Jesus died on a Friday, and not Wednesday.

[reddogs]

Christ died during the Passover.The day Christ died was called the
“Preparation Day.”
1. And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Mark 15:42
2. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. Luke 23:54
3. 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
4. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. John 19:42
A. The very Sabbath in question had just ended when Jesus had risen from the dead.
Mark 16:1-2 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
There can be no question about the Sabbath, in this context, that it was BOTH the 7th day weekly Sabbath and the annual Sabbath of the Passover.. The combination of the weekly and the annual culminating on the exact same day is what made this a “High Sabbath.”
Leviticus 23:5-8 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover. 6 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. 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 8 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.
A. The Passover was on the 14th day of Nisan every year.
B. On the 15th and the 22nd of Nisan each year an annual Sabbath was held.
C. Christ died on the 14th of Nisan, and the following was a Sabbath regardless of ehther or not it fell on the 7th day of the week. Which means this could have been the Passover Sabbath exclusively accept for the fact that the day Christ rose was the first day of the week, and that the Sabbath in question had just ended, making it BOTH a 7th day weekly Sabbath as well as the Passover Sabbath. That is why it is called a “High Sabbath.”
Mark 15:42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, …
A few verses later
Mark 16:1-2 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
The Sabbath in question is the day before the first day of the week, which of course is the 7th day weekly Sabbath.
Further proof of this is found with the women and their desire to prepare the body of Christ with ointments and perfumes.

​

The day that Jesus died these women desired to prepare the body of Christ but could not. Had the Sabbath in question been the 15th of Nisan’s annual Passover Sabbath exclusively the women could have returned on Friday to anoint the body of Christ, but we find nothing of the sort, rather they waited until the first day of the week.
Luke 23:54-56 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. 56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
The very next verse…
Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. Luke 24:1
Compare Luke 2353-56; 24:1 with Mark 16:1,2
Mark 16:1-2 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

 

[JDMiowa]

The answer to this post is,"No". But let's study it for ourselves.


A Bible Riddle !

When Did The Women Buy And Prepare The Spices ?

A story is told of a young man who left home and ran a little way, and then turned left ran a littlemore and turned left again ran some more then turned left and ran home. At home he found two maskedmen. What were they doing there, and who were they?


Many times our brains are stuck in thinking a certain way, and it becomes almost impossible tosee any differently. This is called a "paradigm." Now I can break your "old paradigm" by answering the
question in this story. The answer will change your whole perspective of the story. The identity of themasked men are Catcher and Umpire and they were there to play a baseball game. Now you see the story in a whole new way.




A famous quote that has been attributed to Benjamin Franklin says, "A man convinced againsthis will, is of the same opinion still." Mark Twain said, “In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten(sic) at second hand, and without examination." In 2 Timothy 3:16: "All Scripture is inspired of God and useful for teaching."




Let's consider Mark 16:1, the women BOUGHT spices AFTER the Sabbath, the Gospel of Luke Ch.23:55-56 says that the women PREPARED spices at home BEFORE the Sabbath! Can both be true?


Before we focus on that question, let's see what Genesis 22 can reveal. Abraham is a type showing what God the anti-type would do in their future for them and us. Let's look closely at the time line when Abraham considered Isaac to be as good as dead. It was evening when God instructed Abraham that Isaac must be killed. It was after a total of three days of traveling to Moriah, Abraham building an altar, and Isaac carrying the wood for the altar that he was to die upon, that God says, "Stop do not harm your son." After three days, believing Isaac was as good as dead, God restores Isaac's life. Abraham saw Isaac as good as dead, starting in the evening, then night, day, night, day, night, day. The same time line as God saw Jesus as dead. Then God / Jesus restores Jesus’ life. Jesus said, "I lay it down, I take it up".




In prophecy a day can equal a day as when Jesus said in Matthew 12:39-40, "Three days and three nights the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth." This isn't a prophecy of how long he would be dead, but how long he would be in the tomb. Or in John 2:19, Matthew 26:61 and Mark 14:58 it states that Jesus will rebuild the temple (his body) in three days.



In prophecy a day can also equal a year. In Luke 13:32, Jesus says, "Go tell that fox that, Behold I cast out devils and do cures, today, tomorrow, and the third day** I will be perfected." This is after John the Baptist was arrested. Most scholars agree John died six months into Jesus ministry. When Jesus said, "the third day** I will be perfected," He was saying he had three more full years to do miracles, then he will be glorified, not in two years, but three.




In prophecy a day can also equal a 1,000 years as with 2 Peter 3:8. No man has lived past 1,000 years of age, so it can be said that they died on day one. Genesis 2:17 says,"The day you eat of it you will surely die", but Adam lived 930 years. Methuselah lived the longest of all 969 years, yet still short of the 1,000 years needed to reach the end of day one. Some say, “Adam and Eve died instantly". Wouldn't God have said, "The instant you eat of it you will surely die?"




Now let’s consider Daniel 9:26-27, I believe this is a prophecy of Jesus's crucifixion from three perspectives. [When looking through a microscope you first focus on the large picture, then middle, then you turn the lens to focus up close, you see the same object from three perspectives]. This is how the angel Gabriel reveals this prophecy to Daniel. First you see a day equals a 1,000 years. Looks like Jesus died on the Cross at the end of day Four, or the end of the four thousandth year since Creation. Second you see a day equals a year in this prophecy, or a week equals 7 years. Middle of the week, (Fourth year) after the Messiah (Jesus) is anointed (baptized), he is cutoff (dies). A synonym of circumcised in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is to cutoff. Christ is called the circumcised of God in the New Testament. This is a picture of Jesus being One with the Father until he is, "cutoff" and dies on the cross. In Genesis 17:11, God reveals this through Abraham's own circumcision. Abraham being a "type", and God the "anti-type", as told in Colossians 2:11, "in who also (like Christ) are circumcised with a circumcision made WITHOUT HANDS (this is by God's own doing), in putting (cutting) off the body of the sins of the flesh (God became flesh) by the circumcision, (cutting off as stated in Daniel 9:26-27) of Christ." Now let's adjust the microscope lens to see up close the prophecy in Daniel 9:26-27. We see the Messiah will be cut off in the midst of the week, or middle of seven, and cause the end of sacrifice. Middle of seven is four. On the FOURTH day of the week the Messiah will die as told by Gabriel. Clearly Gabriel reveals in the middle of the fourth year of Seven, Jesus would be the final sacrifice. That's three and a half years after he was baptized. In the same passage, Gabriel reveals in the middle of the week, (the FOURTH day of the week), which is commonly called Wednesday, Jesus would be the final sacrifice for all time. This is one prophecy with three focal points, large, middle and small.

On...
the FOURTH Millennium after CREATION
the FOURTH year after Jesus BEGAN his MINISTRY
the FOURTH day after the FIRST day of the CRUCIFIXION WEEK
...Jesus dies for our sins.


The angel Gabriel in Daniel 9:22-23 gives this understanding to Daniel. Much earlier on the same day (Tuesday night/FOURTH day) Jesus and his disciples had the "last supper" meal. The last supper was in fact the Seder meal, remembering the Passover Lamb that brought protection and deliverance in Egypt.* Jesus drinks from the first three cups, (three times from one cup) but not the fourth cup.* The fourth cup is the Passover cup. Pesach translated Passover literally means "protection."* Jesus would not take this cup of protection, because the protection is possible only because he (God's first born) substituted his death for us and them. If God's first born did not die in their place on the cross, (the first born sons of Israel in Egypt) there would not have been a fourth cup of protection, (remembering God's protection of their first born in Egypt) in their past to remember. Kind of like the movie, "Back to the future" where they were concerned about changing the future, by changing some past event. But Jesus was concerned about changing the past, by not fulfilling the prophecy of his future. The significance of the Passover (first day of Unleavened Bread) which is also a Preparation Day for the Feast of
Unleavened Bread (a HIGH Sabbath) is truly great. Then he also rested until the end of the Seventh Day Sabbath showing its significance also. Both Sabbaths were needed to reveal the reason for Christ's death. Pasach, a Jewish festival that commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, is marked chiefly by the Seder ritual and the eating of matzoth. It begins on the 14th day of Nisan. The 15th day of Nisan is a HIGH Sabbath. The last cup or the fifth cup, he took alone, on the Mount of Olives.* It did not have wine, but was filled with "God's wrath meant for the nations" also known as, "Elijah's cup."* This cup was the cause of Jesus great anguish that made him sweat large drops of blood. Hematidrosis (also called hematohidrosis ) is a very rare condition in which a human being is suffering extreme levels of stress causing capillaries to burst under the skin.*** Probably from high blood pressure, and then the
blood passing through the skin.*** Leonardo da Vinci described a soldier who sweated blood before battle.*** Also men unexpectedly given a death sentence have suffered from the condition.*** This condition is normally fatal. In Luke 22:23-24, Dr. Luke describes this condition with Jesus, he also tells how an angel from heaven strengthened him. If not for this angel strengthening him, he most likely would have died right then and there.


Then day FIVE was the Passover Sabbath. Now let's focus on Mark 16:1 and Luke 23:55-56 again. Day SIX is now a day AFTER the Passover SABBATH and BEFORE the Seventh Day SABBATH. Day six is also named the Preparation Day. This is to give time to prepare so you don't have to work on the Seventh Day Sabbath. The Passover Sabbath is no different, it also requires a Preparation Day ahead of it.




Day SIX is when I believe the Matthew 27:62-63 events occurred. "On the next (preparation) day" which precedes the Seventh Day Sabbath, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. They never would have done any common business on any Sabbath day, and there was no need to, they had time to wait. They ask permission from Pilate to place a guard at the tomb until the third day.** (A proper definition of the term, "the third day,"** idiomatic expression-and difficult to translate
into English is, "three days have already passed"**). It can be translated, "They ask permission from Pilate to place a guard at the tomb, until three days have already passed."** They told Pilate that they
REMEMBERED Jesus saying while still alive, "AFTER THREE DAYS I will rise again." [This passage states, "AFTER THREE DAYS" and, "the third day"** are "Phrase Synonyms". The BIBLE gives the DEFINITION of, "the third day"** clearly, by none other than the chief priests and the Pharisees! The bible always gives the definitions we need.] Too bad the women did not remember, "AFTER THREE DAYS I will rise again," it would have saved them a lot of grief, work and money. In Luke 24:6-8, two angel's reminded them how Jesus must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and "the third day rise again." Once again "Phrase Synonyms". One must be dead for over three days before a death certificate can become, "Official" according to Jewish law.** It is widely taught and believed, "Jewish reckoning of time" allows Jesus to be dead less than three full days, yet at the same time full-filling the requirements of being dead three full days. This application of time reckoning is backwards to all applications of time reckoning presented in scripture. The King that reined two and a half years is given credit for ruling three years, not two years. In the Lord's parable of the laborers, the workers that worked a hour at the end of the day was credited with a full days pay (Matt. 20:1-15). A partial workday was considered a full workday. If a worker worked half a day, the employer could not say, "I owe you nothing, because not working any part of a day, is the same as not working at all that day." It's not what you don’t do that’s enlarged, but what you do. The day Jesus died on the cross he put in twenty-one hours, so the whole day he is considered working, even if he died with three hours left in that twenty- four hour day to go. You cannot say, "Because he died with three hours left to go that day, he was dead the whole day, and did no work that day." The correct way to apply Jewish reckoning of time to a Friday Crucifixion and Sunday Resurrection would be, Jesus worked all day Friday, was dead Saturday and worked all day Sunday. It's a good thing God credits us only for what we do for Jesus, and places on Jesus to bear what we did not do for him. How long did Jesus delay before raising Lazarus from, “the dead?" The answer is recorded in the 11th and 12th chapters of the fourth gospel. Did Jesus delay past three days to prove "officially"** he can raise Lazarus and likewise us from the dead? Was Jesus "officially"**dead? You decide for yourself.


The SEVENTH Day of the week is a permanent Sabbath. Then Jesus rose after the end of the (Seventh Day) Sabbath (the original text says, "end of Sabbaths"**** meaning more than one), that being the FIRST day of the week, (commonly called Saturday night). Psalm 121:4 says, "God does not sleep." This destroys one reason commonly given for transferring the Seventh Day Sabbath to Sunday.




Mark 16:1-2, says, “when the (Passover) Sabbath was past (over)...bought spices, that they might come (later on the First Day of the week) and anoint him." (Now the seventh day Sabbath comes and
goes). "And (now) very early in the morning (on) the first day of the week, [could not have prepared it on this day, no time, but this was the day, "That they might come, later"] they came unto the sepulcher at
the rising of the sun." Luke 24:1-3 says, "Now upon the first (day) of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had (previously) prepared (on day six), and certain (others) with them." Luke 23: 53-56, (53, Jesus laid in sepulcher), verse 54, "and that day was the (Passover) preparation, and the (Passover) Sabbath drew on" (was about to begin, no time here for preparation). Then the Passover Sabbath on Day five, no work is done, [verse 55-56, day Six the Preparation Day women followed after (Joseph, before tomb was sealed) and beheld (the) sepulcher, and how his body was (previously) laid. They may have met the guards when leaving the
tomb and learned it wouldbe sealed closed for a time. Then they bought spices in Jerusalem (as in Luke), then returned home and prepared spices and ointments. The day was almost over so they prepared for
the coming Sabbath. Then they rested according to the (Fourth) Commandment until the (Seventh Day) Sabbath was over. Luke 24:1 says, "The women returned very early the first day of the week bringing
spices they had (previously) prepared (on the Preparation Day) (no pun intended, well... maybe yes) to the sepulcher in Jerusalem."



Now we see clearly, Mark 16:1-2 and Luke 23:55-56 totally agree!


The women BOUGHT the spices AFTER the Passover SABBATH
and PREPARED it BEFORE the Seventh Day SABBATH
ON the, "PREPARATION DAY"! THE RIDDLE SOLVED !

Hope this topical study of God's Word has blessed you. JDMiowa foot notes
* Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: The Fifth Cup



** Study of the term;" the third day" and length of death needed to be "official" by Jewish law

　
*** Study of Hematidrosis: JAMA
Leonardo da Vinci; Describing a soldier who sweated blood.


**** Study of the word Sabbaths:

 

[JDMiowa]

What did Ellen White say about studing deeper? Quotes from Ellen G. White

(1) "In regard to infallibility, I NEVER claimed it; God ALONE is Infallible." Selected Messages, Book One, pp 415 and 37

(2) "Let no one come to the conclusion that there is no more truth to be revealed. The diligent, prayerful seeker for truth will find precious rays of light yet to shine forth from the word of God." Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 34

(3) "There is no excuse for anyone in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make an error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. Review and Herald, December 20,1892

(4) "We cannot hold that a position once taken, an idea once advocated, is not, under any circumstances, to be relinquished. There is but One who is infallible --- He is the way, the truth, and the life.

(5) "If the pillars of our faith will not stand the test of investigation, it is time we knew it." Testimonies to Ministers, pp 105 and 107

(6) "The Bible and the Bible alone, is our creed, the sole bond of union; all who bow to this holy Word will be in harmony . . . Man is fallible, but God's Word is infallible.

(7) "We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed.

(8) "In regard to infallibility, I never claimed it; God alone is infallible. His word is true, and in Him is no variableness, or shadow of turning." Selected Messages, Book One, pp. 416 and 37.

(9) "Our position and faith is in the Bible. . . . And never do we want any soul to bring in the Testimonies ahead of the Bible." Evangelism, p. 256

(10) “We are not to accept the opinion of commentators as the voice of God; they are erring mortals like ourselves. God has given reasoning powers to us as well as to them. We should make the Bible its own expositor.

(11) “We must study the truth for ourselves. No man should be relied upon to think for us. No matter who he is, or in what position he may be placed, we are not to look upon any man as a criterion for us. Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 106 and 110

(12) “Whatever may be man’s intellectual advancement, let him not for a moment think that there is no need of thorough and continuous searching of Scripture for greater light. As a people we are called individually to be students of prophecy. We must watch with earnestness that we may discern any ray of light which God shall present to us. We are to catch the first gleamings of truth; and through prayerful study, clearer light may be obtained, which can be brought to others.

(13) “Some of our leading brethren have frequently taken their position on the wrong side: and if God would send a message and wait for these older brethren to open the way for its advancement, it would never reach the people.

(14) “The rebuke of the Lord will rest upon those who would bar the way, that clearer light shall not come to the people. . . . Let no one run the risk of interposing between the people and the message of heaven.” Gospel Workers, pp 300, 303, and 304.

(15) A spirit of pharisaism has been coming in upon the people who claim to believe the truth for these last days. They are self-satisfied. They have said, “We have the truth. There is no more light for the people of God. But we are not safe when we take the position that we will not accept anything else than that upon which we have settled as truth. We should take the Bible, and investigate it closely for ourselves. We should dig in the mine of God’s word for truth.” Review and Herald, June 18, 1888.

(16) We need to begin all over again. . . . Errors may be hoary with age; but age dos not make error truth, nor truth error. Altogether too long have the old customs and habits been followed. The Lord would now have every idea that is false put away from teachers and students. We are not at liberty to teach that which shall meet the world’s standard or the standard of the church, simply because it is the custom to do so.” Testimonies for the Church, vol 6, p. 142.say about studing deeper?

 

[reddogs]

I think you have a bit of private interpretation as Christians can plainly see, and scripture doesn't support.

Here is a good explanation on this from Michael Scheifler on Bible Light:

"...What follows is a chronology of the events surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ presented in a plausible and logical way in an effort to resolve that question.To begin, at what time of day does the Bible say that Jesus died on the cross? ...
Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Mat 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Mark 15:37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
The scriptures tell us that the Messiah died sometime around the 9th hour of the day (9 hours after the sun had risen). The ninth hour would be about our 3pm in the afternoon and He was put in the sepulchre before sunset. Bear in mind that the reason they were in a hurry to bury Jesus was because the Sabbath would begin at sundown...
Luke 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
... this is because the Hebrew day begins and ends at sunset, as the Bible makes plain, and Jews practice even today-
Gen 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the *evening and the morning* were the first day.Lev 23:32 ... from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.


Anchor point #1: Jesus died at 3pm and was buried on the preparation day (the day before the Sabbath) before sunset, which would begin the Sabbath day.

Now exactly which Sabbath day, the first day of Unleavened Bread, or the Seventh day (Saturday) Sabbath?
Luke 23:52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
Luke 23:53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
Luke 23:54 And that day was the preparation [Friday], and the sabbath drew on.
Luke 23:55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
Luke 23:56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. [seventh day Saturday sabbath]
Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week [Sunday], very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
Mark 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
The women viewed the sepulchre and the body of Jesus on the preparation day (Friday evening before sunset) and then rested according to the 4th Commandment, on the Saturday Sabbath. When the Saturday Sabbath had past, the women returned to the tomb at sunrise, and that day was the first day of the week (Sunday). Clearly then, Jesus was crucified on Friday afternoon, the preparation day for the Saturday Sabbath.


This Friday preparation day (paraskeue:G3904) is mentioned in Mat 27:62, Mk 15:42, Lk 23:54, Jn 19:14, 19:31 and 19:42. It is important to note that in the Bible, only the 6th day of the week is defined as the preparation day (Exo. 16:5) for the 7th day Sabbath, but not the day preceding a non-seventh-day festival sabbath. The term always means what we call Friday, in both scriptural and non-scriptural usage:

2. "Caesar Augustus, high priest and tribune of the people, ordains thus: Since the nation of the Jews hath been found grateful to the Roman people, not only at this time, but in time past also, and chiefly Hyrcanus the high priest, under my father Caesar the emperor, it seemed good to me and my counselors, according to the sentence and oath of the people of Rome, that the Jews have liberty to make use of their own customs, according to the law of their forefathers, as they made use of them under Hyrcanus the high priest of the Almighty God; and that their sacred money be not touched, but be sent to Jerusalem, and that it be committed to the care of the receivers at Jerusalem; and that they be not obliged to go before any judge on the sabbath day, nor on the day of the preparation to it, after the ninth hour. — Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVI, Chapter VI, 2.

Also note that in Leviticus 23 there is this important distinction made between the seventh day sabbath and the first day of unleavened bread: no work was to be done on the seventh day sabbath (v. 3), and no servile work on 15 Abib / Nisan (v. 7). Servile work is done for an employer or as an occupation, for a living or wages so to speak.

Lev 23:1-3 (KJV)

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
3 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.

Lev 23:6-7 (KJV)

6 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.
7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

So non-servile work was not permitted on the seventh day sabbath, but it was permitted on 15 Abib / Nisan. Presumably the burial could have been done after sunset if it were only 15 Nisan, but not on a seventh day sabbath. Therefore the "no work" on the seventh day sabbath was the reason for burial before sunset, because that began the seventh day sabbath (which coincided with 15 Nisan that year, making it a high sabbath).

Anchor point #2: The seventh-day Saturday Sabbath was the day after the crucifixion, and we know this because the women rested that day according to the fourth commandment of God. Therefore, the crucifixion had to have occurred on a Friday.

Now here is the logic some people will give for a Wednesday crucifixion -

One cannot get three days and three nights (Matt 12:40) from "Good Friday" to "Easter Sunday." Friday and Saturday nights are two nights, and Saturday is one day. This is only one day and two nights, what about the other two days and one night? Friday can't possibly be the day Jesus died.

This is the result of trying to use literal western thinking and applying it to the text, implying that there should be a full 72 hours between the crucifixion and the resurrection. But that is not the intent of the passage. For proof lets look at what the Gospels and other books have to say about the matter -


Mat 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again *the third day*.

Mat 17:23 And they shall kill him, and *the third day* he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

Mat 20:19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and *the third day* he shall rise again.

Mark 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise *the third* day.

Mark 10:34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and *the third day* he shall rise again.

Luke 9:22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised *the third day*.

Luke 18:33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and *the third day* he shall rise again.

John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in *three days* I will raise it up.

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
Acts 10:40 Him God raised up *the third day*, and showed him openly;

1 Cor 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1 Cor 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again *the third day* according to the scriptures:

Anchor point #3: Jesus was resurrected ON the third day after His death and burial, not after three literal days. If He rose after 72 hours, then all the above verses would read on the FOURTH day.

So now, just WHICH day was the third day? Notice the following verses from the 24th chapter of Luke:

Luke 24:1 Now *upon the first day of the week*, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

Luke 24:7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and *the third day* rise again.

Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, *to day is the third day* since these things were done.

Luke 24:46 And (Jesus) said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead *the third day*:

This passage makes plain that on Sunday the *first day of the week* (v. 1), the two angels at the tomb said He would rise *the third day* (v. 7), and on the same day on the road to Emmaus the two disciples stated it was *the third day* (v. 21), and Jesus says he would rise *the third day* (v. 46). So clearly Sunday was the third day the angels and Jesus were speaking of, the day on which Jesus rose from the grave. With that in mind, note this verse:

Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

Those who advocate a Wednesday crucifixion must adhere to a Saturday afternoon resurrection, but the above verses, in conjunction with Mark 16:9, refute that very nicely.

Yet, some will still point to Matthew 28:1 to show that the women first came to the tomb late on the sabbath (Saturday) near sunset:

Mat 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

This point is quickly clarified by looking at Mark's account:

Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
Mark 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
Mark 16:3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

Clearly the women came to the tomb at sunrise, finding the tomb empty. So what about the strange wording of Matthew 28:1? The explanation can be found in the division of the text into verses. The original Greek texts contain no punctuation, or chapter or verse markings. These were later added as a convenience to the reader. By merely reorganizing Matthew 27:66 and 28:1 as follows, the apparent ambiguity completely disappears:

Mat 27:62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
Mat 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Mat 27:64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
Mat 27:65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

Note that in verse 62, the request for a guard on the tomb was made on a Sabbath (the day after the preparation) and that the request was for a guard until the third day. Now, here is how the following verses should be printed:

Mat 27:66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch in the end of the sabbath.
Mat 28:1 As it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Note that the wording is not changed, merely the dividing point of the verses is changed by moving the period ending verse sixty-six. It was the watch guarding the tomb that began at the end of the sabbath! This shows that Matthew and Mark agree completely as to when the women came to the tomb: just before the rising of the sun at dawn, the first day of the week, Sunday.

Since Jesus was to rise the third day, the Roman guards were put in place immediately at the end of the Sabbath, because they anticipated the body being stolen by the Jews sometime on Sunday, the third (and next) day. Had they anticipated the theft on Saturday, then the guard would have been in place by Friday evening, (the preparation day).


Anchor point #4: Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday, the first day of the week`, which was the third day since His trial, death and burial (Luke 24:21).

Luke 24:18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
Luke 24:19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
Luke 24:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

Sunday, as we have seen, actually began at sunset on Saturday evening, and by Jewish reckoning any part of day is counted as a day. So working backwards:
•Sunday, was the third day, the day of the resurrection.
•Saturday (Sabbath) was the second day that Christ rested in the tomb.
•Friday (Preparation day) was the first day, the day of the crucifixion.

Note that in Luke 24:18 - 21, the events of the three days begin with the arrest and trial of Jesus, not with His burial!

Jesus was crucified on Friday and died at 3 p.m. He rose from the dead somewhere between Saturday after sunset and sunrise on Sunday morning. There is absolutely no way to push the crucifixion back to Wednesday and fit scripture. A Wednesday crucifixion is clearly impossible.

Three days and Three nights.

Oh, but then what of these apparently troublesome verses, don't they preclude a Friday crucifixion?-

Mat 12:40 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.

Mat 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, *After three days* I will rise again.

Mark 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and *after three days* rise again.

These verses are appealed to in order to propose a full 72 hours in the grave. They do seem to say a full 3 days and 3 nights don't they? How can this possibly be reconciled with the traditional chronology? If you believe the Bible cannot contradict itself, then these verses MUST be harmonized with the rest of scripture on the subject. Well, please note the following story in 1 Kings-

The third day (inclusive reckoning)

1 Ki 12:5 And he said unto them, Depart yet *for three days*, then come again to me. And the people departed.

1 Ki 12:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam *the third day*, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again *the third day*.

The king tells the people to depart for three days, but they return ON the third day, not on the fourth!! Why? Because the king did not mean to be gone for a full 72 hours. The counting of days was inclusive in nature. The same day that the king told them to leave was the first day. The second day they stayed away, and then they returned the third day, as the king had intended. This is the exactly the same manner of counting used for the resurrection. It is inclusive in nature, with whatever portion of the first and last days being counted as full days.

Just for good measure, this same story is told in 2 Chronicles-

2 Chr 10:5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me *after three days*. And the people departed.

2 Chr 10:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam *on the third day*, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me *on the third day*.

Note the way this is worded compared to 1 Kings. Come again unto me after three days, depart yet for three days, and Come again to me on the third day, these all mean exactly the same thing, which is NOT a full three days or a full 72 hours.

Here is a similar situation of inclusive reckoning in the book of Esther:

Est 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Est 4:17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Est 5:1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

Note that here in Luke 13, the third day clearly means the day after tomorrow, not after 3 full days:

Luke 13:31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
Luke 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
Luke 13:33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

So, in light of all the evidence, Matt 12:40, 27:63 and Mark 8:31 do not really mean a full literal three days and nights or 72 hours, since Jesus clearly rose ON the third day. By Jewish understanding, referred to as inclusive reckoning, three days and three nights, and after three days, simply meant the same thing as ON the third day.

Anchor Point #5: Jesus was resurrected ON the third day, not after 72 literal hours.

In The Heart of the Earth

Note these passages:

Mat 12:40 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.

Mat 17:22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
Mat 17:23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

Mat 26:45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Mark 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

Mark 14:41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Luke 24:7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

Luke 24:18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
Luke 24:19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
Luke 24:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

Note that the "things" include Jesus' betrayal and being put on trial. See also:

Matt 16:21; Matt 20:18-19;
Mark 8:31; Mark 10:33-34;
Luke 9:22; Luke 18:32-33; Luke 24:46.

So the phrase "in the heart of the earth" does not begin with burial in the tomb, as some suppose, but rather with Christ being betrayed into the hands of sinners for trial, on what we would call Thursday night (by Jewish reckoning the early evening hours that began Friday, 14 Nisan, Passover). That was the beginning of the 3 days and 3 nights.

The Lord's Passover

Next, lets look at when the Passover really begins. Sometimes in the Bible, the phrases "Feast of Unleavened Bread" or "Passover" are used to describe the combination of 14 Nisan (The Lord's Passover) with the subsequent week long Feast of Unleavened Bread. So the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (in this general sense), would then be 14 Nisan. This habit can cause some confusion if you are not careful, as follows:

Mat 26:17 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?

Mark 14:12 And the first day of unleavened bread, *when they killed the passover*, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

Luke 22:1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.
Luke 22:7 Then came the day of unleavened bread, *when the passover must be killed*.
Luke 22:8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

The above verses seem to say that the Passover lamb was to be slain on the first day of unleavened bread, or 15 Nisan (but actually refer to 14 Nisan, as will be shown) Now, the following verse refers to the Passover meal as occurring on 15 Nisan, the evening after the crucifixion, also 15 Nisan:

John 18:28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

This confusion can be cleared up by looking in Exodus, Leviticus and 2 Chronicles -

Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
Exo 12:6 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 [afternoon of the 14th].
Exo 12:7 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.
Exo 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night [early hours of the 15th], roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Exo 12:9 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.
Exo 12:10 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.

Exo 12:18 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.

Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.
Lev 23:6 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.

2 Chr 35:1 Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

The Hebrew for Exo 12:6 and Lev 23:5 literally reads "between the evenings" (H996 & H6153). The first of these two evenings is when the sun begins its descent from its zenith at noon, and the second when the sun sets at 6 pm. So between the evenings refers to 3 pm, which also called the ninth hour.

Clearly the Passover lamb was to be slain on the afternoon of the 14th of Nisan and eaten in the night of the 15th of Nisan. Yet, according to Exodus 12:18, unleavened bread was also to be eaten beginning on the 14th of Nisan, known as the Lord's passover, which is the day before the Festival of Unleavened Bread (this is the reason for some confusion).

So this was the time the Lord's supper took place - on what we would call Thursday night, which was the 14th of Nisan, which consisted of bread and grape juice, but no roast lamb. Later that very same day, in the afternoon about 3 pm, the Passover lamb was to be slain. That the Passover lamb was to be slain in the afternoon of the 14th can be confirmed elsewhere in Exodus. Note when the daily sacrifice of lambs was to take place:


Exo 29:39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:

Here it is plain that the daily sacrifices included two lambs, the first in the morning, and the second in the "evening", meaning the afternoon before sunset (Again the Hebrew literally reads "between the evenings" (H996 & H6153). The Jewish historian Josephus confirms that the Passover lambs were slain from the ninth hour to the eleventh hour, that being from 3pm to 5pm.

So these high priests, upon the coming of that feast which is called the Passover, when they slay their sacrifices, from the ninth hour till the eleventh, but so that a company not less than ten belong to every sacrifice, ...
Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Chapter IX, Section 3

Therefore, the two events, the time for the killing of the Passover lamb and the death of Jesus, coincided precisely on that Friday afternoon the 14th of Nisan, the Lord's Passover, at 3pm.

This is further confirmed by the timing of the original Passover in Egypt:

Exo 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, ...

Num 33:3 And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.

Clearly the Passover slaying of Egypt's firstborn occurred at midnight on the 15th of Nisan. So the reference in John 18:28 to the Passover meal being observed on the day after the crucifixion is speaking of the meal in which the Passover lamb would be eaten, which would occur at the early hours of 15 Nisan, the Paschal lamb symbolic of Jesus having been slain a few hours earlier on the afternoon of the 14th. As a result, Matthew 26:17, Mark 14:12, and Luke 22:1, 7-8 all are actually referring to the 14th of Nisan (in a general sense) calling it the first day of unleavened bread.

Anchor Point #6: Jesus was crucified late on 14 Nisan, the Lord's Passover.

What follows now is a chronological listing of the events of the crucifixion and resurrection, that puts all the pieces of the puzzle together in a way that satisfies all the accounts.

14 Nisan/Abib (The Lord's Passover, not a Sabbath)
Friday (Beginning our Thursday night)

Luke 22:7 Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.
Luke 22:8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

Preparation for the Passover - Mat 26:17-19, Mark 14:12-16, Luke 22:7-13.

Lev 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.

The 14th of Nisan is to be the Lord's Passover, and it was just after sunset (the beginning of that day) that the Passover meal of unleavened bread was celebrated by Jesus with His disciples. That would correspond to our present day Thursday evening (when using Midnight to Midnight).
•Judas identified as the betrayer- Mat 26:21-25, Mark 14:18-21, Luke 22:21-23, John 13:21-30.
•The Lord's Supper- Mat 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-16.
•Jesus retires to Gethsemane and is arrested- Mat 26:30-56, Mark 14:26-52, Luke 22:39-53, John 18:1-12.

In the morning of Friday (but still 14 Nisan) the trials took place, and the crucifixion began at about 9am (the third hour- Mark 15:25). Jesus died at the very moment the Passover lamb was to be slain at the Temple, the ninth hour (our 3pm) on the 14th of Nisan (our Friday). From the moment Jesus was laid in the tomb, until sunset, the Jews reckoned to be the first day in the grave, even though it was only a few hours. All of this took place on what was the preparation day - not only for the 7th day Sabbath, but also for the upcoming Feast of Unleavened Bread. Note - that particular seventh day Sabbath was a "high" day ...

John 19:31 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.

15th of Nisan/Abib (A double "high" Sabbath day)
Saturday, which began at sunset on our Friday night.
First day of the week long Festival of Unleavened Bread.

... it was a "high" Seventh day (Saturday) Sabbath because it was ALSO the 15th of Nisan/Abib, a feast day Sabbath ...

Lev 23:6 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.
Lev 23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

The Messiah rests in the tomb, observing the Sabbath day rest the entire day. This is the second day in the grave.

16th of Nisan/Abib (The day of first fruits, Resurrection day)
Sunday, which began at sunset - our Saturday night.
Not a Sabbath day in type or antitype.

The resurrection takes place at some time after the beginning of the day (at sunset) but before the morning sunrise. Just exactly when after sunset the resurrection took place is uncertain, but that it happened on what we today call Sunday is really quite clear as Luke 24 showed, but here is more evidence-

1 Cor 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the Firstfruits of them that slept.

So just how does this verse relate?-

Lev 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the Firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Lev 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

The wave sheaf represented the first fruits of the resurrection, the Messiah (1 Cor 15:20), and the day it was presented was the day AFTER the Sabbath as Lev 23:11 just proved. (The Sabbath meant here is 15 Nisan/Abib, the first day of Unleavened Bread [Lev 23:6-7]). Clearly then, since the first day of Unleavened Bread coincided with the Seventh day Sabbath that year, the resurrection of Jesus (the first fruits), happened on 16 Nisan/Abib the day AFTER the double or high Sabbath, on the first day of the week, Sunday. (Because it represents the resurrection, the day of Firstfruits must clearly occur on the third day after the crucifixion [14 Nisan], to fulfill scripture.)
...CONCLUSION

The only chronology that can be reconciled with scripture on all points is the Friday crucifixion and Sunday resurrection. It is the only scenario in which the typical festival days and their fulfillment match exactly, without a single discrepancy!"

 

[reddogs]

Here is a good article from Angel Manuel Rodriguez on how long Jesus was in the tomb.

"Some believe He was dead for 72 hours; others argue for less than three full days and nights. This is a case in which it is important to know how days were counted in biblical times. In order to avoid misunderstandings, it is always important to examine the context and the use of similar terminology in other places in the Bible.

1. Three Days and Three Nights: The text seems quite
clear: “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).
For us, this is a precise statement of time: three full days of
24 hours each. Not necessarily so for the biblical writer,
who is simply emphasizing that it was three days.
A day in the Bible is constituted by day/light and night/
darkness. Therefore “three days and nights” is another way
of saying “three days.” Matthew says that Jesus fasted “forty
days and forty nights” (Matt. 4:2) but Mark says it was
“forty days” (Mark 1:13). The biblical writers were not
thinking about an exact period of 24 hours. This was not
their concern, for they did not have watches as we do. The
two phrases are synonyms, but the first one emphasizes the
amount of days, not their exact extent in hours. Are we
more precise in terms of time? Yes!

2. Other Phrases: The Gospels use different temporal
expressions related to the resurrection of Jesus. Some of
them seem contradictory: “After [meta] three days he will
rise” (see Mark 9:31; 10:34; Matt. 27:63); “on three days”
(with the preposition en “on/in,” Matthew 27:40; without the
preposition, see Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Luke 9:22;
18:33; 1 Corinthians 15:4); and “in/after [dia] three days”
(see Matt. 26:61). In this last case, the preposition dia could
be translated “in or within/in the course of three days” (see
Hosea 6:2). “After” suggests that the resurrection took place
on the fourth day, but this is denied by other phrases. So the
question is: What does “after” (meta) mean (Matt. 27:63)?
In Jewish usage the phrase “after three days” meant “the
day after tomorrow,” and this is how people understood it.
According to Matthew 27:63, those who heard Jesus understood
that He would be resurrected on the third day and
that His tomb was “to be made secure until [heos, “up to,
until”] the third day.” This implies that “after three days”
refers to a period of time that includes any part of three
days, and can be used as the equivalent of “on the third
day.” In Matthew, Jesus mentions the three days only in
12:40—“three days and three nights,” indicating that His
contemporaries understood Him to say “within three days.”

3. Inclusive Counting: Our examination of the different
phrases indicates that the idiomatic phrase “three days”
counts portions of a day as full days. As an idiomatic
expression it cannot be taken literally. We find a similar
usage in the Old Testament. The phrase “three days and
three nights” means “three days” (1 Sam. 30:12, 13). Esther
asked people to fast together with her for “three days, night
or day” (Esther 4:16). Then “on the third day” she appeared
before the king (Esther 5:1). This is inclusive reckoning; the
three days include portions of days counted as days. King
Rehoboam asked the people to “depart for three days” and
come back to him. They came back on “the third day” (1
Kings 12:5, 12). We find the same phenomenon among
non-Israelites. An eighth-century-B.C. Mesopotamian king
tells about his arrival at a city: “I waited in the city of
Azlayanu for three days, and on the third day they
approached.” A portion of the first day plus a portion of a
third day are counted as three days.

In order to interpret the Bible correctly, we have to count days the way the biblical writers counted them. Jesus died on Friday and was resurrected on the third day!..."