and that day could fall on just about any day of the week, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. This was our discussion above in determining the year Christ was crucified. According to the Hebrew calendar in the year our Lord is believed to have been crucified the 14th was the Passover and it fell on Wednesday, the Feast Day was on Thursday. According to the Hebrew calendar the 15th has fell on Thursday many times such as 1975, 1979, 1982, 1989 and the last occurrence on 17 April 2003. The significance of this is much greater than some scholars would lead you to believe. Why? Because all the major feast days are considered Sabbaths. Note what is said in the book of Leviticus 23:37-38 “These are the set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah, a burnt-offering, and a meal-offering, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings, each on its own day; besides the Sabbaths of Jehovah, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill-offerings, which ye give unto Jehovah.” The Passover was one of seven feasts the Jews observed and did so as holy days, Sabbaths. Note what Moses told the people concerning the Passover in Numbers 28:16-18 “And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Jehovah's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. In the first day shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work.” If the 14th fell on Wednesday and the Holy day of the feast of the Passover fell on Thursday than you would have had two Sabbaths in the same week, which was nothing unusual for the Jews because at least seven times in the year they had an additional Sabbath to observe. But, it should still work out that Jesus arose from the dead early on the First day of the Week. This explanation should be logical and agree with the scriptures without having to “make it fit”.


BACKGROUND AND BASIS
FOR A WEDNESDAY CRUCIFIXION

The first question to be answered in order to determine the day Christ was crucified is when (what year) was he born? Because if we can determine when he was born there are other pieces of information then to help decide his crucifixion. What we do know is that, Herod the Great was the king of the Jews at the time of Jesus' birth according to Matthew 2:1 “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem” and Luke 1:5 “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth”. It is known from other sources that Herod's death came in approximately 4 B.C. Based on all three of his successors, sons, Archelaus, Antipas, and Philip who all dated their reigns from about 4 B.C. This would place Jesus’ birth between 6 B.C and 4 B.C. This would be based on the fact Jesus must have been born within the two years prior to Herod’s death because after he determined the time of the star's appearance in Matthew 2:7 he gave orders to execute all the male children who were two years old and younger, Matthew 2:16 “Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men”. This would ensure Herod that he had killed his potential rival. Next we know that Jesus was crucified sometime between A.D. 26 and A.D. 36, because this was the period of Pontius Pilate's governorship (cf. John 19:15-16). This would require that Jesus be crucified between A.D. 28 and A.D. 33. Chronological events related to the life of Christ will help but not necessarily determine the exact year. As we mentioned above the time of Christ's birth and what Luke means by "the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar" (Luke 3:1-2) and "about thirty years old" (Luke 3:23), and what John means by "forty-six years to build this temple" (John 2:20), will help in reaching a final decision as to the year of the crucifixion. Luke says in 3:23, “Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph….” If his birth is placed in 6 B.C., he reached the age of thirty sometime in A.D. 25. If in 5 B.C., he was thirty years old sometime in the year A.D. 26. We will take the latter date, as it is more probable, based on some data we will look at a little later. This would place the beginning of Jesus' ministry at approximately A.D. 27, because this would make it difficult to meet Luke's statement about his age. Furthermore, unless Jesus' ministry was only one or two years in duration, he could not have completed it by A.D. 30. Another fact we can work with is in John 2:20, “Then the Jews said, It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”. Jesus' antagonists refer to a building project that had been initiated by Herod the Great forty-six years earlier. This consisted of the renovation of Zerubbabel's temple. According to secular history, Herod initiated the work sometime in approximately 20 B.C. This statement was addressed to Jesus at the first Passover after he began his public ministry. The "forty-six years" therefore furnishes another means for identifying the year when his ministry began. This extensive project had not been completed when Herod died in 4 B.C. In fact, it was still in progress when the Jews uttered the words of John 2:20. It appears the Jews were pointing to how long the project had taken up to that point in contrast with the three days in which Jesus said he could build the temple (John 2:19). By counting forty-six years from 20 B.C. one arrives at A.D. 26 and that first Passover being in the early part of A.D. 27. A date having been established for the beginning of Christ's ministry, the length of that ministry must be determined before a specific date for his crucifixion can be set. John specifically names three Passovers in which Jesus was involved after he began public ministry (John 2:13; 6:4; 11:55). The most widely held viewpoint is that Jesus' ministry extended a little more than three years. The period of time from Jesus' baptism by John (Matthew 3:1-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-23a) until his first Passover (John 2:13) was several months, which found him in both Galilee and Judea. The first full year of ministry (between Passovers), also spent in Judea and Galilee, was terminated by a Passover, not mentioned in the biblical record, that came a few months after Jesus' statement of John 4:35 and six months before the Feast of Tabernacles mentioned in John 5:1. His second year, most of it spent in Galilee ended with the Passover of John 6:4. The final year was spent in areas around Galilee, in Judea, and in Perea, and came to its conclusion with the Passover referred to in John 11:55. Thus, "The Day and Year of Christ's Crucifixion," Nisan (Abib) Wednesday 15, and the day of the Passover Feast, fell on Thursday. Only once between A.D. 26 and A.D. 36 did the Passover Feast fall on this day of the week. This occurred in 30 A.D. and the day of crucifixion on Wednesday or our calendar April 5, 30 A.D. if this theory is correct.

 

Part 2

CHRONOLOGY OF THE EVENTS
LEADING TO THE CRUCIFIXION

Let’s start and see how the scriptures will either agree with the theory or show that the traditional view of the crucifixion and resurrection is accurate.

Day One – Thursday evening

Jesus has just come to Bethany where Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha live. Bethany is about fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem on Mount Olives. The scriptures tell us in John 12:1-2, “Jesus therefore six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. So they made him a supper there: and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him.” We now know exactly where Jesus is and how long it is before the Passover. We will see that each evening after going into Jerusalem he will return to Bethany. Due to the significance the First Day of the week would be in the future of the church, why do you suppose the Holy Spirit did not have the writer John say “Jesus therefore on the first day of the week before the Passover…..?” This would have cleared up the question of the date of crucifixion and gave even more emphasis to the first day of the week. Related passages Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1; and Luke 19:29.

Thursday morning

Remember the evening before and the following day constitutes the Jewish 24-hour day. Jesus is now ready to make his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Mark tells us the next event in Mark 11:1-6 “And when they draw nigh unto Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go your way into the village that is over against you: and straightway as ye enter into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yet sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any one say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye, The Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him back hither. And they went away, and found a colt tied at the door without in the open street; and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had said: and they let them go.” Jesus is waiting back in Bethany for the disciples return. Once they get back Jesus begins the ride into Jerusalem where Matthew describes in 21:8-11 what happens as Jesus enters the city, “And the most part of the multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread them in the way. And the multitudes that went before him, 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. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, Who is this? And the multitudes said, This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” Once Jesus arrives in the city Luke tells us where Jesus goes next in 19:45-46 “And he entered into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold, saying unto them, It is written, And my house shall be a house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of robbers.” Mark does not relate the cleansing of the temple but does tell us that it is now late in the day and what Jesus does in 11:11 “And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple; and when he had looked round about upon all things, it being now eventide, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.” Related passages Luke 19:37,45 and John 12:12,13.

Day Two – Friday Morning

As becomes Jesus custom during this week, commonly referred to as the Passion Week, he departs Bethany heading for Jerusalem. Mark relates an event on his way in Mark 11:12-14 “And on the morrow, when they were come out from Bethany, he hungered. And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season of figs. And he answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit from thee henceforward forever. And his disciples heard it.” Jesus on arriving in Jerusalem goes directly to the temple and Mark relates an event that happened either the day before or Jesus’ second cleansing of the temple in Mark 11:15-16 “And they come to Jerusalem: and he entered into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and them that bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves; and he would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel through the temple.” Again at the close of the day Jesus leaves the city as Mark tells us in 11:19 “And every evening he went forth out of the city. “ Related passage Matthew 21:19.


Day Three – Saturday the Sabbath

This seems to be the one day nothing is recorded about and rightfully so, it is the Jewish Sabbath and a day of rest. Jesus could have traveled from Bethany to Jerusalem since according to Luke it was only a Sabbath’s day journey. We find in Acts 1:12 “Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey off.” But Jesus would have had to stay and not go back to Bethany since it is a Sabbath’s day journey one way. There is one other plausible explanation, he could have traveled to Jerusalem in the morning and not returned until after the sun went down making it Sunday on his return. This had not been his custom and I believe the Holy Spirit would have identified it as the Sabbath and it would have given the scribes, chief priests and Pharisees an opportunity to have Jesus arrested and crucified prior to the Passover which had been one of their aims (Matthew 26:4,5)

Day Four – Sunday

Luke simply states in 19:47 “And he was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy him: “Jesus again returns to Jerusalem from Bethany according to Mark in 11:27 “And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders; “ The pressure is now on the chief priests, scribes and elders to do something about Jesus and before the Feast of the Passover.

Day Five – Monday

After having taught in the temple as was Jesus’ custom he departed but was asked by his disciples a question concerning Jerusalem, the temple and the end of time. This gives Jesus the opportunity to discuss the matter with them. He goes to the Mount of Olives. Here Matthew records in 24:1-3 “And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. But he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Matthew records the entire discourse in chapters 24 and 25. The time is now late in the day and Matthew records in 26:1-2 “And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these words, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days the Passover cometh, and the Son of man is delivered up to be crucified.” Mark takes us a little further by telling us what others are doing at this time in Mark 14:1 “Now after two days was the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him with subtlety, and kill him:” Jesus does not go back to Lazarus’ house this time according to Mark 14:3 “And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse of ointment of pure nard very costly; and she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head.” We see during this supper that Judas now decides to betray Christ.


Day Six – Tuesday

Judas becomes the one thing the chief priests need, an inside person who can hand Jesus over to them. Mark tells us in 14:10-11 “And Judas Iscariot, he that was one of the twelve, went away unto the chief priests, that he might deliver him unto them. And they, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently deliver him unto them.” Matthew records the deed in 26:14-16 “Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him unto them.” During the day Jesus is asked by some of his disciples about the Passover meal. It seems Jesus is still in Bethany and has not gone to Jerusalem yet. Matthew relates in 26:17-18 “Now on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where wilt thou that we make ready for thee to eat the Passover? And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Teacher saith, My time is at hand; I keep the Passover at thy house with my disciples.” And in Luke 22:7-8 “And the day of unleavened bread came on which the Passover must be sacrificed. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and make ready for us the Passover, that we may eat.”

 

Part 3

Day Seven – Wednesday Evening the start of the Passover

It has now been six days since Jesus arrived at Bethany. Jesus is now in the upper room with the twelve and eats the Passover meal according to Matthew 26:20 “Now when even was come, he was sitting at meat with the twelve disciples;” And in Mark 14:17-18 “And when it was evening he cometh with the twelve. And as they sat and were eating, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, one of you shall betray me, even he that eateth with me.” After the meal Matthew records in Matthew 26:30 “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out unto the mount of Olives.” Mark tells us in Mark 14:32 “And they come unto a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I pray.” Its now time for the betrayer, Judas to make his entry with the ones who will arrest Jesus. In John 18:12 “So the band and the chief captain, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him,” Luke tells us in Luke 23:1 “And the whole company of them rose up, and brought him before Pilate.” Through Wednesday night and into the morning Jesus is questioned and finally tried by Pilate who then gives in to the demands of the Jewish leaders and their followers. Luke records in Luke 23:24-25 “And Pilate gave sentence that what they asked for should be done. And he released him that for insurrection and murder had been cast into prison, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.” Matthew gives a similar description of the events in Matthew 27:1-2 “Now when morning was come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pilate the governor.” It is now nine o’clock on Wednesday according to Mark 15:25 “And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.” Matthew says in Matthew 27:33-35 “And they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, The place of a skull, they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted it, he would not drink. And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots;” We know that Jesus hung on the cross from noon until three o’clock for Matthew states in Matthew 27:45-50 “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calleth Elijah. And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. And the rest said, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to save him. And Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.”

Now the Jews had a problem. They were the ones who wanted Jesus dead but they also could not allow him to hang on the cross once the Feast of the Passover began. However, since Jesus had done them a favor and died rather quickly maybe they could get him down from the cross. The problem was he was still in the hands of the Romans. Enter Joseph of Arimathaea. The time was now after three o’clock. Joseph left Golgotha and according to Matthew 27:57-58 “And when even was come, there came a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded it to be given up.” Even though Matthew records that Pilate heeded Joseph’s request, according to Mark he sent back to Golgotha for the centurion. Mark 15:44 “And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.” Think about it. According various maps it was approximately a quarter mile from Pilate’s palace to the crucifixion site. There was at least three trips made. One Joseph going to Pilate, two Pilate sending for the centurion and finally Joseph going back to Golgotha and taking Christ’s body off the cross. It is probably sometimes between five and five thirty by the time Christ’s body is removed from the cross. John tells us in John 19:41, 42 “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb wherein was never man yet laid. There then because of the Jews' Preparation (for the tomb was nigh at hand) they laid Jesus.”

If the scriptures stopped here and the next scenes were of the resurrection morning then the traditionalist would have an argument with this time line. However, there are several events and scriptures that indicate otherwise. Let’s notice some of these and see how they fit in to this view versus the traditional view. First, there are two women who become major players in the sequence of events. Look at where they are, where they go, what they do, and when they do things. First, Matthew records in Matthew 27:61 “And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.” These women had followed to see where Joseph had taken Jesus to bury. The time of day was now approaching dark and the Feast of the Passover, a High Day, a Sabbath (Deut 5:15), these days are recorded in Mark 15:42 “And when even was now come, because it was the Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath,” and Luke 23:54 “And it was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.” And also, John 19:31 “The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain on the cross upon the Sabbath (for the day of that Sabbath was a high day), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” At this point you will still get the traditionalist’s argument of “so what, that still agrees with our view.” Related passages; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55.

Day Eight – Thursday the Feast of the Passover starts. Day One of the Entombment

My point, it is now the Sabbath of the Feast of the Passover and not the Sabbath of the week, Saturday. Let’s continue to look at events that occurred after the Sabbath night began. First, nothing is going on in the Jewish community. They did not have 7-11 stores and business activities have ceased. Just as when they arrested Jesus the previous night, the chief priests had to wait until the next morning as did the Marys to conduct any business. Look at what Matthew said in Matthew 27:62-64 “Now on the morrow, which is the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive, After three days I rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest haply his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: and the last error will be worse than the first.”

Day Nine – Friday, Another Preparation day for the weekly Sabbath and Day Two of the Entombment.

The two Marys had seen where Jesus had been buried and for some reason wanted to prepare Jesus’ body with more spices. Look at this eye opening passage Mark 16:1 “And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.” And another Luke 23:56 “And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.” The two Marys observed the Sabbath of the Feast of the Passover. You can’t get any plainer than this, “after the Sabbath” according to the traditionalist view Jesus arose from the dead and we know from the scriptures it was prior to dawn. They could not have gone to the market in the night bought spices, went home and prepared them since Jesus said “no man works.” This is probably one of the more conclusive passages. Mary and Mary did not buy the spices until after the Sabbath (Mark 16:1) then prepared the spices and again rested on the Sabbath (Luke 23:56). Two Sabbaths one day apart in the same week. Adam Clarke, Matthew Henry and William Tyndale just completely ignored this without trying to explain they may have bought them in preparation of Jesus dying on the cross, which is absurd since even his apostles did not know he was going to the cross that particular day.

Day Ten– Saturday, The weekly Sabbath and Day Three of the Entombment.

Nothing is going on except the observance of the day of rest. Luke tells us in Luke 23:56 “And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.”

Day Eleven – Sunday, The first day of the week and Jesus is no longer entombed.

Matthew gives an interesting account of the timeline. Different translations vary on how Matthew 28:1 is translated, let’s look at it, ASV gives “Now late on the Sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.” The KJV begins “In the end of the Sabbath”, the RSV “Now after the Sabbath”. My point is, none correctly translates the word Sabbath. In the Greek text it says, (sabbaton)Ask any first year New Testament Greek student and he or she will tell you that word is genitive plural. Simply put and correctly translated “After the Sabbaths” and a true picture of the previous week where there were two Sabbaths, the first was the Sabbath for the Feast of Passover on Thursday and the second the weekly Sabbath on Saturday. You might ask what does Mark, Luke and John record? Only Mark addresses the word and he uses the singular. You would say, “see he says there was only one Sabbath, no, he just addresses the previous day Sabbath. He has already addressed the Feast of the Passover Saturday in Mark 15:42. Luke and John only address the fact that it is the first day of the week, Luke 24:1 “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came unto the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.” And, John 20:1 “Now on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb.” All glory to God for his son has been raised after spending three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Jesus having went to the grave at dusk on Thursday. Thus Thursday night and Thursday day (1), Friday night and Friday day (2) and Saturday night and Saturday day (3) totaling the three days and three nights. The next question to ask is what about Sunday night. Good question. The bible tells us that Christ was “already” risen from the dead before dawn. Look at Matthew 28:2-6 “And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, who hath been crucified. He is not here; for he is risen, even as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” Also, Mark 16:2-6 “And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb when the sun was risen. And they were saying among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb? And looking up, they see that the stone is rolled back: for it was exceeding great. And entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, arrayed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he saith unto them, Be not amazed: ye seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who hath been crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold, the place where they laid him!” Again in Luke 24:1-6 “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came unto the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, while they were perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel: and as they were affrighted and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,” And finally, John 20:1 “Now on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb.”

Most people would agree that Jesus was “already” risen from the dead when Mary got to the tomb while the sun was just beginning to come up. Jesus was resurrected from the dead during the nighttime hours and did not complete his entombment another full night. If we take Jesus’ earlier statement of three days and three nights at face value, and I believe we should, he was probably raised the previous evening. This is beyond what the Bible tells us and is purely speculation. It does not however, change what is revealed to us and the basis for these thoughts.

CONCLUSION

The issue of the day Christ was crucified and the day of his resurrection has no impact on our soul salvation. The important thing was he was crucified, he was resurrected and he has ascended to heaven to sit on the right hand of God. It is through his death burial and resurrection that we all now have the forgiveness of sin and the hope of eternal salvation. But, studying the scriptures on subjects such as this gives and individual an appreciation for the accuracy of the inspired word and that we can continue to gain a knowledge of God and his Son.

 

ascund
Most recent corruption in RCC theology.
15th august 1950. The dogma that Mary has physically ascended into Heaven.
Officially the only time in history a pope has ever made an 'Infallible' declaration.

 

Hey Pnut

Nissan 10 was the Sabbath not Sunday. You are off one whole day.

Lloyd

 

I'm off one whole day? No way Jose.

Jesus arrived in Bethany six days before the Passover and had dinner that night (John 12:1), "the next day" Sunday was His triumphal entry (vs.12-13).

Saturday Nisan 9 - day one.
Sunday Nisan 10 - day two.
Monday Nisan 11 - day three.
Tuesday Nisan 12 - day four.
Wednesday Nisan 13 - day five.
Thursday Nisan 14 - day six, Passover.

 

It would not take Jesus all day to travel from Jerusalem to Bethany, it is only two miles. He would of left early in the morning like he did when returning to Jerusalem, Mt. 21:18. Dinner is the evening meal.

At least we agree on a Thursday resurrection.

 

PN said:At least we agree on a Thursday resurrection.



I can't believe you said that!!

Tam

 

Oh dear, did I shock you, did I say something stupid you can't comprehend?

 

Well, if I'm not mistaken, you said Jesus was resurrected on Thursday.

Did you mean he died on thursday? Or do you really believe He rose from the dead on thursday??

I believe most theologens on this board will agree with me that He was ressurected on the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK!!

Selah,

Tam

 

A mistake on my part, my brain short circuits occasionally. He died 3:00 PM Thursday and rose from the dead on the first day of the week. Thanks for pointing out the mistake.

 

Jerico is not mentioned in the NT, where do you get this?

Found it, 11:54; he came from Ephraim a city 15 miles north of Bethany.