What Day Did Jesus Rise Again?

Baltimore Catechism: On What Day Did Jesus Christ Rise From the Dead?

I’m wondering what day Jesus Christ rose from the grave was. Over the years, this seemingly basic topic has been the source of much heated discussion. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of those debates and send you in the direction of other information.

What Does the Baltimore Catechism Say?

When it comes to question and answer 89 of the Baltimore Catechism, which can be found in Lesson Seventh of the First Communion Edition and Lesson Eighth of the Confirmation Edition, it is best described as follows: When did Christ rise from the grave, and what day did it happen?Answer: Christ resurrected from the grave, beautiful and everlasting, on Easter Sunday, the third day after His death, on the third day after His death.Isn’t it straightforward?On the Feast of the Resurrection, Jesus resurrected from the grave.

For example, why do we refer to the day Christ rose from the grave as Easter and what does it mean when we say that it is ″the third day after His death″ imply?

Why Easter?

Easter is derived from Eastre, which is the Anglo-Saxon name for the Teutonic goddess of spring and the origin of the word Easter.Due to the fact that the Church celebrated Christ’s Resurrection in the early spring when Christianity first expanded to the Northern tribes of Europe, the term for the season was attached to the most important of celebrations as Christianity spread around the world.(In the Eastern Church, where the impact of Germanic tribes was minimal, the day of Christ’s Resurrection is referred to as Pascha, which is derived from the Hebrew word for Passover, Pasch.)

When Is Easter?

Is Easter celebrated on a particular day, such as New Year’s Day or the Fourth of July?The fact that the Baltimore Catechism refers to Easter Sunday as the first hint provides the first piece of evidence.As we all know, the first of January and the Fourth of July (as well as Christmas, December 25) can fall on any day of the week.Easter, on the other hand, usually happens on a Sunday, which informs us that it is a very important holiday.

Due to the fact that Jesus resurrected from the grave on a Sunday, Easter is always celebrated on a Sunday.But, rather than celebrating His Resurrection on the anniversary of the date on which it occurred—much as we always celebrate our birthdays on the same day of the week rather than the same day of the week—why not celebrate His Resurrection on the anniversary of the date on which it occurred?This was a cause of tremendous debate in the early Church, and it continues to be so today.The majority of Christians in the East did, in fact, observe Easter on the same day every year: the 14th of Nisan, the first month of the Jewish holy calendar, on the 14th of Nisan.In Rome, on the other hand, the significance of the day on which Christ rose from the grave was seen as more significant than the precise date.

Sunday was the first day of Creation, and Christ’s Resurrection marked the beginning of a new Creation—the rebuilding of the world that had been harmed by the original sin of Adam and Eve—and the beginning of the new Creation.To commemorate this event in the Roman Catholic calendar, and the Church throughout the Western world in general, celebrated Easter on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon, which is defined as the full moon that occurs either before, during, or immediately after the vernal (spring) equinox.At the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the 14th day of Nisan was the full moon known as the Paschal Full Moon.

Since then, since the Council of Nicaea in 325, the entire Church has followed this formula, which explains why Easter always occurs on a Sunday and why the date varies year after year.

How Is Easter the Third Day After Jesus’ Death?

There is one anomaly, however: if Jesus died on a Friday and rose from the dead on a Sunday, how is it that Easter is celebrated on the third day following Jesus’ death?Saturday and Sunday are only two days apart, correct?Yes and no, to be honest.Today, we typically keep track of our days in this manner.

However, this was not always the case (and continues to be the case in some societies).The Church’s liturgical calendar carries on the previous tradition in a new light.For example, we claim that Pentecost is 50 days after Easter, despite the fact that it is the seventh Sunday following Easter Sunday, and seven times seven equals just 49 days after Easter.By incorporating Easter itself, we get the magic number of 50.As an example, when we declare that Christ ″raised again on the third day,″ we count Good Friday (the day of His death) as the first day, Holy Saturday as the second day and Easter Sunday (the day Jesus rose from the grave) as the third day.

How was Jesus Christ “raised again?” Why “again?”

Shawn Brasseaux contributed to this article. When the Lord Jesus ″rose again″ or was ″raised again,″ the Scriptures tell us that he did it about two dozen times. Some people are perplexed by this, particularly by the use of the word ″again.″ Is the Bible claiming that Jesus was raised from the dead on two different occasions? We’ll take a few minutes to ″de-mystify″ this issue while you wait. As previously stated, the Bible refers to Jesus as having been ″raised again″ or as having ″risen again″ multiple times. Take note of how this is repeated again and over again: According to Matthew 16:21, ″From that time forth, Jesus began to teach his disciples how he must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again on the third day.″ Jesus was showing them how he would go into Jerusalem, suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed and raised again on the third day.
Matthew 17:9: ″And when they descended down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell no one about the vision until the Son of man has risen from the dead.″
And they will put him to death on the third day, and the third day he will be resurrected again.″ Matthew 17:23 And they expressed their regret in the most sincere way.″
Matthew 20:19: ″And shall pass him up to the Gentiles to ridicule him, and to torture him, and to crucify him, and on the third day he shall rise from the dead.″
Matthew 26:32: ″However, once I have risen from the dead, I will travel ahead of you into Galilee.″
Matthew 27:63: ″Saying, Sir, we recall that the liar claimed, while he was still alive, that he would rise again after three days.″ As recorded in Mark 8:31: ″And he started to instruct them, saying that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, as well as by the chief priests and the scribes, and be slain, and after three days be raised again.″ And they will mock him and torture him and spit on him until he is killed
but on the third day, he will rise again. ″Mark 10:34 ″And they will taunt him and thrash him and spit on him until he is killed.″ And they will torture him and put him to death, and on the third day he will rise again,″ says Luke 18:33. Jesus said in Luke 24:7 that the Son of Man ″must be given into the hands of wicked men, and he must be crucified, and he must rise again the third day.″ For example, John 20:9 says, ″Because they had not yet known the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.″ God has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he has risen Jesus again, as it is also said in the second psalm, ″Thou are my Son
this day have I begotten thee,″ according to Acts 13:33. The Bible says in Acts 13:37, ″However, he who was risen from the dead saw no corruption.″ The first verse of Acts 17 states, ″Opening and claiming, that Christ must have suffered, and risen again from the dead
and that this Jesus, who I proclaim unto you, is Christ.″ ″Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification,″ says the Bible in Romans 4:25. Paul writes in Romans 8:34, ″For who is he that condemneth?″ It is Christ who died, and more importantly, who has risen from the dead, who sits at the right side of God, and who also intercedes on our behalf.″ Or, ″Or, Who shall descend into the depths?″ (that is, who shall raise Christ from the grave.)″ Romans 10:7 And that he was buried and that he rose from the dead on the third day, according to the Scriptures:″ ″And that he died for all, that they which live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again.″
1 Thessalonians 4:14: ″For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we believe that God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus.″
Hebrews 13:20: ″Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep,″

DEFINING THE WORD ″AGAIN″ ″Again″ can be used in a number of different contexts. Its principal meaning, according to The Oxford American English Dictionary, is ″once more
another time
afresh
in addition.″ (For example, ″Would you mind spelling your name again, please?″) Another way to say it is ″in an extra situation or instance
in addition to
in addition to
additionally.″ ″On the other hand,″ it can also be used in the meaning of ″in contrast to.″ As in, ″It’s possible that it will happen, but it’s as possible that it will not.″ Another way it may be used is ″as a response
in response to
in response to.″ (As in, ″to respond once again.″) Finally, the phrase ″again″ can be used to refer to returning to the same area or person. (For example, ″to return again.″) This is the way we should think about Jesus Christ being ″raised again,″ according to the last definition. Take note of what the Lord Himself stated in John 10:18: ″No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.″ I have the ability to put something down and the ability to pick it up again. ″I have received this commandment from my Father.″ When He rose from the dead, He returned something that belonged to Him—in fact, He returned His life! Consider the following additional comparable concepts found in the Bible: According to John 6:39, ″And this is the Father’s desire, which he hath sent me, that I should lose nothing of everything that he hath given me, but that I should raise it up again at the last day.″
John 11:23: ″Jesus said unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.″ (Jesus Christ is referring about Himself raising His Israeli believers, which will occur in the future from us.) At John 11:24, Martha tells him, ″I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the final day.″ (He is implying that Lazarus will come back to life.) (See the comment at John 11:23 for further information.)
Luke 8:55: ″And her soul came back to her, and she arose immediately: and he commanded that she be given food.″ (The young girl had life, she died, and Jesus resurrected her, giving her life to her once more.) Some believed Elias had arrived, but others believed one of the old prophets had resurrected from the dead (Luke 9:8). (The prophets of the ″Old Testament″ were formerly believed to be alive on Earth, and one of them was presumed to be living on Earth again and performing the functions of Jesus Christ. This, of course, was due to spiritual illiteracy. As recorded in Luke 9:19, ″They responded by saying, ‘John the Baptist,’ but some say, ‘Elias,’ and others say, ‘one of the ancient prophets has risen from the dead.’″ (See the remark on Luke 9:8 in the preceding section.) For this reason, my son was dead, and now he is alive again
he was lost, and he has been found,″ says Luke 15:24. ″And they began to have a good time.″ (The father-son connection had been ″dead,″ or non-functional, until the son returned to the father, at which point the relationship was revived.) This thy brother had been dead and has been brought back to life
he had been lost and has now been recovered, as stated in Luke 15:32: ″It was proper that we should rejoice and be joyful, for this thy brother had been dead and has been brought back to life.″ (In the family’s eyes, the sibling was ″dead″ since he had abandoned them. However, when he returned, the relationship proceeded in the same manner as before.) (The children of these mothers died physically and then were brought back to life.)
Hebrews 11:35: ″Women received their dead restored to life again: and others were tormented because they would not accept rescue
that they may get a higher resurrection:″ In other words, they returned to their previous way of life.

CONCLUSION What happened to make the Lord Jesus ″rise again?″ What did He do to be ″raised again?″ Although some believe He was raised twice, the truth is that He really lived twice—those two lifetimes were separated by a resurrection, as some have incorrectly concluded.A single life was lived by him, and afterwards He was slain and buried.He was resurrected, and then He came back to life.His life had been returned to him in a miraculous way.

The phrase ″raised again″ refers to both the act of resurrection itself and the beginning of a new life that results from it.It is the resumption of life, or the continuation of existence as if death had never occurred.Check out these other articles: » Where was Jesus during those three days?» Could you give us a description of Jesus’ resurrected body?When Lazarus died, why did Jesus shed tears?

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?

For centuries, the Christian church has observed the resurrection of Jesus Christ on a Sunday, three days after commemorating his death on Good Friday.This practice has continued today.According to multiple passages in the New Testament, this timetable of three days is accurate.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.According to eyewitnesses, it appears that Jesus might have risen one day, two days, or even four days after his death and the resurrection would still be considered historically credible.Is the third day only a coincidental, insignificant element put on to the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection?Is this a coincidence, or does it have any significance?

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.

Investigating this pattern for ourselves can help us gain a better understanding of the Easter celebration.

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.

There are three passages earlier in the Hebrew Bible’s narrative that begin to develop a pattern of new life emerging on the third day: the creation narrative in Genesis 1, Abraham’s test in Genesis 22, and the Israelites at Sinai in Exodus 19.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 initial glimpse into the three-day significance?The first page of the Bible.The creation story in Genesis 1 is written in the style of a poetry, with repeated declarations and parallelism between events.Within the rhythm of these repeats, two events in the creation tale stand out as particularly noteworthy, each occurring at a three-day interval and occurring at different points in the narrative.

During the first ″third day,″ God creates dry ground and enables flora to emerge from the soil, including plants that produce seeds as well as trees that give fruit for human use (1:11-13).The image depicted here is of fresh life sprouting or rising up from the earth, which represents a place of non-existence or death in this case.The second ″third day″ event occurs on the sixth day of creation, when God produces animals and human beings for the first time (1:24).It is similar to the previous ″third day,″ in that the earth will give birth to live creatures, according to the scripture (1:24-27).Humans were produced from the dust of the earth, according to what we learn later in the book (2:7).

This is another example of how new life may be sprung from the earth.Take note of the parallels between humans and trees: both are newly generated from the ground (2:7, 9), both carry seeds and produce fruit (1:11, 28; 3:15), and both are made in this manner on the third day of creation.One thing that distinguishes people 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:

God brings new life where there was once only death (1:11-13
26-27
2:7)
God establishes his covenant with the creatures he has newly created, in this case humans (1:28-29)
God creates new life where there was once only death (1:11-13
26-27
2:7)
God creates new life where there was once only death (1:11-13
26-27
2:7)
God creates new life where there was once only death (1:11-13
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.

Ultimately, God is responsible for providing the sacrifice and bringing his covenant’s intentions to completion.The connection to the ″third day″ idea is established by a strikingly vivid act of atonement performed by God, in which he substitutes a ram for Isaac (22:13-14).We learn that this deed is part of a bigger covenant endeavor to increase Abraham’s descendants and, through them, bless the nations, which we will discuss later (22:17-18).On the third day, we notice the same trend as we did on the first:

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
(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).The phrase ″third day″ is mentioned four times in the story to ensure that we are not distracted from the fact that this historic event will take place on God’s unique day.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:

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)
God enters into covenant with his people, specifically Israel (19:4-6)
God accomplishes all of this on a mountain (19:2)
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.As we see in the story of Jonah, one of Israel’s own prophets fails to obey Yahweh, and thus finds himself ‘dead’ in an unlikely ‘tomb,’ that of a large fish.

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 indicates that he believed in a third-day resurrection.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.

Take note of how the Easter event – the resurrection of Jesus — corresponds to our third-day design pattern, as follows:

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.As a reminder, the third day design pattern depicts the moment when God began 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?

On What Day Did Jesus Rise?

The Biblical Archaeology Review’s Biblical Views column appeared in the May/June 2016 issue.The staff of the Biblical Archaeology Society will meet on November 16, 2021.107395 views and 7 comments What day did Jesus resurrect from the dead?Is it better to wait three days or to wait until the third day?

Ben Witherington III tackles this matter in his Biblical Views column ″It’s About Time—Easter Time,″ which appeared in the May/June 2016 edition of Biblical Archaeology Review.The whole text of his Biblical Views column may be seen below.—Ed.

“It’s About Time—Easter Time”

by Ben Witherington III

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).Photograph courtesy of the Fisk University Galleries in Nashville, Tennessee.For example, we are a people who are preoccupied with time—and with the exactness with which time is measured—down to the millisecond level.Here, we vary significantly from the ancients, who did not go around with little sundials on their wrists and did not use the terms seconds and minutes to describe the passage of time.When it came to the passage of time, they did not stress over accuracy.

Please consider a few instances from the Gospels that may assist us in reading the accounts of Jesus’ final week of life with greater understanding.Jesus promised that he would rise from the dead ″after three days,″ according to certain sources.Those who believe he will rise ″on the third day″ disagree.

It is true that in Matthew 12:40 Jesus refers to ″three days and three nights,″ but this is only a general comparison with the account of Jonah and the whale, and as a result, the time reference should not be taken too seriously.″It will be similar to the experience of Jonah,″ Jesus is only stating the obvious.In Mark 8:31, on the other hand, Jesus declares that ″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).On the surface, it appears that this involves a straightforward contradiction.While it is feasible that both forecasts will be incorrect, is it really possible that both will be correct?

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.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.Even the Hebrew Bible has some hints about the kinds of variations we might expect to encounter.″Come to me again after three days,″ says the Bible’s Second Chronicles 10:5, 12.As a result, on the third day, everyone gathered to Rehoboam’s palace since the monarch had instructed them to ″come to me again on the third day.″ According to this literature, ″after three days″ and ″on the third day″ are both synonymous with ″after three days.″ Is this simply a case of carelessness, or is it an example of the common imprecision that occurs when discussing the passage of time?

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.It is important to recognize that most of the time references in the New Testament are not exact, and we must allow the ancient author to be broad when he wants to be general and more particular when he wants to be more specific when interpreting the time references in the New Testament.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.Ist it not time that we let these authors to utilize language, particularly time-related vocabulary, in the manner that was usual during their own historical period?

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.1 —————— ″Biblical Views: It’s About Time—Easter Time,″ written by Ben Witherington III, first appeared in Biblical Archaeology Review in May/June 2016.This article has been updated.The essay was initially published in Bible History Daily on April 18, 2016, and has since been reprinted several times.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.

Andrews University in Scotland.He received his bachelor’s degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky.

Notes:

1. Ben Witherington III’s Reading and Understanding the Bible is a helpful resource for understanding how to interpret the Bible in light of its original settings (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2014).

When Did Jesus Rise From The Dead? – Bibleline Ministries

The tradition of a resurrection on Sunday morning is still very much alive and well in contemporary Christianity.
The majority of people envision a resurrection on a Sunday morning.
The Sunrise services, after all, appear to indicate that this is the time when Christ emerged from the dead.
″For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth,″ Jesus remarked in Matthew 12:40.
″Three days and three nights″ translates to seventy-two hours in this context.
In John 11:9, Jesus provided a definition for the duration of a day.

″Doesn’t a day have twelve hours?″ Our Lord inquired of the disciples.So, if there are twelve hours in a day, there are also twelve hours in a night, correct?As a result, three days and three nights would equal 72 hours in total.Assuming that Jesus was laid to rest at dusk as the Scriptures state, For example, in Luke 23:54 it says, ″And on that day there was preparation, and the Sabbath (the Passover Sabbath occurred on Thursday that week) came near.″ Then it had to be seventy-two hours later, at sundown, for His resurrection to take place.

If you believe in a resurrection on Sunday morning, then Christ remained in the tomb for three days and four nights after his death.It was not three days and three nights as Jesus had said it would be.You’ve probably pondered how it was possible for Jesus Christ to be executed on Friday and then raised on Sunday after being buried for three days.But that’s just not doable!Three days cannot be squeezed into the span of two days between Friday and Sunday.It is not conceivable, under any circumstances, to compress the time span from Friday evening to Sunday morning into ″three days and three nights.″ We believe that Jesus Christ died on the third day of the week.

We do not think that Jesus died on Friday as other people believe.
In Matthew 12:40, Christ He prophesied of His death, burial, and resurrection, and we should take note of that prophecy.
In the same way that Jonas spent three days and three nights in the belly of a whale, so will the Son of Man spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40).″ ″Three days and three nights″ translates to seventy-two hours in this context.
In John 11:9, Jesus provided a definition for the duration of a day.
″Doesn’t a day have twelve hours?″ Our Lord inquired of the disciples.

So, if there are twelve hours in a day, there are also twelve hours in a night, as the saying goes.As a result, three days and three nights would equal 72 hours in total.Anything less than 72 hours would not be sufficient to fulfill the prophesy of Jonah or the teachings of Jesus Christ on the subject.It’s possible that you’re asking why the great majority of Christians accept Christ’s burial from Friday through Sunday, even if it’s incorrect.Tradition is the only explanation that can be provided in this situation.

In Colossians 2:8, Paul warns, ″Beware that any one corrupt you through philosophy and false trickery, following after the tradition of mankind, following after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.″ According to this tradition, the Bible does not teach anything like this.In addition, Ash Wednesday and Lent are not mentioned in the Bible.Even the word ″Easter″ is derived from paganism and does not appear in the Bible.

It is true that the word ″Easter″ appears in Acts 12:4 in the King James Version, but it is a mistranslation.
Easter is derived from the term ″Ish-tar,″ which is the same as Ashtaroth, a pagan deity who is celebrated on Easter Sunday.
We commemorate Christ’s resurrection from the grave for the second time.
The proponents of the Good Friday custom claim that Christ was buried over a period of three days and nights, which helps to explain the ritual.

For the purposes of clarification, Christ was laid to rest for a portion of Friday, a portion of Saturday, and a portion of Sunday.″Didn’t the Jews consider a part of a day to be a complete day, or a part of a night to be a whole night?″ some people may wonder.It is usually understood in the Hebrew Scriptures that when the expressions ″day and night″ are used together, it refers to a complete day and a full night together.

Consider the following examples: ″And the evening and the morning were the first day (Genesis 1:8),″ ″And the evening and the morning were the second day (Genesis 1:13),″ and so on.
Similarly, ″And the evening and the morning were the third day (Genesis 1:13).″ Some such instances include Esther 4:16; 5:1; II Samuel 30:12-13, and Jonah 1:17, all of which contain the phrase ″three days and three nights,″ and in each instance, the phrase refers to the length of three days and three nights — not the length of a single day and the length of a single night.
Let us explore what the scriptures have to say about this as we examine an example from the life of Christ.
″And when he had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he was hungry,″ according to the Bible (Matthew 4:2), ″but he did not ask for anything.″ Jesus went without food for forty days and forty nights.
If we believe, as some do, that ″three days and three nights″ does not mean ″three days and three nights,″ we must also believe that ″forty days and forty nights″ does not mean ″forty days and forty nights.″ If we believe, as some do, that ″three days and three nights″ does not mean ″three days and three nights,″ we must also believe that ″three days and three nights″ does not mean ″three days and three nights.″ Where do we draw the line?

Do we truly mean it when we state that we can’t be certain of anything?
Without a doubt, this is not the case!
We think that the Bible is to be taken literally.

Verse like John 19:31, for example, have contributed to some of the misunderstanding.The Bible adds that the Jews, because it was the preparation for the bodies not to remain on the cross on the Sabbath day (because it was a holy day), begged Pilate to have their legs broken and to have them removed off the cross.According to John 19:31, the Sabbath is not the ordinary Saturday Sabbath.Passover, which fell on Thursday of the crucifixion week, was commemorated with this celebration.

Take note of what John 19:31 says: ″For that Sabbath day was a holy day to the Lord.″ If it were referring to the Saturday Sabbath, Christ would have been killed on Friday, rather than Saturday.Every one of the feast days that God provided to Israel were regarded Sabbaths, even if they did not fall on a Saturday.In accordance with Jewish tradition, Jesus was crucified on the Wednesday before the Sabbath (the Passover Sabbath), which fell on Thursday.And what time of day did Jesus die, specifically?

The time was approximately three o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday.
Furthermore, it was around the sixth hour, and there was complete darkness over the entire world until the ninth hour.
‘Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit,’ Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and then he breathed his last (Luke 23:44-46).
When it states the ninth hour, it is referring to the ninth hour since the beginning of the day’s activities.
So it was three o’clock in the afternoon, to put it another way.
Jesus was nailed on the cross and buried the same day, before nightfall or 6:00 p.m., according to the Jewish calendar.

Now, keep in mind that the Jewish day always begins at sundown, which is around 6:oo p.m.However, the Jewish day began at sunset, not at midnight as it does in our time zone.As recorded in Leviticus 23:32, the Lord instructed Israel to observe the Sabbath ″from evening to evening.″ According to the biblical timeline, Jesus was in the tomb from late Wednesday afternoon at around 6:00 p.m.until late Saturday evening at around 6:00 p.m.If you count 72 hours from late Wednesday afternoon at around 6:00 p.m., then Jesus would have been in the tomb until late Saturday evening at around 6:00 p.m.

As a result, the Bible does not teach that Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday morning.We believe that Jesus rose from the dead on Saturday evening, at 6:00 p.m., according to the Bible.On Wednesday evening, about 6:00 p.m., Jesus’ body was laid in the tomb.Seventy-two hours later, it would be approximately 6:00 p.m.

on Saturday, which would be the precise time the first day started (Sunday).
It is still Saturday night at 6:00 p.m.
when the Jewish Sunday night begins, even at this hour.

When the ladies arrived at the tomb early on Sunday morning, Jesus had already passed away, according to tradition.
According to I Corinthians 15:3-4, the Gospel is summarized as follows: ″…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He raised again on the third day according to the Scriptures.″ Those who arrived at the tomb early on Sunday morning were disappointed to find it empty.
″He is not here, since He has risen from the dead (Luke 24:6),″ the angel said.
As a result, the finding occurred first thing in the morning.
This is not the case with the resurrection.
This verse in Luke 24:21 expresses one argument to a Wednesday crucifixion; it reads, ″But we trusted that it was He who should have saved Israel: and with all this, today is the third day since these things were done.″ It is on the day of the Resurrection that this dialogue will take place.

Fortunately, the solution may be found in the word ″since.″ From this text, we can see that Sunday is the third day, Saturday is the second day, and Friday is the first day SINCE THE PASSOVER.According to Jewish calendar, the Thursday Passover (Jewish reckoning) began on what we would call Wednesday night, and it was during the twilight of that night, between 3:00 p.m.and 6:00 p.m., that Christ was crucified.According to Jewish calendar, the dusk of Thursday afternoon would have counted as the twilight of Friday night, which began at 6:00 p.m.on Friday.As a result, we can observe that there is no conflict.

In reality, it is not so much about the day Christ was crucified as it is about the necessity of being serious Bible scholars in order not to miss what the Bible says about how to be saved.We are well aware that nothing short of the shed blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us of our sins.If you have not yet placed your faith in Jesus Christ and His spilt blood as the sole method of gaining entrance into heaven, do so right now.

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 Matthew 12, Jesus states that His resurrection in three days and three nights would be the only indication that He is indeed the Messiah, and that this is critical information.

In defense of Friday and Sunday, many biblical scholars argue that it was usual among Jews at the period to consider any part of a day to represent the full day and night, as was the case in historical times.Others, however, believe there may be some dispute about whether the ″Sabbath″ alluded to in Scripture as the day following Jesus’ crucifixion refers to Saturday or if it may have been a ″annual″ Sabbath that happened to fall on the same week as Jesus’ crucifixion.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.There appears to have been no disagreement on the date of Jesus’ death immediately following his execution, which is intriguing.

His disciples, without a doubt, were the only ones who knew how long He had been in the tomb.Assuming that Jesus is the son of God, there are basically just two options available.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 manner consistent with the text.Consider how Jesus chastised the Pharisees for their nit-picking support of the laws and covenants of the Old Testament, even in the face of absurd miracles, to get a sense of why He would have chosen the latter course of action.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.The fact that Jesus was only dead for two days before being raised would be sad if the old-guard Jews of Jesus’ day refused to accept Him as the Messiah!

If He was indeed dead for the entire three days and nights, and they failed to perceive it because they had hardened their hearts against the truth, it would be far more terrible than they already were.

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?
According to this conventional perspective, Jesus was only entombed for about a day and a half after his death.
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.

As a result, because Jesus died in the afternoon, they believe that the remainder of Friday constituted the first day, Saturday the second, and a portion of Sunday the third 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.Specifically, the passage from Jonah 1:17, to which Christ alluded, reads that ″Jonah remained in [the belly of] the fish three days and three nights.″ We have no reason to believe that Jesus intended only two nights and one day, plus portions of two additional days.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.

Please take a moment to thoroughly consider each of the Gospel accounts.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 a hurry because of the approaching Sabbath, which began at sundown that evening.
Following that, Luke 23:54 explains, ″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 impending 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 yearly high, or Sabbath, days (as opposed to the weekly Sabbath) (Exodus 12:16-17; Leviticus 23:6-7).
It was possible, and in most cases, that these yearly Holy Days would fall on days of the week other than the traditional weekly Sabbath day.
After witnessing Christ’s corpse being deposited in the tomb just before sunset on Wednesday evening, the women ″returned and prepared spices and aromatic oils″ for the final preparation of the body on Thursday morning, thereby marking the beginning of the high-day Sabbath on Wednesday and Thursday.

Due to the fact that it was a breach of the Sabbath, such labor would not have been done on a Saturday.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).(Mark 16:1).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.

They then ″rested on the Sabbath in accordance with the law″ on Saturday, after acquiring and preparing the spices and oils the previous day (Luke 23:56).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.Through careful examination of specifics found in both Gospels—where Mark informs us that the women purchased spices after the Sabbath, while Luke informs us that they prepared the spices before resting on the Sabbath—we can plainly discern that two separate Sabbaths are referenced.The first, according to John 19:31, was a ″high day″—the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which happened on a Thursday in the year A.D.31.The second was a ″low day″—the first day of the Feast of Weeks.

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.
That particular Sabbath, however, was a high-day Sabbath, lasting from Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset that week, rather than the ordinary weekly Sabbath, which lasts from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset every week.
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.
While no one was present at His resurrection (which took place within a sealed tomb), it had to have occurred about sundown on Saturday, three days and three nights after His body was entombed, according to the biblical timeline.

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.We may be confident that the period of Jesus’ entombment, which He used as proof that He was the Messiah, was exactly the length of time He had predicted.Exactly three days and three nights after He was laid in the tomb, Jesus resurrected from the dead.Because the majority of people are unfamiliar with the biblical high days that Jesus Christ and His followers observed, they are unable to comprehend the historical elements that have been meticulously preserved for us in the Gospels.

For further information, please see our pamphlet, Jesus Christ: The Real Story, available for purchase.

The Resurrection Was Not on Easter Sunday!

Every year, billions of people throughout the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
However, most people are unaware that the Bible presents a totally different tale from the one they are used to hearing from the pulpit.
When it comes to Jesus’ resurrection, what is the truth?
Every year, thousands of thousands of professing Christians come for Easter morning services.
Even those who are not regular churchgoers will attend services at the church of their choosing on Easter Sunday, regardless of their religious affiliation.
You may not have realized it, but the Good Friday-Easter tradition essentially rejects the one and only sign that Jesus presented to the religious authorities of His day in order to confirm His Messiahship: His resurrection.

As unbelievable as that statement appears to be, it is true—and you can demonstrate it!Did you know that the Bible never makes the claim that Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead on the first day of the week, on Sunday morning?In reality, it teaches something very different!As a result, how did Easter observance become practically widespread among professing Christians become possible?

When did the Resurrection of Christ actually take place?Was it really necessary for Jesus of Nazareth to be associated with Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies, and tiny girls dressed in flowery dresses?So, what’s the relationship between an Easter egg hunt and the resurrection of Jesus Christ?Continue reading to find out the answers to these and other important questions!

The Sign of Jesus’ Messiahship

The fact that Jesus of Nazareth was the prophesied Messiah of the Old Testament was supported by a number of evidences for people who sought to learn the truth with sincerity.
When the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus after John’s arrest and imprisonment by Herod, take note of what He told them: ″Because you have come to me, I will tell you what I have done for you.″ ″And when John learned of Christ’s deeds while imprisoned, he dispatched two of his disciples to confront Him with the question, ″Are You the Coming One, or should we look for another?″ When they asked what Jesus had said, he replied, ″Go and tell John what you have heard and seen: the blind see and the crippled walk; lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are resurrected and the poor have the gospel preached to them.″ Also, happy is the one who does not feel offended by Me.’″ (Matthew 11:2–6; Mark 10:2–6).
According to John’s narrative, Jesus performed a series of miraculous wonders, beginning with the wedding feast at Cana, when He transformed water into wine (John 2:11).
Take note of the reason He performed these miracles: ″And truly, Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book; but these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name″ (John 20:30–31), in addition to the miracles themselves.
These signs were observed by Jesus’ disciples, confirming their belief that He was, in fact, the Messiah who had been foretold.
The religious authorities were well aware of Jesus’ message and the signs that verified His authority from the very beginning of His mission.

John penned the following: ″There was a guy named Nicodemus who belonged to the Pharisees and was the ruler of the Jews.″Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher sent by God; for no one can do the marvels that You accomplish unless God is there with him,″ the man replied to Jesus as he approached Him in the middle of the night.″ (See also John 3:1–2).This occurred during the first Passover season of Jesus’ career, which occurred in the year 28ad.Over the course of the following three years, these leaders had several opportunities to become acquainted with Jesus’ teaching, as well as to hear about and see numerous miracles.

None of this was satisfactory to them.In fact, they came to Him multiple times, each time demanding a proof that would prove beyond a reasonable doubt that He was the promised Messiah.Jesus assured them on each of these instances that they would only get one sign like this in their lifetime.According to the Gospel of John, the first such transaction took place during the Passover season in 28ad, when Jesus cleaned the temple by driving out the moneychangers from the premises.When He was confronted by the religious leaders, who demanded that He demonstrate another sign in addition to the miraculous healings He had performed in the temple, He responded by saying, ″I will show you another sign.″ ″’Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,’ Jesus responded to their question.… He was, however, referring to His own body as a temple ″(See John 2:19–21.) A similar discussion is recorded by Matthew: ″After that, several of the scribes and Pharisees spoke up and said, ‘Teacher, we’re waiting for You to show us a sign.’ ″An wicked and adulterous age wants a sign, and no sign will be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah,″ He responded.

Because, just as Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, the Son of Man will spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth ″(Matthew 12:38–40; Mark 10:38–40).
That’s all there is to it!
The sole indication Jesus gave to the doubting religious authorities of His day was that He would be in the tomb for precisely three days and three nights, which was exactly three days and three nights after His death.
Is it true that the sign came true?
Absolutely!

Take note of the testimony of an angel, which was delivered to the women who arrived early on Sunday morning to embalm the corpse.″He is not present because, as He stated, He has risen from the dead.Come and see the location where the Lord was laid to rest ″ (Matthew 28:6).Jesus had vowed that He would remain in the tomb for precisely three days and three n

What Day Did Jesus Rise Again?

Baltimore Catechism: On What Day Did Jesus Christ Rise From the Dead?

What Does the Baltimore Catechism Say?

Why Easter?

When Is Easter?

How Is Easter the Third Day After Jesus’ Death?

How was Jesus Christ “raised again?” Why “again?”

Why did Jesus Rise on the Third Day?

Why did Jesus Rise on the Third Day?

The Third Day Matters

The Third Day Pattern in the Hebrew Bible

The First “Resurrection”

A Pattern Emerges

Abraham’s Test on the Third Day

Israel’s Third Day at Sinai

Hosea’s Hope, Jonah’s ‘Resurrection’

Jesus Predicts a Third Day Resurrection

So what does this mean for us?

On What Day Did Jesus Rise?

“It’s About Time—Easter Time”

by Ben Witherington III

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Notes:

Related reading in Bible History Daily:

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When Did Jesus Rise From The Dead? – Bibleline Ministries

Jesus’ Resurrection Day

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

Two Sabbaths mentioned

Sign of the Messiah

The Resurrection Was Not on Easter Sunday!

The Sign of Jesus’ Messiahship

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