Friday crucifixion: 3rd April
AD 33
Sunday resurrection: 5th April AD 33
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Three days and three nights Jesus said: Luke 13:32 "Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today [Fri] and tomorrow [Sat], and the third day [Sun] I reach My goal."
God said to Moses: "Go to the people and consecrate them today [Mon] and tomorrow [Tues], and let them wash their garments; and let them be ready for the third day [Wed], for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people." Exodus 19:10-11 |
See also: Sabbath Keeper Refuted website
1. 150AD JUSTIN: "But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration." (First apology of Justin, Weekly Worship of the Christians, Ch 68)
2. 250 AD IGNATIUS: "On the day of the preparation, then, at the third hour, He received the sentence from Pilate, the Father permitting that to happen; at the sixth hour He was crucified; at the ninth hour He gave up the ghost; and before sunset He was buried. During the Sabbath He continued under the earth in the tomb in which Joseph of Arimathaea had laid Him. At the dawning of the Lord's day He arose from the dead, according to what was spoken by Himself, "As Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man also be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." The day of the preparation, then, comprises the passion; the Sabbath embraces the burial; the Lord's Day contains the resurrection." The (Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians, chapter 9)
Links within this document:
I. Bible Proof Jesus rose on Sunday
A. Mark 16:9
B. The Road to Emmaus: Lk 24: 1,13,21,46
II. Other details of the death & resurrection
A. Was Jesus discovered risen before or after sunrise
Sunday?
B. Day and year Jesus died: Friday Nisan 14, 30 or 33 AD
C. 101 scholars on the day & year Jesus died!
D. Chronology of Jesus' Last week
III. The "Last Supper" was NOT a Passover meal
A. Spectrum of views regarding the last supper:
B. Passover & days of unleavened bread used interchangeably.
C. Reasons why the last supper was not the seder/lamb meal:
D. Interpreting "Passover" in the Gospel accounts:
IV. Types and anti-types of crucifixion fulfilled!
A. Day of first fruits and Pentecost always fell on a
Sunday:
B. Passover the type of Christ's crucifixion
C. Wave/ sheaf/ first fruits the type of Christ's resurrection
D. Landing of Noah's ark on dry land a type of salvation.
E. Pentecost the type of the giving of God's law
V. Understanding the Jewish time system
A. Interchangeability of terms "3 days"
B. Parallel passages which prove interchangeability:
C. Actual Bible examples of calculating 3 days & 3 nights!
C1. From the mouth of Jesus!
C2. The case of Cornelius in Acts 10:3+9+23+24+30
C3. The case of Queen Esther: Esther 4:16 + 5:1
C4. The case of the faithless Jews: Matthew 27:63-64
C5. The case of the starving servant: 1 Samuel 30:12-13
D. Day as defined in Genesis
E. "Preparation", the first century word for Friday!
F. Scholars and commentaries on 3 days & 3 nights
G. Jewish usage of expression "Next Day".
VI. Two Sabbath theory: (a false view)
A. Plural "Sabbaton" in Mt 28:1 refers to
weekly Sabbath ALONE!
B. "High Day" of Jn 19:31 refers to weekly Sabbath, not 1st day of
unleavened bread:
C. Mary bought spices on Sunday (after sundown Saturday)
VII. Summary of 5 crucifixion positions
Calendars Used by the 5 Different Views:
VIII. Problems with Wednesday/Thursday crucifixion and Saturday Resurrection:
A. Saturday Resurrection totally unbiblical
B. Literally 3 days & 3 nights = 72 Hours impossible!
IX. Answer to objections of Friday Nisan 14 crucifixion, Sunday resurrection:
X. Historical proof of a Friday crucifixion and Sunday resurrection:
I. Bible Proof Jesus rose on Sunday:
A. Mark 16:9: Irrefutable Sunday resurrection passage #1:
- These three translations absolutely state that Sunday was resurrection day:
- NASB: Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week
- RSV: Now when he rose early on the first day of the week,
- NIV: When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week
- These two translations also state that Sunday was resurrection day, but because of the wording, some will take issue:
- KJV: Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week
- ASV: Now when he was risen early on the first day of the week
- The only way anti-Sunday resurrection folk can get around Mk 16:9 is by using the following argument:
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What Sunday resurrection folk say |
What Saturday resurrection folk say |
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This verse states that the very action of Jesus' resurrection occurred on Sunday. Read the verse, this is exactly what it says. |
The tense of the Greek word "risen" is perfect present active ??? and that the verse is not saying that Jesus actually rose on Sunday but that he was in a state of resurrection on Sunday. This view means that Jesus rose on Saturday and after this he will be in a state of resurrection forever! For example, they would use the parallel illustration: "In the year 1997, when Jesus was risen from the dead." Or "When Jesus was risen from the dead on new years of 1996..." In both cases, Jesus actually rose in the first century, and was in a state of being "risen from the dead" in 1997. |
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There is no way around the obvious meaning of this verse. If this verse does not give the day of actual resurrection, then THE BIBLE IS TOTALLY SILENT as to what day Jesus actually did raise. Challenge: What verse outright states the day Jesus was risen up from the dead? |
This view is an example of stretching things to an unreasonable limit.
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B. The Road to Emmaus: Irrefutable Sunday resurrection passage #2:
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The Road to Emmaus: |
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Verse |
Text |
Comment |
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Lk 24:1 |
"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared." |
The entire events of Lk 24 occurred on Sunday, the "first day of the week". |
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Lk 24:13 |
"And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem." |
"That very day" = Sunday and refers back to Lk 24:1 |
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Lk 24:21 |
"But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened." |
"it is the third day" since Jesus was crucified and placed in the tomb. This was the day the two men were expecting Jesus to rise from the dead. This was their day of expectation. |
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Lk 24:46 |
"He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day" |
This is not connected directly with the men on the road to Emmaus, but Luke, through inspiration of the Holy Spirit has now referred to the third day, FOUR TIMES! |
1. Avoiding the truth about the Road to Emmaus passage:
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Armstrong's view of Luke 24:1-46 This wild interpretation has been awarded the S.T.I.N.C.S. trophy |
a. The only way Saturday resurrection advocates can escape this verse is to create one of the most incredibly wild and imaginative explanations, we have ever seen to explain away the obvious and irrefutable. This one should be in the "twisting and contorting the word of God hall of fame". This an argument made by Herbert W. Armstrong of the Worldwide church of God who rejected both Sabbath-keeping and Saturday resurrection. (a recent split with WWCG has called into question Armstrong's owns views on both Sunday resurrection and Sabbath keeping) It is also complicated, so follow us on this.
b. Armstrong said that the expression "it is the third day" has no special theological significance and does not refer back to the prophecy of Jesus that He would rise the third day. They maintain that Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday at 3 PM, laid in the tomb before 6 PM, then about 7 PM the tomb was sealed and guards were set up. Mt 23:65 "Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how." And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone." Now the sealing of the tomb in Mt 23:65 occurred on "Thursday" because the new Jewish day begins at sundown, whereas in 20th century culture, our days begin at midnight. Now here is their argument: When the two men on the Emmaus road said, "it is the third day since these things happened", the "things that happened" includes the setting of the tomb seal which occurred the day after Jesus was crucified, Thursday. And since Armstrong believes that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday and raised on Saturday EQUALS THREE DAYS, so too Thursday when the seal was set through Sunday when the Emmaus men said this EQUALS THREE DAYS! Eureka! All the WWCG folk once cried (Until after Armstrong died)! This solves the entire problem! The men on the road to Emmaus were referring to all of the events of the crucifixion including the setting of the seal of the tomb and from Mt 23:65 to Sunday, that was three days, "it is the third day since these things happened".
2. There are four problems with this interpretation:
a. There is no evidence that any of the disciples knew about the setting of the tomb seal and the guards standing there. We are not saying that it was a complete secret, just that on the Sunday, such information WOULD NOT BE WIDELY known as it is today, communications being what they were in the first century.
b. It makes the phrase "it is the third day since these things happened" completely unconnected with what Jesus said about Him raising the third day. In fact, there is absolutely no question about the fact that they specifically had Jesus prophecy about himself raising the third day in their minds when they said, "it is the third day since these things happened". Why would Luke confuse us by recording this KEY expression of prophecy (the third day) on the very day AFTER the real third day. (granting a Saturday resurrection)
c. No other passage of scripture even mentions the seal or the guards in connection with Christ's crucifixion.
d. Remember, this argument is actually in the "twisting and contorting the word of God hall of fame". We told it was a wild interpretation! But it is their best argument!
C. Four powerful, but inconclusive passages that indicate Jesus rose on Sunday:
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Jesus Arose on Sunday |
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Comment |
Passage |
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These Passages do not explicitly state that Jesus actually rose on Sunday, rather they specifically tell us when the empty tomb was discovered. However, in the absence of any Bible verse that tells us he rose on Saturday, it is quite obvious that these verses do in fact tell us that Jesus had risen only a short time before. |
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II. Other details of the death & resurrection
A. Was Jesus discovered risen before or after sunrise Sunday?
Wednesday 72 hour literalists maintain that Jesus died 3 PM Wednesday and rose 3 PM Saturday, but was not discovered until early Sunday morning. This means that the tomb stone was rolled away in broad day light YET NO ONE DISCOVERED IT until Sunday morning... Not even the guards! Such is quite unbelievable!
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Mt 28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. (ASV mistranslates Mt 28:1 "Now late on the sabbath day") |
Mark 16:1-2 And when the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. |
Lk 24:1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb |
Jn 20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. |
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"as it began to dawn" |
"when the sun had risen" |
"at early dawn" |
"while it was still dark" |
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Was it after sunrise as per Mt, Mk and Lk OR before sunrise
as per John??? |
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B. Day and year Jesus died: Friday Nisan 14, (April 3, 33 AD):
Note:
The date of 30 AD was wrongly chosen and favored only because the eclipse
spoken of by Josephus that marked the birth of Jesus (death of Herod) was
wrongly thought to be in 4 BC rather than Jan 10, 1 BC.
Read
more about the eclipse of Jesus birth.
C. Chronology of Jesus' Last week
This chronology is based upon:
- Friday crucifixion on Nisan 14
- Year of crucifixion: 33 AD
- Sunday resurrection
- Last supper not seder/Passover meal
- Christ crucified at same time as Passover lambs
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Friday Nisan 7 33 AD |
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Saturday Nisan 8 33 AD |
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Sunday Nisan 9 33 AD Triumphal Entry |
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Monday Nisan 10 33 AD Temple cleansed |
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Tuesday Nisan 11 33 AD Destruction of Jerusalem foretold |
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Wednesday Nisan 12 33 AD |
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Thursday Nisan 13 33 AD |
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Friday Crucifixion Nisan 14 33 AD Lord's Supper And Preparation for the Passover "Preparation day" for Feast of unleavened bread |
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Saturday Nisan 15 33 AD Sabbath |
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Sunday Nisan 16 33 AD |
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III. The "Last Supper" was NOT a Passover meal:
A. Spectrum of views regarding the last supper:
- We take the view that the last supper could not and was not the Passover meal (seder) with the lamb. The Passover lamb was not served because it would not be normally slaughtered until later that same day when Jesus was crucified (Friday at 3 PM). This is the simplest view and one that perfectly harmonizes all the data and Jesus exactly fits the anti-type of the Passover lamb. If the last supper was the actual lamb meal, then Jesus fails to fulfill the anti-type of the Passover lamb, since he died exactly 24 hours (Nisan 15) after all the other Passover lambs were killed on Nisan 14. Yet Jesus is strongly typified as THE PASSOVER LAMB and the first fruits! What a weak anti-type if he died 24 hours AFTER the actual Passover lambs were killed!
- The traditional view is that this was the normal time for the Passover meal and that the lambs were normally slaughtered several hours before Jesus had the last supper. The problem with this view is that Jesus death did not exactly coincide with the slaughter of the Passover lambs, but was exactly 24 hours too late. Thus Jesus doesn't exactly fit the anti-type of the Passover lamb. Two basic mistakes that are made by those who view the last supper to be the actual seder/lamb/Passover meal: 1. They fail to realize that the term "prepare the Passover" refers specifically to "preparing for the entire 8 day feast of unleavened bread" purchasing a lamb to be slaughtered the following day would have been one small part of these preparations. 2. That the upper room was been "rented/used" for the entire 8 day festival (Passover + 7 days of unleavened bread). These two misunderstandings are the primary impediments to the truth that the last supper was not a Passover meal.
- Some believe Christ held His personal Passover a night early, knowing that He would be crucified before the evening of the fourteenth, thus it was not the ACTUAL lamb/seder meal but replica one day early. A lamb was served, but not one that was slaughtered at the time Moses said on Nisan 14.
- Some believe Christ and His followers held to a different calendar, reckoning the fourteenth to be a day earlier than the calendar of the official Jerusalem priesthood. This may have been the revised calendar observed by the Essenes at Qumran. This view is difficult to accept, since there is no indication of such calendar differences in the gospels. At least one of the gospel writers would explain such an obvious problem of the timing of the Passover meal being 24 hours too soon. With this view, we must accept that God said nothing and we must guess this to be the case. It also means that the entire Jewish community had been killing the Passover lamb and eating the meal 24 hours too late for thousands of years. This is highly unlikely since Ezra and Nehemiah restored the law in about 400 BC.
B. Passover & days of unleavened bread used interchangeably.
- Absolute Proof the Passover was used interchangeably with the celebrating the whole 8 Day spring festival, including the feast Unleavened Bread: Ezekiel 45:21; Mt 26:17; Lk 22:1; Jn 2:23; Jn 6:4
- Passover could refer to the killing of the lamb: 2 Chron 30:15; 35:1, 11; Ezra 6:20; Jn 19:14,31; 1 Co 5:7; Heb 11:28
- Passover could refer to the eating of the lamb after sunset: Ex 12:8-9; 2 Chron 30:18; John 13:1; John 18:28
- Passover must have been used interchangeably with the celebrating the whole 8 Day spring festival, including the feast Unleavened Bread in these passages although we must determine this by deduction: Mark 14:12-16; Lk 22:7-15; Mt 26:18; Acts 12:4; Mt 26:2; Mk 14:1; Lk 2:41; Jn 2:13; Jn 11:55; Jn 18:39
- These passages could refer to either the Passover day on Nisan 14 OR the Passover day, plus the 8 day feast of unleavened bread, it doesn't matter which: Jn 12:1; Jn 19:14; Mt 26:2; Mk 14:1
C. Reasons why the last supper was not the seder/lamb meal:
- Christ literally fulfilled the Passover lamb symbolism to the exact time of the day! I Cor 5:7-8. He was slain when the Passover lambs were being slain! If the lambs were supposed to be slain the evening before, then Jesus did not fulfill the perfect anti-type and would not be our true Passover lamb! This one fact alone is enough to prove that the "last supper" was not the eating of the Passover lamb (seder) meal.
a. 1 Cor 15:20 "Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep"
b. 1 Cor 5:7 "Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the feast [a reference to the Lord's supper]"
c. Jn 1:29 "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
d. Jn 1:36 "Behold, the Lamb of God!"
e. 1 Jn 1:7 "blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin"
f. 1 Jn 2:2 "He Himself is the propitiation for our sins"
g. Jn 19:33+36 and Ex 12:46 "but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs" ... "For these things came to pass, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, "Not a bone of Him shall be broken." ... "nor are you to break any bone of it."
h. Anti-typical of Lord's supper in 1 Cor 11:23ff "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes."
i. 1 Pe 1:19 "redeemed ... with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ."
j. Rev 5:6-14 "And I saw between the throne ... a Lamb standing, as if slain"
- The last supper meal is no where called the actual Passover meal of Ex 12.
- There no specific mention of any lamb at the "last supper".
- Judas was supposed to have bought stuff "for the feast". This proves that "the feast" was not that night! John 13:29 "For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, "Buy the things we have need of for the feast""
- Paul's instructions to the Corinthians (1 Cor 11:23ff) do not mention the (seder) lamb meal but refer to "the night in which the Lord was betrayed"
- It is quite clear that that the term Passover can refer to the entire 8 day festival (Passover + 7 day feast of unleavened bread) See below.
- The Passover lambs for the Ex 12 Passover meal were to be chosen on Nisan 10 and killed on Nisan 14 around 3-5 PM and it would be cooked and eaten after sundown on Nisan 15 (which starts at 6 PM our time). If "last supper" was this Passover lamb then it was exactly 24 hours early according to both the Bible and universal recorded Jewish custom.
a. The lambs were not slain until the afternoon of Nisan 14, "between the two evenings" Ex 12:6 and "you shall sacrifice the Passover in the evening at sunset, at the time that you came out of Egypt." Deut 16:6.
b. Number who partook of Passover: 1. Josephus said: "So these high priests, upon the coming of their feast which is called the Passover, when they slay their sacrifices, from the ninth hour to the eleventh, but so that a company not less than ten belong to every sacrifice . . . and many of us are twenty in a company, found this number of sacrifices was 256,500 which, upon the allowance of no more than ten that feast together, amounts to two million seven hundred thousand and two hundred [2,700,200] persons that were pure and holy" (Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI, 9:3). 2. J. Jeremias reduced Josephus's number to what he calls more realistic - 180,000 (Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, 1969, p83f)
c. According to Gesenius' Hebrew Lexicon of O.T. the word used in Ex. 12:6, # 6153 called 'ereb means: "evening . . . in the phrase "between the two evenings" Ex 16:12; 30:8; used as marking the space of time during which the Paschal lamb was slain, Ex 12:6; Lev 23:5; Num 9:3; and the evening sacrifice was offered, Ex 29:39, 41; Num 28:4; i.e., according to the opinion of the Karaites and Samaritans (which is favoured by the words of Deut. 16:6), the time between sunset and deep twilight. The Pharisees, however, and the Rabbinists considered the time when the sun began to descend [similar to an Arabian word which means 'little evening' for when it begins to draw towards evening] to be called the first evening and the second evening to be the real sunset." Therefore the time between when the sun began to descend [early afternoon] and sunset, i.e., the 9th hour according to Jewish time or 3 PM Roman time.
d. For 1,500 years the Jews had been killing the Passover on Nisan 14 and eating the Passover on Nisan 15. Would Jesus change this time-honored custom, based upon specific Mosaic law? NO!
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The "Last Supper" was NOT a Passover meal |
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John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And during supper the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot" |
John plainly states the "last supper" was the day before the actual Passover lamb meal (seder) of Ex 12. |
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John 18:28 They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium in order that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. |
Notice the Jews had not yet eaten the Passover lamb meal (seder) of Ex 12 when Jesus was arrested. Jesus had already eaten the "last supper" a few hours before this. |
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Jn 19:14,31 "Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. [6 AM Roman time used here by John] And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!"... "because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day)" |
"preparation for the Passover" This is a reference to the preparation that included the Passover lamb (seder) of Ex 12. The lambs would be killed about 9 hours later. Yet Jesus had eaten the "last supper" about 9 hour BEFORE this. |
- No one has ever produced any evidence that the Jews sacrificed Passover lambs in the afternoon of Nisan 13; such an act would have violated the LAW. If there were ANY justification for such an act, then it would have had to be written in the Mishnah (the oral law), since it is not in the Torah (written law, books of Moses). The Mishnah also is silent as to any such thing, thus this concept is unfounded.
- The flesh from the lambs could not be left over after that night, but any remaining had to be consumed (Deut 16:4; Ex 12:10). If the last supper was indeed the actual Passover (seder) lamb meal then Jesus was killed as the "Lamb of God" after all the other Passover lambs were burned with fire the morning of His death.
- The Passover (seder) meal was to be a family meal with close relatives. It violates the intent of the meal for 12 men to abandon their wives and children on Passover night. Ex 12:3 "take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household."
- The evening they ate the seder/lamb meal, they must remain in their houses till daylight. "none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning." Ex 12:22. Yet Jesus did go out to the garden of Gethsemane after the meal.
- The "last supper" on the eve of Nisan 14 (18 hours before he died) would be considered the FIRST meal for the entire 8 day Passover festival. It was still considered a very special meal by the Jews, for it was the first one of many.
- Jesus did keep part of the Feast of Passover with His disciples, but knew He would miss the Passover meal (seder), since He would be in the tomb Friday night, at the very time the Jewish nation were eating the lamb killed at 3 PM a few hours before. Jesus knew He was going to die and that HE was the Passover: I Cor 5:7-8. Jesus was NOT changing the Passover meal (seder) from the 15th to the 14th! Such would violate the Law of Moses! Jesus was obviously using the term "Passover" in to refer to the whole Passover season.
- Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the upper room for the Passover, this is the room where the disciples would spend THE ENTIRE 8 DAYS of the Passover festival not just the Passover meal with the lamb (seder). The disciples knew they needed the room for 8 days not just 2 for the actually eating of the lamb (seder). It is likely, (but speculative) that the upper room of Acts 1:13 on Pentecost was the same upper room of the last supper: Mark 14:15; Luke 22:12.
- The Passover lamb (seder) meal, is certainly anti-typical with the Lord's supper (communion). The Lord's supper was not instituted by Jesus at the very Passover lamb (seder) meal, but about 24 hours before.
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Jesus, Our Passover Lamb 1 Cor 5:7 |
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Jewish Passover (type) |
Lord's Supper (anti-type) |
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Meaning |
Remember Egypt Ex 12:26-27 |
Remember Lord 1 Cor 11:25 |
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Lamb |
1 Yr. Unblemished Ex 12:5 |
Sinless Jesus Jn 1:29; 1 Pe 1:19 |
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Flesh |
Eat, Ex 12:8 |
Eat 1 Cor 11:27 |
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No bones broken |
Ex 12:46; Num 9:12 |
Jn 19:33,36 (Ps 34:20) |
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Blood |
On mercy seat for sins Ex 12:7 |
For forgiveness Mt 26:27-28 |
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Participants |
Circumcised Ex 12:43 |
Baptized 1 Cor 10:16-17; 11:29 |
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Frequency |
Every Nisan 14: Ex 12:6 |
Every Sunday: Acts 20:7 |
D. Interpreting "Passover" in the Gospel accounts:
Narratives interpreted: our comments in green brackets [---], otherwise direct quotes from Bible. Our comments below perfectly explain
Mt 26:17-19 "Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread [we know this was Nisan 14, yet it is called the first day of the feast of unleavened bread] the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover [entire 8 day feast]?" And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I am to keep the Passover [entire 8 day feast] at your house with My disciples."'" And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover [entire 8 day feast]."
Mk 14:12-16 "And on the first day of Unleavened Bread [we know this was Nisan 14, yet it is called the first day of the feast of unleavened bread], when the Passover lamb [this is certainly Nisan 14] was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover [entire 8 day feast]?" 13 And He sent two of His disciples, and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; 14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover [entire 8 day feast] with My disciples?"' 15 "And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; and prepare for us there." 16 And the disciples went out, and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover [entire 8 day feast].
Lk 22:7-15 Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread [we know this was Nisan 14, yet it is called the first day of the feast of unleavened bread] on which the Passover lamb [this is certainly Nisan 14] had to be sacrificed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover [entire 8 day feast] for us, that we may eat it." 9 And they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare it?" 10 And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. 11 "And you shall say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover [entire 8 day feast] with My disciples?"' 12 "And he will show you a large, furnished, upper room; prepare it there." 13 And they departed and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover. [entire 8 day feast] 14 And when the hour had come He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15 And He said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover [entire 8 day feast not the seder lamb meal the following evening] with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."
IV. Types and anti-types of crucifixion fulfilled only with a Sunday resurrection!
A. Day of first fruits and Pentecost always fell on a Sunday:
1. New Bible dictionary, Passover:
- "The Sadducees celebrated it on the 50th day (inclusive reckoning) from the first Sunday after Passover (taking the 'sabbath' of Lv. 23:15 to be the weekly sabbath); their reckoning regulated the public observance so long as the Temple stood, and the church is therefore justified in commemorating the first Christian Pentecost on a Sunday (Whit Sunday). The Pharisees, however, interpreted the 'sabbath' of Lv. 23:15 as the Festival of Unleavened Bread (cf. Lv. 23:7), and their reckoning became normative in Judaism after ad 70, so that in the Jewish calendar Pentecost now falls on various days of the week." (New Bible dictionary, Passover)
2. Still fell on Sunday in 33 AD!
- Even if the Sabbath of Lev 23:11&15 is not the weekly Sabbath, but a reference to the first day of unleavened bread, being the Sabbath, the Wave/ sheaf/ First fruits offering AND Pentecost still fell on Sunday in 33 AD, the year Jesus was crucified!!!
- Those who say Jesus was crucified on a Thursday or Wednesday cannot absolutely guarantee that first fruits and Pentecost always fell on a Sunday because they must use a different year (ie. 33 AD) in which Nisan 14 would not fall on a Friday.
B. Passover the type of Christ's crucifixion
- Friday: Exodus = Passover meal = Christ crucified type of the crucifixion day Nisan 14
C. Wave/ sheaf/ first fruits the type of Christ's resurrection
- 1 Cor 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
- Sunday: First fruits = Christ raised (the Omer, or day of first fruits, a clear type of the resurrection day, but not a Sabbath day!) Lev 23:10-12
- The Israelites were instructed to be ready to leave Egypt at daybreak on the 15th (morning of the 15th). (Ex 12:1-13) They then traveled day and night for about 25 days via Etham and then to Pi Hahiroth where they encamped by the sea. (Ex 13:20-14:2) After the Egyptians appeared, the Lord parted the Red Sea all that night (Ex 14:21) from which the Israelites emerged on the other side as the day was dawning and at which time the sea covered the Egyptians. (Ex 14:27) This event is a shadow of the fulfillment of the day of First Fruits. Therefore the people of Israel were "saved" by coming through the Red Sea on the same day of the week (Sunday) that Jesus rose from the dead as the "savior" of all who will turn to him: Nisan 16, before dawn.
D. Landing of Noah's ark on dry land a type of salvation.
- This is not a sure antitype, but is a curiosity worth noting.
- Gen 8:4 "And in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat."
- This would have been around the time of Passover, possibly on Nissan 16, the very day Jesus arose. It is difficult, if not impossible to determine it exactly, so caution is needed here. But we can generally determine that the Ark rested on dry ground around the time of the death and resurrection of Christ!
- 1 Pe 3:20-21 "in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you"
E. Pentecost the type of the giving of God's law
- Pentecost: Giving of law at Sinai = Christ sends Holy Spirit: Lev 23:15-21
- Compare what happened to the Israelites 50 days after they were "saved" from the Egyptians in Ex. 19:16-19 with Acts 2:1-8 50 days after Christ had risen.
V. Understanding the Jewish time system:
- Luke 13:32 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.'
- Even during the Exodus there is an excellent example of Jewish inclusive time keeping. The Bible says: "The Lord also said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people." Exodus 19:10-11
Intro: The purpose of this section:
- The term, three days and three nights is: Absolutely equivalent with "after three days", "on the third day", three days later"
- The term, three days and three nights: Does not require three literal days and three literal nights.
- The term, three days and three nights: Does not require 72 literal hours.
- That a Friday crucifixion at 3 PM with at Sunday resurrection at 6 AM would have been considered three days and three nights by the Jewish people of the day.
A. Interchangeability of terms: (All Bible data on Resurrection)
|
Bible Term |
Duration in grave |
|
Until the third day |
Mt 27:64 give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day |
|
In three days |
Mt 26:61 rebuild it in three days Mt 27:40 rebuild it in three days Mk 14:58 in three days I will build another made without hands. Mk 15:29 rebuild it in three days Jn 2:19-20 in three days I will raise it up |
|
On the third day |
Mt 16:21 raised up on the third day Mt 17:23 raised on the third day Mt 20:19 on the third day He will be raised up Lk 9:22 be raised up on the third day Acts 10:40 God raised Him up on the third day 1 Cor 15:4 raised on the third day |
|
The third day |
Lk 18:33 the third day He will rise again Lk 24:7 the third day rise again Lk 24:21 it is the third day since these things happened Lk 24:46 rise again from the dead the third day |
|
Three days later |
Mk 9:31 rise three days later Mk 10:34 and three days later He will rise again |
|
After three days |
Mt 27:63 After three days I am to rise again Mk 8:31 after three days rise again |
|
Three days and three nights |
Jonah 1:17 in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights. Mt 12:40 for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. |
B. Parallel passages which prove interchangeability:
1. Old Testament parallel passages #1
|
"Depart for three days, then return to me." 1 Ki 12:5 |
"all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had directed, saying, 'Return to me on the third day.'" 1 Ki 12:12; 2 Chron 10:12 |
|
"Return to me again in three days." 2 Chron 10:5 |
|
|
"For three days" and "in three days" and "on the third day" |
|
2. Synoptic parallel passages #2
|
Mark |
Matthew |
Luke |
|
After three days 8:31 |
On the third day 16:21 |
on the third day 9:22 |
|
After three days 9:31 |
On the third day 17:23 |
--- |
|
After three days 10:34 |
On the third day Mt 20:19 |
on the third day 18:33 |
|
"On the third day" and "After three days" |
||
3. Synoptic parallel passages #3
|
Matthew |
Mark |
Luke |
|
4:2 "And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights" |
1:13 "And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan" |
4:2 "for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days" |
|
forty days and forty nights |
forty days |
forty days |
|
"forty days and forty nights" and "forty days" |
||
C. Actual Bible examples of calculating 3 days & 3 nights!
|
Summary of passages |
||
|
Bible Text: |
Actual literal time frame: |
Jewish time: |
|
Crucifixion |
Friday 3 Pm - Sunday 6 AM |
three days and three nights |
|
Jesus words: Lk 13:32 |
A literal duration from Friday to Triumphal entry (Sunday) mirroring perfectly Jesus time in the tomb from Friday to Sunday! |
"today, tomorrow and the third day" v32 |
|
God's Words: Ex 19:10-11 |
Monday - Wednesday |
"today, tomorrow and the third day" v11 |
|
Cornelius: Acts 10:3,9, 23,24,30 |
Literal 72 hour period v3+9+23+24 (Exactly 3 days, but parts of four days) |
Four days ago v30 |
|
Starving servant: 1 Sam. 30:12,13 |
Three days and three nights v12 (Literally less than 72 hours but parts of three days) |
Three days ago v13 |
|
Queen Esther 4:16; 5:1 |
for three days, night or day 4:16 (Literally less than 72 hours but parts of three days) |
On the third day 5:1 |
|
Faithless Jews: Mt 27:63,64 |
After three days v63 (Literally less than 72 hours but parts of three days) |
Until the third day v64 |
C1. From the mouth of Jesus!
Luke 13:32 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.'
- What this proves is that the expression "the third day" represents a literal duration of Friday - Sunday!!! Jesus spoke Lk 12:32 ON A FRIDAY, which was exactly one week before He died. And He entered Jerusalem on the Sunday following." This he called, Today (Friday) Tomorrow (Saturday) and the third day (Sunday).
- This proves, by Jesus own words, that Friday - Sunday = less than 72 hours and that the expression "3 days and 3 nights" is Friday - Sunday!!!
- This is an irrefutable argument
|
|
FRIDAY |
SATURDAY |
SUNDAY |
|
Jesus words: Lk 13:32 |
"today" (one week before Jesus died) |
"tomorrow" |
"the third day" (triumphal entry day) |
|
Jesus words: Lk 18:33 |
. |
. |
the third day (Sunday) |
|
Cleopas words: Lk 24:21 |
. |
. |
the third day (Sunday) |
|
Lk 13:32 is so powerful, that it alone completely refutes the literal 72 hour in the grave theory. Only the dishonest, or those driven with an agenda to maintain modern Sabbath keeping, would not be convinced! |
|||
C2. The case of Cornelius in Acts 10:3+9+23+24+30
This is an irrefutable argument
- Note: We do not know what days of the week are involved in Acts 10, we have chosen Wednesday to Saturday for illustrative purposes only because these are the exact days that Sabbatarians say Jesus died and was raised. (WCG, Armstrong groups, and Sabbatarians generally but not universally, maintain that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday and raised Saturday)
|
10:3, "ninth hour of the day," 3 PM - |
10:9, "on the next day" - |
10:23, "on the next day" - |
10:24, "on the following day" - 3 PM |
|
Day 1 Jewish count but day 0 Roman count |
Day 2 Jewish count but day 1 Roman count |
Day 3 Jewish count but day 2 Roman count |
Day 4 Jewish count but day 3 Roman count |
|
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
|
Ninth hour (3 PM) |
- |
- |
Ninth hour (3 PM) |
|
Part of 1 day (3 PM-sundown) + 1 night |
1 day + 1 night |
1 day + 1 night |
Part of 1 day (sunup to 3 PM) |
|
Notice total time elapsed is: exactly 72 hours, exactly 3 days and 3 nights Yet Cornelius called this FOUR DAYS - "Four days ago to this hour" Acts 10:30 |
|||
What the case of Cornelius proves:
- This proves that the Jews method of reckoning time provides the key to understanding Jesus expression that He would be in the tomb 3 days and three nights.
- It proves that Jews started counting today as day one and tomorrow as day two, WHEREAS we today (Modern Roman time) start counting today as Zero and tomorrow as day one. It is important to note that both Jewish and Romans of the first century counted the days EXACTLY the same way, where today is zero and tomorrow is day one. However TODAY we, in the 20th century count the days differently from ALL first century peoples! Whereas, we have adopted the ancient Roman practice of the days starting at midnight, we differ from the ancient Romans, in the way we count the days off! Both ancient Romans and Jews would count one week as being "eight days".
- Amazingly these religious groups (WCG, Armstrong groups and sabbatarians) are themselves guilty of doing the EXACT thing they accuse others of doing... namely they accuse others of Imposing Roman time standards (the 20th century time standard) upon the ancient Jewish time standard. Yet as we can see here, those who maintain that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday and raised on Saturday FAIL TO APPLY THE JEWISH METHOD of reckoning this time span to be 4 DAYS NOT THREE!!!
- It proves that the Apostles would count Wednesday 3 PM - Saturday 3 PM as 4 DAYS NOT THREE!!!
- It proves the truth that Jesus was indeed crucified on Friday and raised on Sunday and that the Apostles would count this time period AS 3 DAYS.
- It proves that the very time frame that WWCG, Armstrong groups and sabbatarians maintain that Jesus was in the tomb between 3 PM Wednesday - 3 PM Saturday, WOULD HAVE IN FACT BEEN CONSIDERED TO BE 4 DAYS not three by the Apostles of Jesus!!!
- We believe that this specific time table in Acts 10 above, was supplied by the Holy Spirit, to equip non-Jewish cultures with an EXACT DUPLICATE EXAMPLE to show us that Jesus did die on Friday 3PM and was raised some time on Sunday and it would have been counted as three days and three nights by the Apostles.
- It proves that the Bible literally calls the exact time period of 3 days and 3 nights (72 hours) FOUR DAYS.
- It proves that the Bible would call the period between Friday and Sunday THREE DAYS.
2. The case of Cornelius: False Sabbatarian position:
|
DAY 1 (Wed) |
DAY 2 (Thurs) |
DAY 3 (Fri) |
DAY 4 (Sat) |
Sabbatarians call this 3 days |
|
Jesus died at 3 PM |
One day passes |
One day passes |
Jesus raised 3 PM |
|
|
Cornelius saw vision at 3 PM |
One day passes |
One day passes |
Cornelius speaks at 3 PM Acts 10:30 |
Bible calls this "Four days ago to this hour" Acts 10:30 |
|
Who will you believe? The Sabbatarians or the Holy Bible? |
||||
3. If Jesus died on Wednesday, and was resurrected at 3:00 PM on Saturday, He was in the ground 4 days and 3 nights as the Jews counted time.
|
This is 4 days and 3 nights! |
|
|
Wednesday |
Day 1: 3-6 PM |
|
Night 1: 6 PM - 6 AM |
|
|
Thursday |
Day 2: 6:00 am - 6 PM |
|
Night 2: 6:00 am - 6 PM |
|
|
Friday |
Day 3: 6:00 am - 6 PM |
|
Night 3: 6:00 PM - |
|
|
Saturday |
Day 4: after 6:00 am - 3PM |
|
Raised |
|
|
Those who affirm that Jesus died Wednesday and was raised Saturday violate the literalness of 3 days and 3 nights by having 4 days and 3 nights! |
|
4. The Case of Cornelius: Actual Truth of the Bible
|
|
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
Bible time system calls this three days |
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
|
Sabbatarians using today's Roman time system call this 2 days |
Day 0 |
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
|
Whose time system will you use? The Bible's or modern Roman
system? |
|||
C3. The case of Queen Esther: Esther 4:16 + 5:1
|
Esther 4:16 |
Esther 5:1 |
|
"Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king," |
"Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace" |
|
three days, night or day |
on the third day |
|
Regardless of the exact literal time, these two expressions are identical and used interchangeably |
|
C4. The case of the faithless Jews: Matthew 27:63-64
|
Mt 27:63 |
Mt 27:64 |
|
"Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I am to rise again.'" |
"Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, lest the disciples come and steal Him away and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' |
|
After three days |
until the third day |
|
Regardless
of the exact literal time, these two expressions are identical and used
interchangeably |
|
C5. The case of the starving servant: 1 Samuel 30:12-13
|
1 Sam. 30:12 |
1 Sam. 30:13 |
|
"For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights." |
13 "I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago." |
|
Three days and three nights v12 |
Three days ago v13 |
|
Regardless of the exact literal time, these two expressions are identical and used interchangeably |
|
D. Day as defined in Genesis:
Day as defined in Genesis: Gen 1:5 "And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day."
- Notice that light = one day
- Evening (night) and morning (daylight) = one day
- Which of these two definitions was Jesus using when he said "after three days?"
- While we agree that the expression "evening and there was morning, one day" always means a literal 24 hour day, (because it has a double modifier- "evening/morning" and "one") but we have already seen that every time "three days and three nights" is used in scripture where literal computation is present, IT NEVER MEANS 72 hours!
E. "Preparation", the first century word for Friday!
- Charles C. Torrey explains, In Aramaic, "the middle days of the week were designated by numbers, 'third, fourth, fifth,' but Friday was always arubta; there was no 'sixth day' of the week; . . . Its Greek equivalent, paraskeue-Friday, was likewise adopted, from the first, by the Greek Church."
- The Didache, dated between A.D. 70 to 120, enjoins Christians to fast on "the fourth day and Preparation" (8:1), that is, Wednesday and Friday. It is noteworthy that Friday is designated simply as "Preparation-paraskeuen," without the article or the noun "day," thus indicating the technical usage of the term. By the time of Tertullian (c. A.D. 160-225) paraskeue had already become such a fixed name for Friday that he even argues that this had been the name for Friday since creation. This clearly indicate that Christians adopted the Jewish practice of numbering the first five days of the week and of naming the sixth and the seventh as paraskeue and sabbaton—Preparation and Sabbath.
- 250 AD IGNATIUS: "On the day of the preparation, then, at the third hour, He received the sentence from Pilate, the Father permitting that to happen; at the sixth hour He was crucified; at the ninth hour He gave up the ghost; and before sunset He was buried. During the Sabbath He continued under the earth in the tomb in which Joseph of Arimathaea had laid Him. At the dawning of the Lord's day He arose from the dead, according to what was spoken by Himself, "As Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man also be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." The day of the preparation, then, comprises the passion; the Sabbath embraces the burial; the Lord's Day contains the resurrection." The (Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians, chapter 9)
- Mark, in writing to Gentile Christians, unfamiliar with Jewish terms of the week-days, clarified the term "paraskeue-preparation," by adding the qualifying phrase, "that is, the day before the sabbath" (Mark 15:42).
- Additional and conclusive evidence that "paraskeue-Preparation" is used in the Gospels to designate "Friday" and not "Wednesday" is provided by the sequence in which the days of the Passion weekend are given: "Preparation, Sabbath, first day" (Matt 27:62; 28:1; Mark 15:42; 16:1; Luke 24:54-55; 24:1). Both Mark and Matthew explicitly place the beginning of the first day at the end of the Sabbath (Mark 16:1; Matt 28:1). The latter could hardly have been a Thursday Passover Sabbath, because Thursday is not followed by the first day of the week.
- Wednesday Crucifixionists argue that in John 19:14 "the day of Preparation" means not Friday but the Wednesday preceding the Passover day, which supposedly fell on a Thursday. This conclusion ignores the fact, cogently stated by Norval Geldenhuys, "that at the time when John wrote, the Greek term paraskeue ('preparation') was already for a long time the technical term used to indicate 'Friday,' the equivalent of the Hebrew erebh shabbath." The recognition of this fact is evident in the right translation which is found in the A.V., R.S.V., and N.I.V., namely "the day of Preparation of the Passover." This means, as Geldenhuys explains, "that the day of the Lord's crucifixion was the Friday of the Passover, the Friday that falls during Passover week, i.e., Passover Friday (Good Friday). It is a grammatically correct rendering and all the evidence is in favor of it."
- The foregoing considerations make it abundantly clear that in the Gospels, as stated by Moulton and Milligan, noted authorities on the Greek language: "paraskeue is a technical designation for Friday." Thus, the first reason, which claims that "the day before the weekly Sabbath was never called a 'preparation' in the Bible" must be regarded as false, because, as we have shown, the very opposite is true. An additional indication that John meant "Friday" by the phrase "Preparation of the Passover" (v. 14) is provided by the usage of the same term "paraskeue" twice again in the same chapter. In verse 31 John explains that the Jews did not wish the bodies to remain on the Cross "on the Sabbath, because it was Preparation" (literal translation). Here John not only mentions the Sabbath explicitly, but also refers to the preceding day by the technical term "paraskeue—Preparation" without the article, thus meaning: "because it was Friday." (preparation = Friday discussion taken from: "The time of the crucifixion and resurrection", S. Bacchiocchi, chapter 3)
F. Scholars and commentaries on 3 days & 3 nights
- Lange's Comm., p. 226. "In the Jerusalem Talmud (cited by Lightfoot) it is said 'that a day and a night together make up a "nuchthemeros" (day), and that any part of such is counted as the whole." Lange's Comm., p. 226.
- Clarke on Mt. 16:40: Three days and three nights] Our Lord rose from the grave on the day but one after his crucifixion: so that, in the computation in this verse, the part of the day on which he was crucified, and the part of that on which he rose again, are severally estimated as an entire day; and this, no doubt, exactly corresponded to the time in which Jonah was in the belly of the fish. Our Lord says, As Jonah was, so shall the Son of man be, &c. Evening and morning, or night and day, is the Hebrew phrase for a natural day, which the Greeks termed nuxyhmeron, nuchthemeron. The very same quantity of time which is here termed three days and three nights, and which, in reality, was only one whole day, a part of two others, and two whole nights, is termed three days and three nights, in the book of Esther: Go; neither eat nor drink THREE DAYS, NIGHT or DAY, and so I will go in unto the king: #Es 4:16|. Afterwards it follows, #Es 5:1|. On the THIRD DAY, Esther stood in the inner court of the king's house. Many examples might be produced, from both the sacred and profane writers, in vindication of the propriety of the expression in the text. For farther satisfaction, the reader, if he please, may consult Whitby and Wakefield, and take the following from Lightfoot:
- Lightfoot "I. The Jewish writers extend that memorable station of the unmoving sun, at Joshua's prayer, to six and thirty hours; for so Kimchi upon that place: 'According to more exact interpretation, the sun and moon stood still for six and thirty hours: for when the fight was on the eve of the Sabbath, Joshua feared lest the Israelites might break the Sabbath; therefore he spread abroad his hands, that the sun might stand still on the sixth day, according to the measure of the day of the Sabbath, and the moon according to the measure of the night of the Sabbath, and of the going out of the Sabbath, which amounts to six and thirty hours.' "II. If you number the hours that pass from our Saviour's giving up the ghost upon the cross to his resurrection, you shall find almost the same number of hours; and yet that space is called by him three days and three nights, whereas two nights only came between, and one complete day. Nevertheless, while he speaks these words, he is not without the consent both of the Jewish schools and their computation. Weigh well that which is disputed in the tract Sabbath, concerning the separation of a woman for three days; where many things are discussed by the Gemarists, concerning the computation of this space of three days. Among other things these words occur: R. Ismael saith, Sometimes it contains four hwnwa onoth, sometimes five, sometimes six. But how much is the space of an hnwa onah? R. Jochanan saith, Either a day or a night. And so also the Jerusalem Talmud: 'R. Akiba fixed a DAY for an onah, and a NIGHT for an onah.' But the tradition is, that R. Eliazar ben Azariah said, A day and a night make an onah: and a PART of an onah is as the WHOLE. And a little after, R. Ismael computed a part of the onah for the whole." Thus, then, three days and three nights, according to this Jewish method of reckoning, included any part of the first day; the whole of the following night; the next day and its night; and any part of the succeeding or third day.
G. How Jews and Romans used the expression "Next Day:
Here are 7 passages that prove the usage of "next day" was the normal way for both Jews and Romans to describe a 9 PM to 9 AM duration. In other words, if it was 9PM on a Saturday night, "the next day" referred to the daylight period starting at 6AM Sunrise, Sunday morning, 9 hours later.
- In the LXX (Septuagint: The LXX was translated by Jews in 250 BC, even though the event of Lot was 2000 BC.) at Gen 19:34: "So they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in and lay with her father; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. On the following day, the firstborn said to the younger, "Behold, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve our family through our father." " (Genesis 19:33-34) (v33 says it was night when they went in. v 34 the exact same Greek word for "next day" is used in Acts 20:7 and Gen 19:34 LXX. v34 again says, "last night".)
- "The people spent ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT and all the NEXT DAY, and gathered the quail " (Numbers 11:32) (here next day follows the night, even though it was the same day of the week.)
- "David slaughtered them from the TWILIGHT UNTIL THE EVENING OF THE NEXT DAY " (1 Samuel 30:17) (twilight is after the sun has set, yet the next day, was technically the same day as twilight, yet, evening of the next day was really the dark period after the daylight.)
- "When IT WAS EVENING, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. " "NOW ON THE NEXT DAY, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, " (Matthew 27:57, 62) (Here, evening and next day, are the technically the same day, yet it is called the next day!)
- "And he called to him two of the centurions and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready by THE THIRD HOUR OF THE NIGHT to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen." So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and BROUGHT HIM BY NIGHT TO ANTIPATRIS. But THE NEXT DAY, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. " (Acts 23:23-32) (here we have an interesting dilemma: either #1: Romans were counting the hours the same as Jews: third hour of the night was 9PM according to Jews, but called the next morning the next day anyway. Or #2 they were using roman time and the 3rd hour would have been 3 AM, but they called the morning the next day anyway!)
- "On that day, when evening came, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side ." " (Mark 4:35) (Here the evening after the day is called the same day! Mark never uses roman time anywhere else! Obviously this was the natural way both Romans and Jews described the evening.)
- "So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, " Peace be with you." " (John 20:19) (here is the crunch passage: the evening of the first day of the week was when Jesus was in the tomb! Yet the night after the day light of the first day of the week was called "evening ON THAT DAY.)
H. Jewish boys born on the Sabbath, are circumcised the following Sabbath: the 8th day.
- Leviticus 12:2-3 says boys are to be circumcised on the eight day.
- It is common knowledge, that the Jewish practice was to circumcise exactly one week after the child was born. If born on Sabbath, he was circumcised on the Sabbath. If born on a Tuesday, he was circumcised on the following Tuesday.
- This proves that Jewish time system counted what we call one week or 7 days, as 8 days.
- Thus a Friday - Sunday duration was three days.
VI. Two Sabbath theory: (a false view)
Introduction:
- The two Sabbath theory is a false view taken by those who say Jesus was not crucified on Friday.
- Wednesday crucifixion advocates use three invalid arguments in an effort to prove that an annual Sabbath (1st day of unleavened bread) fell on Thursday, followed by an ordinary weekday Friday then the ordinary weekly Sabbath on Saturday.
- The truth is that in the years 30 and 33 AD, the "1st day of unleavened bread" fell on the weekly Sabbath day, thus making such a two Sabbath theory both unnecessary and impossible! (They say Jesus was not crucified in either 30 AD or 33 AD)
A. Plural "Sabbaton" in Mt 28:1 refers to weekly Sabbath ALONE!
- Wednesday crucifixion advocates, in order to escape the obvious fact that Jesus was crucified on Friday, tell us that the word "sabbath" in Mt 28:1 is plural and refers to 1. Annual Sabbath: The first day of the feast of unleavened bread and 2. The weekly Sabbath.
- We openly agree that the Greek word is plural, however their conclusion is certainly invalid. This is because there are in fact 6 places in the Greek, where the plural "sabbaton" is used and all of them (with the exception of the disputed Mt 28:1 passage) refer to a single weekly Sabbath day.
- In light of these facts, the evidence powerfully supports the fact that Mt 28:1 refers to the weekly Sabbath alone.
- Here are the 6 main passages, all of which refer to the weekly Sabbath:
|
The Plural "Sabbaton" refers to 7th Day Sabbath by itself |
|
|
Text |
Sabbath is Plural in original Greek |
|
Exodus 20:8 (in Septuagint) |
Remember the Sabbath day (4th commandment) |
|
Luke 4:16 |
He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath |
|
Acts 13:14 |
on the Sabbath day |
|
Acts 16:13 |
And on the Sabbath day |
|
Col 2:16 |
festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day |
|
Matthew 28:1 |
Now after the Sabbath |
B. "High Day" of Jn 19:31 refers to weekly Sabbath, not 1st day of unleavened bread:
John 19:31 "The Jews therefore, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away."
- It was a special Sabbath, the one that fell within the feast of unleavened bread. More importantly, the Sabbath within "Passover week" was the one they used determine the Wave/ sheaf/ First fruits offering on the day after the Sabbath- always Sunday (Leviticus 23:11); AND to start counting down for the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) Leviticus 23:15. Pentecost always fell on a Sunday. (see notes within this document: Pentecost always fell on Sunday and "New Bible dictionary, Passover"). Even if the Sabbath of Lev 23:11&15 are not the weekly Sabbath, but a reference to the first day of unleavened bread, being the Sabbath, the Wave/sheaf offering AND Pentecost still fell on Sunday in 33 AD, the year Jesus was crucified!!!
- Some, in an effort to deny that Jesus arose on Sunday, invent the "double Sabbath" theory. Here they believe that Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday and that Thursday was the "high day" John referred to since it was the first day of the feast of unleavened bread. Here is how they say it: "Just what is a "high day"? Ask any Jew! He will tell you it is one of the annual holy days, or feast days." Of course the problem with this is that it is completely wrong. We agree that the first day of unleavened bread was special to the Jew, but we deny that John's phrase "that Sabbath was a high day" could possibly refer to the first day of unleavened bread.
- No where in the Bible are the annual Jewish feast days like Passover or the days of unleavened bread called "HIGH SABBATHS" or "high days"! So the Bible itself, by its silence, refutes this concept completely.
- The day of atonement is designated a compound expression "shabbath shabbathon", which means "a sabbath of solemn rest" (Lev 23:32; 16:31). But the Septuagint translates this phrase by the compound Greek expression "sabbata sabbaton," not the simple "sabbaton" used in the gospels. This proves that annual feast days like Passover are never designated simply as "sabbaton."
- The Jewish feast days were to be "Sabbaths", (The day of atonement: Lev 16:31; 23:32 "It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath." Sabbath year: Lev 25:4; 2 Chron 36:21 but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.) However, outside of the books of Moses, these feast days are never called "sabbaths" (with the exception of the year long land Sabbath which was not a festival: 2 Chron 36:21) Instead, they are referred to as "annual feasts, appointed feasts, appointed times, assemblies, solemn assembly, festal assemblies, Festival, fixed festivals, keeping years". When the Jews used the word Sabbath, it always referred to the weekly Sabbath.
|
Feast days NEVER referred to as "sabbaths" outside the books of Moses |
|||
|
|
Yearly (Passover) |
monthly |
weekly |
|
1 Chronicles 23:31 |
fixed festivals |
new moons |
sabbaths |
|
2 Chronicles 31:3 |
fixed festivals |
new moons |
sabbaths |
|
2 Chronicles 8:13 |
three annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths |
new moons |
sabbaths |
|
2 Chronicles 2:4 |
appointed feasts |
new moons |
sabbaths |
|
Nehemiah 10:33 |
appointed times |
new moon |
sabbaths |
|
Isa 1:13 |
calling of assemblies, solemn assembly |
new moon |
sabbath |
|
2 Ch 2:4 |
appointed feasts |
new moons |
sabbaths |
|
Isa 66:23 |
- |
new moon to new moon |
sabbath to sabbath |
|
Lam 2:6 |
appointed feast |
- |
sabbath |
|
Ezek 44:24 |
appointed feasts |
- |
sabbaths |
|
Ezekiel 45:17 |
appointed feasts |
new moons |
sabbaths |
|
Eze 46:1 |
- |
day of the new moon |
sabbath day sabbaths |
|
Hosea 2:11 |
festal assemblies |
new moons |
sabbaths |
|
Am 8:5 |
- |
new moon |
sabbath |
|
Galatians 4:10 |
years |
months |
days |
|
Colossians 2:16 |
Festival |
new moon |
Sabbath day |
|
Sabbath was an exclusive term that referred only to the weekly Sabbath! |
|||
|
Colossians 2:14-16: all nailed to the cross, Christians don't keep any! |
|||
- John tells us "that Sabbath was a high day", not "that day was a high Sabbath"! A huge difference. It is obvious that the day was a Sabbath already, but that it was a special Sabbath, the one that fell within the feast of unleavened bread.
- "for that Sabbath was a high day" Notice the word "day" is not in the original Greek. It was an ordinary weekly Sabbath made HIGH by the fact it fell within Passover week.
- It is redundant and makes no sense to say, "that Sabbath was a high day" should be paraphrased "the first day of unleavened bread was a high Sabbath" because it is like saying "your wedding day is a special day to you". All wedding days are inherently always special. Every first day of unleavened bread was always a SPECIAL day. If this is what John meant, all he would have to say is "the legs were broken because it was the first day of the feast" Every Jew would know that this was a High day.
- Even if we grant that the first day of unleavened bread universally viewed as a "high sabbath" by the Jews, why would John say "the first day of unleavened bread is a high sabbath". That is as silly as john saying, "the seventh day of the week was a sabbath". So it is obvious that the weekly Sabbath was made special (or as John said a "that Sabbath was high") by the fact that it fell within Passover week.
C. Mary bought spices on Sunday (after sundown Saturday)
1. Two key verses:
- Luke 23:54-56 And it was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed after, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
- Mark 16:1 And when the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
2. Here is the invalid argument used by those who deny Jesus was crucified on Friday:
"In Mk 16:1 Mary Magdalene did not buy their spices to anoint the body of Jesus until after the Sabbath (feast day of the days of Unleavened Bread) was past. They could not prepare them until after this--yet after preparing the spice they rested the weekly Sabbath day according to the commandment (Luke 23:56.) Study these two texts carefully. There is only one possible explanation: After the annual Sabbath, (the feast day of the days of Unleavened Bread) which was Thursday, these women purchased and prepared their spices on Friday, and then they rested on the weekly Sabbath, Saturday, according to the commandment (Ex. 20:8-11). A comparison of these two texts proves there were TWO Sabbaths that week, with a day in between. Otherwise, these texts contradict themselves."
|
False view: |
|||||
|
|
Wednesday |
Thurs |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
Invalid argument by those who reject Friday crucifixion |
Jesus crucified 3 PM (Nisan 14, based upon calendar in 33 AD) preparation day |
Annual Sabbath- 1st day of unleavened bread |
Ordinary day Nisan 16 |
Weekly Sabbath Jesus raised at 3PM |
Although raised Saturday, this fact was not discovered until Sunday a daybreak |
|
They incorrectly say Mary buys and prepares spices on same day: Friday. |
.. |
.. |
Bought spices after High Sabbath Thursday. Mk 16:1 Then Lk 23:56 states they prepared their spices then rested according to the weekly Sabbath, Saturday. |
.. |
Sunday morning at daybreak they come to the tomb to anoint the body. |
3. Here is the Bible truth that Jesus was crucified on Friday:
- Mary prepares spices she already had on Friday (Lk 23:56), then Sunday (literally after sundown Saturday night Roman time) She bought more spices. (Mk 16:1)
- Lk 23:49 tell us that the women were at the foot of the cross: "And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things." Then notice that Mary followed Joseph of Arimathea when he buried Jesus "followed after [Joseph of Arimathea when he buried Jesus], and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and perfumes." Lk 23:50-56. This proves that Mary prepared the spices in Lk 23 ON THE SAME DAY JESUS WAS BURIED. Wednesday crucifixion advocates cannot harmonize this contradiction in their time chronology and must insert 2 whole days between the end of Lk 23:54 and the beginning of Lk 23:55 to harmonize the narrative. Yet this cannot be because Lk 23:55 also plainly states that the "preparation day" was the same day they bought the spices. Hence: Christ's burial, the day of preparation and the day they bought the spices were all THE SAME DAY. Since Wednesday crucifixion advocates say both Luke 23:56 and Mk 16:1 occurred two days after Jesus was crucified on Nisan 14, the day of preparation, it is impossible for them to reconcile this contradiction in their theology.
- The final nail in the coffin (mind the pun) of the Wednesday crucifixion/Saturday resurrection false teachers, is this: The women would have had all day Nisan 16 to prepare the spices (from sunset, 6 PM Thursday to 6 PM Friday Roman time). The women would have ABSOLUTELY gone to the tomb on Friday instead of waiting two more days till Sunday. They would definitely have considered the additional decay such a two day delay would have brought about. In fact they would likely have gone to the tomb at dawn Friday since it would not take a long time to prepare the spices on Thursday night (Nisan 16), after 6 PM, (Roman time.) They would have had a full night sleep and simply got up early Friday Morning!
- The truth is that they began mixing spices on the same day Jesus was crucified but ran out of time. Then with all day Saturday to think about it, went out after the Sabbath was over as sunset (our Saturday 6 PM) bought more spices, prepared the whole batch, had a full night sleep Saturday night (being exhausted from being up for almost 24 hours straight: arrest to burial), then got up early Sunday morning and went to the tomb.
|
Bible Truth: |
|||||
|
|
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
Bible Truth |
Ordinary day |
Ordinary day |
Jesus crucified 3PM (Nisan 14, based upon calendar in 33 AD) preparation day |
Weekly Sabbath |
Jesus raised at day break |
|
Bible Truth: Mary prepares spices she already had on Friday (Lk 23:56), then Sunday (literally after sundown Saturday night Roman time) She bought more spices. (Mk 16:1) |
. |
. |
Lk 23:56 states Mary prepared spices on the same day Jesus was buried then rested according to the weekly Sabbath, Saturday. She could have bought them this day or already had them in her house. |
. |
Jewish Sunday begins at sundown Saturday night (6PM Roman time Saturday) Immediately after sundown on the Sabbath, Mary bought more spices since the market would open again Saturday night Roman time: Mk 16:1. Then the next morning at daybreak (still Sunday) they come to the tomb to anoint the body. |
VII. Summary Of 5 Crucifixion Positions:
View #1 is correct
|
View #1 last supper not Passover |
View #2 Crucified on Nissan 15 |
View #3 Two Passovers |
View #4 Thursday crucifixion |
View #5 Wednesday crucifixion |
|
|
Weekday of death |
Friday |
Friday |
Friday |
Thursday |
Wednesday |
|
Date of death |
Nisan 14 |
Nisan 15 |
Nisan 14 |
Nisan 14 |
Nisan 14 |
|
Year of death |
33 AD |
33 AD |
33 AD |
34 AD |
31 AD (or 28 or or 34) |
|
Weekday raised |
Sunday |
Sunday |
Sunday |
Sunday |
Saturday |
|
Date of Triumphal entry/ Palm day |
Sunday, Nisan 9 |
Sunday, Nisan 10 |
Sunday, Nisan 9 |
Sunday, Nisan 10 |
Saturday, Nisan 10 |
|
Triumphal entry/palm branches breaks Sabbath |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
YES |
|
Fulfills Passover lamb anti-type? |
YES |
NO |
YES |
YES |
YES |
|
Fulfills wave offering anti-type of resurrection on Nisan 16? |
YES |
NO |
YES |
YES |
NO |
|
Last supper is the seder/ lamb Passover meal? |
NO |
YES |
YES |
NO |
NO |
|
Fulfills possible Noah's Ark anti-type Passover: Gen 8:4 |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
|
Adopts two Sabbath theory? |
NO |
NO |
YES |
YES |
YES |
|
Adopts two Passover theory because Christ used Essenes Jubilee calendar at Qumran |
NO |
NO |
Some do but not all |
NO |
NO |
|
Adopts two Passover theory because Num 9:10-11 allowed exceptions |
NO |
NO |
some do but not all |
NO |
NO |
|
Adopts two Passover theory because Christ followed the Pharisee calculations instead of Sadducees which temple followed. |
NO |
NO |
some do but not all |
NO |
NO |
|
Literal 72 hours in grave? |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO |
NO
|
|
Churches that hold to this view |
View defended by the author of this document. (Some individuals from all churches believe this) |
Traditional view held by Catholics and many others |
Some individuals from all churches |
Some individuals from all churches |
Some Sabbatarians, H. W. Armstrong & splinter groups, (The WWCG, Worldwide Church of God, accepts 1st day resurrection) |
Calendars Used by the 5 Different Views:
|
Calendar Used by Views |
|||||
|
. |
View #1 last supper not Passover |
View #2 Crucified on Nissan 15 |
View #3 Two Passovers |
View #4 Thursday crucifixion |
View #5 Wednesday crucifixion |
|
Year of death |
33 AD |
34 AD |
33 AD |
34 AD |
28 or 31 or 34 AD |
|
Friday |
Nisan 7 |
Nisan 8 |
Nisan 7 (Qumran Nisan 10) |
Nisan 8 |
Nisan 9 |
|
SABBATH |
Nisan 8 |
Nisan 9 |
Nisan 8 (Qumran Nisan 11) |
Nisan 9 |
Nisan 10 |
|
Sunday |
Nisan 9 |
Nisan 10 |
Nisan 9 (Qumran
Nisan 12) |
Nisan 10 |
Nisan 11 |
|
Monday |
Nisan 10 |
Nisan 11 |
Nisan 10 (Qumran Nisan 13) |
Nisan 11 |
Nisan 12 |
|
Tuesday |
Nisan 11 |
Nisan 12 |
Nisan 11 (Qumran Nisan 14) |
Nisan 12 |
Nisan 13 |
|
Wednesday |
Nisan 12 |
Nisan 13 |
Nisan 12 (Qumran Nisan 15) |
Nisan 13 |
Nisan 14 |
|
Thursday |
Nisan 13 |
Nisan 14 |
Nisan 13 (Qumran Nisan 16) |
Nisan 14 |
Nisan 15 |
|
Friday |
Nisan 14 |
Nisan 15 |
Nisan 14 (Qumran
Nisan 17) |
Nisan 15 |
Nisan 16 |
|
SABBATH |
Nisan 15 |
Nisan 16 |
Nisan 15 (Qumran Nisan 18) |
Nisan 16 |
Nisan 17 |
|
Sunday |
Nisan 16 |
Nisan 17 |
Nisan 16 (Qumran
Nisan 19) |
Nisan 17 |
Nisan 18 |
|
Monday |
Nisan 17 |
Nisan 18 |
Nisan 17 (Qumran Nisan 20) |
Nisan 18 |
Nisan 19 |
VIII. Problems with Wednesday/Thursday crucifixion and Saturday Resurrection:
A. Saturday Resurrection totally unbiblical
- The fact that Mary did not anoint body on Friday when she had time, and chose to wait for two more days till Sunday morning to anoint the body.
- Nisan 10 (according to "View #5 Wednesday crucifixion") would also have been a Sabbath and hundreds or thousands of people would have broken the Sabbath on that day by cutting palm branches. Christ also would have broken the Sabbath by making the donkey carry a burden.
- Another reason this date is not acceptable is because it would have eliminated Christ rising on the day of First Fruits/Wave Sheaf
- Since you reject that Mk 16:9 gives the actual time of Jesus resurrection, you must accept that the Bible never actually tells us what day Jesus arose. Where is YOUR Bible verse that says (or even hints at) your belief that Jesus was actually raised on Saturday? In light of such emphasis the Bible places upon the first day of the week are you comfortable knowing that you must admit that GOD NEVER SPECIFICALLY TOLD US the day Jesus was raised. We view this as completely unacceptable to consider and believe this one fact alone proves that Mk 16:9 is giving the actual time Jesus was raised, rather then just stating that he "had been risen before Sunday and thus was in his resurrected stated on Sunday".
- Why did the two men on the road to Emmaus feel that Sunday was "the third day" since Jesus was crucified. How do you account for the fact that these two men were EXPECTING JESUS TO RAISE (Sunday-the third day) that very day they walked on the road while talking to Jesus.
- How do you explain the fact that the universal uninspired history record of Christians before 300 AD teaches that Jesus died on Friday and was raised on Sunday?
- If Jesus was in the tomb from Wednesday to Saturday, BUT NO ONE SAW HIM TILL SUNDAY MORNING, then no man was really a true to the fact that Jesus was not in the tomb LONGER THAN 72 hours or 3 1/2 days literal days if Jesus died on Wednesday, and was resurrected at 3:00 PM on Saturday, He was in the ground 4 days and 3 nights as the Jews counted time?
B. Literally 3 days & 3 nights = 72 Hours impossible!
- Those who insist that we must literally interpret 3 days & 3 nights = 72 Hours "It is the sign of Jonah" they say, haven't understood that it is impossible to harmonize LITERALLY all the data.
- If Jesus was resurrected If he rose AFTER the third day, after 72 hours, then all the above verses would read on the FOURTH day.
- "On the third day" vs. "after three days" are literally quite different:
- If Jesus raised literally "on the third day", then the third day was not yet over, it is literally less than 72 hours.
- If Jesus raised literally "after three days", then Jesus would have risen sometime literally after 72 hours. But this would be ON THE FOURTH DAY.
- Notice that the chief priests and Pharisees wanted the tomb guarded only until the third day, because that is when the resurrection was to occur, NOT on the fourth day! And remember, the watch at the tomb began at the end of the seventh day Sabbath, so that it could be guarded for all of the third day, which Sabbatarians say is Saturday. It was at the end of the duration of 3 days, using their own literalness, that guards STOPPED guarding the tomb. This proves that Jesus was going to raise before, not AFTER 72 hours had elapsed!
- Since we have irrefutable Bible evidence that 3 days & 3 nights may in fact be literally less than 72 hours or 3 days & 2 nights or 3 nights & 2 days (Cornelius: Acts 10:3,9, 23,24,30; Starving servant: 1 Sam. 30:12,13; Queen Esther 4:16; 5:1) we must call into question the literal length of time Jonah was in the sea monster!!! In light of the Bible passages, how can we be sure that Jonah was literally (Roman time thinking) 72 hours in the sea monster??? We come full circle to the well established point that the Jews would have viewed Friday 3 PM to Sunday 6 AM as being 3 days & 3 nights!
IX. Answer to objections of Friday Nisan 14 crucifixion, Sunday resurrection:
(no known valid objections)
1. False objection: If Christ had been crucified on a Friday then he and all his disciples would have broken the Sabbath by traveling to Lazarus' house on the Sabbath. see John 12:1.
- Answer: Travelling to Bethany on the Sabbath was a violation of Jewish tradition, but not in God's law. See Mk 7:7-9 We don't know where Jesus stayed the night before. He did stay with Zaccheus, who lived "near Jerusalem" so even nearer to Bethany, but anyway not necessarily the previous night. It is unlikely that Jesus would have done anything that could have been construed as Sabbath-breaking at this time because He knew His enemies would react immediately which would not have been in accordance with His perfect timing.
2. False objection: Why is there a blank day in your chronology the last week of Jesus life? Wouldn't at least one of the gospel writers make mention of this in the midst of an action packed week? Doesn't this prove your chronology is wrong?
- Answer: It may be that Jesus rested this entire day knowing the things coming upon him or just retreated for prayer. But such gaps are arguments from silence and mean nothing. Two eye (and ear) witnesses record that He told the mob that came to arrest Him "I was DAILY with you in the temple.." He could not have said that if only the day before He had been absent from the temple. In fact, as a Passover Lamb type, He had to be inspected in the temple every day from Nisan 10 to Nisan 14.
3. If you
have an objection, let us know, we will post it and answer it!
X. Historical Proof Of A Friday Crucifixion And Sunday Resurrection:
A. Notice that the following expressions are used interchangeably within these historical quotes:
- Day of Lord's resurrection
- Lord's Day
- Eighth day
- Sunday
- The day after the Sabbath
- First day of the week
- AND THE DAY CHRISTIANS WORSHIPPED!
B. Actual Historical References
View more of these original quotes that Christians always worshipped on Sunday
- 90AD DIDACHE: "Christian Assembly on the Lord's Day: 1. But every Lord's day do ye gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. 2. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. 3. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, saith the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations." (Didache: The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, Chapter XIV)
- 250 AD IGNATIUS: If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him ... let every friend of Christ keep the Lord's Day as a festival, the resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all the days of the week. (Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians, chp 9. Ante-Nicene Fathers , vol. 1, pg. 62-63.)
- 130AD BARNABAS: Moreover God says to the Jews, 'Your new moons and Sabbaths 1 cannot endure.' You see how he says, 'The present Sabbaths are not acceptable to me, but the Sabbath which I have made in which, when I have rested from all things, I will make the beginning of the eighth day which is the beginning of another world.' Wherefore we Christians keep the eighth day for joy, on which also Jesus arose from the dead and when he appeared ascended into heaven. (15:8f, The Epistle of Barnabas, 100 AD, Ante-Nicene Fathers , vol. 1, pg. 147)
- 150AD JUSTIN: But Sunday is the day on which we hold our common assembly, because it is the first day of the week and Jesus our saviour on the same day rose from the dead. (First apology of Justin, Ch 68)
- 150AD JUSTIN: We all make our assembly in common on the day of the Sun, since it is the first day, on which God changed the darkness and matter and made the world, and Jesus Christ our Savior arose from the dead on the same day. For they crucified him on the day before Saturn's day, and on the day after (which is the day of the Sun) he appeared to his apostles and taught his disciples these things. (Apology, 1, 67:1-3, 7; First Apology, 145 AD, Ante-Nicene Fathers , Vol. 1, pg. 186)
- 150AD JUSTIN: ...through the resurrection from the dead on the first day of the week of Jesus Christ our Lord. For the first day of the week, although it is the first of all days, yet according to the number of the days in a cycle is called the eighth (while still remaining the first). (Dialogue 41:4)
- 180AD GOSPEL OF PETER: Early in the morning when the Sabbath dawned, a multitude from Jerusalem and the surrounding country came to see the scaled sepulchre. In the night in which the Lord's day dawned, while the soldiers in pairs for each watch were keeping guard, a great voice came from heaven. [There follows an account of the resurrection.] Early in the morning of the Lord's day Mary Magdalene, a disciple of the Lord .... came to the sepulchre. (9:34f.; 12:50f.)
- 190AD CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: He does the commandment according to the Gospel and keeps the Lord's day, whenever he puts away an evil mind . . . glorifying the Lord's resurrection in himself. (Ibid. Vii.xii.76.4)
- 250AD CYPRIAN: The eight day, that is, the first day after the Sabbath, and the Lord's Day." (Epistle 58, Sec 4)
- 300AD EUSEBIUS: [The Ebionites] were accustomed to observe the Sabbath and other Jewish customs but on the Lord's days to celebrate the same practices as we in remembrance of the resurrection of the Savior. (Church History Ill.xxvii.5)
Copyright by Steve Rudd
