The Timing of Messiah’s Death
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In order to establish on which day of the week Messiah was crucified, the following texts will used: a) A text which states on which day Messiah arose from the dead; When did Messiah Arise?Matthew 28:1 Now late on sabbath, as it was the dusk of the next day after sabbath, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary came to look at the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great earthquake. For an angel of Yehovah, descending out of heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it! And his look was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And the guards trembled and became as dead men for fear of him. And the angel answering said to the women, “Fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus the crucified one. He is not here, for He is risen as he said. Come! See the place where the Lord lay! And go quickly and say to his disciples that he is risen from the dead!” The above text gives a clue to the timing. It states that the two women came late on sabbath, as it was the dusk of the next day after sabbath. The regular Sabbath (the Friday evening to Saturday evening Sabbath) ends as the sun sets on our Saturday evening. Dusk can be as the sun is setting or it can be as the sun is rising, though we usually think of dusk as the time of the setting of the sun. This text states that it was the dusk of the next day after the Sabbath, but combining this with late on the Sabbath, makes it sundown Saturday. Combine this with the next text. Note that Messiah was already risen. Mark 16:1 And the sabbath being past, Mary of Magdala and Mary the [mother] of James and Salome bought aromatic spices that they might come and embalm him. And they come to the sepulchre very early on the first of the week, the sun having risen. And they said to one another, “Who shall roll us away the stone out of the door of the sepulchre?” And when they looked, they see that the stone has been rolled—for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right clothed in a white robe. And they were amazed and alarmed. But he says to them, “Be not alarmed. Ye seek Yeshua the Nazarene, the crucified one. He is risen. He is not here. Behold the place where they had put him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, He goes before you into Galilee. There ye shall see Him as He said to you.” And they went out and fled from the sepulchre. And trembling and excessive amazement possessed them. And they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid. Now when He had risen very early the first of the week, He appeared first to Mary of Magdala. These women came after the sabbath and very early on the first of the week, the sun having risen. Luke 23:56 And having returned, they prepared aromatic spices and ointments, and remained quiet on the sabbath according to the commandment. [Luke 24:1] But on the morrow of the sabbath, very early indeed in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the aromatic spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And when they had entered, they found not the body of the Lord Yeshua. And it came to pass, as they were in perplexity about it, that behold two men suddenly stood by them in shining raiment. And as they were filled with fear. And they bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why seek ye the Living One among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you, being yet in Galilee, saying ‘The Son of man must be delivered up into the hands of sinners and be crucified, and rise the third day’”? They came on the morrow of the sabbath, very early indeed in the morning. The following text shows who came: Luke 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary James, and others with them, which told these things unto the apostles. Two men in shining raiment remind them of Messiah’s promise: The Son of man must be delivered up into the hands of sinners and be crucified, and rise the third day. Another text will be more specific. Messiah rose a while before the women came, very early on the first day of the week. Since the Bible does not exaggerate, He arose on Saturday evening or Saturday night. Messiah was gone by Sunday morning. How Long Was Messiah in Sheol?One text above stated, The Son of man must be delivered up into the hands of sinners and be crucified, and rise the third day. This text seems to indicate that Messiah would be physically dead two days, then would rise on the third day. Another text must be considered: Matthew 12:39 But He answered and said unto them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign. And there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the great fish’s belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Messiah declared the exact amount of time He would be in the heart of the earth (Sheol, also known as Hades in Greek), into which Korah and his rebels descended alive when the earth opened to receive them. Jonah 1:17 Now Yehovah had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Some think that Jonah was alive during this time. (I was formerly unconvinced, and a certain Angela disagreed with me. I now see that she was right; he was alive, totally encompassed with water, like a baby in the womb.) The next text is thought provoking: Jonah 2:1 And Jonah prayed unto Yehovah his God out of the fish’s belly. And he said, “I cried by reason of my distress unto Yehovah, and He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol cried I! Thou heardest my voice. For Thou didst cast me into the depth, into the heart of the seas, and the flood was round about me. All Thy breakers and Thy billows are gone over me. And I said, ‘I am cast out from before thine eyes!’ Yet will I look again toward thy holy temple. The waters encompassed me to the soul. The deep was round about me. The weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains. The bars of the earth [closed] upon me for ever. And Thou hast brought up my life from the pit, Yehovah my God. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Yehovah. And my prayer came in unto Thee—Into Thy holy temple!” One speaking in Jonah’s prophecy, went to Sheol: Out of the belly of Sheol cried I! This is not figurative language as some in unbelief might suppose. The one speaking in Jonah’s prophecy drowned, yet continued to speak, fully awake: The waters encompassed me to the soul. The deep was round about me. The weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains. The bars of the earth [closed] upon me for ever. This is underscored by, “Thou hast brought up my life from the pit, Yehovah my God. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Yehovah.” When a soul faints within one, he has died? Yet the speaker prayed to Yehovah from Sheol, and Yehovah heard. There is no place where one can go to be out of Yehovah’s presence, as the Psalmist states, Psalm 139:7 Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? And whither flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into the heavens, Thou art there. Or if I make my bed in Sheol, behold Thou! I take the wings of the dawn; I dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me. Once we establish approximately when Messiah rose from the dead and how long He was in Sheol, we can figure when he was crucified. What Time was Messiah Crucified?Matthew 27:46 But about the ninth hour Yeshua cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”—that is, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” And some of those who stood there, when they heard, said, “This calls for Elijah.” And immediately one of them running and getting a sponge, having filled with vinegar and fixed on a reed, gave him to drink. But the rest said, “Let be! Let us see if Elijah comes to save him!” And Yeshua, having again cried with a loud voice, gave up the ghost. Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour, Yeshua cried with a loud voice: “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” And some of those who stood by, when they heard, said, “Behold he calls for Elijah.” And one, running and filling a sponge with vinegar, fixed it on a reed and gave him to drink, saying, “Let alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.” And Yeshua, having uttered a loud cry, expired. Luke 23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Yeshua had cried with a loud voice, He said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” And having said thus, He gave up the ghost. The zero hour is at approximately 6 a.m. Therefore the sixth hour is at noon. The ninth hour is at 3 p.m. We now should have enough information to establish the day and time of Messiah’s death after crucifixion. Below is a chart to help us establish this: |
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From the above, the day of Messiah’s crucifixion can be determined. There are two more timing difficulties to be resolved. The term Sabbath is used, causing some confusion to some readers. The Sabbath is from Friday evening to Saturday evening, but also includes every Holy Day of Israel. Therefore if a Holy Day lands on Tuesday, it is still a sabbath. The Holy Days fall on different days in different years. It is possible for sabbaths to occur consecutively: one beginning Thursday evening and the next beginning on Friday evening. With this in mind, consider the following texts which refer to the Sabbaths pertinent to our topic. Matthew 27:62 Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, “Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 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!” Pilate said unto them, “Ye have a watch. Go your way. Make as sure as ye can.” So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch. Mark 15:42 And when it was already evening, since it was [the] preparation—that is, [the day] before a sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable councillor who also himself was awaiting the kingdom of God, coming, emboldened himself and went in to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead. And having called to the centurion, he inquired of him if he had long died. And when he knew from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. And having bought fine linen, having taken him down, he swathed him in the fine linen and laid him in a sepulchre which was cut out of rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulchre. And Mary of Magdala and Mary the [mother] of Joses saw where he was put. And the sabbath being past, Mary of Magdala and Mary the [mother] of James and Salome bought aromatic spices that they might come and embalm him. And very early on the first of the week, they come to the sepulchre, the sun having risen. The two texts above refer to a day of preparation. One text states that this was the day before a sabbath. On this preparation day, Joseph of Arimathaea took Yeshua’s body down. Therefore there was a sabbath on the next day. Luke 23:50 And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councillor, a good man and a righteous-one (this had not assented to their counsel and deed) of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who also waited for the kingdom of God—he having gone to Pilate begged the body of Jesus, and having taken it down, wrapped it in fine linen and placed him in a tomb hewn in the rock where no one had ever been laid. And it was preparation day, and sabbath twilight was coming on. And women, who had come along with him out of Galilee, having followed, saw the sepulchre and how his body was placed. And having returned, they prepared aromatic spices and ointments and remained quiet on the sabbath according to the commandment. But on the morrow of the sabbath, very early indeed in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the aromatic spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. The women purchased aromatic spices after this sabbath (the one after the day of preparation), and they prepared the spices. But they did not go to apply the spices until after the regular Sabbath day. John 19:31 The Jews therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath—for it was [the] preparation (for the day of that sabbath was a great [day])—demanded of Pilate that their legs might be broken and they taken away. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first and of the other that had been crucified with him. But coming to Yeshua, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear. And immediately there came out blood and water. And he who saw it bears witness, and his witness is true, and he knows that he says true that ye also may believe. For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled: “Not a bone of him shall be broken.” And again another scripture says, “They shall look on him whom they pierced.” And after these things, Joseph of Arimathaea (who was a disciple of Yeshua, but secretly through fear of the Jews) demanded of Pilate that he might take the body of Yeshua. And Pilate allowed it. He came therefore and took away the body of Yeshua. And Nicodemus also, who at first came to Yeshua by night, came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. They took therefore the body of Yeshua and bound it up in linen with the spices as it is the custom with the Jews to prepare for burial. But there was a garden in the place where he had been crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. There therefore, on account of the preparation of the Jews, because the tomb was near, they laid Yeshua. And on the first [day] of the week Mary of Magdala comes in early morn to the tomb while it was still dark, and sees the stone taken away from the tomb. The above text states that the sabbath after this preparation day was a great day—that is, a High Holy Day. Therefore it was not a regular Sabbath, but the Passover Sabbath. Consider the following chart: |
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This chart shows the timings of the days. If we combine the charts together, this will show what took place and when (see Page 7). A few other things have been also added to clarify the events. There were two Sabbaths in one week with one day between them. This scheme seems to fit. If this is true, the doctrine of a ‘Good Friday’ is not based on the day of Messiah’s crucifixion. I was unable to find more accurately when Messiah rose from the dead—whether it was at 3 p.m. (approximately, depending on exactly when the ninth hour of the day is), at sunset or at some other time near to these other times. He was in Sheol for three full days and three full nights. Was Messiah Crucified on Passover?The texts all show that Messiah was crucified the day before Passover. He ate the Passover meal one day early. How can this be justified? 2 Chronicles 30:15 And they slaughtered the Skip-Over in the 14th to the second month. And the Priests and the Levites were calamitized. And they sanctified themselves. And they brought ascendings House of Yehovah. 16And they stood upon their standing as their justice as the Torah of Moshe man of the Elohim. The Priests are sprinkling the blood from the hand of the Levites. 17For many are in the congregation who did not sanctify themselves. And the Levites are over the slaughter of the Skip-Overs for everyone not clean, to sanctify to Yehovah. 18For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun were not being rendered-clean. For they ate the Skip-Over with not as written. For Hezekiah prayed concerning them, saying, “Yehovah the Good will Cover for the sake of 19all, his heart established to research the Elohim, Yehovah, Elohim of his fathers, and not as the cleanness of the Holy-One.” 20And Yehovah hearkened unto Hezekiah. And He healed the people. 21And the children of Israel who were are found in Jerusalem did the solemnity of the Matzahs seven of days with big happiness and praisings to Yehovah day in day, the Levites and the Priests, with instruments of strength to Yehovah. 22And Hezekiah spoke upon the heart of all the prudent Levites, good prudence to Yehovah. And they ate the appointment seven of the days, sacrificing sacrifices of peaces and confessions to Yehovah Elohim of their fathers. 23And they counselled, all the congregation, to do seven of another days. And they did seven of days, happiness. If they could keep unleavened bread another seven days, Messiah could keep the Passover a day early, knowing that He would be dead before the actual Passover day could occur. The disciples kept it according to the command on the 14th. (They were not liberal with the commands of Yehovah.) They ate it with Messiah one day early. |
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What about John 19:14?John 19:12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, “If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend! Whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar!” 13When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Yeshua forth. And he sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour. And he saith unto the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15But they cried out, “Away with him!” “Away with him!” “Crucify him!” Pilate saith unto them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” This text appears to be in direct conflict with the following texts in which Yeshua is already on the cross:: Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. Mark 15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. Luke 23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Another text specifies when He was crucified: Mark 15:25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. Consider the various texts in their order with hour being mentioned: Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Yeshua cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mark 15:25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. Mark 15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 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? Luke 23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. John 19:14 And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! The texts put together indicate the following:
This can be viewed as a conflict if the reader chooses to do so. I saw this as indicating that the preparation of the Passover was occurring and the time was somewhere between 9 a.m. and noon when Yeshua was crucified. I didn’t see texts referring to the 4th or 5th hour, or to the 8th hour (though I saw the 10th hour in John 1:39 and the 7th hour in John 4:52), and I assumed that their methods of timekeeping were normally in blocks of approximately three hours. If it was between 9 and noon, it could be considered in the third hour or about the 6th hour. Thus, I took it as being around 10:30 a.m. |
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