Hebraic Musing – When was Jesus Crucified?
Ever
wondered how Jesus was crucified on Friday, resurrected on Sunday and yet the
Bible says He was in the ground for 3 days?
“For
as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so
will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Matt.12:40 NKJV Where did we get
today’s timeline for Holy Week with a Friday crucifixion. Which Gospel writer’s timeline should we be using?
- Matthew was a professional tax
collector – detail oriented.
- Luke was a highly educated physician.
- John was an insider with full
knowledge of Scripture and the most time to document his testimony.
- Mark was a impressionable boy who
followed and learned from “foot in his mouth” Peter. And yet today’s timeline using Friday as the
day of crucifixion comes from Mark’s gospel!!!
If
we use Wednesday as the day of crucifixion, does that make more sense? In AD 31 when Jesus was crucified, Passover
started Wednesday evening, continuing through daytime Thursday. Remember that Jewish days (God’s days) start
at sunset (3 stars in the sky) and end at sunset the next day; not Midnight to
midnight as we are accustomed.
The
Feast of Passover, a Sabbath, started on Wednesday evening, so we can
understand why Joseph of Arimathea was anxious to bury Jesus before the Sabbath
Passover which began at sunset Wednesday. With that timetable, how many days would Jesus
have been in the grave?
- Day 1 – Wednesday night through
Thursday day.
- Day 2 – Thursday night through Friday day
- Day 3 – Friday night through Saturday
day.
So Jesus arose Saturday evening or night, for “three
days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
So if Jesus was crucified Wednesday
and gave up His spirit at 3 P. M., that also happens to be when the Passover
sacrificial lambs at the Temple were taking their last breaths as well.
Matthew
16:2 tells us that the women came to the tomb very early in the morning, before
it was daylight, and found the tomb empty.
Jesus had already risen during the night, hours before they arrived
“before sunrise.”
BTW
- The Jewish (Saturday night) meeting on the first day of the week is
called Havdalah and that’s when the Jews come together the day after Sabbath to
exchange money and offerings which is work forbidden on the Sabbath. See Acts 20:7 “Now on the first day of
the week, when the disciples came together to break bread,” and 1
Corinth.16:2 “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay
something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections
when I come.”
And
there are many more details and clues in Scripture. To be fair, Tuesday and Thursday have been
put forth days of crucifixion, but Wednesday seems most logical? Interesting to ponder!
BTW
– The Pharisees believed in Jesus’ resurrection, but the Sadducees did not. Matt.22:23 “the Sadducees, who say there
is no resurrection...” That is why
the Sadducees are “sad you see.” (>:
Points to Ponder
Jesus was born,
lived, died, arose, ascended and will come again. What else matters?
Is the exact
timing of Jesus’ death and resurrection a salvific issue?
♫ Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty
triumph o’er His foes, He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, With His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! ♫
Yosef a.k.a.
Joe Brusherd April
4, 2023
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages
exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”
Weekly “Hebraic Musings” insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com
from Corey Corrick’s Sunday School message last week; and other notes are available on request.
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