When Did Jesus Die On The Cross

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.

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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.

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).

As it happened, they placed Jesus there since it was the Jewish day of Preparation and because the tomb was close by (John 19:42).

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.

I am convinced that the year 33 A.D.

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.

Jesus is brought back to life from the dead. 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). Photograph courtesy of Joshua Earle via Unsplash.

What time was Jesus crucified? What time did Jesus die on the cross?

Answer The gospel authors make a number of references to the period of Jesus’ crucifixion in their writings. When we put all of these allusions together, we may obtain an approximation of when time of day Jesus died. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) will be used in this article since it provides a literal translation of the time references given in the original Greek. We know that Jesus was arrested in the middle of the night and brought before Pilate the next morning. “Now when the morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired together against Jesus, deciding that He should be put to death; and they tied Him, carried Him away, and handed Him to Pilate the governor,” Matthew 27:1–2.

Pilate, on the other hand, had to make the final call.

Pilate saw he was achieving nothing and that a riot was about to break out.

Then he freed Barabbas for them.

” When it was at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice and said, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ (Who is like God?) in other words, ‘My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?’ In fact, when they heard it, several of the people who were gathered there immediately began to exclaim, ‘This man is asking for Elijah.’ So one of them dashed to the side of the road and, taking a sponge, filled it with sour wine, placed it on a reed, and handed it to Jesus to drink.

  1. The rest, on the other hand, replied, ‘Let us wait and see whether Elijah will arrive to save Him.’ And Jesus cried out with a loud voice once again, this time yielding up His spirit.
  2. Consequently, Jesus died “about the ninth hour,” according to Matthew.
  3. Mark 15:25 provides more detail, stating, “It was the third hour when they crucified Him,” and the rest of the tale is consistent with Matthew and Luke’s accounts of the hours of darkness and the death of Jesus.
  4. It was at the ninth hour when darkness descended from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, and Jesus died at about that time.
  5. In contemporary counting, a new day starts at midnight, thus the third hour would be 3:00 AM.
  6. So the third hour when Jesus was crucified would be three hours after sunup, or around 9:00 AM.
  7. This is all very easy, except that John seems to record something different.
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Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour.” John seems to place the hearing before Pilate “about” noon, which would conflict with Mark, who records that Jesus was crucified at the third hour or 9:00 AM.

Some have suggested that John is counting hours from midnight (the “Roman” method), so the sixth hour would be about 6:00 AM.

A.

605).

363).

74–75).

Another proposed solution is to attribute John’s mention of the sixth hour to a scribal error.

This would make John and Mark to be in complete agreement; however, Carson points out that there is absolutely no manuscript evidence for this variant (op cit, p.

(op cit, p.

Therefore, this solution rests upon conjecture entirely.

536).

536).

Therefore, when Jesus was selected for crucifixion, John makes reference to noon (the sixth hour) to emphasize the fact that the Lamb of God had been selected.

The “ day of preparation ” mentioned in John 19:14 is most likely preparation for the Passover Sabbath, not the Passover Feast that would require the lamb to be selected.

Kostenberger (p.

605) prefer a solution based on the imprecise methods of ancient timekeeping.

If it was mid-morning, say 10:30, one person might have rounded down and called it the third hour (9:00 AM); another person might have rounded up and called it the sixth hour (noon) (noon).

(Even in modern times with digital clocks that tell time down to the second, we often round to the nearest quarter or half hour.) According to this solution, the choice between the third and the sixth hour would be a matter of personal estimation.

In the final analysis, this may be a case of expecting modern scientific precision from an ancient book.

The reckoning of time for most people, who could not very well carry sundials and astronomical charts, was necessarily approximate.

605).

605).

He would have spent somewhere between three and six hours on the cross, with a good portion of that time in total darkness. The gospel writers were not overly interested in precision in this matter. They were far more concerned with the theological implications, which they faithfully recorded.

April 3, AD 33: Why We Believe We Can Know the Exact Date Jesus Died

In our book, The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived, Justin Taylor and I make an educated guess as to the date of Jesus’ crucifixion, but we do not argue for or against it. For a variety of factors, virtually all academics think that Jesus was executed in the spring of either AD 30 or AD 33, with the majority preferring the former. As a result of the astronomical data, the alternatives are reduced to AD 27, 30, 33, or 34). However, we would want to present our case for the date of Friday, April 3, AD 33, as the precise day on which Christ died in our place as atonement for our sins.

However, this does not rule out the possibility of understanding or importance.

No one makes this argument more forcefully than Luke, the Gentile physician who became a historian and inspired recorder of early Christianity.

The Year John the Baptist’s Ministry Began

In Luke’s account, John the Baptist began his public ministry soon before Jesus did, and the author provides us with a historical reference point for when the Baptist’s ministry began: “in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign.” (See Luke 3:16). It is known from ancient Roman history that Tiberius succeeded Augustus as emperor on August 19, AD 14 and was approved by the Roman Senate on the same day. He reigned until the year AD 37. “The fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign” appears to be a straightforward date, but there are some ambiguities, beginning with when one begins the calculation.

Most likely, Tiberius’ reign was measured from the day he assumed office in AD 14 or from the first day of January of the following year, AD 15 (whichever came first).

So John the Baptist’s ministry began anywhere between the middle of AD 28 and the beginning of AD 29.

The Year Jesus’s Ministry Began

Because the Gospels appear to suggest that Jesus began his ministry not long after John, the most likely date for Jesus’ baptism would be late in AD 28 at the absolute earliest, according to the calculations above. Nevertheless, it seems more likely that it occurred somewhere around the first half of the year AD 29, because a few months had probably gone between the beginning of John’s career and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (and the year AD 30 is the latest possible date). As a result, Jesus’ career must have began somewhere between the end of AD 28 and the beginning of AD 30 at the earliest.

The most plausible dates for Jesus’ birth are 6 or 5 BC, which means he would have been roughly thirty-two to thirty-four years old in late AD 28 to early AD 30. This comes well within the range of “about thirty years of age.”

The Length of Jesus’s Ministry

To determine how long Jesus’ public ministry lasted, we must first determine how long Jesus’ public ministry lasted. If Jesus’ public ministry lasted two or more years, it appears that the spring of AD 30 cannot be considered as a plausible date for the crucifixion. The Gospel of John records that Jesus attended at least three (perhaps four) Passovers, which were held once a year in the spring and were as follows:

  • In Jerusalem, at the beginning of his public ministry (John 2:13–23)
  • In Galilee, during the midpoint of his public career (John 6:4)
  • And in Bethlehem, at the end of his public ministry (John 6:4). In Jerusalem, at the conclusion of his public ministry, that is, at the time of his crucifixion (John 11:55
  • 12:1), there was a final Passover celebration. And it’s possible that Jesus attended another Passover that wasn’t reported in the Gospel of John, but was documented in one or more of the Synoptic Gospels (i.e., Matthew, Mark, and Luke)

In Jerusalem, at the beginning of his public ministry (John 2:13–23); in Galilee, during the midpoint of his public career (John 6:4); and in Bethlehem, at the end of his public ministry (John 6:7). During Jesus’ public career, at the time of his execution (John 11:55; 12:1), the city of Jerusalem celebrated a final Passover. In addition, Jesus may have participated in one or more other Passovers that are not documented in the Synoptic Gospels (i.e., Matthew, Mark, and Luke), but are reported in one or more of the other Synoptic Gospels.

Nisan 15 AD 30 John 2:13
Nisan 15 AD 31 Either the unnamed feast in John 5:1 or else a Passover that John does not mention (but that may be implied in the Synoptics)
Nisan 15 AD 32 John 6:4
Nisan 15 AD 33 John 11:55, the Passover at which Jesus was crucified

Jesus Was Crucified on the Day of Preparation for the Passover

It is also mentioned by the apostle John that Jesus was crucified on “the day of Preparation” (John 19:31), which corresponds to the Friday before the Sabbath of the Passover week (Mark 15:42). Earlier in the day, on Thursday evening, Jesus had a Passover meal with the Twelve (Mark 14:12), which is referred to as his “Last Supper.” Passover always falls on the fifteenth day of Nisan (Exodus 12:6), according to the Pharisaic-rabbinic calendar that was generally used in Jesus’ day. According to this calendar, Passover begins on Thursday after sundown and finishes on Friday after nightfall.

33, the year in which the crucifixion is most likely to have occurred, the most likely date for Jesus’ crucifixion is April 3 in the year a.d.

Accordingly, we created the following chart in The Final Days of Jesus to indicate the dates for Jesus’ final week in the year a.d.

April 2 Nissan 14 Thursday (Wednesday nightfall to Thursday nightfall) Day of Passover preparation Last Supper
April 3 Nissan 15 Friday (Thursday nightfall to Friday nightfall) Passover; Feast of Unleavened Bread, begins Crucifixion
April 4 Nissan 16 Saturday (Friday nightfall to Saturday nightfall) Sabbath
April 5 Nissan 17 Sunday (Saturday nightfall to Sunday nightfall) First day of the week Resurrection

Conclusion

The computations in the preceding section may look difficult, but in a nutshell, the reasoning goes as follows:

HISTORICAL INFORMATION YEAR
Beginning of Tiberius’s reign AD 14
Fifteenth year of Tiberius’s reign:Beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry AD 28
A few months later:Beginning of Jesus’s ministry AD 29
Minimum three-year duration of Jesus’ ministry:Most likely date of Jesus’s crucifixion AD 33 (April 3)

While this is, in our opinion, the most plausible scenario, it should be noted that many people think Jesus was killed in the year AD 30, rather than the year AD 33, as we have said. If, on the other hand, the beginning of Tiberius’ rule is set at the year AD 14, it becomes nearly difficult to fit fifteen years of Tiberius’ reign and three years of Jesus’ ministry between AD 14 and AD 30, as is the case. As a result, some have speculated that Tiberius and Augustus shared co-regency (combined rule) during the last few years of Augustus’ reign.

As a result, we believe that Jesus was most likely crucified on April 3, AD 33, as previously stated.

Because of this, when we celebrate Easter and walk with Jesus every day of the year, we may be certain that our faith is founded not just on subjective personal confidence, but also on solid historical evidence, which makes our faith a perfectly rational faith.

Crossway’s executive vice president and publisher for books, Justin Taylor, holds this position. Andreas Köstenberger and he have written a book together called The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week in the Life of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived (Crossway, 2014).

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Did Jesus Die on a Cross, as Some Believe?

The Bible’s answer

Many people believe that the cross is the most well recognized emblem of Christianity. Due to the fact that the Bible does not explain the instrument of Jesus’ death, no one can say with perfect certainty what shape it was in. While this is true, the Bible also gives proof that Jesus died on an upright stake rather than a cross. When referring to the instrument of Jesus’ death, the Greek wordstauros are frequently used in the Bible. (Matthew 27:40; John 19:17; Mark 10:45) Many historians believe that the main meaning of this term is really “upright stake,” despite the fact that it is frequently rendered as “cross” in translations.

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The Greek wordxylonas, which is a synonym for the wordstauros, is also used in the Bible.

* According to the Companion Bible, “There is nothing in the Greek of the New Testament that even remotely suggests two pieces of lumber.”

Is using the cross in worship acceptable to God?

Acrux simplex is the Latin phrase for a single stake that is used for impalement of criminals, and it is a type of stake. We should not utilize the crucifixion in worship, regardless of the shape of the instrument on which Jesus died, as evidenced by the following facts and Bible scriptures.

  1. God rejects worship that incorporates images or symbols, including the cross. God instructed the Israelites not to incorporate “the form of any symbol” into their worship, and Christians are instructed to “flee from idolatry.” — Deuteronomy 4:15-19
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:14
  3. 1 Peter 2:21
  4. 1 Peter 3:21
  5. 1 Peter 3:21 The crucifixion was not used in worship by first-century Christians.*The teachings and example of the apostles established a pattern that other Christians should follow. — 2 Thessalonians 2: 15
  6. 1 Peter 3:18. In the centuries following Jesus’ death, when the churches had strayed from his teachings, new church members “were permitted mainly to maintain their pagan signs and symbols,” which included the cross. (Source: The Expanded Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) The Bible, on the other hand, does not condone the use of pagan symbols to aid in the conversion of new believers. — 2 Corinthians 6:17
  7. 1 Timothy 6:15
  8. 1 Timothy 6:16
  9. 2 Corinthians 6:17
  10. 2 Corinthians 6

Jesus Christ May Not Have Died on Cross

– – – – – – – – – – For more than 2,000 years, the crucifix has served as a powerful symbol of both Jesus Christ’s death and the Christian faith. According to a Swedish theologian, despite the crucifix’s widespread use in art and literature, there is no evidence in the Bible or other ancient texts to suggest that Christ was crucified on a cross. In order to investigate his newly finished 400-page PhD thesis, Gunnar Samuelsson, an evangelical preacher and theologian, claims he spent three years going through hundreds of historical manuscripts to do so “The Crucifixion was practiced in antiquity.

“While there were several allusions to “suspension devices,” none of them were specific “He was unable to locate any explicit references to the typical T-shaped cross, which was often employed for executions at the time of Christ’s death.

“There is no distinct punishment device called a ‘crucifix,’ anywhere mentioned in any of the ancient texts, including the Gospels.” The author, who is a devout believer in the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, asserts that for generations, people have misinterpreted and mistranslated the Greek word “stauros,” which means “suspension device,” when in fact the term could have meant anything from a “pole or a tree trunk” to a “cross.” The Greek language was used to write the first versions of the New Testament.

  1. ” If you only read the text and ignore the art and religion, you will find that there is very little information concerning the crucifixion in it.
  2. Everyone assumed it meant cross, but it actually means a variety of things.
  3. A suspension device, which consisted essentially of a tall pole or pike, was commonly employed in the ancient world, by the Romans and their contemporaries, both as an execution device and as a public warning mechanism to exhibit the bodies of killed criminals and foes.
  4. Instead, interpreting the term as “suspended” would make more sense.
  5. He, on the other hand, claims “We don’t know what happened to those evil guys who stood next to him on the right and left sides of the room.
  6. However, we have not been able to locate any proof of them in the ancient scriptures “He went on to say more.
  7. Roberts.

“If you were wandering around Galilee and heard Jesus declare that he will be hung in a matter of days, you would be alarmed.

The passion is also recounted in different ways in different Gospels and has been depicted in diverse ways throughout history, which is another point to consider.

In other scholarly publications, he is only depicted as carrying the cross beam.

Samuelson said that he had not anticipated the positive response his theory has received on a global scale.

He stated that he had anticipated that his work would pique the interest of academics, but that he had been shocked by the widespread interest.

I believe that Jesus is God’s son, according to the Bible. Every day, I read from the New Testament. It feels like the Holy Spirit has descended upon me. I keep assuring them that this does not imply that we have to demolish all of the crosses in the churches across the world.”

What time of day did the crucifixion happen?

Earlier in the day, about 6 a.m. or shortly afterwards, the Jewish leaders arrived to Pilate’s office (see John 19:14). It was approximately seven o’clock in the morning on Friday when Herod was summoned to court. Jesus’ second trial before Pilate began about 8 a.m., and according to Mark 15:25, it concluded with the crucifixion taking place at “the third hour,” which corresponds to nine o’clock in the morning using the Jewish way of counting. It was approximately 3 p.m. when Jesus cried out, “It is done,” and died on the crucifixion, which occurred around noon when He was hanging on the cross (see Matthew 27:45).

The trials of Jesus

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was apprehended by the Jewish religious authorities at roughly midnight, according to the majority of commentaries. In the home of Caiaphas, He was put on trial for the first time at roughly one o’clock in the morning, and the second effort to accuse Him happened an hour or so later, at approximately two or three o’clock in the afternoon. Then, somewhere between three and four o’clock in the morning, the trial before the Sanhedrin took place before the court.

  • and the sun rises around 5:30 a.m.
  • and the sun rises around 5:30 a.m.
  • As a result, it was necessary to confirm it in broad daylight.
  • In the year of the crucifixion, Nisan 14, the day scheduled for the killing of the paschal lambs, occurred on a Thursday; the preparation for (or eve of) the Passover coincided with the preparation for (or eve of) the weekly Sabbath, resulting in a conflict between the two.
  • Mark 15:42 to 16:2; Luke 23:5 to 24:1).

7 Clues Tell Us *Precisely* When Jesus Died (the Year, Month, Day, and Hour Revealed)

When it comes to the killing of Jesus, how detailed can we be? Is it possible to pinpoint the precise date? We are in the midst of our yearly commemoration of Jesus’ death and resurrection, which began on Easter Sunday. All of us are aware that something like this occurred in Jerusalem during the first century. That distinguishes Jesus from mythological pagan deities, who were said to have lived in places and at times that no one could pinpoint precisely. When it comes to the killing of Jesus, how detailed can we be?

We have the ability to do so.

Clue1: The High Priesthood of Caiaphas

According to the gospels, Jesus was executed at the behest of Caiaphas, a high priest from the first century who was known for his ruthlessness (Matthew 26:3-4,John 11:49-53).

Based on previous accounts, we know that he served as high priest from 18 to 36 A.D., which places Jesus’ death at that time period. However, we may be a little more particular. There’s a lot more.

Clue2: The Governorship of Pontius Pilate

All four gospels agree that Jesus was killed on Pontius Pilate’s orders, according to the New Testament (Matthew 27:24-26,Mark 15:15,Luke 23:24,John 19:15-16). Due to information from other sources, we know when he served as governor of Judea — from A.D. 26 to 36 — and hence can restrict the time period down by several years. Nevertheless, how are we going to narrow the scope to a single day and year?

Clue3: After “the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius Caesar”

The beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry is specified in the Gospel of Luke as follows: In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign.the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert, where he remained for forty days. This specifies a certain year, namely A.D. 29. Because all four gospels represent Christ’s ministry beginning after that of John the Baptist (Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, and John 1), we may trim a few more years off our estimated time frame for his birth. The death of Christ has to take place within a seven-year time span: between A.D.

36.

Clue4: Crucified on a Friday

There is unanimous agreement among the four gospels that Jesus was crucified on a Friday (Matthew 27:62, Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, and John 19:42), immediately before a Sabbath, which was just before the first day of the week (Luke 23:54; John 19:42). (Matthew 28:1,Mark 16:2,Luke 24:1,John 20:1). Due to the fact that Friday was designated as “the day of preparation,” we know it was a Friday. This means that it was the day on which Jews made the preparations they required for the Sabbath, as they were not permitted to work on that day.

  • According to the Jewish Encyclopedia: Friday is referred to as ‘Ereb Shabbat’ since it is the day before Shabbat (The Eve of Sabbath).
  • In Josephus’ Antiquitiesxvi.
  • The day is referred to as “Yoma da-‘Arubta” in Yer.
  • 1 of the Jewish calendar (Day of Preparation).
  • 29 and 36, despite the fact that six days of the week were eliminated.

Clue5: A Friday at Passover

It is also agreed upon by the gospel writers that Jesus was crucified in connection with the yearly festival of Passover (Matthew 26:2,Mark 14:1,Luke 22:1,John 18:39). We get into a slight snag here since the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke characterize the Last Supper on Holy Thursday as a Passover feast (Matthew 26:19,Mark 14:14,Luke 22:15). That would imply that Good Friday occurred the day after Passover was observed. On the other hand, while recounting the morning of Good Friday, John makes it clear that the Jewish rulers had not yet eaten the Passover meal.

  • It was still early in the morning.
  • As a result, Pilate walked out to meet them.
  • There are a variety of options for dealing with this situation.
  • Another possibility is that Jesus simply moved the date of the Passover celebration for him and his disciples forward a few days.
  • In the event that he announces, “We’re celebrating Passover today,” and it happens to be a day earlier than most people are used to, they would just accept it.
  • No matter what Jesus’ movement did, we may use John’s remark about the kidnappers of Jesus to determine what the Jewish authorities or mainstream Judaism were like in those days: They were beginning their Passover celebrations on Friday evening, which is what we would call Friday.

Because of this, we can reduce the range of probable dates down to only a handful. The following is a comprehensive list of the days between A.D. 29 and 36 on which Passover began in the evening:

  • Monday, April 18, the year 29
  • Friday, April 7, the year 30
  • Tuesday, March 27, the year 31
  • Monday, April 14, the year 32
  • Friday, April 3, the year 33
  • Wednesday, March 24, the year 34
  • Tuesday, April 12, the year 35
  • And Saturday, March 31, the year 36
See also:  When Was Jesus Christ Crucified

Monday, April 18, the year 29; Friday, April 7, the year 30; Tuesday, March 27, the year 31; Monday, April 14, the year 32; Friday, April 3, the year 33; Wednesday, March 24, the year 34; Tuesday, April 12, the year 35; and Saturday, March 31, the year 36; and

Clue6: John’s Three Passovers

During Jesus’ career, the Gospel of John mentions three separate Passovers: the first, the second, and the third.

  • Jesus’ first public appearance was during the Passover Seder, which was described in John 2:13, towards the beginning of his career. 2nd Passover: This event is mentioned in John 6:4 and takes place in the midst of Jesus’ career. Passover3: This is mentioned in John 11:55 (and has been referenced several times thereafter), and it occurs near the conclusion of Jesus’ career.

That implies that Jesus’ ministry had to have lasted at least a couple of years longer than that. An in-depth examination would disclose that it lasted around three and a half years; yet, even if we believe that it began immediately before Passover1, the inclusion of two additional Passovers demonstrates that it lasted at the very least more than two years. That indicates the A.D. 30 deadline has passed. A ministry of at least two years cannot be accommodated in the period available between the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar (A.D.

The numbers don’t add up in this case.

Is it possible to be any more specific?

Clue7: “The Ninth Hour”

Jesus died about “the ninth hour,” according to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Matthew 27:45-50,Mark 15:34-37,Luke 23:44-46). The “ninth hour” is what we would regard to as 3:00 p.m. in our modern day. This permits us to narrow down the time of Jesus’ death to a very particular point in history: approximately 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 3, A.D. 33, on the third day of the first month of the first century. Of course, there are a slew of thorough counter-arguments that I haven’t had time to address in this article.

This is the exact moment it occurred.

What Now?

It is recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke that Jesus died at around “the ninth hour” (Matthew 27:45-50,Mark 15:34-37,Luke 23:44-46). It is 3:00 p.m. today, which is known as “the ninth hour” in medieval times. Because of this, we are able to pinpoint the exact hour of Jesus’ death to a very definite point in history: about 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 3, A.D. 33, which is a very specific moment in history. I’m sure there are a slew of detailed points that I haven’t had the opportunity to address here.

Where Did Jesus Die?

In case you’ve ever been to (or taught) Sunday School, chances are you’ve heard the following question dozens of times: “Where did Jesus die?” If you ask certain folks, they’ll tell you that it’s “the location of the skull.” Others have used the words “Calvary” or “Golgotha.” Both of these names refer to the location where Jesus died on the crucifixion on Good Friday, more than two thousand years ago.

In the Bible, this location had a significantly higher historical significance than it does now, and it was not picked at random.

What was the location of Jesus’ death? Golgotha is known as the “place of the skull.” And it’s possible that you’ll be able to visit this very same location today. Here’s where you can get your FREE Holy Week Guide. You may have daily words of encouragement emailed to your inbox.

What Does Golgotha Mean?

The term “Golgotha” refers to “the location of the skull.” This hill, which was positioned just outside the city’s walls and was appropriately named, was the site of executions for offenders (Matthew 27:33,Mark 15:22,John 19:17). In the words of Bible Study Tools, “It was a little knoll that was rounded in the shape of a naked skull.” Clearly, it was a well-known location outside the gate (Compare Hebrews 13:12), close to the city (Luke 23:26), with a “garden” (John 19:41), and on a thoroughfare going into the country, as indicated by the evangelists.

The hillside above Jeremiah’s Grotto, located to the north of the city, is most likely the real location of Calvary, according to historical evidence.

Thankfully, Jesus was buried in a tomb with due honors, but we can’t say the same for the two robbers who flanked him on the cross, who were likely beheaded.

What Does the Bible Say about Golgotha?

The name “Golgotha” appears in three of the four Gospel narratives. Here is a peek at what each individual has to say about this dangerous location. “They arrived to a spot named Golgotha (which literally translates as “the place of the skull”),” Matthew 27:33 says. The word skull comes on the screen once more. If archeologists are correct in their assumption, the rock formation on this hill resembles the shape of a skull. Furthermore, one cannot overlook the obvious death overtones of this location, which has real skulls that have decayed and decomposed.

  1. If it had gained notoriety, or in this case, infamy, as a result of a moniker given to it by adjacent Jerusalem residents, it had achieved renown.
  2. The Israelite people all spoke the same language, which was Aramaic.
  3. Additionally, the fact that all three Gospels indicate the same spot of Christ’s death might be a source of hope.
  4. Eventually, his torture wounds have caused him to lose his ability to heave it.

Where Is Golgotha?

Apart from the imprecise “outside the gates of Jerusalem,” archeologists have a very good idea of where the tomb is located, despite the fact that we don’t know where it is. It has been reduced down to two candidates, according to Grace Communion International: According to the latest available data, just two have been judged worthy of serious consideration.” Traditional location is inside the area presently occupied by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (at right), which is located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City (see map below) (see map below).

The other potential site is a rocky hill known as Gordon’s Calvary, which is located immediately north of Jerusalem’s Old City.” According to legend, the anointing stone, which was used to prepare Jesus’ body for burial, may be found in the former, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

During non-pandemic periods, travelers can pay a visit to both locations where it is possible that Jesus walked and even died for the sins of humanity.

The Resurrection of Jesus, rather than his death, is the focal point of Christian belief. After all, the angel proclaims at the place of Jesus’ burial, “He is not present.” “He has resurrected from the dead!”

When Did Jesus Die?

Jesus died at 3 p.m. on the cross of Calvary (or 15:00). As a result of his terrible injuries, he died very quickly on the cross after spending the previous night on trial for crimes he did not commit. He had had no sleep, had sweat blood even before the torture began, and had died very swiftly on the trial. When Jesus died so suddenly, even Pilate was taken aback, as recorded in Mark 15. Usually, in order to expedite the process of death (particularly during a festival like Passover), Roman guards would break the legs of individuals who were hanging on the cross.

However, when the Romans arrived at Jesus’ location, they learned that he had already died.

The fact that Jesus died before the Romans were able to capture him fulfilled the prophesy that his bones would not shatter (Psalm 34:20) when he died.

3 Facts You May Not Know about Where Jesus Died

We now have some basic information about Golgotha, so let’s look at some interesting facts about Calvary that many people aren’t aware of.First, some theologians have equated Golgotha with Mt. Moriah, the location where Abraham almost sacrifices his son.Although there isn’t much archaeological evidence to support this, Christians cannot help but be excited about the possible story parallels. After all, God commands Abraham to offer up his only son as a sacrifice (Genesis 22). A ram is sent to take Isaac’s place at the last minute, by the king.

The sacrifice is carried out by Jesus, who also bears the punishment for our sins.

If the word “skull hill” originated in Latin, we don’t know if the Romans also named the location by that name or if the Israelites just handed the name down from generation to generation amongst themselves.

The word initially appeared in English during the 1700s.

Numerous people would have passed by during Jesus’ death, which explains why the throng taunts and jeers at him from below the cross while he hangs on the crucifixion.

While we do not know the specific place of Jesus’ death, we do have two very solid hypotheses.

Despite the fact that he is buried nearby, on Easter Sunday, Jesus overcomes death and emerges from the tomb.

Despite the fact that Jesus died for our sins, he does not end the tale there.

In the knowledge that not only has Jesus risen from the dead and conquered death, but that we, too, shall one day experience a resurrection.Photo credit: Getty Images/azerberber Hope Bolinger is a multi-published author and a graduate of Taylor University’s professional writing program.

As a writer and editor, she has worked for a number of different publishing firms as well as periodicals, newspapers, and literary agencies, and she has worked with writers such as Jerry B.

Her modern-day Daniel trilogy, published by IlluminateYA, is now available.

Her inspirational adult novel Picture Imperfect, which will be released in November of 2021, will also be released.

This page is a part of our broader Holy Week and Easter resource collection, which is concentrated on the events leading up to and following the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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As a devotional or study for both individuals and groups, this FREE audio offers a fresh perspective on the Lenten season. It is available for download now.

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