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Easter - Did Jesus Die on Good Friday?

 

1. God's word is perfectly recorded, as written, in the King James Bible. Jesus was in the belly of the earth for three days and three nights, exactly as he said.

 

2. Jesus compared his death, burial and resurrection to the three days and three nights in which Jonah was in the belly of the whale:

 

a. The scribes and Pharisees walked by sight; not by faith. Moreover, they rejected even what they had seen, and demanded more proof that Jesus was who he claimed to be.  In Matt 12:38 they asked him for another sign.

 

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matt 12:39-40)

 

b. Consider how the angel at the tomb told the women that, "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." (Matt 28:6) Jesus didn't just rise from the dead, but he rose from the dead "as he said". Refer again to paragraph "2a" for exactly how "he said" he would give the ultimate sign to the Jews. (i.e. "as he said" includes the specific detail that the length of time would be "three days and three nights").

 

c. Consider also how Paul described the gospel itself as being the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord.

 

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

 

d. Again, Jesus didn't just die and rise again in any haphazard manner. He did so exactly according to the scriptures which Jesus said would be three days and three nights. Many people dismiss the clear wording by arguing that the three days are three part-days, and/or that the statement was just an expression.  So, the key is to explain the "three nights". (As you well know, there are not three nights between Friday and Sunday).

 

3. The bible speaks of Sabbaths and high Sabbaths. Passover week includes a preparation day for the Passover, the Passover day itself – which is a High Sabbath, and the regular Saturday/Sabbath. Jesus was not crucified on "Good" Friday, the day before the regular Sabbath. He was crucified on the day before the High Sabbath – which was the preparation day for the Passover/High Sabbath. John proves this for us:

 

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. The Jewish day begins at 6 p.m. – evening. God established this pattern in the first chapter of Genesis – (the evening and the morning were the first day, the second day, the third day… etc); and yes, these were literal 24-hour days.

 

5. So, Jesus was buried at or by 6 p.m. on Wednesday of Passover week. (Thursday was the High Sabbath – Passover). He was in the heart of the earth for three full days (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday), just "as he said". He was in the heart of the earth for three full nights (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights), just "as he said". And he rose at or by 6 p.m. on Saturday evening at which time "the first day of the week" begins.

 

6. I wrestled with many of these same apparent 'contradictions' years ago and have come to the conclusion that the bible is perfect and accurate - as written. Most of us have assumed that Jesus was crucified on Friday because of the tradition of celebrating "Good Friday".

 

7. Likewise we have assumed that Jesus rose on Easter Sunday morning, because of our tradition of celebrating Easter, resurrection morning, sunrise worship services, etc. But, the more we continue in his word, as he commands us to do (in John 8:31), the more we discover that these traditions are inconsistent with what Jesus clearly taught – that he would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

 

8. Here are some good verses to remember to prevent being led astray by traditions:

 

a. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. (Mark 7:9)

 

b. Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (Mark 7:13)

 

c. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col 2:8)

 

9. You can have complete faith in the exact wording of the bible. When you read about the women coming to the sepulchre, and about Jesus having already risen, start from what the text says and be willing to accept it exactly as written. (For example, in Matt 28:1 when the women went to the sepulchre "In the end of the Sabbath", the bible is referring to the regular weekly Sabbath – Saturday – which is two days after the High Sabbath - Passover.)

 

10. Jesus did not die on Good Friday. He was crucified on Wednesday afternoon (the day before the High Sabbath of Passover), buried by 6 p.m., in the tomb for Thursday, Friday and Saturday (including Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights), and rose from the dead at or by Saturday evening at 6 p.m.  It all fits together perfectly - and makes sense. If we don't understand it, the problem is with us and with our preconceived traditions/beliefs; not with the text.

 

11. You can trust God's Word in English, the King James Bible - EXACTLY as written!

 

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (I Thess 5:21)

Mike