Christ died on Thursday and rose on Sunday

[Sower]

Good Friday has become a tradition in the Christian world. But the Lord Jesus died on Thursday and rose on Sunday.

The year the Lord died, the 14th of Nisan, the Passover Feast, fell on Wednesay evening at sundown and went to Thursday evening at sundown (the Jewish mode of reckoning the 24 hour day). In 1 Corinthians 5:7 Paul says that "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us".

The passover lamb, the sacrificial lamb which was the primary type of Christ, was sacrificed on Wednesday evening and the Paschal supper was eaten the same evening by our Lord and His apostles. In order that Christ should become our Passover Lamb -- the Lamb of God -- He would die before sundown the next day, Thursday. And so He did, shortly after 3:00 p.m. on Thursday (Luke 23:44-46, in which the hours of daylight are being expressed, and thus the 9th hour).

So the Lord was in the tomb a portion of Thursday, Friday (the day of preparation, John 19:42), Saturday (sabbath), and a portion of Sunday, thus fulfilling His prophecy that He would be *in the heart of the earth* three days and three nights.

[Ambassador4Christ]

interesting  

[John1one]

I agree, “Interesting!”

Nevertheless, when did the women have a chance to buy (Mark 16:1) and prepare (Luke 23:56) the spices to anoint the body of Christ?

If you have back to back Sabbaths for the Passover (the Holy Day on Nisan 15, and the weekly Sabbath), the places of business would be closed.

I have to go with a Wednesday crucifixion!

God bless,

John1one

[Raphu]

Here is a good link with day by day explanation of events leading to the Lord's resurrection:
http://centuryone.com/crucifixion.html

[Ambassador4Christ]

Roman Catholicism has dictated the date of many Christian events and distorted the meaning of others. The fact is that Christ was not crucified on Friday, nor did he raise on Sunday morning.

 

Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whales belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

 

According to tradition, Jesus died on the cross at 3:00 PM on Friday and rose very early Sunday morning. How can three days and three nights be compressed in such a short time span? Most Christians simply ignore the obvious problem and hold the traditional view. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Jesus was crucified and died on Friday. This is because the Bible says that Jesus was crucified on the day before the Sabbath.

 

Mark 15:42 and now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath.

 

There were other Sabbaths beside the weekly Sabbath (Saturday). The first day of the Passover week no matter what day it may be.

 

Exodus 12:16 and in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.

 

Lev 23:7 in the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

 

The Passover Sabbath, falling on the 15th of Nisan, which came on Thursday the year that Christ, died. It was not accidental that Christ died during the Passover. The Bible tells us that Jesus was tried and crucified as the preparation of the Passover was going on.

 

John 19:14 and it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King:

 

Christ was not tried and crucified before the weekly Sabbath (Friday), but the day before the Passover Sabbath. In the year falling on Thursday, therefore, the only conclusion we can make is that Christ was crucified on Wednesday. John tells that Jesus ate the Passover the evening before and that he himself died on the cross at the very moment that the Passover lambs were being killed between the two evening on the 14th of Nisan Jesus the real paschal lamb, whom all other paschal lambs offered through the centuries were only types, was therefore slain at the very time appointed of God. He would not eat the Passover lamb on the Passover day, for he was the Passover lamb.

 

Exodus 12:3 speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for the house:

 

Exodus 12:6 and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

 

Jesus was killed on the 14th of Nisan. He was not crucified on the Passover day but on the preparation of the Passover, and that he was to be three days and three nights in the grave, and as the preparation of the Passover that year would be Wednesday and his resurrection early on the first day of the week. This allows exactly three days and three nights in the grave. Jesus died some time after 3:00 PM on Wednesday and was placed in the tomb before dark or at the beginning of a new day, Thursday (remember that the day started at 6:00 PM). Wednesday night, Thursday night, and Friday night makes three nights. Thursday, Friday and Saturday day takes care of the three days. So at the beginning of the first day of the week which is Sunday, which started at 6:00 PM Saturday night our time, Jesus rose from the grave. The statement that Jesus made was literally true (Matthew 12:40), his body lay in the sepulcher three days and three nights, but he himself went into paradise and declared that the perfect sacrifice had been made and then led the O.T. saints out of that place and Paradise has been moved into the third heaven. (Ephesians 4:8-10; II Corinthians 12:2)

 

I Peter 3:18 for Christ also hath one suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, and quickened by the Spirit:

I Peter 3:19 by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

 

If we take exactly what the Bible teaches, we see the marvelous fulfillment of prophecy and O.T. typology, on the other hand, if we accept the Roman Catholic tradition, we rob Christ of essential glory. In fact if the traditional good Friday/Easter morning tradition not only robs Christ, it also neglects the clear teaching of Gods word, thus placing it beneath everything about the Passover lamb that Jesus was a picture of:

1.      He was a lamb without spot or blemish. (Exodus 12:5 your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.)

2.      He was chosen on the 10th day of Nisan. (Exodus 12:3 in the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb.)

 

It was he 10th day of the month, the preceding Saturday, that the triumphal entry into Jerusalem was made, and not on Palm Sunday as tradition suggests. This is clear since Jesus came from Jericho to Bethany six day before the Passover.

 

John 12:1 then Jesus six day before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

 

This would have been Friday that he made the trip from Jericho to Bethany. If the Roman Catholic Palm Sunday is historically correct, it would mean that Jesus made a trip on the Sabbath (six days before Friday) in violation of the law.

 

Exodus 16:29 see, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

 

Bethany was a Sabbaths day journey from Jerusalem.  

 

Acts 1:12 then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath days journey.

 

Jesus entered Jerusalem on the next day.

 

John 12:12 on the next day much people that were come to the feast, when thy heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

 

It was also the same day that Judas went to the chief priest and offered to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:6-16; Mark 14:3-11). That evening (Friday night), Jesus and his disciples were at dinner at Simon the Lepers house. That same night (now Saturday, 10th of Nisan, remember that the days begins at sunset), Judas sold Jesus the fulfillment of prophecy.

 

Zech 11:12 and I said unto them, if ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear, So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

 

There is absolutely nothing is favor of a Friday crucifixion or any verses to support it. On the other hand, everything scripture offers on the time of the Lords crucifixion points to Wednesday:

1.      Matthew 26:61 to build it in three days.

2.      Matthew 27:40 buildest it in three days.

3.      Matthew 27:63 after three days I will rise again.

4.      Mark 8:31 and he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

5.      Mark 9:31 and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

6.      Mark 19:34 and shall kill him; and the third day he shall rise again.

 

[asaph]

This is interesting but not to be taken to extremes. I hold to the traditional Friday crucifixion.
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Friday is the first day, Saturday is the second, and Sunday is the third.

asaph

[asaph]

I support the traditional view that Jesus was crusified on Friday and rose again on Sunday. Here is a very good source proving this fact. Check it out yourself and then let us know what you think.
http://www.christiancommunitychurch.us/dovenet/wedf3dn.htm

asaph

[Saved_4ever]

Sorry you are incorrect.  

[Ambassador4Christ]

I support the traditional view that Jesus was crusified on Friday and rose again on Sunday. Here is a very good source proving this fact. Check it out yourself and then let us know what you think.
http://www.christiancommunitychurch.us/dovenet/wedf3dn.htm

asaph

interesting Thanks asaph  

[asaph]

Sorry you are incorrect.  

Brother, thankyou for telling me. Did you actually read the whole article and come to that conclusion? I waffled on this issue for some time, but now I am convinced that Jesus really did rise on the third day. The Jewish way of reckonning a day traditionally includes the whole night and day. So Friday's crucifixion is inclusive of the night before, and Sunday's ressurrection includes that night and day also. The author ellaborates on this in the article. He uses a lot of scripture to prove his point. You might want to re-read it.  Hope your day is pleasant.

asaph

[asaph]

Friday - Jesus arrives in Bethany (John 12:1) Saturday - Sabbath day of rest.
Sunday - Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19).
Monday - Clearing the Temple (Matthew 21:10-17; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 19:45-48).
Tuesday - Arguing with the Pharisees, instructing the disciples on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 21:23-24:51; Mark 11:27-13:37; Luke 20:1-21:36).
Wednesday - In seclusion prior to Passover.
Thursday evening - Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-23; John 13:1-30).
Friday - Crucifixion at 3 PM on April 7, buried before sunset which was 6 PM.
Saturday - Jesus dead in the tomb.
Sunday - Resurrection very early in the night part of Sunday (Jewish reckoning) (Matthew 28:1-13; Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:1-49; John 20:1-31).

asaph

[John1one]

Greetings A4C,
I agree with most of your post - that is that Christ indeed died on Wednesday and rose in the final moments of the Sabbath on our Saturday. However, I have a few things I would like to discuss, if you don't mind.

We are in agreement up to the point where you say:

…but he himself went into paradise and declared that the perfect sacrifice had been made and then led the O.T. saints out of that place and Paradise has been moved into the third heaven. (Ephesians 4:8-10; II Corinthians 12:2)

I Peter 3:18 for Christ also hath one suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, and quickened by the Spirit:

I Peter 3:19 by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

I know what many Christians think concerning Christ's promise to the thief (Luke 23:43), but I have never heard a satisfactory explanation for only the body of Jesus dying. If Christ did not "surely" die (Genesis 3:4), do we have a Savior? According to the Word of God, there is silence in the grave, no thoughts in one's mind or the ability to praise God or enjoy learning His Word (Psalm 30:9; 146:4; Isaiah 38:18-19). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). If Christ did not pay that penalty, what did He do to pay for our sins?

As far as preaching to the "spirits in prison" who were disobedient during the time of Noah (1Peter 3:20), it was the Spirit of Christ in Noah that witnessed to those before the flood. Consider 1Peter 1:11, 12, where it plainly says that it was the Spirit of Christ in the prophets of old that witnessed to both the prophets and to those to whom they were sent.

Indeed Matthew 27:51-53 speaks of a resurrection, but the Word of God does not say exactly how long after Jesus' resurrection those saints rose from their graves. They were yet in their tombs at the time of Peter's first sermon on Pentecost, for as he testifies, the body of David was still in the grave near Jerusalem (Acts 2:29); so at this time David still slept as the Word of God says. Therefore Christ didn't take any spirit anywhere while He was in the grave for three days and three nights.

The next place that I cannot give you a DITTO is:

John 12:1 then Jesus six day before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

This would have been Friday that he made the trip from Jericho to Bethany. If the Roman Catholic Palm Sunday is historically correct, it would mean that Jesus made a trip on the Sabbath (six days before Friday) in violation of the law.

Exodus 16:29 see, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

Bethany was a Sabbath day's journey from Jerusalem.  

Acts 1:12 then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day's journey.

John 12:1 is a bit premature. Jesus came from Jericho as you say, but He entered Jerusalem first, threw the money changers out of the Temple, preached to the people and left for Bethany (Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:11). He came to Bethany from Jerusalem, not Jericho. Also, He spent the Sabbath at Bethany, because from the town of Bethany to the city of Jerusalem was NOT a Sabbath day's journey. Let me explain.

Notice your Scripture above (Exodus 16:29). Moses said that no one could go out of his place during the time of the Sabbath. "HIS PLACE" came to be defined as the city limits of a town or 2000 cubits if you were on a journey between cities when the Sabbath came. The word for "place" (S.4725)  is maqowm and means locality, country, or home. In Numbers 35:5 the Law fixed the limits of the city to its suburbs of 2000 cubits on every side. This was considered to be a Sabbath Day's journey, set by ancient rabbis and continued to the time of Jesus (Acts 1:12). That Jesus agreed with this prohibition of travel on the Sabbath can be seen in the Olivet Prophecy in Matthew 24:20, where He tells the apostles to pray that their flight in persecution would not occur in winter or on the Sabbath day.

Some Bible scholars believe that there is a contradiction between Luke 24:50 and Acts 1:12. The one says that Jesus ascended into heaven from Bethany, while the other says He ascended from the Mount of Olives. There is no contradiction when one considers the "city limits" of the Sabbath day's journey. 2000 cubits (a Sabbath day's journey) is about 7-8 furlongs. The problem is that Bethany is 15 furlongs from Jerusalem (John 11:18). The Mount of Olives is between the two cities and somewhere on the mount the two "city-limits" meet. One could walk up the mount from Bethany and speak to people come from Jerusalem on a Sabbath, but one could not go from city to city (Exodus 16:29; Numbers 35:5) on the Sabbath. Therefore, Jesus did not enter Jerusalem on the Sabbath; moreover the Jews were not to burden their beasts (Deuteronomy 5:14) on the Sabbath, and Jesus rode the colt of an ass into Jerusalem. He spent the Sabbath, the 10th of Nisan (called the Great Sabbath in Jewish tradition), in Bethany.

What we refer to as the Triumphant Entry of Christ did indeed occur on what we call Palm Sunday. The fact is Jesus made no less than three entries into Jerusalem. Each time on an ass, and each time He threw out the money changers and preached to the people. The priests were positively livid by His third entry, and welcomed Judas' offer to betray Him. Incidentally, he did not decide to betray Christ until two days before the Passover (Matthew 26:2, 14-16).

The rest of your document gets one great big DITTO!!!

Have a great evening, my friend, and God bless,

John1one

[John1one]

Greetings asaph,

Concerning your second post (#6), if you wish to discuss inclusive reckoning, state your case. It is difficult to carry on a discussion with a link. Links are fine; I have read  yours out of respect for your post, but what I read I've heard before and I am not impressed. There is so much more to the reason Christ was in the tomb for 72 hours than just arguing over three days, the third day, after three days and three days and three nights. There are certain types that Christ fulfilled by resurrecting in the end of the Sabbath day, just as the priests were harvesting the Wave Sheaf Offering to be offered at sunrise the next day. Incidentally these same sheaves were bound together on the Passover day as Christ hung on the cross. The significance of this being that Christ is the Firstfruits. Nothing could be harvested before the Wave Sheaf was bound, cut and offered. Christ was bound to the cross with nails while the priest bound the selected grain offering on Passover Day. He rose from the dead in the end of the Sabbath just as the priests were harvesting that grain, and He ascended to the Father at sunrise on Sunday morning just as that same grain offering (the Wave Sheaf Offering) was offered before the rest of the harvest could be taken in from the field. Your link spoke about Christ fulfilling the Wave Sheaf Offering, but failed to give the complete picture. Near the end of your link the author says:

"The issues here are much deeper than most people realize. Had Christ not fulfilled every single Old Testament type and shadow pointing forward to His atoning death and resurrection, He would be an imposter and fraud."

I agree with this, but the author presented nothing new to me. I have heard all this before and had to take it into consideration before adopting what I believe to be true about this issue. Incidentally, by promoting a Friday crucifixion and a Sunday resurrection, the link fails to be true to what the author says in the quote I cut and pasted above. This is not just about three days and three nights. It is about fulfilling each of the things in the Law that prefigured Christ.

Your link says that because I hold to a Wednesday crucifixion and a Sabbath resurrection that I am:

• devious,
• that my conclusions are grossly imaginary,
• that because I do not buckle to its verbal intimidation that I am not open minded,
• that I base my conclusions on the twisted interpretation of a single Bible text,
• that I take all the Biblical evidence and force it into an artificial conformity with the "three days and three nights."

About the kindest thing your link says about me is that I am part of a "vocal minority of Christians who have made a tremendous issue out of the phrase 'three days and three nights.' " How the author of such a link could consider me a Christian when he assumes I am devious, grossly imaginary, closed minded, twisting the meaning of God's Word in order to force Scripture into an artificial conformity to my own views... is just beyond my comprehension. Perhaps he was just being kind when he included me as a Christian. Yet, if he was being kind, why would he call a brother devious… etc.?

Continued below

[John1one]

Continued to Asaph from above:

Concerning your first post (#5) I am not certain that I understand your thoughts here. Do you imply that we can throw out the proposition that the women had to have a time to both "buy" and "prepare" spices so they could anoint the body of Jesus and still not break the Sabbath? I know what your link says, but what do you say?

What of the fact that there was an earthquake at the end of the Sabbath in Matthew 28:1-2?
Matthew 28:1  In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. 2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

Notice the words as it began to dawn toward  the first day of the week. The Greek word is epiphisko (S.2020). The same word is used in Luke 23:54 for the Sabbath "drawing on." Here in Matthew 28:1 it was the end of the Sabbath (near sunset on Saturday), as the first day of the week began to "draw on" or "draw near." Again, I know what your link says, but what do you think?

Let's take a closer look at the "three days" and the "third day" with particular attention to the prepositions involved.

Matthew 26:61  "And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days." - The word translated "in" is the Greek word "dia" (S.1223). It means to pass through as in Hebrews 11:29 where the Israelites "passed through" the Red Sea. Concerning time it has the meaning of through, throughout, and during. In Acts 1:3 it has the meaning of "throughout" a 40 day period. In Hebrew 2:15 it means "during" an entire lifetime. For the three days in Matthew 26:61 it would be the entire three day period, complete days and nights, not partial. Mark 14:58 uses the same Greek word, "dia" (S.1223), but is translated "within" three days.

Matthew 27:40  "And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." - The  Greek word is "en" (S.1722) and has the meaning of resting or staying within a thing; it means in or within - as "in" a ship Matthew 4:21; "in" a synagogue Matthew 4:23. In Matthew 27:40 it means that Christ will be in the tomb "within" the parameters of three days. This Greek word is also used in Mark 15:29 and John 2:19-20 concerning the length of time Jesus would be in the tomb.

Matthew 27:63  "Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again." Here the Greek word is "meta" (S.3326) and has the meaning of after.  It expresses succession of time as in "after six days…" (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2). Because we say "after" we should not think this must mean that it refers to a period of time after the 72 hour period is complete, because this is not how this word is used. It would mean "after" the third day had begun, but in the midst of it. Notice how it is used in Hebrews 7:28: "For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore." Meta (S.3326) here is translated "since." The oath was taken "after" the law was in effect, not after the age of the law was completed. The oath is record in Psalm 110:4, and the age of Law was certainly still in effect. Concerning the length of time Jesus was in the tomb, this same Greek word is used in (Mark 8:31).

Matthew 12:40  "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." There are no prepositions to help us here, but frankly I think it is pretty clear.

Matthew 27:64  "Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first." The Greek word for "until" is "hoes" (S.2193) and has the meaning as long as or continuance until the end of a matter. In Matthew 27:64 the guard was to stay at the tomb for the entire period mentioned by the priests.

The rest of the Scriptures concerning the "third day" are Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Mark 9:31; 10:34; Luke 9:22; 18:33; 24:7, 21, 46; Acts 10:40 and 1Corinthians 15:4. There are no prepositions to help us in any of these Scriptures except perhaps Luke 24:21 where the disciples say that this is "the third day since these things". The Greek word here is "apo" (S.575) and means from or since. It has the sense of "from" any time onwards. Here we would have to consider the whole day (the first day of the week) because the two disciples were speaking to Jesus toward evening that day. If you count the final moments of Friday, it has the possibility to mean what you say, provided Christ rose at sunrise the first day of the week rather than sunset on the 7th day of the week as indicated by Matthew 28:1. The clause in Luke 24:21 can also refer to the third days since all those things that happened were done, but then again, according to your link, I may be very devious in how I present my case here.

All things considered Christ died and rose:

• "dia" (S.1223) a full three days later,
• "en" (S.1722) within the parameters of three days (i.e. no longer than 72 hours),
• "meta" (S.3326) after three successive days (yet in the midst of those days),
• three days and three nights later or
• on the third day

If you wish to go with "tradition," asaph you are welcome to it, but I do not see how you can prove your case using the Word of God. Merely quoting the Scriptures that say "the third" day proves nothing. By itself, it can mean as you say, but when figured into the whole scheme of events that took place and all the other predictions that Christ made concerning how long He would be in the tomb, it MUST mean a literal 72 hours. But, these are just my thoughts concerning the Scriptures. I would be interested in yours, but please don't just send me to a link. This is a discussion forum. If I was interested in a study I might use a search engine and be guided to such a link as you posted. Nevertheless, I am interested in you thoughts and the adventure of a good exchange of ideas. Perhaps neither of us will fully embrace the other's point of view, but there is a certain excitement in seeing one's belief's challenged and how to respond. All this is lost on a mere "link" - don't you think?

Have a great evening and God bless,

John1one

[Allinall]

Perhaps I'm simplistic...but isn't it just wonderful that He died for us, and rose to live in us?