Ee-18. WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED ON GOOD FRIDAY?

ON WHAT DAY of the WEEK was JESUS CRUCIFIED?

Some Christians teach that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, was laid in the tomb just before sunset at the start of the weekly Jewish Sabbath day on a Saturday and then was raised from the dead on Sunday just before sunrise.

Other Christians say that a crucifixion on a Friday is not possible because Jesus needed to be in the heart of the earth for three full days and three full nights before his resurrection on Sunday, the FIRST day of the week.

And then there are even a few Christians who teach that Jesus was crucified on a Thursday and was laid in the tomb just before sunset on the high Sabbath day, the first day of unleavened bread and was raised from the dead on Sunday just before sunrise.

We will take a look at these three possible days that Jesus was crucified as we continue this study in God's word. But before we get into the actual DAY of the WEEK that Jesus was crucified, let us take a look at some Biblical facts that we do know straight from the Bible with no interpretation needed.

Fact #1.

Most every Christian knows that Jesus is our PASSOVER LAMB that was SLAIN from the foundation of the world for our sins. And we know that Jesus was crucified on the 14th day in the FIRST month of the Jewish year called Nissan on the Feast of Passover. The month of Nissan on the Jewish calendar is the month of ABIB when God delivered his people Israel from Egypt. 1 Corinthians 5:7 teaches us that Jesus is OUR PASSOVER that was offered for the sins of the world.

1 Corinthians 5:7.

“Purge out, therefore, the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ OUR PASSOVER is sacrificed for us:”

And in Revelation 13:8 we learn that Almighty God had in his mind or PLAN of salvation to slay his OWN LAMB from before the foundation of the world.

Revelation 13:8.

“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the LAMB SLAIN from the foundation of the world.”

Then in John 1:29-36 we again read that Jesus is the LAMB of God who was SLAIN for the sins of the world.

John 1:29-36.

“The next day John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.

30. This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

31. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

32. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.

34. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

35. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

36. And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God!”

Then in Leviticus 23:5, we read that the LORD'S PASSOVER is observed on the 14th day of the FIRST month according to the Jewish calendar.

Leviticus 23:5.

“In the FOURTEENTH DAY of the FIRST month at EVEN (Or in the evening) is the LORD'S Passover.”

And in Exodus 12:1-14 we read about the very first Passover lamb that was KILLED on the FOURTEENTH DAY which BECAME the FIRST month of the year for God's people Israel from that time on to this present day.

Exodus 12:1-14.

“And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,

2. This month shall be unto you the BEGINNINGS of months: it shall be the FIRST month of the year to you.

3. Speak you 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 a house:

4. And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

5. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: you shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

6. And you 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. (Or just before evening or just before the starting of the new day that begins at SUNSET)

7. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

8. And they shall EAT the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. (So then, during the first half of the HIGH Sabbath, which is NIGHT, they ATE the meat of the lamb leaving nothing before morning, the second half of the HIGH Sabbath day. And thus, they had to prepare the lamb on Nissan 14 before SUNSET that BEGAN Nissan 15, which was on a Thursday in 31 AD)

9. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

10. And you shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remains of it until the morning you shall burn with fire. (So they had to make sure the fire that they kindled on Nissan 14 to roast the lamb did not go out just in case they could not eat all of the lamb and they needed to burn the rest that was left over before sunrise)

11. And thus shall you eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S Passover. (Or it is a SHADOW of Yahweh's TRUE Lamb slain BEFORE the foundation of the world)

12. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

13. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

14. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and you shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.”

In Deuteronomy 16:1 we learn that the first month called Nissan USED to be called ABIB before God changed that month of the year to be the BEGINNING of the year.

Deuteronomy 16:1.

“Observe the month of ABIB, and keep the PASSOVER unto the LORD your God: for in the month of ABIB the LORD your God brought you forth out of Egypt by night.”

In 2 Chronicles 35:1 we read where they kept the feast of the Passover. The children of Israel were commanded by God to keep the feast of Passover in JERUSALEM every year on the 14th day of the FIRST month. We also see again that the Passover LAMB was KILLED in the evening on the 14th day of the first month.

2 Chronicles 35:1.

“Moreover Josiah kept a Passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they KILLED the Passover on the FOURTEENTH day of the FIRST month.”

So then, under Fact #1, we have learned that for sure that Jesus was KILLED or CRUCIFIED on the 14th day of the FIRST month called ABIB or Nissan on the Jewish calendar.

Fact #2.

We also know that Jesus was crucified on a day BEFORE a SABBATH day. Now most Christians know that Saturday, the SEVENTH day of the week, is a Sabbath day that was kept by the Jews under the first covenant found in the Old Testament. This is called the WEEKLY Sabbath day.

This is most likely the reason why the Catholic Church picked a FRIDAY to observe the DAY of the week that Jesus was crucified and called it Good Friday. For you see, obviously, Friday is the day before Saturday which is the WEEKLY Sabbath day observed by the Jews and Jesus was crucified the day right BEFORE a Sabbath day. We will cover the church history of Good Friday momentarily after we take a look at the FACTS that we can clearly and plainly see directly the Bible itself without any need for interpretation.

Please read Mark 15:37-47, which clearly and plainly teaches us that Jesus was CRUCIFIED, DIED, and was BURIED on the very day right BEFORE a SABBATH day.

Mark 15:37-47.

“And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

38. And the veil of the temple was ripped into two parts from the top to the bottom.

39. And when the centurion, who stood there beside him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this MAN was the Son of God.

40. There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

41. (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.

42. And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day BEFORE the SABBATH,

43. Joseph of Arimathaea, an honorable counselor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

44. And Pilate marveled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

45. And when he knew it from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

46. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulcher which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulcher.

47. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.”

But the question is, “Was this day BEFORE the SABBATH day a FRIDAY?” In other words, was this particular SABBATH day the WEEKLY Sabbath day, which is on a Saturday?

Or was this particular Sabbath day the YEARLY FEAST day called PASSOVER in which the FIRST day of the feast of unleavened bread was observed as a SABBATH day? For you see, the Bible also calls the yearly feast days as being a Sabbath day. These yearly Sabbath days are also called HIGH Sabbath days.

Let us closely examine what the clear, plain, and simple word of TRUTH, the Holy Bible, has to say about this PARTICULAR Sabbath day being a HIGH Sabbath day. Please read Matthew 28:1-5, which clearly teaches us that the Jews did NOT want to have Jesus killed on the FEAST DAY.

Matthew 28:1-5.

“And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

2. You know that after two days is the FEAST of the PASSOVER, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. (And the very next day is the first day of the FEAST of unleavened bread which is a HIGH Sabbath day)

3. Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

4. And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and KILL him. (The LAMB of God prophesied before the foundation of the world to be slain for the sins of the world)

5. But they said, Not ON the FEAST day, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Please notice that the word of truth does NOT say, “...Not ON the SABBATH day…”, but rather SPECIFICALLY points out to us that this PARTICULAR Sabbath day was the ANNUAL FEAST day, the 15th of Nissan, the first day of unleavened bread. The FEAST of PASSOVER actually begins at sunset on Nissan 14. And the sacrificial LAMB was KILLED on the day of PREPARATION, the 14th of Nissan.

Please read Matthew 28:4,5 again.

“And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and KILL him.

5. But they said, Not ON the FEAST day, (Speaking of YEARLY HIGH Sabbath day on Nissan 15) lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Please understand that the feast of Passover and the 7-day feast of unleavened bread are sometimes used interchangeably. So it is splitting hairs or nit-picking, so to speak, to argue that Nissan 14 is NOT a part of Passover. There would be no FEAST to EAT if there was no LAMB. Also, know that the ANNUAL feast days, that were also SABBATH days as well, were called HIGH holy days or HIGH Sabbath days. And these high Sabbath days took precedence over the weekly Sabbath days. Let us now read in John 19:31 where this particular SABBATH day that the Jews did NOT want Jesus to be crucified upon was called a HIGH day.

John 19:31.

“The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation (The day BEFORE the Sabbath day), that the bodies should NOT remain upon the cross ON the SABBATH day, (for THAT SABBATH day was a HIGH DAY ,) sought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.”

Clearly! The plain, simple word of God is spelling out for us that this particular SABBATH day was NOT the WEEKLY Sabbath day.

Now, I myself came to this conclusion long before I ever studied this controversy concerning Jesus being crucified on Good Friday. For you see, to ME, it was NOT LOGICAL for Jesus to have died on Friday and be raised from the dead on Sunday right before sunrise. What I mean by this is that it is impossible because there were NOT THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS from Friday evening to Sunday morning.

But those who do NOT want to let go of church TRADITION, they try to squeeze three days in between Friday evening and Sunday morning by using a Hebrew or Jewish IDIOM. And according to this Jewish idiom, any portion or part of a single day may be deemed as a whole day. In other words, the remaining part of FRIDAY evening, even though it was only an hour or so, could be counted as a WHOLE day. Therefore, the Roman Catholic Church tradition, that teaches that Jesus was crucified on a FRIDAY, argues that the last part of Friday was ONE full day. Then Saturday was the SECOND full day. And the first part of Sunday before sunrise was the THIRD full day.

So then, let us EXAMINE this teaching of the Jewish IDIOM to see if it is SOUND BIBLICAL teaching in this PARTICULAR passage of Scripture.

Now IF Jesus had ONLY said in Matthew 12:40 “I will be THREE DAYS in the heart of the earth.”, then this IDIOM could possibly apply. However, Jesus did NOT just merely say three DAYS. Rather, Jesus clearly and plainly spelled out to us very SPECIFICALLY that he would be three DAYS AND three NIGHTS in the heart of the earth as a SIGN.

You see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew 12:38-40 not only specifically states that Jesus would be in the heart of the earth three days AND three nights, but it also says that it would be a SIGN as proof that he is the Messiah. And surely Jesus would FULFILL this most important SIGN to the letter of his very own spoken word.

Please read Matthew 12:38-40.

“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a SIGN from you. (In other words, they wanted to SEE a SIGN that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Christ)

39. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a SIGN; and there shall no sign be given to it, BUT (Or EXCEPT FOR) the SIGN of the prophet Jonas:

40. For AS Jonas was three days AND three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days AND three nights in the heart of the earth.”

And the ONLY way you can get three FULL days AND three FULL nights where Jesus was in the heart of the earth AND to be resurrected on Sunday, the FIRST day of the week, is for Jesus to have been CRUCIFIED on a WEDNESDAY.

You may be able to twist the meaning of the clear word of God and squeeze in three DAYS between Friday evening and Sunday morning using the Jewish IDIOM that is found nowhere in the Bible ITSELF, but you CANNOT get three FULL NIGHTS no matter how hard you try with that Jewish idiom.

The SAME is true with a THURSDAY crucifixion. For you see, Jesus himself plainly stated as a sign that he would be in the heart of the earth three days AND three nights.

Now again, you can choose to cling to the Roman Catholic Church TRADITION by twisting the clear word of God if you desire. But as for ME, I am going with the interpretation of the CLEAR, PLAIN, and SIMPLE word of truth. And the Bible ITSELF teaches us that Jesus was in the heart of the earth THREE FULL DAYS AND THREE FULL NIGHTS as a SIGN. And the ONLY way that I, myself, see to meet ALL the evidence of the whole word of God is for Jesus to have been crucified on a WEDNESDAY. And with Jesus saying AFTER three day, then a PARTIAL day is still Biblical. But an entire FOURTH night is NOT Biblical. So to try to move Nissan 14 to a Tuesday in order to try to prove a seventh day of the week resurrection ADDS an ENTIRE FOURTH NIGHT.

But just to let you know all the arguments, there are some Christians, who teach a FRIDAY crucifixion, that argue that IF the WEDNESDAY crucifixion were correct, then WHY would Mary Magdalene and the other women WAIT all the way through till SUNDAY to anoint the body of Jesus. They argue that Mary Magdalene and the other women could have just as easily taken the spices and anointed his body on FRIDAY, which was NOT a Sabbath day? And they use Luke 23:50-56 to try and prove that the SABBATH day that the Jews did NOT want Jesus to be crucified upon nor REMAIN on the cross was the WEEKLY Sabbath because this passage of Scripture says that they rested on the Sabbath ACCORDING to the COMMANDMENT.

Remember that the tomb was SEALED! And thus, it was not possible to anoint the body until AFTER the three full days and three full nights. So to me, a FRIDAY crucifixion is NOT possible, because it CONTRADICTS the Scriptures.

Luke 23:50-56.

“And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor; and he was a good man, and a just:

51. (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

52. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

53. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

54. And THAT DAY was the PREPARATION, and the Sabbath drew on.

55. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid.

56. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and RESTED the SABBATH day according to the commandment.”

Now, for ME, this is NOT proof that leaves absolutely no doubt that this Sabbath that they rested according to the commandment was the WEEKLY Sabbath. For you see, God also COMMANDED his people Israel to rest on the ANNUAL FEAST day that was SABBATH as well.

The answer to this rather weak argument can be found in the Bible. For you see, the Bible itself teaches us that the women went and bought the spices and prepared the spices on FRIDAY, the day after the YEARLY Sabbath that occurred on Thursday that particular year. And then they rested on Saturday, the weekly Sabbath, before going to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus early on Sunday morning before dawn while it was yet dark.

In other words, we have two possibilities. They either returned from the tomb after Jesus was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb and prepared spices that very same evening before sundown resting on BOTH the ANNUAL Sabbath day on Thursday and then again on the weekly Sabbath without doing anything on that Friday between the TWO Sabbath days before going to the tomb early on Sunday morning before sunrise.

Or they returned from the tomb on a WEDNESDAY at sunset and rested on Thursday from sunset to sunset which was the ANNUAL feast day Sabbath. Then they bought and prepared the spices on Friday, which was NOT a Sabbath. And then they rested again on the weekly Sabbath before going back to the tomb early Sunday morning before dawn to anoint the body of Jesus with the burial spices.

Again, those who teach a Good Friday crucifixion say that it makes no sense that these women would WAIT all the way to Sunday when they could just as easily went to the tomb on FRIDAY to anoint the body of Jesus with the spices they had prepared.

But again, to ME, this argument given by those who do not want to give up the church TRADITION of a Good Friday crucifixion does not prove without any shadow for doubt that the SABBATH that the Jews did NOT want Jesus to be crucified upon nor remain on the cross was the WEEKLY Sabbath. For you see, if you remember the tomb was GUARDED for three days and nights by Roman soldiers who had SEALED the tomb, which would PREVENT anyone from anointing the body of Jesus UNTIL AFTER the three days and three nights had passed.

Also, some Bible scholars say that after the ninth hour on the day of preparation nothing can be bought or sold. So unless these women already had all the spices they needed they could not have gone straight home to prepare the spices. In other words, they would have needed to WAIT until FRIDAY to go out and buy the spices they needed. Plus, we do not know for sure how LONG it took to prepare the spices. But we do know that the tomb was SEALED on Friday. So even IF the women bought the spices, prepared to spices, and went to the tomb on Friday, then there would have been no need for them to go AGAIN on the FIRST day of the week.

So then, another question arises. Was there enough time that evening from the time they left the tomb and returned home to prepare the spices before sunset? The Greek word that is translated as “returned” also means returned back AGAIN. With this meaning, it can easily be seen that they may have tried to go to anoint the body of Jesus on Friday or on a Wednesday but had to return AGAIN, because the tomb was already sealed and guarded.

A dear brother in the Lord wrote to me asking me if I knew about Mark 16:1 where we are told that the women BOUGHT spices AFTER the Sabbath had passed. I said NO and that I did not notice that verse before he pointed it out. It may be that I somehow had always read the word BOUGHT, as in, PURCHASED and not as being BROUGHT, as in, they were BRINGING the spices that they had already prepared to the tomb after the weekly Sabbath. Whatever the reason why I had not noticed that verse before, I thanked that brother in Jesus for bringing this verse to my attention. For you see, now I know from the word of God what I already knew in my heart, but I could not explain very well.

Please read Mark 16:1, which does indeed clearly teach us that these women came back from the tomb Wednesday evening, then rested on the ANNUAL Sabbath before BUYING the spices on FRIDAY. Again, Mark 16:1 teaches us they went out on FRIDAY and BOUGHT or PURCHASED some spices. Then they RETURNED home to prepare the spices on FRIDAY. And then they rested again on the WEEKLY Sabbath that began that EVENING on FRIDAY and returned to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with the spices AFTER the weekly Sabbath had ENDED. I realize that this one verse does not state all of this, but when you ask yourself WHEN did they have time to BUY and PREPARE the spices the ONLY LOGICAL day is on FRIDAY.

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.”

You see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, it was too late to go out and BUT any spices the day that Jesus was crucified. Even IF they already had the spices the sun was just about to set by the time they laid the body in the tomb. And there was NO TIME to go out and BUY the spices BEFORE dawn on that SUNDAY morning. So the ONLY POSSIBLE time to BUY and PREPARE the spices was on FRIDAY.

For you see, verse 2 tells us that after they rested on the weekly Sabbath that they went to the tomb very early in the morning before sunrise to anoint the body of Jesus, but when they got to the tomb they discovered that Jesus had already risen from the dead like he said he would. For me, there is overwhelming evidence from the word of God that clearly teaches us of a WEDNESDAY crucifixion.

But again, there are some Christians wanting to hold on to church TRADITION that argues that the day of PREPARATION was the day before the WEEKLY Sabbath. So, therefore, according to this argument, Jesus had to have been crucified on a FRIDAY.

Now, the day before the weekly Sabbath may be called the day that the Jews “PREPARED” for their weekly Sabbath. But the word of God teaches us in Mark 15:42-47 that the day that Jesus was CRUCIFIED was the evening BEFORE the day of the FEAST of the PASSOVER. In other words, at SUNSET on the afternoon that Jesus was crucified started a NEW day. And that new day was the HIGH Sabbath and NOT the WEEKLY Sabbath. And the HIGH Sabbath was actually called the day of PREPARATION. It was the day of preparation for the FEAST of unleavened bread.

Please read Mark 15:42-47.

“And now when the evening was come, because it was the PREPARATION, that is, the day BEFORE the SABBATH, (Speaking of the yearly HIGH Sabbath day, the FEAST of UNLEAVENED bread, which was AFTER SUNSET that EVENING which began the next day. And thus, Jesus died on the cross BEFORE sunset on a WEDNESDAY that year. In other words, the day BEFORE the HIGH Sabbath day was the day Jesus died on the cross, which was the day the Jews PREPARED for the feast of unleavened bread, the DAY they KILLED the Passover lamb)

43. Joseph of Arimathaea, an honorable counselor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

44. And Pilate marveled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

45. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

46. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulcher which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulcher.

47. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.”

My point is that the ANNUAL SABBATH day is actually called by name the day of PREPARATION. But nowhere in the Bible itself is the WEEKLY Sabbath specifically called by name as the day of “PREPARATION”. In other words, the ONLY day that is specifically called by NAME as the day of PREPARATION in the word of truth, the Holy Bible, is the day before the ANNUAL FEAST of unleavened bread. And the day BEFORE the FIRST day of unleavened bread was Nissan 14. The HIGH SABBATH day began at SUNSET on Nissan 15 right after Jesus was taken off of the cross and laid in the tomb on Nissan 14. Then the tomb was SEALED until AFTER three full NIGHTS and three full DAYS.

Please remember that the word of TRUTH specifically points out to us that Jesus was killed ON the FEAST day of PASSOVER on the day of PREPARATION that was the day BEFORE the SABBATH. And that particular Sabbath day was a HIGH day, meaning the ANNUAL Sabbath day and NOT the weekly Sabbath. Please read again Matthew 28:1-5, which clearly teaches us that the Jews did NOT want to have Jesus killed on the FEAST DAY.

Matthew 28:1-5.

“And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

2. You know that after two days is the FEAST of the PASSOVER, (Again, the feast of Passover and the feast of unleavened bread are synonymous seeing that they are celebrated TOGETHER one right after the other. They killed the Passover LAMB to PREPARE for the feast of unleavened bread) and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

3. Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

4. And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and KILL him. (The LAMB of God prophesied before the foundation of the world to be slain for the sins of the world)

5. But they said, Not ON the FEAST day, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Again, please notice that the word of truth does NOT say, “Not ON the SABBATH day” Rather this verse SPECIFICALLY points out to us that this PARTICULAR Sabbath day was the ANNUAL FEAST day, the 15th of Nissan, the first day of unleavened bread, the FEAST of PASSOVER where the sacrificial LAMB was KILLED on the day of PREPARATION the 14th of Nissan.

Let us read Matthew 28:4,5 one more time.

“And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and KILL him. (The LAMB of God prophesied before the foundation of the world to be slain for the sins of the world)

5. But they said, Not ON the FEAST day, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

The only FEAST day that fits all the Scriptures is the FEAST of unleavened bread that begins on the day AFTER the feast of Passover. And all Christians agree that Jesus was crucified on the feast of Passover. We also know from John 19:31 that this ANNUAL SABBATH FEAST day was called a HIGH day, which distinctly distinguished this particular HIGH SABBATH from the weekly Sabbath. In other words, the weekly Sabbath day is never called a HIGH day.

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 was a HIGH DAY ) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.”

In other words, THAT particular SABBATH day was called a HIGH DAY, which was on the first day of the FEAST of unleavened bread and NOT the weekly Sabbath as some FALSELY teach by demanding that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday the day before the WEEKLY Sabbath. This ONE verse alone disproves the Roman Catholic Church TRADITION that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday.

Again, this is not a matter of salvation to what day of the week you believe that Jesus was crucified upon. The reason that I wrote this study was for those who were troubled with the three days and three nights fitting in between Friday and Sunday morning.

However, I do want to WARN my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ that there are some Christians that falsely teach that Jesus rose from the grave on Saturday, who do indeed dogmatically teach that if you do not believe that Jesus was crucified on a WEDNESDAY and rose from the grave on SATURDAY, the true SABBATH day, then you are NOT SAVED.

Do NOT be troubled by this FALSE teaching that you must, without fail, keep the Sabbath day. And if you do not keep the weekly Sabbath day, then you are deliberately sinning against God. And, therefore, you are NOT SAVED because you are living in sin by not keeping the weekly Sabbath day.

If you are questioning your faith because of this FALSE teaching that a Christian must keep the WEEKLY Sabbath day then I implore you to read the studies under the heading >>>Dd-0. What is the TRUE Sabbath?<<< Also, do NOT be troubled by Christians that WRONGLY teach that we must keep ALL the law of God contained in some 613 carnal ordinances written to the people of Israel under the first covenant to receive eternal life in the world to come. Again, please read the studies in the above link. I will also give you a list at the end of this study so that you can become thoroughly rooted and grounded in the word of TRUTH. But for now, let us continue this study in God's word by taking a look at church HISTORY to learn how and when the Roman Catholic Church TRADITION of a Good Friday crucifixion began.

Fact #3.

The church HISTORY.

Let us now take a close look at the church history to learn HOW and WHEN it came to be that the Roman Catholic Church established FRIDAY as the day of the week that Jesus was CRUCIFIED.

From the research that I have done, I have come to discover that Good Friday is a fast day created by the Roman Catholic Church in the 4th century A.D., which was some 350 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The purpose of Good Friday according to the Catholic Church history is to commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus.

Here is the following explanation that was given by the Catholic Church itself:

“Good Friday” is the English designation of Friday in Holy Week -- that is, the Friday on which the Church keeps the anniversary of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

From the earliest times the Christians kept every Friday as a feast day, and the obvious reasons for those usages explain why Easter is the Sunday par excellence, and why the Friday which marks the anniversary of Christ's death came to be called the Great or the Holy or the Good Friday. The origin of the term Good is not clear. Some say it is from "God's Friday" (Gottes Freitag); others maintain that it is from the German Gute Freitag, and not specially English. (The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VI, 1909)

Here is another source which clarifies why the Catholics called for a Good Friday fast. This source also shows how someone might observe Good Friday, and what time of day the death of Jesus is actually celebrated.

“The Catholic Church treats Good Friday as a fast day, which in the Latin Rite of the Church is understood as having only one full meal (but smaller than a regular meal) and two collations (a smaller repast, two of which together do not equal one full meal) and on which the faithful abstain from eating meat. In countries where Good Friday is not a day of rest from work, the afternoon liturgical service is usually put off until a few hours after the recommended time of 3 p.m.

"The Celebration of the Passion of the Lord takes place in the afternoon, ideally at three o'clock, but for pastoral reasons, a later hour may be chosen. The vestments used (by Roman Catholic priests) are red (more commonly) or black (more traditionally)." (Wikipedia, article 'Good Friday')”

Again, according to Catholic dogma and tradition, which has widely been carried over into the Protestant churches as well, states that Jesus was killed on Friday and resurrected Sunday morning.

Here is a quote I found in my research which states that the first SCIENTIST to calculate the year and day for the crucifixion of Jesus was Sir Isaac Newton:

“Isaac Newton was one of the first scientists to estimate the date of the crucifixion by calculating the relative visibility of the crescent of the new moon between the Hebrew and Julian calendars. Newton suggested the date as Friday, April 23 AD 34. Writing in the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1991, John Pratt argued that Newton’s reasoning was effectively sound, but included a minor error at the end. Pratt suggested the year 33 AD as the accurate answer. Using similar computations, in 1990 astronomer Bradley Schaefer arrived at the same date, Friday, April 3 33 AD. Thus it can be concluded that Newton’s argument favors the April 3 33 AD date. Somewhat earlier than Pratt, in a 1983 article in the journal Nature, Humphreys and Waddington of Oxford University also confirmed Friday April 3 33 AD as the date of the Crucifixion. This date was further confirmed in 2003. Using a computer program, astronomers Liviu Mircea and Tiberiu Oproiu again estimated that Jesus died at 3 pm on Friday, April 3, 33 AD, and rose on Sunday, April 5, dates that agree with Schaefer. Another computer calculation suggests somewhat different dates.”

This scientific calculation which was done by the famous scientist Sir Isaac Newton AGREES with the computer calculations for the Hebrew calendar that I used to find Nissan 14 for the ten years of the reign of Pontius Pilate, which are from 26 AD to 36 AD.

Please see the study Ee-20. WHAT YEAR WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED? for a deeper understanding of why 31 AD is the most likely year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. And for even more compelling evidence that Jesus was crucified on WEDNESDAY April 25th in the year 31 AD, please read the study called Ee-19. WAS JESUS BORN ON DECEMBER 25th? But for now, let us continue this study in God's word by looking at the secular HISTORY surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus.

Also, Sir Isaac Newton did not consider any other year before the year 31 AD. Sir Isaac Newton only considered the years 31 AD through 36 AD and did make a very compelling case for why he believed that Christ was crucified in A.D. 34. Here is a first-person narrative of Sir Isaac Newton:

“I take it for granted that the passion was on Friday the 14th day of the month Nisan, the great feast of the Passover on Saturday the 15th of Nisan,3 and the resurrection on the day following. Now the 14th day of Nisan always fell on the full moon next after the vernal equinox; and the month began on the new moon before, not at the true conjunction, but at the first appearance of the new moon: . . . Computing, therefore, the new moons of the first month according to the course of the moon . . . and thence counting 14 days, I find that the fourteenth day of this month in the year of Christ 31 fell on Tuesday, March 27; in the year 32, on Sunday, April 13; in the year 33, on Friday, April 3 . . . .

The 14th day of Nisan will fall in the year of Christ 31, on Wednesday, March 28; in the year 32, on Monday, April 14; in the year 33, on Friday, April 3; in the year 34, on Friday, April 23; in the year 35, on Wednesday, April 13 . . . By this comparison, therefore, the year 32 is absolutely excluded because the Passion cannot fall on Friday without making it five days after the full moon, or the next day. For the same reason the years 31 and 35 are excluded, because in them the Passion cannot fall on Friday, without making it three days after the full moon, or four days before it: errors so enormous, that they would be very conspicuous in the heavens to every vulgar eye. . . . Thus, all the characters of the Passion agree to the year 34; and that is the only year to which they all agree.”

Now, you must keep in mind that Newton did not have all the resources that we have today. He did seem to know the basics of how the Jewish calendar worked, but because he was influenced by the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church that Jesus was crucified on a Friday he, therefore, looked for ONLY the possible years that Jesus was crucified on a Friday.

Therefore, even though this very famous scientist, Sir Isaac Newton, calculated that the Passover to fall on WEDNESDAY, March 28 in A.D. 31, he eliminated it as the year in which Christ was crucified. Please notice that Newton actually gave two dates for Nisan 14 in A.D. 31: Tuesday, March 27, and Wednesday, March 28. This is because he believed that the Jews counted their days from sunset to sunset.

Now, because of this early date, it appears that Newton was unaware that the Jewish New Year was tied to the barley harvest and not the vernal equinox. Consequently, no Passover ever fell in March.

In other words, the first sliver of the visible new moon AFTER the harvest was ready in the year 31 AD appeared the evening of Wednesday, April 11, making Nisan 1 fall on Thursday, April 12, which would make Nisan 14 fall on WEDNESDAY, April 25, in the year 31 AD.

We also have some compelling evidence given to us by some Astronomers who confirm that there was a full moon on Nissan 14 on the Jewish calendar which corresponds to Wednesday, April 25th, 31 AD on the Gregorian calendar. The Astronomer Karl Schoch when trying to calculate the year that Jesus was crucified wrote the following:

“I now come to the year 31 A.D. when the new moon for the Nisan new light came on April 10, 2:10 in the afternoon, Jerusalem. After 28 hours, on the eve of April 11, at this time of the year, every new light is quite easily seen in Jerusalem.”

However, Karl Schoch’s very accurate calculations of the visible new moon in the year 31 AD being on April 10th consequently led him to reject the year 31 AD as the year of Christ’s crucifixion, because just like Newton he also was swayed by the TRADITIONAL teaching of the Catholic Church and, therefore, he tried to force a Friday crucifixion.

I bring these scientific calculations of these famous scientist to your attention, because these scientific calculations, which were done by the famous scientist Sir Isaac Newton and the Astronomer Karl Schoch AGREE with the computer calculations for the Hebrew calendar that I used to find Nissan 14 for the ten years of the reign of Pontius Pilate, which are from 26 AD to 36 AD.

Again, please see the study Ee-20. WHAT YEAR WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED for a deeper understanding of why 31 AD is the most likely year that Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Here is the link to the Hebrew calendar that I used in the above study. Please notice that both March 14th and April 25 fall on a WEDNESDAY, the ONLY day of the week that fits ALL the BIBLICAL evidence for the day of the week whereupon our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was crucified. Here is a link to one of the websites that I came across in my research.

http://www.cgsf.org/dbeattie/calendar/?roman=31

Now, while most people ASSUME that Jesus was crucified on a Friday and rose before sunrise on a Sunday morning, they have not TRULY and honestly considered the three FULL days AND the three FULL nights. But those of us who have indeed “done the math”, so to speak, have come to realize that a Friday crucifixion simple does not add up to three FULL days and three FULL nights for Jesus to have been in the heart of the earth as he plainly told us he would be and then AFTER three days and three nights he would arise from the dead.

It also has been the TRADITION of the Roman Catholic Church to observe what they call Holy Thursday. On this so-called Holy Day of OBLIGATION Catholic Christians celebrate the mass and have communion in remembrance of the Lord's last supper. Now although “the last supper” is often observed on a Thursday by the Roman Catholic Church and even some Protestant churches, most Christians do not seem to realize that even certain Greco-Roman sources taught that Jesus observed the Passover on a Tuesday, which is the THIRD day of the week. Please consider the following quote, which was written around the late second century to the early third century. The emphasis is mine.

“For when we had eaten the Passover on the THIRD day of the week at even, we went forth to the Mount of Olives; and in the night they seized our Lord Jesus. And the next day, which was the FOURTH of the week, He remained inward in the house of Caiaphas the high priest. And on the same day, the chiefs of the people were assembled and took counsel against Him.”

Now the FOURTH day of the week is a WEDNESDAY, the day our Lord was delivered to Pontius Pilate by the counsel of the high priest to be crucified. In other words, the last supper of Jesus was on a Tuesday evening using the Gregorian calendar as opposed to using the Jewish calendar of reckoning the start of a day at SUNSET.

Also, in the third century, a Catholic bishop known as saint Victorinus wrote:

“Now it is manifested, the reason of the truth, why the fourth day is called the Tetras, why we fast even to the ninth hour, or even to the evening, or why there should be a passing over even to the next day…

The man Christ Jesus, the originator of these things whereof we have above spoken, was taken prisoner by wicked hands, by a quaternion of soldiers. Therefore, on account of His captivity by a quaternion, on account of the majesty of His works,–that the seasons also, wholesome to humanity, joyful for the harvests, tranquil for the tempests, may roll on,–therefore we make the fourth day a station or a supernumerary fast (Victorinus. On the Creation of the World. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 7. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1886. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).”

Again, Wednesday is the FOURTH day of the week. The word “TETRAS” is a Latin word that means FOUR in which this Catholic bishop says that they fasted at the ninth hour, which is 3:00 pm. The first hour of the Jewish day is 6:00 am. So then the ninth hour would be 3 pm in the afternoon. This is the time that the Bible teaches us that Jesus actually died. Victorinus is clearly showing us that Jesus was arrested on Wednesday, the FOURTH day of the week, which agrees with what the Bible itself teaches us. And consequent DISPROVES that the last supper of Jesus was on a Thursday.

Here is the BIBLICAL chronology of the Passion Week from the time that Jesus ate the Lord's Supper to the time he was resurrected from the dead.

The Passion Week BEGINS on Tuesday evening on April 23 or Nissan 13, which would actually be considered Wednesday at SUNSET by the Hebrew calendar, this was the day and time that Jesus and his disciples ate the Lord's Supper. In other words, Jesus sent his disciples to prepare the LORD'S SUPPER during the daytime on the THIRD day of the week, which was TUESDAY, Nissan 13. Then that same EVENING, which would be the START of the NEXT day Wednesday, Nissan 14, according to the Jewish reckoning of days from sunset to sunset, that they ate the LORD'S SUPPER. So then, Jesus ate the last supper before his crucifixion either on Tuesday before sunset or on Wednesday after sunset, but NOT on Thursday. Please read Matthew 26:17-20; Mark 14:12-17, and Luke 22:7-14.

Then later that same evening all the way through the night, which again would now be considered the next day, Wednesday Nissan 14, because the Hebrew calendar starts the new day in the EVENING at SUNSET, they ate the Lord's Supper. Then after they ate the Lord's Supper, Judas left to betray Jesus, while Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. Then the counsel of the high priests came to arrest Jesus where Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Also, that same night, being a Tuesday night by our Gregorian calendar. But on the Jewish calendar, it was considered Nissan 14, which would be Wednesday, April 25th on our calendar, Peter denied the Lord three times before the cock crowed the next morning. Please read Matthew 27:21-75, Mark 14:18-72 and Luke 22:15-71.

The Passion Week continues on Wednesday morning on April 25th. Again, being on Nissan 14, the FOURTH day of the week, the counsel of the high priest delivered Jesus bound to Pontius Pilate to be tried. Judas repented of his evil betrayal of Jesus, threw away the money and hung himself. And the murderer, Barabbas, was released according to the custom of the Jews. Jesus was delivered to be crucified, but first, he was mocked. The soldiers placed a crown of thorns on his head and they spit upon him. Jesus was then scourged by the Roman soldiers before being crucified. Please read Matthew 27:1-25, Mark 15:1-25, and Luke 23:1-25.

In Mark 15:25, we see that it is the THIRD HOUR of the day that Jesus is actually crucified or nailed to the cross. Again, the third hour would be 9:00 am on WEDNESDAY morning.

Mark 15:25.

“And it was the THIRD HOUR, and they crucified him.”

This brings us to Wednesday Afternoon on Nissan 14 at the sixth-hour darkness began to cover the land. It is also interesting to me that the Chinese have in their record or history that darkness covered their land as well on the same DAY. It is interesting because they had no way of knowing what was happening in the land of Israel on that SAME day. The Greek word that is translated as the whole LAND also means the whole Earth. And the maximum normal total solar eclipse is 92 seconds and NOT THREE HOURS. God does not need a solar eclipse to make darkness at 3 pm to 6 pm in the spring of the year. This darkness was not your normal darkness.

Please read Mark 15:31.

“And when the SIXTH HOUR (Or 12 noon) was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the NINTH hour.”

This brings us to Wednesday evening of the Passion Week which again was on Nissan 14. And it was at the ninth hour or at 3:00 pm Jesus DIED. In other words, the LAMB of God was SLAIN in the EVENING on Nissan the 14th as prophesied by the types and shadows of the FEAST day called PASSOVER. Please read Matthew 27:31-56, Mark 15:31-41, Luke 23:26-49.

Then that SAME Wednesday evening just before sunset on Nissan 14 they took the dead body of Jesus down off the cross and after wrapping his body in linen they place him in a tomb and rolled a large stone in front of the entrance closing the tomb and returned home to keep the HIGH SABBATH day the first day of unleavened bread.

Please read John 19:30-42.

“When Jesus, therefore, had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

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.

32. Then came the soldiers, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

33. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

34. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

35. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knows that what he said is true, that you might believe.

36. For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

37. And again another Scripture says, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

38. And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came, therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

39. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight.

40. Then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

41. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid.

42. There they laid Jesus, therefore, because of the Jews' PREPARATION day; for the sepulcher was nigh at hand.”

And according to the Bible itself, it is STILL Wednesday evening on Nissan 14 just BEFORE sunset. For you see, sunset would be the start of the HIGH SABBATH day, which was a Sabbath day. Thus, they needed to place Jesus in the tomb before SUNSET. The tomb was close and quick, giving them enough time to prepare the lamb for the first day of unleavened bread on Nissan 15.

Again, from sunset on Wednesday to sunset on Thursday is Nissan 15 the HIGH SABBATH day called the FIRST day of the FEAST of UNLEAVENED BREAD which is called the Jews’ PREPARATION day.

Now let us count the three FULL days AND the three FULL nights that Jesus was in the tomb using the Jewish reckoning of days beginning at SUNSET.

So from sunset to sunrise on Thursday would be ONE NIGHT.

Then from sunrise to sunset on Thursday would be ONE DAY.

Then from sunset to sunrise on Friday would be TWO NIGHTS.

And from sunrise to sunset on Friday would be TWO DAYS.

Then from sunset to sunrise on Saturday would be THREE NIGHTS.

And from sunrise to sunset on Saturday would be THREE DAYS.

Then from sometime AFTER the weekly Sabbath had ENDED and had already PAST at SUNSET, but BEFORE the sun rose that Sunday morning Jesus arose from the dead AFTER being in the heart of the earth three FULL days AND three FULL nights just like the whole word of God clearly and plainly teaches us. Again, a PARTIAL night and a PARTIAL day do NOT count as a FOURTH day and a FOURTH night. Remember that Jesus ALSO said AFTER three days. There are 12 hours in a NIGHT and 12 hours in a DAY making a 24 hour DAY. So if you add let us say that we have to count from the NINTH hour to the 12th hour or the daytime on Nissan 14. Then we have three additional hours that the spirit and soul of Jesus is in the heart of the earth. And no one knows EXACTLY what hour Jesus was resurrected but we know it was BEFORE DAWN. And it is dawn around an hour or so before the sun rises. The guards were gone so let us assume that Jesus was not resurrected until minutes before the women arrived BEFORE DAWN. So we need to add an additional 11 hours for the night time hours of the FIRST day of the week right before sunrise. That is a total of 14 hours or 10 hours short of a FULL DAY. And again, Jesus also said AFTER three days but not after FOUR days. Jesus specifically said THREE days AND THREE nights.

Thanks for reading, and again if you don't agree with this study in God's word it is NOT a matter of salvation as some FALSELY teach. But for ME, this study has settled all the questions that I myself have had and I know that other dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ may have struggled with as well.

Below this study, I have added a letter from a dear brother in our Lord Jesus Christ who is an Adventist. Or at least he used to be a 7th Day Adventist. The Seventh Day Adventists believe that Jesus rose from the dead on a SATURDAY as opposed to being raised from the dead on Sunday.

Now my brother in the Lord his argument for a Saturday resurrection, saying that if Jesus was raised from the dead on Sunday, then that would mean that Jesus was in the grave FOUR NIGHTS instead of three.

But as you just saw, Jesus was in the grave for three FULL days and three FULL nights. And as most of you may already know, I myself do NOT believe that Jesus rose from the dead on Saturday. But rather, I myself, teach that Jesus arose from the dead on SUNDAY, the FIRST day of the week. This particular study was not intended to show what day Jesus arose but rather was written to show what day upon which Jesus was CRUCIFIED.

However, I will explain WHY his argument is INVALID after his letter added BELOW my usual ending of a study. So if you are a seventh day of the week Sabbath DAY keeping Christian who believes that Jesus was resurrected on the weekly Sabbath day, then please read this brother’s letter to me and my explanation of WHY his argument is NOT a SOUND Biblical argument.

He argues that while he BELIEVES that Jesus was crucified on WEDNESDAY, it would be FOUR nights IF Jesus was resurrected on the FIRST day of the week.

But he has failed to see that a Jewish DAY BEGINS with the NIGHT. In other words, the DAY BEGINS at SUNSET. So you do NOT count Wednesday NIGHT to make FOUR nights. Night #1 is Thursday and Jesus was laid in the tomb right before SUNSET that BEGAN the DAY number 1. And thus, NIGHT #1 of day #1 came before SUNRISE. Night #2 is Friday. And Night #3 is Saturday. And AFTER three full days and three full nights Jesus was raised from the dead on the FIRST day of the week sometime AFTER SUNSET Saturday and BEFORE SUNRISE on Sunday morning, the second half of the FIRST DAY of the week.

This concludes this study, but if you want to read the letter and my comments on WHY Jesus was NOT resurrected on the Sabbath day, then continue reading after my closing.

Thanks again for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. So, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading >>>D-0. THE BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of JESUS!<<<

And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading >>>C-0. THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH!<<< This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.

Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament.

To learn more TRUTH, then please return to

AMatterOfTruth.com

VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED!

To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY is according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So please read ALL of the studies under the heading >>>N-0. WHO is JESUS ACCORDING to the BIBLE?<<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>>U-0. VERSES used for THE TRINITY!<<< and >>>V-0. VERSES used to TEACH that Jesus PRE-EXISTED!<<< These two headings have ALL of the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me.

My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail .com.

Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.

Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

RETURN to HOMEPAGE at

AMatterOfTruth.com

Hi Mark.

How are you brother? It's been a while since I last wrote you, hope all has been well. I'd like to start by saying thank you for your website and all your fascinating articles. Now that a little time has passed, I have had a chance to read a lot more of your articles. If you recall, I first contacted you after reading one of your articles through a Google link. One of your teachings about the trinity or God being one God. With your help and a lot more research and study I am proud to say that I am no longer a trinity believer, but much more of a Christian. I say Christian because I now consider myself non-denominational. I prefer to have the freedom to study the word for myself and come to my own conclusions as the Spirit leads.

Anyway, the reason I am writing is because I was reading your article titled “What day was Jesus Crucified?” I'd like to pass along some information that I didn't see in the article. In talking about the Wednesday crucifixion (which I have long adhered to) you wrote about the 2 Mary’s' preparing the spices and resting the Sabbath day. This is correct and scriptural, Luke 23:56. Then you began to reason about what day this was, Wednesday or Friday. There is no reason to debate. Are you aware of 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" And again, Luke 23:56, "And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment." So from the passage in Luke we see the women buying the sweet spices when the Sabbath (First day of unleavened bread) was past, and in the passage in Mark preparing the spices and resting the Sabbath according to the commandment (weekly Sabbath).

I would also like to give my opinion about the Passover week. The Passover lamb was chosen and inspected for flaws from the 10th to the 14th day of the first month. It was killed on the afternoon of the 14th, the exact time that Jesus died. Although the 14th is called the Passover, actually the entire week is called the Passover. This week includes three different feasts. Passover, The feast of unleavened bread and First fruits. The last supper eaten by Jesus and the apostles on the evening of the 14th (Tuesday night), was not Passover. It was the last supper. The Passover was killed on the afternoon of the 14th and eaten on the night of the 15th, (Wed evening). This is why the 14th is called the preparation day. Recall that the Jews could not kindle a fire on a Sabbath day. Here is scriptural proof, "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." John 18:28. This is Wednesday Morning and the Jews had not eaten the passover yet.

Although I do believe in a Wednesday crucifixion, I do not believe in a Sunday morning resurrection. Here are my reasons.

1) It would mean that Jesus was in the grave for 4 nights. Wed., Thurs., Fri., and Sat. night. There is a Scripture in Mark 16:9 that many rely on to prove a Sunday morning resurrection. "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." Mark 16:9 The reason that I reject this interpretation is because I think it is grammatically incorrect through the bias of the translators. The Greek text has no comma in it, and depending on your doctrine you can make this translation say 2 different things. The way that it is translated would prove a Sunday morning resurrection, but let's think about it a minute. What is the verb in this sentence? I didn't do that well in my English classes, but the word 'appeared' is the verb in this sentence. To me that's what the phrase 'early the first day of the week' is describing. Rendering it more correctly:

"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." This comma placement or misplacement completely changes the meaning of this verse. Something to consider, just remember that the Greek has no commas and they were added at the discretion of the translators.

My dear brother in the Lord states that if Jesus was resurrected on Sunday, then this would mean that Jesus would have been in the heart of the earth FOUR nights rather than THREE nights as the Scripture says. Here again, is how you count the three full days and three full nights without adding the PARTIAL night as a whole night by using the Jewish IDIOM. Remember that the Jews started their new day at sunset. In other words, the first 12 hours of a Jewish day is at NIGHT.

So then, Jesus began to be crucified on the third hour and he died at the ninth hour, which would be 3:00 pm in the afternoon. The Jews wanted the bodies off the cross before sunset, the start of the annual Sabbath feast day of Passover, the first day of unleavened bread. However, they needed permission from Pontius Pilate first. This means that they needed to go to Pontius Pilate and ask that the bodies be taken down. Joseph of Arimathaea went to Pilate when EVENING had come to ask for the body of Jesus.

Please read Mark 15:42-45.

“And now when the EVEN was come, (In other words, sunset was approaching and the start of a new day) because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, (Again, the ANNUAL Sabbath that occurred on Thursday that particular year in 31 AD and NOT the WEEKLY Sabbath)

43. Joseph of Arimathaea, an honorable counselor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

44. And Pilate marveled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

45. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.”

So then, it was now EVENING when Joseph first went in to ask for the body of Jesus. But Pilate marveled that Jesus could have been ALREADY dead so he sent some soldiers to make absolutely sure that those being crucified were indeed dead. In John 19:31 we read that the soldiers then came and broke the legs of the two who were crucified along with Jesus but when they came to Jesus they saw that he was already dead.

John 19:31-34.

“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 a high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

32. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

33. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

34. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”

My point is this; it took some TIME for all of this to transpire, meaning that it was very NEAR SUNSET that Jesus was laid in the tomb, the starting of the next day. And the next day was the yearly Sabbath day that year. In other words, you cannot count what little time that remained on Wednesday evening as either a day or a night by using the Jewish IDIOM.

So then, from sunset Wednesday evening to sunrise Thursday is ONE NIGHT.

Then from sunrise Thursday morning to sunset Thursday evening would be ONE DAY.

Then from sunset Thursday evening to sunrise Friday morning would be TWO NIGHTS.

And from sunrise Friday morning to sunset Friday evening would be TWO DAYS.

Then from sunset Friday evening to sunrise Saturday morning would be THREE nights.

And from sunrise Saturday morning to sunset Saturday evening would be THREE days.

At sunset, Saturday evening starts the next day, which would be the FIRST day of the week that we call Sunday.

Therefore, Jesus rose from the dead AFTER being in the grave for three full days and three full nights. Remember that we do not count any partial days or partial nights and being full days or full nights as those who falsely teach a Good Friday crucifixion by using a Jewish IDIOM. You can not have it BOTH ways. Either you count the days and nights as being full or whole days and nights or you use the Jewish IDIOM. If you try to use BOTH, then to ME, you are TWISTING the Scriptures to fit your own biased interpretation.

Always keep in mind that Jesus was raised from the dead sometime AFTER SUNSET on Saturday evening and BEFORE sunrise on Sunday morning. Even if Jesus was raised just one minute before sunrise it would still not be a full night. But we know from the word of God that Jesus was already raised from the dead while it was yet dark, before dawn, which to ME, is most certainly more than just one minute before sunrise and the ending of that night in order to make it a FULL night. What I mean by this is that the Bible says when the women came to the tomb BEFORE dawn that the stone was already rolled away. They saw NO soldiers guarding the tomb. They saw no bright light. There is no mention of them seeing or hearing anything related to the actual resurrection of Jesus. In other words, it took some TIME for the soldiers to run away.

It MAY be that Jesus rose from the dead just one minute AFTER the weekly Sabbath had PASSED. And it MAY be that Jesus took his time folding the grave clothes, perhaps talking to the Roman soldiers or just spent the night wandering around until Jesus APPEARED to Mary Magdalene just before sunrise on Sunday morning. Even if one moves the comma in Mark 16:9 there are still other verses that clearly teach us that the weekly Sabbath had already PAST before Jesus was resurrected from the dead.

Please read the CONTEXT of Mark 16:9. For you see, there are TWO verbs in verse 9. And according to the CONTEXT, the emphasis is on the FIRST day of the week at SUNRISE and upon Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene FIRST. There are TWO objects that these two verbs point toward. Jesus was raised ON the first day of the week. The object is WHEN Jesus was resurrected. And the second object is the appearing FIRST to Mary Magdalene.

Mark 16:1-9.

“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.

2. And very early in the morning the FIRST day of the week, (After the Sabbath was PAST) they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun. (Now, the seventh DAY of the week Sabbath-keeping Christians argue that the women BOUGHT the spices after the HIGH Sabbath had past and NOT the weekly Sabbath had PAST. And that fact is Biblical. For you see, it was before DAWN that they came to the tomb on the FIRST day of the week, which would have been to early for the spice store to be open for the women to BUY the spices on the FIRST day of the week AFTER the WEEKLY Sabbath had PAST. But the tomb would have been SEALED and GUARDED by soldiers on Friday morning AFTER the HIGH Sabbath had PAST. Plus, Friday is NOT the FIRST day of the week. So then, the INTENDED meaning of verses 1 and 2 is that the women HAD already bought the spices, and WHEN they were COMING to anoint the body AFTER the WEEKLY Sabbath had PAST early in the morning on the FIRST day of the week, it occurred to them that there was a huge stone in front of the door of the tomb)

3. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll away the stone from the door of the sepulcher? (So they had not been to the tomb on Friday morning and then came back to rest on the weekly Sabbath. This was their first visit to the tomb. They were EXPECTING the stone to still be in place and wondered how they would move that huge stone. So before they SAW that the stone was rolled away, they asked each other who would roll away the stone so that they could anoint the dead body of Jesus with the spices. And this was ON the FIRST DAY of the week)

4. And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

5. And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

6. And he said unto them, Be not affrighted: You seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. (So again, it was BEFORE SUNRISE AFTER the Sabbath had PAST that Jesus was raised from the dead. The weekly Sabbath ENDS at SUNSET on Saturday. Each day BEGINS with the NIGHT. So you can NOT count Wednesday NIGHT because Jesus was crucified AFTER the NIGHT on the “Jewish” Wednesday. The LAST half of Wednesday is DAYTIME and at SUNSET the first half of Thursday BEGINS with the NIGHT. And thus, NIGHT #1 is the first half of Thursday. NIGHT #2 is the first half of Friday. Night #3 is the first half of Saturday. And the NIGHT of the first half of Sunday would make the FOURTH NIGHT. So Jesus was resurrected AFTER the weekly Sabbath had PAST sometime during the FOURTH night, the first half of Sunday, the FIRST day of the week)

7. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

8. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulcher; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said anything to any man; for they were afraid.

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.”

It makes no sense to say, “Now, WHEN Jesus was RISEN, early the FIRST day of the week he appeared to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.” IF SO BE that the comma was misplaced. For you see, the word order would have also changed to read as follows.

“Now, WHEN Jesus was risen, he APPEARED FIRST to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils early the FIRST day of the week.”

You see! Now it sounds as if it was early the first day of the week that Jesus had cast out seven devils out of Mary Magdalene. And that does NOT make sense with the CONTEXT of the Sabbath being PAST or already ENDED.

The word of truth also teaches us that Jesus rose from the dead AFTER these three days and three nights. Please read Matthew 27:62-66, which teaches us that a GUARD was set to seal the tomb and make sure that three full days had passed before the guard was to be removed so that the body of Jesus could NOT be stolen and then said that he rose from the dead.

Matthew 27:62-66.

“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. (Whenever we INTERPRET Scriptures we must consider ALL the verses. And this verse clearly says AFTER three days that Jesus would rise from the dead, which means that Jesus could NOT have risen on Saturday, because no time on Saturday would be AFTER three days. Therefore, without fail, Jesus rose from the grave on SUNDAY, the FIRST day of the week, which most Christians call the LORD'S DAY.)

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.

65. Pilate said unto them, You have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as you can.

66. So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.”

Also, please read Mark 8:31 where Jesus himself teaches us that he would rise AFTER being in the grave for three full days and three full nights, which again proves without a doubt that Jesus could not have risen from the dead on Saturday, because it would NOT be AFTER the three full days and three full nights.

Mark 8:31.

“And he (Jesus) began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and AFTER THREE DAYS RISE AGAIN.”

Again, my dear brother in the Lord brings up Mark 16:9 as being mistranslated. He argues that it was because of the BIAS of the translators as being the reason that the comma was placed after the word “week” instead of after the word “risen”.

And this is where the comma NEEDS to be placed according to the 7th Day Adventist and other Sabbath Keepers. For you see, they NEED the comma to be placed after the word “risen” in order to try and subvert or compel Christians to keep ALL the law of God contained in some 613 carnal ordinances written to the children of Israel under the first covenant. Here again is what Mark 16:9 states in the King James Version.

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.”

Obviously, every Sabbath keeper does NOT want this verse to read this way, because this one verse alone would prove without a doubt that Jesus was raised on the FIRST day of the week, just like the word of God clearly and plainly teaches us. Now, they CLAIM that it was the BIAS of the TRANSLATORS that placed this comma incorrectly. But to ME, it appears to be the BIAS of the 7th Day Adventists, who want to twist the word of God to fit their OWN personal translation of God's word. Again, please read all the studies that I have written exposing the many ERRORS of the 119 Ministries and other Sabbath keepers being deceived by the Hebrew Roots Movement. I will post the links to these studies below or you can click on this link “WHAT IS THE TRUE SABBATH?” to find a list of all the studies that I have showing the errors of interpretation made by Sabbath-keeping Christians. But for now, let us take a look at several other translations to see how Mark 16:9 reads. In other words, have ALL the other translations made the same so-called “BIAS” misplaced comma?

Mark 16:9 CJB Complete Jewish Bible

“When Yeshua rose early Sunday, he appeared first to Miryam of Magdala, from whom he had expelled seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 ASV American Standard Version

“Now when he was risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 KJV King James Version

“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.”

Mark 16:9 NIRV New International Reader's Version

“Jesus rose from the dead early on the first day of the week. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene. He had driven seven demons out of her.”

Mark 16:9 NLT New Living Translation

“It was early on Sunday morning WHEN Jesus rose from the dead, and the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 BBE Bible in Basic English

“Now when he came back from the dead early on the first day of the week, he went first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had sent out seven evil spirits.”

Mark 16:9 CEB Common English Bible

“After Jesus rose up early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 RHE Douay-Rheims

“But he rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen; out of whom he had cast seven devils.”

Mark 16:9 ESV English Standard Version

“Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 GW GOD'S WORD Translation

“After Jesus came back to life early on Sunday, he appeared first to Mary from Magdala, from whom he had forced out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 GNT Good News Translation

“After Jesus rose from death early on Sunday, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 HNV Hebrew Names Version

“Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Miryam from Magdala, from whom he had cast out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 CSB Holman Christian Standard

“Early on the first day of the week, after He had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 LEB Lexham English Bible

“Now early on the first [day] of the week, [after he] rose, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had expelled seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 NAS New American Standard

“Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 NCV New Century Version

“After Jesus rose from the dead early on the first day of the week, he showed himself FIRST to Mary Magdalene. One time in the past, he had forced seven demons out of her.”

Mark 16:9 NIV New International Version

“When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared FIRST to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 NKJV New King James Version

“Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 NRS New Revised Standard

“Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 RSV Revised Standard Version

“Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 DBY The Darby Translation

“Now when he had risen very early, the first [day] of the week, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala, out of whom he had cast seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 MSG The Message

“After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared early on Sunday morning to Mary Magdalene, whom he had delivered from seven demons.” (Please notice that they left out the word FIRST. It was ONLY when the word “FIRST” was removed from the original text that it made any sense whatsoever to move the comma. Jesus rose from the dead ON Sunday morning and appeared to Mary Magdalene FIRST. There are TWO verbs and TWO objects. Jesus was not simply risen but Jesus was risen ON Sunday, the first day of the week. And Jesus did not just appear to Mary Magdalene, but rather he appeared to her FIRST.)

Mark 16:9 WBT The Webster Bible

“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 demons.”

Mark 16:9 TMB Third Millennium Bible

“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.”

Mark 16:9 TNIV Today's New International Version

“When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,” “out of whom he had driven seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 WNT Weymouth New Testament

“But He rose to life early on the first day of the week, and appeared first to Mary of Magdala from whom He had expelled seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 WEB World English Bible

“Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.”

Mark 16:9 WYC Wycliffe

“And Jesus rose early the first day of the week, and appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven devils [of whom he had cast out seven devils].”

Even the Greek to English Interlinear New Testament reads WITHOUT any punctuation that Jesus rose early on the first day of the week. Here is the exact way that the Greek is LITERALLY translated to English.

Mark 16:9 YLT

“Now having risen early [the] first [day] of the week he appears first to Mary the Magdalene from whom he had cast out seven demons.”

The words in brackets were added by the translators, but this verse is still yet easily understood without their being added. The meaning of this verse is very clear to those seeking the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of God as saying that Jesus had risen on the first of the week HE appeared first to Mary the Magdalene from whom he had cast out seven devils. Even with NO commas added the meaning is clear to all seeking the TRUTH.

Therefore, for ME, the BIAS is NOT the many different translators of all the many different translations. But rather, the BIAS is in the INTERPRETATION of the 7th Day Adventist Christians and every other seventh DAY of the week Sabbath keepers who do NOT want this verse to read the way that it does indeed read even in the original Greek.

Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to read ALL the studies that I gave links to throughout this study concerning this subject on Sabbath TRUTH.

To learn more TRUTH, then please return to

AMatterOfTruth.com

If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me.

My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail .com.

Some Sabbath-keeping Christians CLAIM that the early church kept the Sabbath as the Jews, but I assure you that the early first-century church was accustomed to gathering together BEFORE the light of daybreak on the FIRST day of the week that THEY called the Lord's Day.

Please read all the studies linked within this study and all the studies linked below. This study was just the TIP of the iceberg of exposing the ERRORS of interpretation made by the Saturday seventh day of the week Sabbath-keeping churches, and the Sunday first day of the week Sabbath-keeping Christians. All of the studies listed under the subject heading >>>Dd-0. What is the TRUE Sabbath?<<< And also read Dd-20. Did The Early Church KEEP the Sabbath day to learn the truth of what the early church believed.

Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.

Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

RETURN to HOMEPAGE at

AMatterOfTruth.com

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Ee-18. WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED ON GOOD FRIDAY?