What day did Jesus really die?
It is most commonly believed, or at least accepted, unquestioned, in the Christian world that Jesus died on a Friday (also known as good Friday) and rose again on Sunday (also known as Easter Sunday). However, this clearly creates a contradiction in the Bible and with the very words of Jesus. Those who do not simply follow what is commonly believed and or do question Church tradition can see the obvious flaw in this tradition. Many atheists and Muslims use this against the Bible highlighting the very clear “mistake” within the biblical narrative.
Jesus said that he would spend 3 days and 3 nights in the earth:
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.
This a very clear reference to the story of Jonah found in the book of Jonah.
The heart of the earth is a reference to being dead.
In the heart of the earth – The Jews used the word “heart” to denote the “interior” of a thing, or to speak of being in a thing. It means, here, to be in the grave or sepulchre.
Barnes commentary on Matthew 12:40
The expression “in the heart of the earth,” suggested by the expression of Jonah with respect to the sea (2:3, in the Septuagint), means simply the grave, but this considered as the most emphatic expression of real and total entombment.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
The sign of Jonah is actually a lot deeper than simply 3 days and 3 nights. Jesus pulled on the story to show the parallels between himsefl and Jonah.
The parallels in Jonah and the story of Jesus are numerous.
Jonah cries from “corruption”. (many other versions have “the pit”)
Jonah 2:6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
The Hebrew word is shachath, which is the same word used of the Messiah in Psalm 16
Psalm 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
We also see the pit in reference to the Messiah in Psalm 40
Psalm 40: 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
We see the same Language as Jonah uses in
Jonah 2:5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
Psalm 18:4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
Both Jonah and Jesus are from the area of Galilee
2 Kings 14:25 He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher. (Gathheper is in Galilee)
Matthew 21:11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
Jonah was asleep on a boat when a mighty storm came. Jonah was awoken by the shipmaster came to him asking him how he was sleeping as they were about to perish.
Jonah 14 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 5Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
Jesus was also asleep on a boat when a storm came, the disciples came and woke him saying that they were going to perish.
Matthew 8: 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
Jonah was trying to flee from his calling, while Jesus was fully embracing his own.
In both narratives a great tempest arises in the sea so great that the boat was in danger.
Both Jonah and Jesus calm the storm, albeit in very different ways.
Jonah is thrown from the boat into the sea.
Jonah 1:15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
Jesus calms the storm himself by telling the sea peace and be still.
Mark 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Jonah was willing to sacrifice his life to save those on the boat. Jesus willingly gave his live as a sacrifice for humanity.
After the sea is stilled, both the crewmen of the boat Jonah was on and the disciples are stated to have had excedingly great fear.
Jonah 1:16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Jonah was in the whale for 3 days and 3 nights, Jesus was in the grave for 3 days and 3 nights.
Jonah’s life was brought up from corruption on the third day, as was the Messiah
The parallels do not end there.
After Jonah is released from the whale, he finally decides it might be a good idea to do what God had called him to do and go preach to the Ninevites (Gentiles by the way).
Jonah told them that the city would be destroyed in 40 days.
Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
The people of Ninevah repented and turned from their evil way. For this, God also repented of the destruction of the city.
Jonah 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Jesus likewise prophecied of the destruction of Jerusalem, telling them that there would be no stone of the temple left unturned.
Unlike the people of Ninevah, the Jews did not repent of their evil, they killed Jesus and the temple was destroyed within 40 years.
Jesus uses the repentence of the people of Ninevah to bring condemnation against the Jews.
Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
The Ninavites, gentiles, repented of their evil and will judge the Jewish generation of the time Jesus because they repented unlike the Jews. They repented because of the preaching of the prophet Jonah, yet the Jews did not repent despite a greater prophet than Jonah being there in their midst.
Jesus states that the sign of of Jonah would be the only sign that would be given to this wicked and adulterous generation.
Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
This being after some of the scribes and Pharisees had asked of a sign from him.
Matthew 12: 38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
We have a error. Friday to Sunday does not equate to 3 days and 3 nights. If Jesus said he would be in the earth for 3 days and 3 nights but died on a Friday and rose on a Sunday either Jesus, the Bible or the tradition is wrong. I shall give you a clue, it isn’t Jesus or the Bible.
It is impossible to get 3 days and 3 nights into Friday through Sunday, as it is taught Jesus rose Sunday morning, no matter how much you want to believe the Church tradition. It simply has to be accepted without question for this to be “correct”. Anyone who does question it can see that there are not 3 days and 3 nights between Friday and Sunday morning. Not 2000 years ago and not today. Friday to Sunday is at best 3 days and 2 nights. Unless of course we say that Jesus rose in the evening of what would be Sunday using today’s modern calendar. This however would cause major problems with the texts that say Jesus rose long before the evening of the first day of the week.
Some may argue and in fact they do argue that Jesus did not mean that he was to be dead literally for three days and three nights and that this only referred to rising on the 3rd day.
“Jesus died on Good Friday and was resurrected on Easter Sunday. The Creed does not say that Jesus was raised three days later, it says that Jesus rose “on the third day.” So, counting Friday, the day he died, as the first day and Saturday as the second, that means the third day is Sunday.”
Catholic.com
“The expression “three days and three nights” could be used as simply a slightly hyperbolic way of referring to “three days.”
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/crucifixion-wednesday
We do see a number of references to the 3rd day.
When Jesus met 2 of the disciples on the way to Emmaus after he had risen, they stated:
Luke 24:7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
We see that some of the Pharisees were worried that someone would steal the body of Jesus and pretend that Jesus had risen because even THEY knew that Jesus had said he would rise again on the THIRD day.
Matthew 27:62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate 63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Mark 14:58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.
We know that Jesus had told them that if they destroyed the (temple) he would raise it up again after 3 days:
John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Jesus also stated that he must be rejected and raised the 3rd day:
Luke 9:22 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.
Matthew 17:22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: 23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
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 ofthe chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Mark 9:31 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.
Mark 10:34 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.
However, this sign that Jesus referred to, was the only sign that Jesus said would be given. In his reference to 3 days, he explicitly stated that he must be in the heart of the earth for three days and 3 nights. IF this is not Jesus saying he would be dead for 3 days and 3 nights we must ask as to what the reference to 3 nights pertains to. If we accept that Jesus did say that he would be dead for three days, which it would seem most do, it would be wrong to ignore the fact that he also clearly stated 3 nights.
When we look at the story of Jonah in the belly of the fish(whale) we clearly see that it states 3 days and 3 nights.
Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Jesus directly references the story of Jonah as a time frame. The story of Jonah includes both days and nights.
The Bible has many references to days and nights.
Genesis 7:4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
Genesis 7:12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Exodus 24:18 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Exodus 34:28 And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
1 Samuel 3:12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
Job 2:13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.
Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
When we look at these occurrences it seems that what is being referenced is a clear time frame where the action did not stop but was continuous for that set period of time, the action would include both the day and the night, indicating a continuous action.
There are also many times that the Bible refers to 3 days without the inclusion of 3 nights
Genesis 30:36 And he set three days’ journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
Genesis 40:13 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.
Exodus 3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
Exodus 10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
Numbers 10:33 And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.
Matthew Himself uses 3 days
Matthew 15:32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
I shall give some New Testament usages of 3 days
Acts 9:9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
Acts 25:1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
Acts 28:7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.
There are in fact over 40 references to 3 days in the Bible.
Those that do ignore the information regarding the 3 nights are doing so contrary to the clear biblical references that include 3 nights.
To me, it would seem that the three nights is an important piece of information included to give a specific time frame but also the continuality of the action.
Those same disciples were clearly waiting for the third day and it would seem that they were a bit disillusioned as to why he had not yet risen:
Luke 24:21 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.
It should not be overlooked that Isaac was spared from death on the 3rd day.
Genesis 22: 4Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Actually, we find a number of 3rd day deliverences in the Old Testament.
Hosea 6:1Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
Genesis 42:15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. 16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. 17 And he put them all together into ward three days.18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
Rahab saved the men of Israel
Joshua 2:15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. 16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.
Ezra 8:31Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way. 32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.
In 1 Samuel chapter 30 we even get a reference to the spirit returning to a man after 3 days and 3 nights
1 Samuel 30:11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water; 12And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
In opposition to the Friday crucifixion, many offer Wednesday as an alternative and the “correct” day on which Jesus died.
We can see by this image how this argument is laid out. 
We shall investigate the Wednesday hypothesis during this study.
In order to ascertain which is correct and which is wrong we need a verse that states Jesus either died on a Friday (or any other day) or that he rose on a Sunday.
When we look at the biblical accounts, we find that we do have a verse that tells us specifically when he rose:
Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Jesus was risen early the first day of the week. The first day of the week is what we call Sunday, and it was early so it could not have been the evening of Sunday.
The Greek word translated as early is πρωῒ prōi and means morning /dawn
So this must have been at dawn on the first day of the week.
This verse very clearly tells us that Jesus rose early morning on the first day of the week.
If you think this verse does not belong, please see my in depth writing on Mark 16:9-20
When we go back to the beginning of Mark we see more information which supports the rising in the morning of the first day of the week:
Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
It was clearly after the sabbath had passed (Jewish sabbath is friday sundown approx 6pm – Saturday sundown approx 6pm. But we are also given more information in the next verse:
Mark 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
It is very important to not confuse the Jewish calendar and the modern calendar. This is a major problem that causes many people to misunderstand what day Jesus died and rose again.
It was early in the morning on the first day of the week (Saturday 6pm-Sunday 6pm) It was at the rising of the sun. this would make it approx 6am on the Sunday morning according to today’s calendar)
This is also echoed in Matthew:
Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
And Luke:
Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
And also in John:
John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
All four gospels support this.
There is a claim that Jesus did not rise on the first day of the week as the English (KJV) text states, but actually on the Sabbath. (This is mainly supported by those that claim Jesus died on a Wednesday and not a Thursday.) If Jesus died on a Wednesday, then in order to include 3 days and 3 nights then he must have risen on the Saturday as a Sunday morning resurrection would make 4 nights.
This is contrary to the biblical attestation of the gospels.
The main reason for this is the fact that the Greek does not actually say the first day of the week. The Greek word translated as first day of the week is (σαββάτων sabbatōn) Sabbaths, in all four of the gospels. (I shall just post Matthew):
Matthew 28:1 Ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων ἦλθεν Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαριὰ θεωρῆσαι τὸν τάφον
But the Greek IS referring to the first (day) of the week, the day after the sabbath BECAUSE it states first day of the sabbaths. The word Sabbath(s) is plural here. It is not referring to one specific Sabbath. It is NOT and CANNOT be referring to the weekly sabbath at all. The reference is to weekly sabbaths.
The Jews called the first day of the week the first day of the sabbath the first day leading to the next sabbath. the 2nd day was known as the 2nd day of the sabbath and so on.
This (Sabbaths) being referenced being the first of the Sabbath of 7 Sabbaths leading to Pentecost.
This information is found in Leviticus 23:15 and 16:
Leviticus 23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: 16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
However, unlike what some assert here, that the first weekly Sabbath after Passover is included as the 1st Sabbath of the 7 sabbaths, it is really important here is to notice that the 50 days counted until Pentecost starts from the day AFTER the sabbath (as highlighted). It is from the day after the sabbath that 7 sabbaths be counted. There are 7 sabbaths starting from the day after the weekly Sabbath of the week of Passover, not including this sabbath. 7 sabbaths which is 7 weeks. 7 days per week 7×7 is 49 then the 50th day (the next day after the 7th sabbath) is the day of Pentecost. This understanding fits perfectly with the scriptures.
BUT, by including the weekly Sabbath of the week of Passover as one of the Seven Sabbaths leading to Pentecost, we only get 43 days by counting 7 sabbaths and not 50 days as per the passage in Leviticus 23. (this is easily done on any calendar). This would make the 50 days incorrect, which obviously it is not.
The first (day) of the sabbaths is the day after the first weekly Sabbath after the Passover. The day after the Sabbath is of course the first day of the week which is Sunday and so first day of the week is a perfectly correct rendering in English of the Greek.
There is also another vital piece of information given in Matthew 28:1
Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
Matthew states that it was In the END of the SABBATH. The Greek here is Ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων
Opse de sabbatōn
ὀψέ Opse means after or late or in the evening. Again, σαββάτων Sabbaths is in the plural. Matthew uses the plural of sabbath twice in this verse.
Matthew is clearly demonstrating here that this was in the evening (later) Evening would be the start of the new Jewish day, after the Sabbaths plural. Matthew’s use of Sabbaths plural here can only mean that Matthew was referring to the evening of the new day, which as we have already seen is the first day of the 7 sabbaths leading to Pentecost and being the first day of the week Sunday, which came after not just one Sabbath, the weekly Sabbath but more than one Sabbath. Therefore, Matthew records that the woman came to the Sepulchre after at least 2 Sabbaths. When we put this together with the rest of the information, which we will see as we continue, the Sabbaths Matthew refers to are the High Sabbath of the day after Passover (the first day of the feast of unleavened bread) and the weekly Sabbath. 2 distinct and separate Sabbaths.
Now we are also told that on the same day that Jesus arose, he met with 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus:
Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem aboutthreescore furlongs.
60 furlongs is about 12 KM.
If this had been the Sabbath, then they may well have been breaking the Jewish (oral) Law.
Negative Mitzvah #321
“Jewish law sets the maximum walking range from one’s city to 2,000 cubits (3,049.5 feet, 0.596 miles (960 meters). [However, this measurement starts 70 2/3 cubits (112.24 ft.) from the city limits.] Practically speaking, this means that you may not walk a straight line more than .598 miles (3161.74 ft.) in any direction in the wilds outside your city limits.” Chabad.org
Now while this law is not a Biblical law it is part of the oral law which was held to such esteem by the Jews. While it is not conclusive that the 2 disciples would have followed this law, it is at least worthwhile to be noted.
These 2 disciples returned back to Jerusalem that same day, which is still the same day as Jesus rose, and were with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them all.
We are told by John that this was the first day of the week and not:
John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Again, the Greek is μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων which as we have already seen is the first day of the 7 sabbaths, being the Sunday, which is the first day of the week.
The 2 disciples’ statement, while on the road to Emmaus, does disprove both the Wednesday and Friday crucifixion. If we take the resurrection as being on the Sunday morning, the first day of the week:
Luke 24:21 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.
It was the third day since these things were done.
What things?
Luke 24:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
3 days SINCE he was crucified. They do not say that this was the third day, and this is another vital piece of information. Unlike the statement he will rise the 3rd day which is a count forward. This counting is not counting forward but backwards. If this was the first day of the week as we have already seen it was then this has to rule out Wednesday and Friday.
Sunday 3rd day since the crucifixion
Saturday 2nd day since the crucifixion
Friday 1st day since the crucifixion
This counting leaves us with Thursday being the day of crucifixion.
Jesus rose on the first day of the week, early in the morning. So, this was around sunrise of the Sunday morning on the modern calendar. If he rose on the Sunday evening as he would needed to have done to have remained dead for 3 days and three nights had he indeed died on the Friday, then the Bible and Jesus are the liars. This is NOT the case, so we need to find out when he died.
It might surprise people to know that there is not one verse that states Jesus died on a Friday. This however does not by itself prove that he did not. The Bible doesn’t actually give the day (number) of his death at all. There is however a verse that would allude, at least at face value, to the fact that he did indeed die on a Friday. It’s certainly a verse that is very often cited as support for the Friday crucifixion:
John 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
And it is this verse that leads many to the confusion and to state Jesus must have died on the Friday.
Here the Jewish authorities wanted Jesus to be removed from the cross so that he would not remain upon it during the sabbath and as we have already established the Jewish sabbath is Friday 6pm-Saturday 6pm. So, if they wanted Jesus down before the sabbath started it would be reasonable to assume that Jesus died on the Friday before the sabbath started at 6pm. However, this would mean Jesus did not stay 3 days and 3 nights in the earth as he had stated he would. This would make Jesus the liar. So how do we reconcile this. We need to delve a little deeper than face value. If we look a little closer at the verse in John, John specifically states that the sabbath day was actually a high sabbath day, it was NOT in fact the weekly sabbath day that was being referred to. There were, as we have already established, actually 2 sabbaths that week, the week of the crucifixion, not just the weekly sabbath. The day before the weekly sabbath was also a Sabbath, it was a high sabbath and it was this sabbath that Jesus needed to be removed from the cross before. The high sabbath would have been the Thursday 6pm-Friday 6pm. The weekly Sabbath would then have started from 6pm on the Friday.
Now obviously this is very different than the traditional view, but as we saw the traditional view cannot be correct. We have already established a Sunday, first day of the week resurrection, so the next thing is to demonstrate the claim that has been made regarding a Thursday crucifixion.
The only way that Jesus could have died on a Wednesday is if he rose on the Saturday which we have already established he did not. Friday is one night too few and so Thursday is the ONLY day which can correctly incorporate 3 days and 3 nights while also taking all the information into account.
Jesus died on the day of the Passover. Pilate confirms this when he offers to release a prisoner:
John 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. 39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
This being before Jesus was taken to be crucified which was the same day.
The Passover meal is to be consumed on the evening of the Passover (Passover is the 14th day of the first month- again according to the Jewish calendar):
Leviticus 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover.
So, this would be between 6pm and 6am of the Wednesday night using the modern calendar. (Jesus was not the Passover lamb as so many incorrectly believe)
Passover being Wednesday 6pm – Thursday 6pm
The day after the Passover is the first day of the feast of unleavened bread which is a high sabbath. This being the Thursday 6pm-Friday 6pm:
Leviticus 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
The Passover being the 14th day and the 1st day of the feast of unleavened bread being the 15th day.
The last supper was the Passover meal observed on the Wednesday night. The disciples were sent to get the Passover meal ready for Jesus and his disciples to eat.
On one website I found, it claims that Jesus did not eat the Passover, this is despite the author arguing for the Thursday crucifixion …which is an interesting take.
“Reading Mark, Matthew, and Luke one can get the impression that the “last supper” was the Passover meal. Some have even argued that Jesus might have eaten the Passover meal a day early—knowing ahead of time that he would be dead. But the fact is, Jesus ate no Passover meal in 30 AD. When the Passover meal began at sundown on Thursday Jesus was dead. He had been hastily put in a tomb until after the festival when proper and full Jewish burial rites could be carried out.
https://jamestabor.com/jesus-died-on-a-thursday-not-a-friday/
This author then argues that Jesus only wanted to eat the Passover with his disciples but actually didn’t and appeals to Luke 22:14 as evidence.
“There are some hints outside of John’s gospel that such was the case. In Luke for example, Jesus tells his followers at that last meal: “I earnestly wanted to eat this Passover with you before I suffer but I won’t eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:14). A later copyist of the manuscript inserted the word “again” to make it say “I won’t eat it again,”
https://jamestabor.com/jesus-died-on-a-thursday-not-a-friday/
It is a slight side track but the claims made here are simply wrong
Luke 22:14-16 actually states
Luke 22:14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
There is no again in the Greek. No copyist has added the word “again” in this verse because it does not exist in the Greek manuscripts. While It is true that some versions in ENGLISH have the word again this is simply being used by the English translators to interpret the meaning of I wont eat it (again) UNTIL. This clearly meaning that he wont eat it again UNTIL it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. I would recommend some studies into textual criticism for the author.
Jesus sat down with his disciples and stated he desired to eat THIS Passover with them.
Jesus DID eat the Passover meal It is very clearly the last supper as depicted in scripture.
Mark 14:12 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? 13And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. 14And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 15And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. 16And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
17And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. 18And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.
Luke 22:7Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 8And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. 9And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? 10And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. 11And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 12And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. 13And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
John 13:1Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;
The Passover was the first day of unleavened bread:
Exodus 12:18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.
This is NOT the first day of the feast of unleavened bread which starts the day after the Passover. The Passover while not part of the feast of unleavened bread is however also a day of unleavened bread. There are actually 8 consecutive days of unleavened bread in total. The Passover plus 7 days of the feast of unleavened bread. 14th-21st of the first month inclusive.
After the Passover meal Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane:
Matthew 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
This was where Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested.
Jesus was first taken to Annas:
John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 13And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
Later Jesus was taken to a second place, Caiaphas the high priest for questioning:
John 18:24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
We know this was still the night-time as Jesus had told Peter that before the night had ended before the cock crowed, bringing in the morning, Peter would deny him 3 times and the cock had not yet crowed. The Jewish night would be 6pm-6am:
Matthew 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
It was then that Jesus was taken to Pilate:
John 18:28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. 29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
We know that this was now the morning after 6 am as we are told in the previous verse that the cock had now crowed after Peter had denied Jesus 3 times. Signifying that morning had now started:
John 18:27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
Jesus was then taken to Pilate where he was questioned.
Pilate then ordered that Jesus be scourged after this:
John 19:1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
John who was writing to the Romans uses Roman time and states the time was about 6am in the morning (of the Passover) so this would be Thursday morning:
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!
Notice that John says here that this was the PREPARATION. Many people wrongly understand this as the preparation of the weekly Sabbath, as we clearly see John says this was the preparation of the PASSOVER and not the weekly Sabbath.
Catholic.org argues that this refers to the Sabbath
But this explanation will not do. In the first century, “the day of preparation” referred to Friday, not the day before Passover. Further, we know from Scripture that the Sabbath following Jesus’ crucifixion was the regular, weekly Sabbath, the seventh day of the week: “Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher” (Matt. 28:1).
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/crucifixion-wednesday
The article then proceedes to give the timeline for the crucifixion and resurrection
Friday, the Day of Preparation: Jesus is crucified with two thieves. From noon to three in the afternoon, a darkness covers the land (Matt. 27:45). Then, “[s]ince it was the Day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath . . . the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away” (John 19:31). Then Joseph of Arimathea obtains Jesus’ body and buries it: “It was Preparation Day [that is, the day before the Sabbath]. So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body” (Mark 15:42-43, NIV).
Saturday, the Sabbath: “On the Sabbath they [the women] rested according to the commandment” (Luke 23:56b). Also on this day, “that is, after the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate” and asked for a guard to be placed on the tomb (Matt. 27:62).
Sunday, the first day of the week: “Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher” and found that Jesus had risen from the dead (Matt. 28:1).
Those anti-Catholics who allege that the Church commemorates Christ’s death on the wrong day are themselves in the wrong. The appropriate time for Christians to gather to commemorate Christ’s death is indeed Good Friday, not a hypothetical Crucifixion Wednesday.
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/crucifixion-wednesday
But as we have already seen, Matthew refers to Sabbaths plural not one singular Sabbath and John explicitly states it was the preparation of the Passover not the weekly Sabbath.
Either whoever wrote the article is unaware of this fact and has missed the clear reference to the preparation of the Passover or they have misunderstood this.
The preparation of the Passover is not the preparation for the Passover or the weekly sabbath, but the preparation OF the Passover which is to get ready for the start of the feast of unleavened bread which starts the day after Passover and is a high sabbath:
Numbers 28:16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD. 17And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. 18In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:
Which we have already seen in Leviticus.
The Greek word translated as preparation is παρασκευή paraskeué. This, unlike what some would assert, does NOT always refer to the preparation of the weekly Sabbath. It can and does also refer to any day where preparation is required such as for a festival or FEAST….
(strongs states – preparation, the day of preparation (for a Sabbath or feast)
The Greek word translated as high in John 19:31 is μεγάλη megalē. This is the same word used in John 7:37 where John refers to the Sabbath at the end of the feast of Tabernacles although translated as great in the KJV.
John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
This sabbath is found in Leviticus 23
Leviticus 23: 36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
This shows that John used the word megalē in reference to the Sabbath day of the feast rather than the weekly Sabbath.
The day before a weekly or a feast sabbath is a preparation day as they have to prepare for the sabbath. The day after passover is a sabbath and thus passover itself is a day of preparation.
We are told that Jesus taught half way through the festival
John 7:14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
So John 7:37 must, therefore, be referring to the Sabbath at the end of the festival.
Does Luke make it clear that this was before the weekly Sabbath and that there was only one Sabbath?
This is an argument that I personally have had used against me. That there is no way around Luke’s chronology of the events. This is of course if you ignore the already highlighted information and take Luke to having explicitly referred to only 1 Sabbath without any possibility of a second.
However, Luke also states that the day was the preparation and he also states that the Sabbath drew on:
Luke 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
However, we have already seen which day of preparation this was. It was the preparation of the Passover as attested to by John. The Sabbath that Luke referred to was not the weekly sabbath but the high Sabbath that John also referred to. Luke simply referred to it as a Sabbath as the High sabbath is also a sabbath. Luke was not referring to the weekly sabbath at this point. The gospel of John gives the extra information that we do not get in Luke. We also know that Matthew states that there were 2 Sabbaths. Luke is specifically referring to one, the one which followed the day of crucifixion which again attested to by John was the high Sabbath and not the weekly Sabbath. Luke THEN refers to the weekly sabbath where he states that the woman rested as was the command to do so.
Luke 23:56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
If we look at the Greek Luke uses the Greek word μὲν men BEFORE the word sabbath. This is NEVER repeated anywhere else in the New Testament. Men is a Disjunctive Particle, which shows affirmation of something, a certainty. Luke makes it very clear that the Sabbath that he is referring to in this verse is the specific sabbath of the COMMANDMENT. This was the INDEED Sabbath, the specific Sabbath, specifically that of the commandment.
He makes no such reference in Luke 23:54 though he also specifies the Preparation.
So, Luke had already referred to the sabbath in verse 54 which was the sabbath after the preparation which as we saw is the high sabbath of the LAW that follows the Passover, then he refers to the sabbath of the command. Luke, therefore, also refers to 2 different sabbaths.
We need to correlate all 4 gospels together.
We must then ask if Jesus died on a Wednesday and the next day was the high Sabbath, why the woman waited until after the weekly Sabbath to come and anoint the body when they would have had a day in between the high Sabbath and the weekly Sabbath to do this.
Mark, who wrote to the Jews, states the time that Jesus was on the cross as the 3rd hour. The 3rd hour would be the 3rd hour of the new day which started at 6am so would be 9am using modern time:
Mark 15:25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
Mark continues and we find that at the 6th hour (so 6 hours after 6am would be about midday modern time) There was darkness over the whole land until the 9th hour (3pm):
Mark 15:33And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
And it is at this time that Jesus cried out the famous words Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?:
Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
We are then told by Mark that Jesus died:
Mark 15:37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
This being at approx 3pm on the day of Passover or Thursday, remember Passover started Wednesday night but continued until 6pm Thursday, and Jesus was removed from the cross before 6pm which would have been the start of the high sabbath (the first day of the feast of unleavened bread).
Passover Wednesday 6pm – Thursday 6 pm
High sabbath Thursday 6pm Friday 6pm
Weekly Sabbath 6pm Friday – 6pm Saturday
First day of week Saturday 6pm-sunday 6pm
Jesus died 3pm Thursday (day 1) Thursday 6am- Thursday 6pm
Night 1 Thursday 6pm – Friday 6am
Day 2 Friday 6am – Friday 6pm
Night 2 Friday 6pm – Saturday 6am
Day 3 Saturday 6am – Saturday 6pm
Night 3 Saturday 6pm – Sunday 6am
Here we can show the Wednesday death incorrect again. If Jesus died on a Wednesday this would actually make 4 days and 4 nights because of inclusive days, Jesus said 3 days and 3 nights not 72 literal hours. If we add Wednesday to the above breakdown, we simply add a fourth day which is unbiblical.
Jesus died 3pm Wednesday (day 1) Wednesday 6am- Wednesday 6pm
Night 1 Wednesday 6pm – Thursday 6am (start of High sabbath evening)
Day 2 Thursday 6am – Thursday 6pm (high sabbath day)
Night 2 Thursday 6pm – Friday 6am
Day 3 Friday 6am – Friday 6pm
Night 3 Friday 6pm – Saturday 6am (sabbath evening)
Day 4 Saturday 6am-saturday 6pm (sabbath day)
night 4 Saturday 6pm -Sunday 6am 1st day of the week evening) (Jesus rose just before 6pm on Sunday morning 1st day of the week
4 days and 4 nights…that’s not at all biblical.
The woman had to wait until the sabbath was over to anoint the body. If Jesus died on a Wednesday and the next day was a high sabbath this would be Thursday. The weekly sabbath would not start until Friday night giving the woman 24 hours between the high sabbath and the weekly sabbath to do so.
The only way to get 3 days and 3 nights with Jesus having risen on the first day of the week in the morning as the Bible clearly states is for Jesus to have died on Thursday. This matches completely what Jesus himself stated and all the verses revolving around the resurrection and timeline.
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