The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is simultaneously the most horrific event in human history and the greatest act of love ever displayed. Christ was buried for three days and three nights before rising again (Matt. 12:38-40). The Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4, Gal. 1:8-12).
Many parts of the world celebrate the holidays Good Friday and Easter. Churches all over hold special services and dinners to commemorate the finished work of Jesus Christ. On the surface this tradition is quite beautiful, but is it Scriptural?
If you've read the lesson on Communion, then you'll already be familiar with the concept of questioning church practices to see if they line up with God's Word. The Bible is our ultimate authority - not church tradition or what is written on a calendar. I do want to let you know in advance that this lesson will not be covering the history of paganism. There are many wonderful books available that show the history of Easter and its transition from worshipping Ishtar to worshipping Christ. Every believer should celebrate the Gospel. If a person wants to set aside an extra day for the Gospel, then they should, for the Bible says:
"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days." - Colossians 2:16
This lesson will also not be going over the historical dates of when the crucifixion and resurrection occurred. While I personally subscribe to Archbishop James Ussher's timeline of world history (you can purchase it here), none of us can know for certain the actual dates.
What this lesson will be discussing is what is most important: does the Bible teach that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday?
Jesus told the Pharisees in the Gospel of Matthew:
"Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." - 12:38-40
Jesus Christ did not give a rough estimation of His burial. He specifically stated three days and three nights. That is very important, for He also said:
"Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world." - John 11:9
We can easily verify this by looking at a clock. Noon to midnight and midnight to noon. PM to AM and AM to PM. Jesus said that He would be buried for three days (12+12+12) and three nights (12+12+12) which means 72 hours.
The Jewish clock is different from most of the world in that it operates from 6:00 PM to 6:00 PM instead of midnight to midnight. It is still divided into 12 hours, but it does not go from noon to midnight. The reason for this is found in the story of creation:
"And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day." - Genesis 1:8
God lists evening (sunset) first and that is why the Hebrews begin their day at 6:00 PM as opposed to midnight. Additionally, the Jews used the term "watch" for the period between sunset and sunrise, and "hour" between sunrise and sunset. With this understanding, let’s begin this Bible study!
"And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour." - Luke 23:44
This would cover the time period from 12:00 PM until 3:00 PM on our clocks. The crucifixion lasted much longer however. The Bible tells us that Jesus was crucified at 9:00 AM (Mk. 15:25), darkness came over the earth at 12:00 PM (Mk. 15:33), then Jesus died at 3:00 PM (Mk. 15:34-37).
So far, we've established that Jesus Christ died at 3:00 PM on a certain day and that He was buried for three full days and three full nights. We will now look at when He rose, then when He was buried.
John's Gospel states:
"The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre." - 20:1
This is a big clue as to when the resurrection took place. Notice that the stone had already been removed while it was still dark on the first day of the week. Keep in mind that the first day of the week, translated to our calendar, would begin Saturday at 6:00 PM. Since it was still dark out, this would mean that it was before sunrise i.e. Sunday morning 6:00 AM. Matthew 28:1 also gives a similar account.
The first day of the week for the Jews is Sunday which begins, on our calendar, Saturday night at 6:00 PM. Going back 72 hours from 6:00 PM Saturday would mean that Jesus was buried Wednesday by 6:00 PM.
Wednesday 6:00 PM to Thursday 6:00 PM = 24 hours (12 hours of day, 12 hours of night) Thursday 6:00 PM to Friday 6:00 PM = 24 hours (12 hours of day, 12 hours of night)
Friday 6:00 PM to Saturday 6:00 PM = 24 hours (12 hours of day, 12 hours of night)
There is one problem with Christ being buried on a Wednesday however:
"The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away." - John 19:31
This is why studying the entire Bible is important (2 Tim. 2:15, 3:16). Pay close attention to what is written: "for that sabbath day was an high day".
"In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein." - Leviticus 23:5-8
The Passover falls on the 14th day of the first month (Abib/Nisan) and is followed by seven days of eating unleavened bread. The day after the first day of the Passover (the 15th of the month and the start of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) is a high day/Sabbath. We know that a high day is a Sabbath because the Bible will always interpret the Bible.
Leviticus 23:7 calls the 15th of the month a "holy convocation". The next verse calls the 7th day of the week (Saturday) a “holy convocation" as well. Both verses state that no servile work should be done. Leviticus 23:3 states:
"Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings."
Notice the colon as it is describing what constitutes a Sabbath. You also need to keep in mind that there are Sabbath years (Lev. 26:34). Sabbaths are simply mandated rest periods - not just Saturdays.
When we allow the Bible to interpret the Bible, when we allow God's Word to speak for itself, and when we take away the lens of church traditions, we can see the truth.
When reading the Bible, context is always the key to understanding the topic. A great example is repentance having three meanings (see lesson). Sabbath has one meaning, but takes place at multiple times. Likewise, as we will see in a moment, Passover and Unleavened Bread can be interchangeable.
"Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover." - Matthew 26:17-19
Wouldn't this mean the Last Supper took place on the 15th which is a Sabbath? Not quite.
Mark 14:1 says "after two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread..." when written in this manner it is grammatically accurate to view this as two feasts or one feast with two names. Thankfully, the Bible gives us clarification in Luke:
"Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover" (22:1)
The reason that the Passover Feast and Feast of Unleavened Bread are combined and interchangeable is simple when reading the account of the Passover:
"And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover." - Exodus 12:6-11
The Lord continues to combine the Passover with Unleavened Bread:
"And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even." - Exodus 12:13-18
The Order of Events and Their Days
The Bible tells us that the order of events went in this manner:
Wednesday (the 14th) - Passover/The Last Supper (Matt. 26:17-19, Mk. 14:16-25, Lk. 22:13-20) Wednesday (the 14th) - Jesus was arrested (Mk. 14:41-53)
Wednesday (the 14th) - Jesus was crucified at 9:00 AM (Mk. 15:25) and died at 3:00 PM (Mk.15:34-37). He was buried shortly after the same day (Mk. 15:42-46).
Thursday (the 15th) - The Sabbath/high day (Jn. 19:31), Jesus in the ground
Friday (the 16th) - Jesus in the ground
Saturday (the 17th) - Jesus in the ground
Sunday (the 18th) - Jesus rises on the first day of the week (Jn. 20:1)!
When we take the time to slow down and read the whole Bible, we can see that there are church traditions that do not line up with God's Word. The Bible teaches that within an excruciating 24-hour period: Jesus had His last meal with His friends, prayed in Gethsemane, was betrayed and arrested, was tortured, was tried and sentenced, was crucified, and buried. All of this took place on the 14th of Abib/Nisan which was a Wednesday on our calendar.
The Bible teaches Good Wednesday - not Good Friday.