The Day Jesus Died
John 19:30-42, John 20:1
1. Understanding the Jewish feasts and their significance to Israel..
2. Understanding the reckoning of the Jews regarding days and the prophecy of Jesus 3 days and nights….
3. Understanding the points in time that the Bible fixes for the last week of the Lord’s ministry
I. Understanding the Jewish feasts and their significance to Israel..
A. The first day of each of the three feasts (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles) was “a holy convocation,” a “sabbath” on which no servile work was done. Lev. 231-8, 24, 34-35
(Lev 23:1-8 KJV) 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. {4} These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. {5} 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.
(Lev 23:24 KJV) Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
(Lev 23:34-35 KJV) Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. {35} On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
B. The Institution of Passover
(Exo 12:13-19 KJV) And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. {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. {17} And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. {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. {19} Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.
C. “That Sabbath” and the “High Day” of John 19:31 was the “holy convocation”, the first day of the feast, which over shadowed the weekly Sabbath.
The GREAT Sabbath being mistaken for the weekly Sabbath from earliest times has been the genesis of the confusion as to the day of the Lord’s crucifixion.
II. Understanding the reckoning of the Jews regarding days and the prophecy of Jesus 3 days and nights….
(Mat 12:38-40 KJV) Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. {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 Jonas: {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.
(2 Cor 11:25 KJV) Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
III. Understanding the points in time that the Bible fixes for the last week of the Lord’s ministry
A. Passover began on the 15th of Nissan, which commenced at sunset on the preceding day (the 14th)
B. The “high day” of John 19:31 was the first day of the feast. – Which is the 15th of Nissan (April)
C. John 12:1 “Six days before the passover” - 9th of Nissan (Thursday – Friday Sunset)
(John 12:1 KJV) Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
D. “After two days is passover” (Mt. 26:2, Mark 14:1) – 13th of Nissan (Monday – Tuesday Sunset)
(Mat 26:1-2 KJV) And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, {2} Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
(Mark 14:1 KJV) After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
E. “The first day of the week,” the day of resurrection (Mt. 28:1) - between Sunset “Saturday” and Sunset “Sunday”
F. Counting back three days and three nights = the burial day – before sunset on 14th of Nissan (Tuesday - Wednesday sunset) – Preparation Day
G. All gospels agree that Jesus both was crucified and buried on preparation day – 14th of Nissan
(Mat 27:62 KJV) Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
(Mark 15:42 KJV) And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
(Luke 23:54 KJV) And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
(John 19:14 KJV) And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
(John 19:31 KJV) 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 19:42 KJV) There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Nissan 9 Six days until Passover
Nissan 13 Two days until Passover
Nissan 14 Preparation Day
Nissan 15 Passover
Nissan 17 Weekly Sabbath
Nissan 18 First Day of the Week
The First Day of the Feast - The High Day – 15th of Nissan (Wed – Thur. Sunsets)
1st night and day in tomb
The Second Day of the Feast – the 16th of Nissan (Thur – Friday Sunsets)
2nd night and day in tomb
The Third Day of Feast – the 17th of Nissan – (Friday – Saturday Sunsets) – The weekly Sabbath
3rd night and day in tomb
“The First day of the Week” – the 18th of Nissan (Saturday – Sunday Sunsets)
Between Sunset “Saturday to Sunrise Sunday Jesus Arose.
Mary was at the tomb before sunrise and he was risen
(John 20:1 KJV) The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.