Jesus Rose On What Day

On What Day Did Jesus Rise?

The May/June 2016 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review is available online. Biblical Perspectives is a weekly column. Staff of the Biblical Archaeology Society Comments106882 views on November 16, 2021 Comments106882 views on November 16, 2021 What day did Jesus resurrect from the dead? Is it better to wait three days or to wait until the third day? During his Biblical Views column, “It’s About Time—Easter Time,” which appeared in the May/June 2016 edition of Biblical Archaeology Review, Ben Witherington III explores this subject in further depth.

—Ed.

“It’s About Time—Easter Time”

Anachronism is a hazard that arises when reading ancient books like the Bible in the twenty-first century. By this I mean that we risk introducing damaging current notions and expectations into our readings. This challenge becomes much more serious when dealing with old manuscripts, which have significant historical significance and are thus difficult to interpret. What day did Jesus resurrect from the dead? Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome visited Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning to anoint his corpse (Mark 16:1–2), as shown in Henry Osawa Tanner’s painting “The Three Marys” (1910).

  • To provide an example, we are a people who are fascinated with time — and with accuracy when it comes to time — to the millisecond level.
  • When it came to the passage of time, they did not stress over accuracy.
  • Jesus promised that he would rise from the dead “after three days,” according to certain sources.
  • In fact, the time reference should be avoided entirely.

In Mark 8:31, on the other hand, Jesus declares, “The Son of Man will rise from the dead after three days.” In John 2:19, he refers to the same event as taking place “in three days,” and the Gospel authors tell us that Jesus used the term “on the third day” on a number of occasions (see, e.g., Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Luke 24:46).

  1. While it is feasible that both forecasts will be incorrect, is it really possible that both will be correct?
  2. Furthermore, the term “after three days” in the New Testament might simply indicate “after a time” or “after a few days” without any obvious specificity other than to hint that multiple days, in this case portions of three days, would be engaged in the event.
  3. “Come to me again after three days,” says the Bible’s Second Chronicles 10:5, 12.
  4. According to my interpretation, the term “after three days” is a more generic or imprecise way of expressing, but “on the third day” is a little more particular (albeit it still doesn’t tell us when it is on the third day).

When it comes to time, these books were not written in a way that would suit our present high expectations.

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With an All-Access pass, you may access more than 9,000 articles from the Biblical Archaeology Society’s extensive collection, as well as much more. We must recognize that most of the time references in the New Testament are not precise, and we must give the ancient author the freedom to be general when he wants to be general and more specific when he wants to be more specific. This is one of the keys to understanding how the New Testament interprets time references. When you find both types of references to the time span between Jesus’ death and resurrection in the same book by the same author, and in some cases even within close proximity to each other, it is reasonable to conclude that these texts were not written in accordance with our modern exacting expectations when it comes to time references.

  1. I believe it is past time for us to accord these ancient authors the respect they deserve and to read them with a knowledge of the standards they followed when writing ancient history or ancient biography, rather than imposing our later genre norms on them, as we have done in the past.
  2. This article has been updated.
  3. Ben Witherington III is the Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky and a member of the doctoral faculty of St.
  4. He received his bachelor’s degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky.

Notes:

Read Ben Witherington III, Reading and Learning the Bible, for assistance in understanding how to read the Bible in light of its original settings (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2014).

Related reading in Bible History Daily:

When Was the First Holy Communion Celebrated? Even yet, Jesus’ Last Supper was not a Passover meal. The Herod’s Jerusalem Palace Remains are on Display During a Seder Meal Tour— The site of Jesus’ trial is a possibility. And Why It Really Does Make a Difference The “Strange” Ending of the Gospel of Mark and Why It Really Does Make a Difference What Method Was Used to Seal Jesus’ Tomb?

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Why did Jesus Rise on the Third Day?

Derek Hiebert contributed to this article. 1 year ago today

Why did Jesus Rise on the Third Day?

As a matter of tradition, Christians have commemorated the resurrection of Jesus Christ on a Sunday, three days following the commemoration of his crucifixion on Good Friday. This three-day chronology is based on a number of allusions in the New Testament to the Old Testament. Many times, Jesus foretold it, and the apostles included it in their delivery of the gospel message as well (see footnote references). However, why did Jesus’ resurrection take place three days after his death is a mystery.

Is the third day only a coincidental, insignificant element put on to the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection?

The Third Day Matters

Timing is extremely important for Jesus and his apostles because it has significant theological ramifications. When it comes to biblical story, the three-day timeframe is important because it represents the one-of-a-kind day on which God creates new life and activates his covenant with mankind. How did the writers of the New Testament get at this conclusion? After all, the Hebrew Scriptures have a constant “third day” design pattern, which Jesus and the New Testament authors are using as a model.

The Third Day Pattern in the Hebrew Bible

The passages Jonah 1:17 and Hosea 6:1-2 in the Hebrew Scriptures are among the clearest illustrations of third-day resurrection in the whole Bible. Jesus used Jonah’s three days in the belly of the huge fish as a metaphor for his own three days in the belly of the great fish. The prophet Hosea predicted that God’s reviving operation for Israel would take place on the third day. While these are important passages to study, the pattern of resurrection on the third day is established far earlier in the tale of Jesus.

The creation narrative in Genesis 1 and Abraham’s test in Genesis 22 both begin to develop a pattern of new life emerging on the third day.

The First “Resurrection”

What is the location of the first glimpse into the three-day significance? The first page of the Bible. The creation account in Genesis 1 is written in the style of a poem, with repeated statements and parallels between events. Within the rhythm of these repetitions, two events in the creation narrative stand out as particularly significant, each occurring at a three-day interval and occurring at different points in the narrative. During the first “third day,” God creates dry land and causes vegetation to emerge from the earth, including plants that produce seeds as well as trees that bear fruit for human consumption (1:11-13).

The second “third day” event occurs on the sixth day of creation, when God creates animals and human beings for the first time (1:24).

Humans were formed from the dust of the earth, according to what we learn later in the book (2:7).

Take note of the parallels between humans and trees: both are newly created from the ground (2:7, 9), both bear seeds and produce fruit (1:11, 28; 3:15), and both are created in this manner on the third day of creation.

One thing that distinguishes humans from other animals, however, is that they are created in God’s image, and that God enters into a covenant with human beings, blessing and instructing them in their behavior.

A Pattern Emerges

There are three major characteristics of the “third day” events in Genesis 1 that serve as a template for subsequent events:

  1. God brings new life where there was once only death (1:11-13
  2. 26-27
  3. 2:7)
  4. God establishes his covenant with the creatures he has newly created, in this case humans (1:28-29)
  5. God creates new life where there was once only death (1:11-13
  6. 26 In Eden, which we understand to be a lofty site from which a river runs out (2:10-14), the event takes place.

It is impossible to emphasize the significance of this picture and pattern, since it serves as a precedent for future resurrections to come.

Abraham’s Test on the Third Day

Is there any other place where this pattern can be found? Abraham is put to the test by God in yet another “third day” occurrence, which is one of the most interesting events in all of Scripture (Genesis 22:1-19). When God commands Abraham to present his only son Isaac as a burned offering on a mountain, the Bible states that Abraham spotted the location from a distance on the third day and proceeded to complete the test (22:4). God wants Abraham to learn to put his confidence in him when it comes to the covenant and the blessing of offspring in this scenario.

The connection to the “third day” concept is established in this passage by a strikingly dramatic act of atonement on the part of God, in which he substitutes a ram for Isaac (22:13-14).

On the third day, we notice the same trend as we did on the first:

  1. God working to bring fresh life, in this case to Isaac by his life being spared and to Abraham with the return of his son (22:11-14). (Genesis 22:17-18) God confirms his bond with Abraham, using language and ideas identical with Genesis 1:28
  2. (22:2, 14) This event takes place on the summit of a mountain.

Israel’s Third Day at Sinai

At a critical moment in the Bible’s narrative, we discover still another occurrence taking place on the third day. With his people just delivered from decades of tyranny in Egypt, Yahweh is on the verge of entering into another covenant with Israel, this time on a mountaintop (Exodus 19:2-3). God makes it clear that he will descend to Mount Sinai in the presence of all of the people on the “third day” mentioned above. This time is a test for Israel, just as it was for Abraham. Their preparations for entering into covenant with God are to be completed by the “third day,” when they will be ready (Exodus 19:9-16).

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As a result of what we’ve seen so far with “third day,” we should have come to assume a specific pattern, which we’ve now witnessed yet another time:

  1. It is God who brings about new life for his people — in this case, new identity for Israel — just as he did at the creation and with Abraham and Isaac (19:4-6)
  2. God enters into covenant with his people, specifically Israel (19:4-6)
  3. God accomplishes all of this on a mountain (19:2)
  4. And God accomplishes all of this on a mountain (19:2).

And that is exactly what we see in the tale! The rest of Israel’s experience in the Hebrew Scriptures, on the other hand, is defined by rebellion and disbelief, as well as a failure to fulfill their half of the agreement. This leads us back to the prophetic texts that refer to the third day, such as Hosea and Jonah, which we discussed before.

Hosea’s Hope, Jonah’s ‘Resurrection’

By returning to these prophets, we get a more complete picture of the “third day” and the tremendous imagery of resurrection that it evokes, as well as its relationship to God’s covenant with Abraham. A typical prophetic phrase for repentance toward covenant integrity is “return to Yahweh,” which Hosea uses to exhort Israel to do, and he also provides them hope in the form of resurrection language (Hosea 6:1-2). This restoration to the covenant will be marked by a renewal of life, as well as our resurrection as a people into the life of Yahweh, which will take place on the “third day,” in accordance with our pattern.

In many respects, the story of Jonah and his failure is a metaphor for the story of Israel. God, on the other hand, does not give up on him or his people. In the third day, he vomits Jonah out of the fish, bringing him back to life in one of the most bizarre “resurrections” recorded in the Bible.

Jesus Predicts a Third Day Resurrection

In the Gospels, we find Jesus speaking of a third-day resurrection while he is discussing his death with his followers, which leads us to believe that he would rise from the dead on the third day. In fact, he refers to “three days” a total of 21 times! By now, you’ve undoubtedly figured out that this was not a coincidental choice of words. It is on the third day that Jesus was adamant, since it signifies God’s initiative in the creation of new life and the establishment of a covenant with mankind.

  1. Specifically, God raises fresh life from the earth (tomb), in this case, Jesus. God acts to bring about the new covenant via Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection, which in this case is for the benefit of everyone who believe in him. The act of atonement performed by Jesus takes place on a hill.

With the imagery of new life coming up from the earth in Genesis 1-2 on the third day, combined with the connection to the divine covenant found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the imagery of Jesus’ resurrection paints a striking picture of the theological importance of his resurrection. The significance of Jesus’ resurrection is underscored even further on the third day. It is the culmination of God’s mission of new life and covenant, which has been brilliantly represented since the beginning of time, and which will culminate in the future resurrection of Jesus’ disciples and the restoration of the entire universe at the conclusion of time.

So what does this mean for us?

This year, as we commemorate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, we are not just carrying on a centuries-old tradition. We are engaged in a profoundly important theology centered on the third day, with all of the implications of God’s redeeming work that it entails, at this time. The design pattern for the third day serves as a reminder that God has begun the process of reviving individuals to new life and bringing them into his covenant partnership with them. What role are we going to play in it today?

How do we understand the timing of the Great 3 Days?

How can we make sense of three days if Jesus died on Friday and rose from the dead on Sunday? Christians commemorate the salvific events of Jesus Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection over the course of three days, which we refer to as the “Great Three Days” (Triduum in Latin). The gospels all confirm that Jesus rose from the grave on the first day of the week, early in the morning. Matthew 28:1 (NIV): “After the Sabbath, when the first day of the week was beginning to rise.” Mark 16:1-2 (NIV): It was “after the Sabbath had ended.

Have questions?We have answers!

Fill out the form below to ask your questions and to view further FAQs. Luke 24:1 (ASKFAQSLuke 24:1): “It was the first day of the week at the crack of dawn.” “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark,” says John in verse 1. Sunday is the first working day of the week. The day begins with sunset in that culture, as it does throughout the Bible, rather than with dawn or midnight. Saturday’s Sabbath came to an end at dusk. Sunday officially began just after sunset. Three days may not always equate to 72 hours.

It entails three different days, which are distinguished by the arrival and departure of the sun. Following are the methods that the great majority of Christians throughout the world have used to determine the time of their festivities during Holy Week, including United Methodists.

  • The Last Supper and the Great Commandment will be held on Thursday. The beginning of the first day is marked by the setting of the sun (Eve of Friday). Jesus is taken into custody and tried
  • Friday morning: The first day continues with the execution of Jesus, his removal from the cross, and his burial
  • Friday night at sundown: The second day has begun. Friday evening/Saturday morning
  • Saturday (from dawn to sunset): Jesus is laid to rest in the tomb. The third day begins at sunset on Saturday. Saturday evening
  • Sunday morning: The third day continues, and Jesus is risen from the grave

From at least the third century A.D., this method of determining the beginning and end of Holy Week has remained constant in Christian practice, both East and West. It was created by Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, which may be found here.

Why do we say that Jesus ‘rose on the third day’?

The fresco of “The Resurrection” by Renaissance artist Pintoricchio, which can be seen in the Vatican’s Borgia Apartments, may be seen in this photo given by the Vatican Museums. (Photo courtesy of the Vatican Museums courtesy of the Catholic News Service) To answer your question, the Nicene Creed states that Jesus “suffered death, was buried, and was raised on the third day.” The Gospel of Matthew records Jesus’ statement that “the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights” (12:40).

  1. Could you please explain what you mean?
  2. Answer: The phrase “three days” in the text does not always refer to 72 hours in the strictest sense.
  3. The ancient Jews were quite content with counting half days as if they were a whole day.
  4. For example, I may remark, “Last month, I was at my hometown with my family.” When I say “on the first of the month,” it does not always imply that I came and left on the same day of each month.
  5. Consequently, even if Jesus was not in the tomb for precisely three days, he was there for at least a portion of three days.
  6. Although the Scriptures were written in Greek, it seems more probable that Jesus spoke in Aramaic when he spoke to the disciples.
  7. As a result, it is possible that the text is attempting to represent in Greek a Jewish idiom that, as previously stated, counts partial days as complete days but also considers the night as part of the day.
  8. As a result, the notion of “night-days” was developed.
  9. Because Friday is considered “night-day one,” Saturday is considered “night-day two,” and Sunday was designated as “night-day three,” Jesus was in the tomb for three days and nights, according to these assumptions.

Jewish understanding of heaven

Question: In 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks of a “third heaven.” Can you tell me more about it? (12:2). What is the proper interpretation of this? —Peter Tate, a resident of Long Beach, Calif. Answer: There were several subtleties to Jewish cosmology that are too lengthy to get into here. However, in general, the Jews believed there were three “heavens.” The first heaven was located where the clouds were and the birds were able to soar. The second heavens were the locations of the stars and planets.

As a result, when Paul says he was “caught up to the third heaven,” he is referring to the fact that he was brought up to or given an experience of the heaven where God resides.

As a result, he was able to witness the splendor of heaven.

Theologians generally agree that we are not in a position to contemplate the brightness of the Holy Trinity in our current condition of affairs.

The Old Testament made several allusions to the difficulty of staring into the face of God in various forms (cf. Is 6:5). There are certain exceptions, such as Moses and Isaiah, but even in those cases, it is not certain that they saw God’s face in its true form (cf. Ex 33:23).

Mortal sins

Question:There was a time when some sins were considered fatal, period. It looks to be subjective at this point. It must be believed to be grave in order for it to be mortal. So, if a person does not feel that the situation is terrible, is he exempt from prosecution? • James Jeson (Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Answer:There are three things that must happen in order for someone to incur grave sin: The offense is a serious one, and there is adequate knowledge of this fact, as well as complete and unconditional permission of the will.

  1. When the Church teaches that certain sins might be fatal, she is merely referring to the actual seriousness of the situation at hand.
  2. Certain things, on the other hand, may mitigate one’s sense of responsibility.
  3. This may help them to feel less guilty about their actions.
  4. Modern catechesis is more concerned with one’s ability to comprehend and exercise freedom.
  5. Pastor of Holy Comforter-St.
  6. Questions can be sent to [email protected].

Jesus’ Resurrection Day

QUESTION: Was Jesus’ resurrection day on a Sunday or a Saturday or both? Christians, as well as many other people, are familiar with the account of Jesus’ resurrection. Traditionally, it is thought that He died on a Friday (today known as Good Friday) and that He was raised the following Sunday (now celebrated as Easter Sunday). But there is disagreement about whether this timeline corresponds to the biblical prophesy contained in Matthew 12:40, which states: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Our present technique of counting days indicates that Jesus would have been in His tomb from late Friday afternoon until early Sunday morning according to our calendar.

  • Even if you consider Friday and Sunday to be complete days, it would imply He remained in the grave for a total of three days and two nights at the most.
  • In defense of Friday and Sunday, many biblical scholars argue that it was typical among Jews at the period to consider any segment of a day to constitute the full day and night, which is what happened on those days.
  • According to Jewish custom, the next day (Sunday) begins when the sun sets on the previous day (Thursday), making it plausible that Jesus was killed and buried on a Thursday, or possibly a Wednesday, with His resurrection occurring on Saturday night.
  • His disciples, without a doubt, were the only ones who knew how long He had been in the tomb.
  • He either opted not to fulfill the prophesy in its entirety, lingering in the grave for three days and three nights, or he chose to do it in a way that was consistent with the text.
  • His challenge to them, as well as to all of us, was to place our trust in Him, rather than on whatever “evidence” He may provide.

However, it would be far more awful if He had genuinely been dead for the entire three days and nights and they had failed to acknowledge it because they had hardened their hearts to the truth.

When did Jesus rise from the dead?

As recorded in the Gospels, Jesus was claimed to have risen from the grave “on the third day” or “three days later.” Although it appears to be a contradiction in words, the fact that there are numerous alternatives as to when Jesus resurrected from the dead may give the impression that there are multiple possibilities. Furthermore, the fact that Jesus died on a Friday makes these sentences even more perplexing, since a Sunday resurrection might be called into question as a result of the difference between the two days.

See also:  Who Opened Jesus Tomb

The difficulty with this type of current thinking is that it makes the assumption that the Gospel writers intended to constantly write with accuracy on this subject.

According to Witherington, there is an example from the Old Testament in which “‘after three days’ signifies exactly the same thing as ‘on the third day.'” As a result, even if these sentences in modern English appear to be in conflict with one another, “these writings were not created to fit our present rigorous requirements when it comes to time.” Furthermore, “days” in Jewish counting were not the 24-hour periods from midnight to midnight that we are accustomed to; rather, they were commonly defined as beginning at sunset on one day and ending at dusk on the next day.

  1. Reverting back to the original question, when did Jesus Christ resurrect from the dead?
  2. The following is Jimmy Akin’s reconstruction of the timing of Jesus’ death and resurrection, which is based on the Gospels and Jewish traditions.
  3. As a result, Jesus was indeed “resurrected on the third day” (Matthew 20:19).
  4. I am well aware that you are looking for Jesus the Crucified.
  5. It’s hardly surprising that the Church has always adhered to this schedule, with the Easter Vigil service on Saturday night already commemorating Jesus’ triumphant return.
  6. It is not essential when Jesus rose from the dead; what is significant is that he did rise from the grave and opened the gates of Heaven for us, along with the promise of a future resurrection at the conclusion of this world.

More information may be found at: After his resurrection, how many times did Jesus appear to his followers? Where did Mary go after the Resurrection? Continue reading this article

Does the Bible Say Jesus Rose From the Dead on a Sunday?

It is virtually universally acknowledged that Jesus was risen from the dead on Sunday, and it is this conviction that serves as one of the key grounds for Sunday being designated as “the Lord’s Day,” and as such, the day on which Christians should gather for weekly worship services. The numerous stories of the resurrection in the Gospels serve as biblical justifications for this belief system. According to Hastings’ Dictionary of the New Testament, “In the short Resurrection accounts, which are contained in all the Gospels, noticeable emphasis is given on ‘the first day of the week’ as the day on which Jesus rose from the grave.

  • After carefully examining these verses, it becomes evident that all but one of them allude to the first day of the week as the time when people went to the tomb only to find it empty, or as the time when they first saw the risen Christ, as opposed to any other day of the week.
  • Mark 16:9, for example, is usually translated as “When He awoke early on the first day of the week,.” The only probable exception is Mark 16:10, which is usually translated as “When He rose early on the first day of the week.” (or words to that effect).
  • There is an issue in that New Testament Greek does not include punctuation; as a result, scribes and translators were allowed to substitute punctuation as they deemed appropriate.
  • Given the tendency of the majority of transcribers and translators toward Sunday worship, it is not surprising that they would choose comma placement in accordance with their established views.

After a thorough examination of all pertinent passages, it becomes clear that His resurrection occurred at the conclusion of the seventh day, rather than the beginning.

When Was Jesus Christ Crucified and Resurrected? : Did He Really Die on Good Friday and Come Back to Life on Easter Sunday?

As recorded in Matthew 12:38, a group of scribes and Pharisees approached Jesus and requested for a sign to show He was the Messiah. However, Jesus informed them that the only sign He would provide would be similar to that of the prophet Jonah: “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the big fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:38). (Matthew 12:40). The question is, how can we accommodate “three days and three nights” between a Friday afternoon crucifixion and a Sunday morning resurrection?

  • A number of people feel that Christ’s “three days and three nights” remark does not necessitate a precise period of 72 hours, believing that a portion of one day can be counted as a whole day.
  • In this theory, however, only two nights are taken into consideration: Friday night and Saturday night Something is clearly wrong with the traditional perspective of when Christ was buried, and it is not difficult to see why.
  • In the event that Jesus remained in the tomb just from late Friday afternoon until early Sunday morning, the sign He delivered indicating that He was the predicted Messiah would not have been fulfilled, as previously stated.
  • When we do this, we unearth the true tale of how Jesus’ words were perfectly fulfilled, a story that was previously unknown.

Two Sabbaths mentioned

Take note of the events described in Luke 23. Luke 23:46-53 tells the story of Jesus’ death and burial, which took place in haste because of the approaching Sabbath, which began at sundown that evening. The Bible says in Luke 23:54, “That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing nigh.” Many have thought that the weekly Sabbath is being referenced here, and that Jesus was killed on a Friday as a result of this assumption. However, according to John 19:31, the approaching Sabbath “was a high day”—not the weekly Sabbath (which runs from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset), but the first day of Unleavened Bread, which is one of God’s annual high, or Sabbath, days (as opposed to the weekly Sabbath) (Exodus 12:16-17;Leviticus 23:6-7).

This high-day Sabbath was observed on Wednesday night and Thursday because, according to Luke 23:56, after witnessing Christ’s body being laid in the tomb just before sunset, the women “returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils” in preparation for the final preparation of the body for burial.

As recorded in Mark’s account, “Now when the Sabbath had passed, Mary Magdalene and her sister Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and bought spices, so that they may come and anoint Him” (Matthew 26:35).

The ladies had to wait until the end of this yearly “high day” Sabbath before they could go out and purchase and prepare the spices that would be used for anointing Jesus’ body.

This second Sabbath stated in the Gospel reports corresponds to the ordinary weekly Sabbath, which is celebrated from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset every week.

The first, according to John 19:31, was a “high day”—the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which fell on a Thursday in the year A.D. 31. The second, according to John 19:31, was a “low day.” The second was the weekly Sabbath on the seventh day of the week.

Sign of the Messiah

“While it was still dark,” according to John 20:1, after the ladies had had their normal weekly Sabbath rest, they went to Jesus’ tomb on the first day of the week, Sunday, and discovered that He had already been raised (Matthew 28:1-6;Mark 16:2-6;Luke 24:1-3). It becomes evident when we look at the specifics in all four Gospel texts that the picture is painted in black and white. Jesus was killed and entombed late on Wednesday afternoon, shortly before the Jewish Sabbath began at sunset the same evening.

  • The Lord Jesus Christ was buried in the tomb from the evening of Wednesday until the evening of Saturday, when He rose from the dead.
  • It couldn’t have happened on Sunday morning since when Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb that morning before daylight, “when it was still dark,” she saw the stone had been moved away and the tomb had been left vacant.
  • Exactly three days and three nights after He was laid in the tomb, Jesus resurrected from the dead.
  • We recommend that you read our pamphlet, Jesus Christ: The Real Story, for further information.

When Did Jesus Die? The Year, Day & Time

There has been much speculation concerning the day and year of Christ’s crucifixion and death, owing to the absence of clear day-to-day linkage in the stories of the four Gospels. We know that Jesus died on Preparation Day because it is mentioned in each of the four Gospel narratives. But was it a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday when that happened? In addition, what hour did Jesus die? There has even been discussion over the year in which he passed away. To figure out the day of Jesus’ death on the cross, we must piece together the evidence from his four Gospels and our understanding of his historical period and cultural context.

Cultural Information to Keep in Mind

1. The gospel writers were more concerned with depicting Jesus as a person than they were with the precise chronology of his appearance. Dates have become increasingly important in today’s environment in order to provide proper news coverage. However, the Gospel authors were more concerned with the events themselves than they were with the precise date of the occurrences. They were attempting to introduce Jesus to a variety of audiences rather than providing a thorough biography. It was the day before the Sabbath that was designated as the Day of Preparation.

This is the day on which Jews prepared meals and completed all of the tasks that were prohibited from being completed on the Sabbath but that still needed to be completed.

Click HERE to download your FREE 8-Day Prayer and Scripture Guide -Praying Through Holy Week. Create your own copy of this wonderful daily devotional to use in the weeks leading up to Easter.

What the Gospels Say about Jesus’ Burial

The Gospel of Matthew contains the most detailed account of Jesus’ death and burial (Matthew 27:31-62). In this tale, we learn about Joseph, a wealthy man from Arimathea “who had himself become a follower of Jesus,” according to one piece (Matthew 27:57 b). In Matthew 27:58-61, it is said that Joseph approached Pilate and begged for permission to bury Jesus’ body. “The next day, the day after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate,” we are told in Matthew 27:62. Joseph followed out this plan on Preparation Day.

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In the Jewish calendar, it was Preparation Day (i.e., the day before the Sabbath).” (Matthew 15:42 a.) … Consequently, Joseph purchased some linen material, brought the corpse down from the casket, wrapped it in the linen, and buried it in a tomb dug into the rock.

Jesus died on the Day of Preparation, as confirmed by Luke and John: “Then he carried it down, wrapped it in linen fabric, and buried it in a tomb cut into the rock, in which no one had yet been lain.” As it happened, it was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin” (Luke 23:54).

What Day Did Jesus Die? Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday?

Over the years, academics have developed a variety of hypotheses about what occurred during the days of the week preceding up to Jesus’ death on the cross. These versions each offer a different day for Christ’s death, such as Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.

  • Wednesday The fact that Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday permits for Him to have been buried for three full days and nights
  • Nevertheless, this also means that He resurrected on the fourth day. Furthermore, the Triumphal Entry would have taken place on Saturday, the day of Sabbath rest
  • Instead, it took place on Thursday. With a Thursday crucifixion, the Triumphal Entry is moved to Sunday, which makes more sense and removes the necessity for a “quiet day” (a day during thePassion Weekwhen no events were recorded). On the other hand, we know that the Pharisees hurried to put Jesus in the tomb on The Day of Preparation (John 19:34-42), which is Friday, and before the Sabbath began at nightfall (the Jews timed days from the beginning of the nightfall to the beginning of the nightfall). Upon closer examination of the facts, we find that Friday is the most consistent with the Gospel narratives and the historical context. According to the New Testament, Jesus rose from the grave on the third day—not necessarily after three complete, literal days—and was buried on the third day (e.g.,Matthew 16:21
  • Acts 10:40). As previously stated, Jesus had to be hustled inside the tomb on the day of preparation because of the crowds. In contrast to a Friday crucifixion, which would demand a “quiet day” (most likely Wednesday), this day gives the Sanhedrin the opportunity to make plans for Jesus’s arrest and following trials. As a result, the day is just “quiet” since we haven’t documented anything significant

What Time Did Jesus Die?

According to Matthew Henry’s interpretation, Jesus was nailed to the crucifixion between the third and sixth hours, which corresponds between nine and twelve o’clock in the morning. After then, he died shortly after the ninth hour, which was sometime between three and four o’clock in the afternoon. Commensurate with the aforementioned practice, the Jews throughout the time of Christ measured days from dusk to nightfall. The Matthew 27:46 KJV, which is the “ninth hour,” can be translated into the Matthew 27:46 NIV, which is the “three o’clock in the afternoon,” according to Bible experts.

Timing of Jesus Death in Mark, Luke, and John

  • The Gospel of Mark 15: 33:34, 37 “At midday, darkness descended across the entire region, lasting until three o’clock in the afternoon. Also, about three o’clock in the afternoon, Jesus said, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” in an obnoxiously loud voice. (which translates as ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’). “Jesus breathed his last with a piercing scream.”
  • Matthew 23:44-46 ” It was now around midday, and darkness descended upon the entire region until three o’clock in the afternoon since the sun had ceased shining. And the temple’s curtain was split in two by the earthquake. I put my spirit into your hands,’ Jesus said with a resounding voice, calling out to the Father. At the moment he stated this, he exhaled his final breath.” (See also John 19:14-16.) “It was approximately midday on the day of Passover preparations, and it was the day of Passover preparations. ‘Your king has arrived,’ Pilate said to the Jews. They, on the other hand, cried out, “Take him away!” Take him away from me! ‘Put him to death!’ ‘Do you want me to crucify your king?’ Pilate was the one who inquired. ‘We do not have a monarch other than Caesar,’ the leading priests responded. Eventually, Pilate gave him over to them, and they crucified him.”

What Year Did Jesus Die?

During this video, Doug Bookman, a New Testament professor at Shepherds Theological Seminary, shows why biblical academics have reached an agreement about the year Jesus died. “It all boils down to this. Pilate served as prefect of Judea and Samaria from 26 A.D. to 36 A.D., according to the evidence we have. So that’s our view out the window. The following question is: On what day of the week did Passover occur during the year that Jesus died? In the opinion of the majority, it occurred on Thursday or Friday.

Given all of this, the vast majority of researchers will agree that it leads to one of two conclusions: ” Theory 1: Jesus died about the year 30 A.D.

“At this point, the argument becomes pretty technical,” says Bookman of the situation.

“With regard to every one of the chronological questions, there is a case to be formed on both sides of the argument,” he continues. I am convinced that the year 33 A.D. “I teach the life of Jesus within the framework of that structure.”

3 Significant Events Shortly After Jesus’ Death

Matthew 27:51-54, Matthew 27:51-54 As a result of this, the temple’s curtain was split in half, from top to bottom. The ground trembled, the rocks cracked, and the tombs burst into flames. Many pious persons who had died were brought back to life by the power of the Holy Spirit. They emerged from the graves following Jesus’ resurrection and proceeded to the holy city, where they appeared to a large number of people. They were startled and cried, “Surely he was the Son of God!” when the centurion and others with him who were guarding Jesus witnessed the earthquake and everything that had transpired.

  • The temple curtain had been ripped in half.
  • We know from the laws of the Old Testament that entering God’s presence was a severe matter.
  • The fact that this curtain was destroyed represented the completion of Jesus Christ’s accomplished work on the cross, which eliminated the barrier between sinful humans and holy God by becoming the ultimate High Priest and the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of all people.
  • 2.
  • John Gill’s remark on the event states that “this was a demonstration of Christ’s authority over death and the tomb.” When Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his death, he demonstrated that he had destroyed both the power of death and the permanence of the grave.
  • In addition to its grandiose claims, this event is noteworthy because it is a narrative predicting Christ’s second coming to collect the remainder of his people.
  • 3.
  • This text in Matthew glosses over such a remarkable occurrence, but Christ’s resurrection is told in greater detail in Matthew 28, which is the gospel of Matthew (as well as inMark 16,Luke 24, andJohn 20).

On what day was Jesus crucified?

QuestionAnswer According to the Bible, Jesus was crucified on any given day of the week although it is not specified. Friday and Wednesday are the days on which the majority of people agree. Some, on the other hand, believe that Thursday should be the day, based on a synthesis of both the Friday and Wednesday reasons. Christ stated in Matthew 12:40, “For just as Jonah was swallowed up by a great fish and survived three days and three nights there, so will the Son of Man be swallowed up by a great fish and survive three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” It is still possible, according to those who argue for a Friday crucifixion, that He may have been considered in the grave for three days if He was executed on Friday.

In the minds of the Jews of the first century, a portion of a day was regarded to be a complete day.

Jesus was executed “the day before the Sabbath,” according to Mark 15:42, which is one of the most persuasive reasons in favor of Friday.

An other argument for Friday is that texts like as Matthew 16:21 and Luke 9:22 teach that Jesus would rise on the third day, and as a result, He would not need to stay in the grave for a total of three days and nights as previously thought.

Furthermore, according to Mark 8:31, Jesus will be risen “after” three days from the dead.

The Thursday argument is an extension of the Friday argument.

That difficulty can be solved by adding a day or two to your schedule.

He walks into your office on a Thursday morning and you respond, “I haven’t seen you in three days,” despite though it had only been 60 hours since you last saw him (2.5 days).

According to the view written on Wednesday, there were two Sabbaths that week.

According to the Wednesday school of thought, this “Sabbath” was the Passover (see Leviticus 16:29-31, 23:24-32, 39, where high holy days that are not necessarily the seventh day of the week are referred to as the Sabbath).

Please keep in mind that in Luke 23:56, the ladies who had purchased spices after the first Sabbath returned and prepared the spices, after which they “rested on the Sabbath,” as the Bible says.

For those who believe in the two-Sabbath perspective, if Christ was crucified on Thursday, then the high holy Sabbath (the Passover) would have began at sundown on Thursday and finished at sundown on Friday, which corresponds to the beginning of the weekly Sabbath or Saturday.

Consequently, the only interpretation that does not violate the biblical narrative of the ladies and the spices while still adhering to a literal understanding of Matthew 12:40 is that Christ was crucified on Wednesday, according to the Wednesday perspective.

After that, on Friday, the women went out to buy spices and returned to prepare them that same day.

Jesus was laid to rest at sundown on Wednesday, which corresponded to the start of the Jewish calendar week on Thursday.

Thursday night (night one), Friday day (day two), Friday night (night two), Saturday day (day three), Saturday night (night three), Sunday morning (day four) (night three).

According to Jewish tradition, Jesus may have woken as early as right after sunset on Saturday evening, which marked the beginning of the first day of the week.

On the other hand, a possible flaw in the Wednesday viewpoint is that Jesus’ followers walked with Him along the road to Emmaus on the “same day” as His resurrection (Luke 24:13).

The period from Wednesday through Sunday is four days.

Is it really that vital to know what day of the week Christ was killed on?

If it were so significant, God’s Word would have made it abundantly plain what day and hour it will occur and for how long.

What is equally significant is the purpose for His death: He died in order to bear the penalty that all sinners are due.

This holds true regardless of whether He was crucified on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Questions regarding Jesus Christ (return to top of page) When was Jesus crucified, and what day was it?

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