The Crucifixion Not Friday

[Saber Truth Tiger]

Here is the pertinent sections of LXX-Leviticus:

23:11 καὶ ἀνοίσει τὸ δράγμα ἔναντι κυρίου δεκτὸν ὑμῖν τῇ ἐπαύριον τῆς πρώτης ἀνοίσει αὐτὸ ὁ ἱερεύς
And he shall raise up the sheaf before the Lord, acceptable for you; on the day after the first the priest shall raise it up.

23:15 καὶ ἀριθμήσετε ὑμεῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπαύριον τῶν σαββάτων ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ἧς ἂν προσενέγκητε τὸ δράγμα τοῦ ἐπιθέματος ἑπτὰ ἑβδομάδας ὁλοκλήρους
And from the day after the Sabbaths, from the day on which you bring the sheaf of the addition, you shall count until the day after the last week, fifty days, and you shall present a new sacrifice to the Lord.

What you say is a mistranslation, is a description of what the people did, exactly as Josephus describes. You can cry all you want that the people were wrong. That does not change recorded history. The LXX states what the people did; Josephus states what the people did; they are still doing this today.

Sabbaths are plural because there are seven of them. The people did do things that were based on false doctrine. Just because many Jews did exactly as Josephus described does not mean it is scriptural. And just because they do it still today doesn't make it right. Read posts #81 and #82 on page 5 of this thread. I don't feel like writing it down again and again because it seems you don't even read what I have written. Besides, I have other interests besides debating, and I will spend more time doing the other than the latter.
EDIT: Sabbaths in Leviticus 23:15 is plural. It doesn't substantially affect my argument though. Plural usage does not always mean plural.

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[Saber Truth Tiger]

The LXX describes the Feast of Unleavened Bread stating there are Sabbaths, plural. It states the


There are significant deficiencies in Saber Truth's position.

First, the oldest historical record describing the practice of observing Firstfruits is found in the LXX. It states the waving of the sheaf (observing Firstfruits) takes place on "the day after the first." It continues by saying the counting of the omer is to begin after the Sabbaths (plural). This describes observing Firstfruits on Nisan 16, "the day after the first" which could mean first day of Unleavened Bread. But counting of the omer which begins after the weekly Sabbath is described as "after the Sabbaths" means Nisan 15 was the first Sabbath.

Second, Saber Truth acknowledges the practice of observing Firstfruits on Nisan 16 (which means Nisan 15 was understood as a Sabbah). He has no choice since that is what Josephus records: like the LXX it is recorded history. The "work around" to the recorded history of observing Firstfruits on Nisan 16 (which continues to this day) is claiming the practice was stopped and Firstfruits was being observed correctly at the time of Jesus. Even if this assertion is correct, other than a belief the Sadducees followed the correct practice, there is no historical documentation.

Third, all of the Gospel accounts use both the plural and singular Sabbath. Sometimes the explanation seems to be more than one weekly Sabbath, but most, like Matthew 12 and 28, cannot have this meaning. Hence, most translations simply ignore the plural or in the case of resurrection texts, translate as "first day of the week." The rebuttal to this is if in fact the Sabbath can only mean Saturday (the weekly Sabbath), then the day after the Sabbath (singular) is always Sunday. The "day after the Sabbaths" is unnecessary and confusing since it leads some (like myself) to conclude the plural use of Sabbaths identifies Nisan 15 and the weekly Sabbath, exactly as described in the LXX and in Josephus and practiced to this day in Judaism.

Adults that were old enough to remember the Sadducean method of reckoning the Omer and Shavuot could make changes without much problem. When I was in the Worldwide Church of God in the 70s and 80s we were taught to keep the seventh day Sabbath. I kept the Sabbath the whole time I was in the church. My family continued keeping the Sabbath the remainder of the life of Herbert W. Armstrong. After HWA died, Joseph Takach took over and within ten years many many members of the Church started keeping Sunday as the day of worship, thanks to Tkach, who changed the doctrines of the church. Doctrinal change is not that big of a deal. It happens sometimes.

 

[Revelation Lad]

Adults that were old enough to remember the Sadducean method of reckoning the Omer and Shavuot could make changes without much problem. When I was in the Worldwide Church of God in the 70s and 80s we were taught to keep the seventh day Sabbath. I kept the Sabbath the whole time I was in the church. My family continued keeping the Sabbath the remainder of the life of Herbert W. Armstrong. After HWA died, Joseph Takach took over and within ten years many many members of the Church started keeping Sunday as the day of worship, thanks to Tkach, who changed the doctrines of the church. Doctrinal change is not that big of a deal. It happens sometimes.

I applaud you. As you correctly understand, the Sabbath is the Sabbath. It should never be changed. It is an eternal sign between the Creator and His people that shows the world God created everything in six days and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed. Worship on Sunday is not prohibited; worship on Sunday or any day does not change the Sabbath; it is an eternal sign.

I understand completely the Saturday/Sunday issue. I would simply point out people worshipping more often is not a bad interpretation of the Biblical calendar...whereas worshipping less frequently is probably not best.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

I applaud you. As you correctly understand, the Sabbath is the Sabbath. It should never be changed. It is an eternal sign between the Creator and His people that shows the world God created everything in six days and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed. Worship on Sunday is not prohibited; worship on Sunday or any day does not change the Sabbath; it is an eternal sign.

I understand completely the Saturday/Sunday issue. I would simply point out people worshipping more often is not a bad interpretation of the Biblical calendar...whereas worshipping less frequently is probably not best.

I many times still worship Yahweh on Sabbath. I no longer do it because it is required. I do it because it makes me feel closer to God and it brings back memories from my youth. People have asked me where I get my rebuttals of the Nisan 15 Sabbath. I didn't get it from the WCG, I got it from Farrell Till in 1998 to 1999. I disagree with your stance obviously, but I have squandered a great deal of time debating you on this subject and I am not finished. But I won't be spending as much time on it in the next few days. Just short comments.

 

[AFrazier]

I believe the proper approach is to ignore any question about what day He was crucified until you are settled on how best to understand the singular and plural uses of Sabbath

They are linked. Understanding the day he was crucified gives clarity to the plural, assuming it is, indeed, plural. I haven’t yet looked it up. We’re doing some remodeling in my office, so my books are all packed and out of reach.

However, it nevertheless holds true that the 15th was considered a Sabbath. So, that week contained two Sabbaths, and that justifies the plural, all other arguments notwithstanding.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

Revelation Lad wrote:

Biblical objections to inclusive counting:

1. The days in creation are counted as full days.
2. A day begins at sunset.
3. Sabbaths are always counted as full days.
4. The six days of work leading up to the Sabbath are counted as full days.
5. The annual Feast Days of Shavuot, Trumpets, and Atonement are observed as full days.
6. The 7-days of Unleavened Bread are observed as 7 full days.
7. The 7-days of Tabernacles are observed as full days.
8. The day following the 7-days of Tabernacles is observed as a full day.

SABER TRUTH TIGER
All days in the Bible are counted as full days, sunset to sunset. If you were born, however, two hours before sunset, it would be reckoned as the first day of your life. Two days later, in morning, would be the third day. Therefore, even though the days are full 24-hour days, the time of your birth would not have to occur 24 hours before sunset to be counted as one day. A 4pm birth would still count as one day and not as a partial day. The next day would be the second day and the day after that would count as the third day, even in the morning. Notice Exodus 19:10-16.

10 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,

11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

See also Luke 13:32

Luke 13:32 (BIBLE GATEWAY)​

King James Version​

​

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.

All these days are FULL days but the events do not take full days to accomplish. The third day of Jesus' death was the first day of the week and that day was a full day. But when Jesus rose from the dead in the morning it was called the first day of the week and the third day of his death.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

There is more than enough evidence that biblical days were counted inclusively yet there are many that dispute this.

What is Inclusive Reckoning?

Here are some proofs of inclusive counting from the web page above:
1, The clearest Biblical demonstration of inclusive counting is in the New Testament (see Acts 10:30 where a period of 72 hours is reckoned as “four days ago,” not “three”), but an Old Testament example is in 2 Kings 18:9-10.

2.The battle of Samaria lasted from the fourth to the sixth year of Hezekiah, which is equated with the The siege seventh to the ninth year of Hoshea, and yet the city is said to have been taken “at the end of three years.” In modern usage we would say two years, by straight subtraction. Obviously, the Bible writer reckoned inclusively (years four, five, and six totaling three years).

3. A Hebrew boy was circumcised when “eight days old” (Genesis 17:12), that is, “in the eighth day” (Leviticus 12:3). Similarly, Luke speaks of circumcision “on the eighth day” or “when eight days were accomplished” (Luke 1:59; 2:21). Evidently “when eight days were accomplished” (or “at the end of eight days,” RSV) does not mean eight full days from the date of birth, but eight inclusive.

4.Jeroboam II of Israel succeeded his father Jehoash in the 15th year of Amaziah of Judah (2 Kings 14:23), and Amaziah “lived after the death of Jehoash … of Israel fifteen years” (2 Kings 14:17). A modern reader would mentally add 15 to 15, reaching Amaziah’s 30th year, yet Amaziah reigned only 29 years (verse 2). Inclusive reckoning is again the most logical explanation, since 15 years, inclusive, from the 15th year is the 29th, in which he evidently died.

5.There are other examples. When, at the death of Solomon, Rehoboam was petitioned to lighten the tax burden, he told the people to depart “for three days” (1 Kings 12:5) and then return for his decision “after three days” (2 Chronicles 10:5). They came “the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day” (1 Kings 12:12; cf. 2 Chronicles 10:12).

6. Jesus said in Luke 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

7. Exodus 19:10-11 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes, 11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

8. Esther asked the Jews of Shushan to fast, and by implication, to pray, for her before she went in to the king unbidden, and then she approached the king “on the third day” (Esther 4:16; 5:1). Obviously, a period of “three days” ended on the third day, not after the completion of the three days, as we would reckon it.

9.The Pharisees did not call a high day “the Sabbath”. They called it “a Sabbath”. All days called “the Sabbath” in the New Testament (39 times in the Greek text) referred to the weekly Sabbath.

10. An Egyptian inscription recording the death of a priestess on the 4th day of the 12th month relates that her successor arrived on the 15th, “when 12 days had elapsed.” Today, we would say that when 12 days had elapsed after the 4th, the date would be the 16th.

11. The Greeks followed the same inclusive method. They called the Olympiad, or the four-year period between the Olympic Games, a pentaeteris (five-year period), and used other similar numerical terms

12. The Romans also, in common usage, reckoned inclusively; they had nundinae (from nonus, ninth), or market days, every ninth day, inclusive, actually every eight days, as indicated on ancient calendars by the letters, A through H.

13. Modern vestiges in the West are the phrase “eight days,” meaning a week in some European languages; I hope these help.

14. Also, read John 4. In that chapter Jesus meets the Samaritan woman who gives a drink of water. In verse 40 says Jesus abode in her village for two days (John 4:40) and yet in John 4:43 it claims that Jesus departed after two days. I can prove elsewhere that "after three days" which appears in Mark three times in reference to Jesus's resurrection was equivalent to "the third day" in Matthew and Luke.

15. John 20:26 says, "after eight days" the disciples were again gathered in the room when Jesus appeared amongst them. Scholars claim "after eight days" was an expression meaning a week later (i.e. Sunday to Sunday). Again, inclusive counting.

16. It is important to note that Mark 8:31, 9:31, and 10:34 claim Jesus would rise "after three days". Yet, when you compare the same accounts in Matthew and Luke in a good Harmony of the Gospels you will see "after three days" is interchangeable with "the third day".

17. Here is a definition of day from the Jewish Encyclopedia. DAY - JewishEncyclopedia.com

Many of the above are culled from the website for inclusive counting. There is more than enough evidence that biblical days were counted inclusively yet there are many that dispute this.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

Prosabbaton and Preparation Day is Friday​

Dec 27, 2023
saber-truth-tiger39-timesdefinite-articlefriday-crucifixionpreparation3+
Concerning the word “preparation” in the KJV there were two preparation days in the time of Jesus. There was the weekly preparation for the Sabbath and the annual preparation for the Passover. The Passover had to be prepared for because all leaven had to be cleaned out of the houses the Jews lived in. That required moving furniture around, cleaning and inspection.

The preparation for the weekly Sabbath, however, fell on Friday and it was translated in various ways in the literature of the time. For example, the capitalized words below:

The Didache 8:1 reads: “But as for your fasts, let them not be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth days of the week, but do ye fast on the fourth and SIXTH days…” Kirsopp Lake’s translates the second and fifth days as Mondays and Thursdays and the fourth and sixth days as Wednesdays and Fridays.

Polycarp 7:1 reads: “So taking the lad with them, on the FRIDAY about the supper hour, the gendarmes and horsemen went forth with their accustomed arms, hastening as against a robber.”

Antiquities of the Jews 16.6.2 reads: “and 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.”

Moreover, the Greek word prosabbaton in Mark 15:42 refers to the day before the weekly Sabbath and not the day before a Passover Sabbath.

In Judith 8:6 we read:
And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, save the eves of the Sababths, and the Sabbaths, and the eves of the new moons, and the new moons and the feasts and solemn days of the house of Israel.

Prosabbaton is also used in 2 Maccabees 8:26
II Maccabees 8:25-26 reads: “And they took their money that came to buy them, and pursued them far but lacking time they returned: For it was the DAY BEFORE THE SABBATH, and therefore they would no longer pursue them.

It was the day before the Sabbath, and for that reason they could not continue the pursuit.

For what its worth, prosabbaton referred to the day BEFORE the weekly Sabbath. There is no case of prosabbaton referring to Nisan 15 in literature of that time period. Whenever it is found it always precedes the weekly Sabbath.

Moreover, every time the definite article is used in front of Sabbath in the New Testament it is the weekly Sabbath being referred to, not an annual holy convocation. The definite article comes before Sabbath 39 times in the Greek New Testament and it always refers to the weekly Sabbath and not a holy convocation.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

In the Hebrew Scriptures (NASB 1995) , the expression “the Sabbath” occurs 50 times and it always refers to the weekly Sabbath. There is no, single, clear-cut example of “the Sabbath” referring to an annual holy convocation. Declensions from Bible Hub and verses from NASB 1995 found in Bible Gateway.

“THE SABBATH” In the Hebrew Bible

· Exodus 16:26

Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the sabbath, there will be none.” 1 Noun, common singular NCS

· Exodus 16:29

See, the Lord has given you the sabbath; therefore He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” 2 NCS

· Exodus 20:8

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 3 NCS

· Exodus 20:11

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. 4 NCS

· Exodus 31:14

Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. 5 NCS

· Exodus 31:15

For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death. 6 NCS Construct

· Exodus 31:16

So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’ 8 NCS

· Exodus 35:3

You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day.” 9 NCS

· Leviticus 23:11

He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 10 NCS

· Leviticus 23:15

‘You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths. 11 NCP

· Numbers 15:32

Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the sabbath day. 12 NCS

· Numbers 28:9

‘Then on the sabbath day two male lambs one year old without defect, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and its drink offering: 13 NCS

· Deuteronomy 5:12

‘Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 14 NCS

· Deuteronomy 5:15

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day. 15 NCS

· 2 Kings 11:5

He commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you, who come in on the sabbath and keep watch over the king’s house 16 NCS

· 2 Kings 11:7

Two parts of you, even all who go out on the sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of the Lord for the king. 17 NCS

· 2 Kings 11:9

So the captains of hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 19 NCS (second use of the sabbath is not in the Hebrew text) according to Bible Hub

· 2 Kings 16:18

The covered way for the sabbath which they had built in the house, and the outer entry of the king, he removed from the house of the Lord because of the king of Assyria. 20 NCS

· 2 Chronicles 23:4

This is the thing which you shall do: one third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers, 21 NCS

· 2 Chronicles 23:8

So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of the divisions. 23 NCS (second use of the sabbath not in the text).

· Nehemiah 10:31

As for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or a holy day; and we will forego the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt. 25 NCS

· Nehemiah 13:15

In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. 27 NCS NCS

· Nehemiah 13:16

Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. 28 NCS

· Nehemiah 13:17

Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? 29 NCS

· Nehemiah 13:18

Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.” 30 NCS

· Nehemiah 13:19

It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day. 33 NCS NCS NCS

· Nehemiah 13:21

Then I warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. 34 NCS

· Nehemiah 13:22

And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness. 35 NCS

· Isaiah 56:2

“How blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who takes hold of it; Who keeps from profaning the sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”36 NCS

· Isaiah 56:6

“Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord, To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant; 37 NCS

· Isaiah 58:13

“If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot From doing your own pleasure on My holy day, And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, And honor it, desisting from your own ways, From seeking your own pleasure And speaking your own word, 39 NCS NCS

· Jeremiah 17:21

Thus says the Lord, “Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. 40 NCS

· Jeremiah 17:22

You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers. 42 NCS NCS

· Jeremiah 17:24

“But it will come about, if you listen attentively to Me,” declares the Lord, “to bring no load in through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to keep the sabbath day holy by doing no work on it, 44 NCS NCS

· Jeremiah 17:27

But if you do not listen to Me to keep the sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not be quenched.”’” 46 NCS NCS

· Ezekiel 46:1

‘Thus says the Lord God, “The gate of the inner court facing east shall be shut the six working days; but it shall be opened on the sabbath day and opened on the day of the new moon. 47

· Ezekiel 46:4

The burnt offering which the prince shall offer to the Lord on the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish; 48 NCS

· Ezekiel 46:12

When the prince provides a freewill offering, a burnt offering, or peace offerings as a freewill offering to the Lord, the gate facing east shall be opened for him. And he shall provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he does on the sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and the gate shall be shut after he goes out. 49 NCS

· Amos 8:5

saying, “When will the new moon be over, So that we may sell grain, And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, To make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, And to cheat with dishonest scales, 50 NCS

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

THE SABBATH in the GREEK BIBLE (NASB 1995)

This is from the Bible Gateway website and the Greek word declensions are thanks to the Bible Hub website. There are 39 times when the Greek word for Sabbath is preceded by the definite article. Seven of the 46 times in this list the definite article is not used. In the cases where the definite article is not used the verse is marked by an asterisk *. When the scripture indicates THE Sabbath it is always the weekly Sabbath and not that of a high day. Sixteen times in this batch the Sabbath is in the plural spelling. In all these 68 instances combined where the Greek word for Sabbath is translated in modern Bibles there are 23 times when it is plural spelling for the word.com

From BIBLE GATEWAY, Declensions from BIBLE HUB

Mark 15:42 does not use the definite article for Sabbath as the Greek word is *prosabbaton* or “pre-Sabbath” and is translated “the day before the Sabbath.”

Grammatical notes follows the verse. The first letter indicates case, second letter indicates gender, and the third letter denotes whether it is single or plural. Hence, DNP is Dative, Neuter, Plural and ANS is Accusative, Neuter, and Singular and so forth.

Results 1-43.

1. Matthew 12:1

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. DNP

1. Matthew 12:5

Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? DNP, ANS

1. Matthew 12:8

For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” GNS

1. Matthew 12:10

And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him. DNP

1. Matthew 12:11

And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? DNP

1. Matthew 12:12

How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” DNP

1. Matthew 28:1

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. GNP

1. Mark 1:21

They *went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. DNP

1. Mark 2:23*

And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. (-the) DNP

1. Mark 2:24
2. The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” DNP

1. Mark 2:27
Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. NNS ANS

1. Mark 2:28

So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” GNS

1. Mark 3:1

He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered.

1. Mark 3:2

They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. DNP

1. Mark 3:4

And He *said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. DNP

1. Mark 6:2*

When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands? (-the) GNS

1. Mark 15:42

When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, *prosabbaton*

1. Mark 16:1

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. GNS

1. Luke 4:16

And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. GNP

1. Luke 4:31

And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; DNP

1. Luke 6:1*

Now it happened that He was passing through some grainfields on a Sabbath; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating the grain. (- the) DNS

1. Luke 6:2

But some of the Pharisees said, “Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” DNP

1. Luke 6:5

And He was saying to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” GNS

1. Luke 6:7

The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him. DNS

1. Luke 6:9

And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” DNS

1. Luke 13:10*

And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. (-the) DNS

1. Luke 13:14

But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, “There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” DNS GNS

1. Luke 13:15

But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him? DNS

1. Luke 13:16

And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?” GNS

1. Luke 14:1

It happened that when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching Him closely. DNS

1. Luke 14:3

And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” DNS

1. Luke 23:54*

It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. (-the) NNS

1. Luke 23:56

Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. ANS

1. John 5:9

Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. NNS

1. John 5:10*

So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” (-the) NNS

1. John 5:16

For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. DNS

1. John 5:18

For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. ANS

1. John 7:22

For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. DNS

1. John 7:23

If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? DNS DNS

1. John 9:16

Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. ANS

1. John 19:31*

Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. (-that) GNS DNS

1. Acts 13:14

But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. GNP

1. Acts 16:13

And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. GNP

1 Corinthians 16:2

On the first day of every week let each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. GNS

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

Other translations for “Sabbath” other than “the” Sabbath. There are 13 verses where the Greek word was translated as Sabbath with no definite article in front of it in the original language. Only once in this category was Sabbath plural and this refers to a specific mention of “three Sabbaths.”

(NASB 1995)

Mathew 12:2

But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.” DNS

Matthew 24:20

But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. DNS

Luke 6:6

On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there [a]whose right hand was withered. DNS

Luke 14:5

And He said to them, “[a]Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” GNS

John 9:14

Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. NNS

Acts 1:12

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the [a]mount called [b]Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a [c]Sabbath day’s journey away. GNS

Acts 13:27

For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the [a]utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. NNS

Acts 13:42

As [a]Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these [b]things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. ANS

Acts 13:44

The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of [a]the Lord. DNS

Acts 15:21

For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since [a]he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” ANS

Acts 17:2

And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ANP

Acts 18:4

And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. ANS

Colossians 2:16

Therefore no one is to [a]act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath [b]day—

---

NINE TIMES SABBATH IS TRANSLATED AS "WEEK'. SEVEN TIMES IT IS IN THE PLURAL.

1. Matthew 28:1

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. GNP

• Mark 16:2

Very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. GNP

• Mark 16:9

[Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. GNS

• Luke 18:12

I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ GNS

• Luke 24:1

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. GNP

• John 20:1

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it *was still dark, and *saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. GNP

• John 20:19

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.” GNP

• Acts 20:7

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. GNP

• 1 Corinthians 16:2

On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. GNS

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

For as Jonas was in the whale's belly so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth.

I believe Matthew 12:40 is an emendation. When Luke (11:29-30) wrote his account of the sign of Jonah there was no mention of the "three days and three nights". According to Luke, Jonah was the sign, his "resurrection" and appearance to the Ninevites. A scribe, writing Matthew, read Jonah and saw that Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly so he thought Jesus would likewise be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. If "Matthew's" version is true, then there are multiple contradictions in the gospels and I Corinthians. I believe it is an emendation and as such there are no contradictions between Matthew 12:40 and all the verses that say Jesus rose from the dead on "the third day". No, I can't prove this, but this is my opinion only.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

Matthew is problematic for the Friday to Sunday view but it may be due to emendations. Matthew 28:1 says LATE (OPSE G3796) on the Sabbath the women went to the tomb. The Greek word OPSE appears two times in the book of Mark and in both cases there it means LATE in the Day. There is also a closely related word OPSIOSIS (G3798) that appears numerous times in the gospels, and it too means late in the day.

Strong's Greek: 3796. ὀψέ (opse) -- Late, evening, after

biblehub.com

Strong's Greek: 3798. ὄψιος (opsios) -- Late, evening

biblehub.com

OPSE is # 3796 clearly meant "LATE" IN THE DAY" in the time when Matthew was written.

OPSE caused conflict in the early Church and some of the fathers claimed OPSE actually means LATE or AFTER. It wasn't until the second century CE that OPSE commonly became known as AFTER and there are usages that follow that reckoning but they are all in the second century. IF OPSE means "Late" in the Sabbath then it would contradict the other Gospels, like Mark 16:1-2 which claims the women came to the tomb at sunrise.

The spurious gospel of Peter, in verse 27, places the crucifixion with a night and a day between the crucifixion and the Sabbath.

The Gospel of Peter, translated by Raymond Brown

The Gospel of Peter. On Early Christian Writings.

www.earlychristianwritings.com

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

Are you ok Revelation Lad? I hope you are ok. I miss your responses. I will pray for you.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

An emendation? For what purpose? Basically you are saying someone made a change, which became accepted, in order to make the Friday-Sunday tradition an impossibility.

I am glad to see you're still with us. I am not sure why a scribe would emend the text to refute the Friday crucifixion, Sunday resurrection texts. My guess is he was part of the group that believed Jesus died on a Thursday or a Wednesday. We know, according to the spurious Gospel of Peter that some Christians believed there was at least a night and a day between the crucifixion (verse 27) and the resurrection. Matthew makes it difficult to agree on a day that Jesus died and raised from the dead. If "three days and three nights" is legit, then there are contradictions between that and every verse that said Jesus would rise on the third day. I do believe it became accepted and has endured for 2,000 years. It is now settled in scholarly circles that "three days and three nights" belong in the scriptures. But then, so was John 7:52-8:1-11 and Mark 16:9-20, 1 John 5:7, and others in the book of Acts until earlier manuscripts were discovered.

 

[Revelation Lad]

BTW, regarding Nisan 15 and 21. Consider what the initial command was, “ On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you.” Exodus 12:16. The prohibition is on work, no mention of servile. The terminology is exactly the same as in the Ten Commandments.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

BTW, regarding Nisan 15 and 21. Consider what the initial command was, “ On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you.” Exodus 12:16. The prohibition is on work, no mention of servile. The terminology is exactly the same as in the Ten Commandments.

Yes, it prohibits work then makes an exception. At the time this was spoken the children of Israel had not yet departed Egypt. God forbade any work, then made an exception. You couldn't even prepare food on the Sabbaths. All food to be eaten had to be prepared on Friday. But in Exodus 12 we see God make an exception and allowed food preparation on Nisan 15 and 21. This would preclude them from being a Sabbath where work of any kind was for forbidden.

Then, regarding the weekly Sabbath, Exodus later says no man is to leave their dwelling on the Sabbath (Exodus 16). This command was given later after the time God told Moses that no work should be done on Nisan 15 and 21. Then, in Leviticus 23, God changed the rules regarding Nisan 15 and remaining in your dwelling on the Sabbath. In Leviticus 23 you could now leave you dwelling on the Sabbath because God commanded a holy assembly on that day. So the rule was changed. Regarding Nisan 15 and 21, God changed the rule from no work EXCEPT food preparation to no servile work.

The mere fact that some work was allowed on Nisan 15 and 21 means it did not forbid ANY work. There was afterall an exception.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

I understand. But it is clear the initial instruction, which precedes the Sabbath (both as demonstrated by the manna and given at Mt Sinai), is the initial command to avoid work and have a holy convocation. In this regard, these days of Unleavened Bread establish the requirements for how the Sabbath is to be observed.

These days of Unleavened Bread in Exodus 12 do not establish the requirement for how the for how the Sabbath is observed. At this time, there was only the weekly Sabbath which would later be revealed to Moses and Israel and the first and last day of Unleavened Bread were to be added later, as was the Feast of Weeks. According to Leviticus 23 the beginning of the Feast of Weeks was to begin when Israel came into the Promised Land. The other holy convocations, including Yom Kippur, were not yet given. Shavuot was not yet given either. It began as the 50th day of the seven sabbath countdown when Israel entered the Promised Land. These two days forbade any work EXCEPT food preparation in Exodus 12. The concept of forbidding ANY work without exception had not yet been created during an annual holy convocation. The remaining four holy convocations after Nisan 21 were created in Leviticus 23 even though there is a reference to the Feast of the Weeks later in Exodus. Doctrine in the scripture is sometimes “here a little” and “there a little”. The death penalty was prescribed for breaking a Sabbath but not a non-Sabbath holy convocation.

Some point out the Sabbath was not given until Exodus 16 when God revealed the Sabbath to Moses and the children of Israel. However, even though the word Sabbath is not mentioned until Exodus 16 many scholars believe the Sabbath was created when God rested on the seventh day and sanctified it. These same scholars believe Genesis 26:5 reveal that Abraham kept the commandments which included what later became called the Sabbath. Then, for hundreds of years knowledge of the Sabbath was lost while Israel languished in slavery in Egypt. This made it necessary for God to reveal to Moses what day the Sabbath was in Exodus 16.

These are then modified by the Sabbath. Another reason why it can be called Sabbath.” The Sabbath modification is when not how. That is, the manner which Nisan 15 and 21 were to be observed became the manner by which the weekly Sabbath would be observed.

The Sabbath was created on the seventh day of creation week and I believe that it was observed by all devout believers of the Law until they became slaves in Egypt and lost knowledge of the Sabbath. God sanctified the seventh day from the beginning. Sanctified meant that it was set aside for holy use. Nisan 15 and 21 did not set the standard for how the Sabbath would be observed. I see quite a difference on how Nisan 15 was celebrated and how the Sabbath was celebrated. It was a matter of life and death when comparing the two.

With respect to pattern and type, Unleavened Bread looks back to the first man. They rested on the seventh day. Their “work week” begin with a day of rest. If they counted seven, they would observe a day of rest on day 13. Then the 14th would have been the “correct” first Sabbath remembrance. The pattern of Nisan 15 and Firstfruits comes from how the first man might have observed his first 7th day and first Sabbath (if God‘s calendar was known). I‘m only pointing out the pattern of the first man and the Exodus with respect to what people are to remember.

I don’t buy into the idea that the work week began with a day of rest. The week was seven days, and the day of rest was the seventh day. That means seven days later the day of rest would be the 14th day, and every seven days after that would be a day divisible by seven. Of course, we don’t literally count the days as seventh, fourteenth, twenty-first, and so on but if the first day of the week fell on Sunday, Nisan 1, every Sabbath that month would fall on a day divisible by seven. If Nisan 1 fell on a Monday, then the weekly Sabbath would fall on the Nisan 6, a Sabbath without any work permitted. A week later Nisan 13 would be a Sabbath and the day after would be Nisan 14, a non-Sabbath holy convocation with a religious ceremony but not all work was forbidden. Even if you insist the days allowed food preparation and nothing else, then they still wouldn't be Sabbaths because they made exception to the "there shall not be ANY work" command.

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

Let me respond. 1. The first man and woman did not work on the seventh day.

I agree with that

2. There is not a shred of evidence Abraham or any Patriarch knew of or observed the Sabbath. That is speculation.

True. As you say, it is speculation as no verses claim they did observe the Sabbath. But, those that hold to that position use Genesis 26:5 to support their theory.

It also ignores the commands the first man received. First, he was instructed to take care and guard the garden. There is no evidence that assignment was not a full time assignment. When expelled from the Garden, he was to work all the days of his life.

I agree when he was expelled from the Garden, he had to work the rest of his life.

3. The foundation of the Sabbath is the 7th day, but there is no evidence how that was to be observed until Exodus. Therefore, the historical evidence not only argues against pre-Exodus, it also shows the manner in which Sabbath was to be observed was not revealed. The rabbinic interpretation wrt Abraham is pure speculation and it goes so far to say Abraham had the entire law. If this were true Abraham should be the law giver not Moses. Even worse, after receiving the law, it was not passed on, but that simply proves the point that neither the Sabbath nor how to observe were known at the time.

Your position on Sabbath observation is without any written support. In fact history argues against that understanding as there is no record the Jews observed the Sabbath before the 22nd of Iyar. OTOH the Sabbath is to be observed exactly as Exodus 12 states Nisan 15 and 21 are to be observed.

Yes, I agree. Sabbath is not mentioned until the second month of the Exodus. That wouldn’t necessarily prove it didn’t exist though. That is an argument from silence. I am not arguing Sabbath pre-existed the second month of Exodus, I am saying it is a possibility. To claim it wasn't a Sabbath before Iyyar that year is an argument from silence. It may have been, but it may have not been. Although I believe God sanctified the Sabbath from the beginning, I can’t prove that anyone kept it until the second month of the Exodus. It is not true that Sabbath is to be observed exactly as Exodus 12 states. Exodus 12 made an exception to the no work rule. You could prepare food on the Exodus 12 holy convocations. You could not do so on the weekly or annual Sabbath (Yom Kippur). Where do you get the idea that the Sabbath is to be observed EXACTLY as Nisan 15 and Nisan 21 were to be observed? What about Exodus 16: 23-29, 20:8-11, 31:15, Numbers 15:32-36, and Leviticus 23:3? Exactly as, you say. Where do you get that? Leviticus 23:3 and 23:5-8?

 

[Saber Truth Tiger]

Exodus 12 says the day is to have a holy convocation and no work.

And then it makes an exception to the no work rule. It allows preparation of food.

Exodus 12:16 - Bible Gateway

www.biblegateway.com

Exodus 12:14-16

14 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.

15 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.

16 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.

NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE 1995

Exodus 12:14-16

14 ‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.

15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.

16 On the first day you shall have a holy assembly, and another holy assembly on the seventh day; NO work at all shall be done on them, EXCEPT what must be eaten by every person, that alone may be prepared by you.

When the laws governing all the holy days and Sabbaths were written in Leviticus 23, Nisan 15 and 21 forbade only SERVILE work. So, on one hand, God said only food preparation was allowed (Exodus 12). Time later, after the departure from Egypt and preparing the children of Israel for entry into the Promised Land Yahweh changed the prohibitions from no work except only food preparation to no servile work. No matter which interpretation you choose, they BOTH make an exception to the no work rule.