The day Yeshua died Pesach: The Day Yeshua Died: The Three Days and Nights by Burt Yellin Every year about the time of Passover and Easter, people are forced to
seek answers to question they earnestly try to avoid during the rest of the year. The day of Yeshua’s death, and the subsequent three days and nights He spent in the heart of the earth have always spawned heated debate.
In seeking answers to these questions, or indeed in an attempt to understand and apply what the Scriptures are saying in any situation, we must first understand who is writing — to whom he is writing, and the context of those words in the time they were written. In this way we can comprehend what the writer meant, and not what we think He meant. Since Yeshua was a Jewish man, speaking to other Jewish men in a Jewish environment, it would, perhaps, be expedient to understand the nature of the Jewish concept of time, and how it is reckoned.
Traditionally, Yeshua is said to have died on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m., and risen on the following Sunday by 6 a.m. Since this does not allow Him time to spend three whole days and nights in the grave, many have desired to push His death back — to Thursday, or even Wednesday. Others, in an attempt to add greater significance to His death, and to give it a greater prophetic flair, have tried to force the day of Passover and the day of His crucifixion to coincide.
Neither of these two positions can be sustained Scripturally. In the case of the former, no attempt to keep Yeshua in the earth for three full days and nights [three 24 hour days; 72 hours], is tenable. Having died at 3 p.m. and being resurrected by 6 a.m. [see time chart for references], this is an impossibility.[1] In addition, had He spent three full days in the heart of the earth, He could not have risen on the third day — He would have had to rise on the fourth day. In the case of the latter position, I can see no purpose in trying to elaborate or embellish the death of Yeshua. His death, and consequent resurrection will remain the single greatest moment of history until the Parousia — when our L-rd and Savior will be seen coming in the clouds, in power and glory.
The Scriptures are relatively clear on the events surrounding this point of Yeshua’s ministry. As we read we can see that Yeshua died on the day following the first Seder. The day prior to the first Seder, is the day that the Paschal lamb is sacrificed — the Passover.
However, then, as now, the term ‘Passover’ was used to describe actually three holy days: Passover [the killing of the sacrificial lamb], Unleavened bread [for the following seven days no leaven is to be found in the house], and First Fruits [celebrated during the 7 days of Unleavened Bread]. That is why there are eight days to the Passover holiday.[2]
Following this thought, we should mention John 19:14, which states; “Now it was the preparation day of the Passover, about the sixth hour.” This has caused many to discard other portions of the Scriptures and to adhere tenaciously to the belief that Yeshua died on the day of the Passover. However, again, upon closer inspection of the original language, this does not seem to be the case.
The word for preparation [pareskue], is also the word for Friday. It was used in this manner during the first century, as it is today. The reason for this is simple, in that Friday was the preparation day for the Sabbath, and with common usage, the two became one. This understanding in conjunction with the previous one; that of the term ‘Passover’ referring to the entire week of Passover and Unleavened Bread, will give us a proper view of the events, that will fit with the rest of Scripture. Consequently, a very acceptable translation of this verse is; “Now it was the Friday of Passover week…”
Before attempting to view the three days and three nights that the Son of Man was to spend in the grave, we must first determine the Jewish way of reckoning time. In Genesis 1:5, the L-rd, after seeing the light which He had created states; “And it was evening and morning, one day.”
From this verse it was determined that the day should start in the evening, or actually the twilight. The twilight was that moment ‘between the two evenings’. For instance, Friday starts at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday evening. With this in mind, let us view some of the events as described in the Scriptures.
As many be seen in the time-table, after they had finished the Seder, Yeshua and His disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemene. There He was arrested, and a short trial was held to determine His disposition. The following day He was sent before Pilate and crucified. Having died at the ninth hour [Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.], we can determine that Yeshua spent part of Friday, all day Saturday, and part of Sunday in the heart of the earth.
Obviously, this does not add up to three twenty-four hour days. However, again, we must take into consideration the Jewish concept of time, to understand what is being said. In the Talmudic tractate Rosh Hashana, there is a discussion in the first Mishnah, of how time is to be reckoned. “If a king ascended the throne on the 29th of Adar [one day before the beginning of the New Year], as soon as the first of Nissan arrives [the next day] he is reckoned to have reigned a year.” Here it is clearly shown that nay part of a year, no matter the length
of time, is considered as a full year. Scripture bears witness that this same thought is applicable today as well. A similar usage is found in the book of Esther [4:16 – 5:1], where Esther is asking Mordechai to pray and fast with her for three days and nights before she goes in to see the king. However, Scripture also tells us that on the third day she went into see the king. Obviously, the same principle is being applied — any part of the day is to be reckoned as a full day.[3]
Therefore, we can see that Yeshua spent, not three full twenty-four hour days in the heart of the earth, but rather a part of three distinct days in the grave. Consequently, in light of the way in which time is reckoned, those are to be considered as three days and three nights.
Time-Chart THURSDAY – 14th of Nissan Night – 6:00 p.m.
Search for Leaven – Jewish day starts at twilight [6 p.m.] – end of the evening of the 13th, beginning of the 14th. [Pesachim 1:1]
Day – 3:00 p.m.
Sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb – in the afternoon, “between the evenings” [Ex. 12:6; Lev. 23:5; Num. 9:3;5 — i.e. after 3 p.m. and before 6 p.m.] FRIDAY – 15th of Nissan Night – 6:00 p.m.
Seder: 1st night
Mark 14:12; Matthew 26:17: “And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover Lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
Luke 22:7-8: “Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. And He sent Peter and John saying, Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
Luke 22:15: “And He said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,”
Garden – Betrayal – Arrest
Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26: “And after singing a hymn [Hallel], they went out to the Mount of Olives.”
Luke 22:39: “And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives…”
John 18:1: “When Yeshua had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, into which He Himself entered and His disciples.”
Night Trial: Sanhedrin
Matthew 26:57: “And those who had seized Yeshua led Him away to Caiaphas…”
Mark 14:53: “And they led Yeshua away to the high priest; and all the chief priests, elders and scribes gathered together.”
Luke 22:54: “And having arrested Him, they led Him away, and brought Him to the house of the high priest.”
John 18:12: “So the Roman cohort and the commander, and the officers of the Jews arrested Yeshua and bound Him, and led Him to Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.”
Day – 6:00 a.m.
Morning Trial: Sanhedrin
Matthew 27:1-2: “Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Yeshua to put Him to death;”
Mark 15:1: “And early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes, and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Yeshua, they led Him away, and delivered Him up to Pilate.”
Luke 22:66: “And when it was day, the Council of elders of the people assembled…and they led Him away to their council Chambers.”
Before Pilate
Matthew 27:11: “Now Yeshua stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him…”
Mark 15:1: “And early in the morning, the chief priests….led Him away, and delivered Him up to Pilate.”
Luke 23:1: “Then the whole body of them arose and brought Him before Pilate.”
John 18:28: “They led Yeshua from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early…”
Sentenced to Die
Matthew 27:26: “Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Yeshua scourged, he delivered Him to be crucified.”
Mark 15:15-16: “…Pilate released Barabbas for them and after having Yeshua scourged, he delivered Him to be crucified.”
Luke 23:25: “And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison…but delivered Yeshua to their will.”
John 19:16: “So he then delivered Him to them to be crucified.”
Crucified
Matthew 27:33-35: “And when they had come to a place called Golgotha….they had crucified Him…”
Mark 15:25: “And it was the third hour [9 a.m.] when they crucified him.”
Luke 23:33: “And when they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him…”
John 19:17: “They took Yeshua…to the place called the Skull…”
Death of Yeshua
Matthew 27:45-46: “Now from the sixth hour [noon] darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour [3 p.m.]. And about the ninth hour Yeshua cried out with a loud voice…”
Mark 15:33,37: “And when the sixth hour had come, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. … And Yeshua uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last.”
Luke 23:44-46: “And it was about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour… And Yeshua crying out with a loud voice…He breathed His last.”
Burial
Matthew 27:57-60: “And when it was evening…Joseph took the body…and laid it in his own new tomb…”
Mark 15:42-46: “And when evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath…Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down,… and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock…”
Luke 23:50-54: “…and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. And it was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.”
John 19:31-42: “Therefore, on account of the Jewish day of preparation, because the tomb was nearby, they laid Yeshua there.” [The ‘High Sabbath’ of v. 31 is referred to in Piske Tosefot Shabbat as ‘Shabbat HaGadol’ (The Great or High Sabbath), and speaks of the Sabbath that falls within the Week of Passover.]
SATURDAY – 16th of Nissan
ALL DAY SPENT IN THE GRAVE SUNDAY – 17th of Nissan Night – 6:00 p.m.
IN THE GRAVE
Day – 6:00 a.m.
Resurrection: Sunrise
Matthew 28:1-6: “Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week…”
Mark 16:1-6: “And it was very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen….”
Luke 24:1-6: “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb…”
John 20:1-14: “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark…”
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Had He died on Wednesday at 3 p.m., and been buried before 6 p.m. [before the Sabbath], three 24 hour days would place His resurrection on Saturday between 3 and 6 p.m. Therefore, Sunday, the day of First Fruits would not have been the day of His resurrection. If He had died on Thursday at 3 p.m., He would have need to be in the grave until 3 p.m. Sunday, and indeed, He was found to be gone by 6 a.m.
[2] This should clarify any discussion on John 19:31, which states that the Sabbath was a “High Day”. It is true that when a Holy Day starts on the Sabbath it is considered a “High Day”. And this case is no different, in that the Feast of Unleavened Bread did start on this day. There are also sacrifices that are prepared and eaten on all the days of Passover [Exodus 12:16-17; Lev. 23:4-8; 2 Chronicles 30:15-19]. Entrance into the house of a Gentile was always forbidden, for the one entering was considered defiled. For this reason the priests did not wish to enter into the house of Pilate, and thereby not able to offer or eat of these sacrifices.
[3] I Samuel 30:12-13, “He had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.” This is equated in v. 13 with ‘hayyom’, or three days ago [shlosah], which could only mean the day before yesterday. However, if the Egyptian slave felt ill on the day before yesterday [with relation to the day that David found him], then he could not have remained without food or water for three entire twenty-four hour days.
Provided by Congregation Roeh Israel (UMJC) of Denver, Colorado.