Matt. 27:32-50, The Day Christ Died (A)

Traditionally it is believed Christ was crucified on Friday.  But strong cases have been presented for a Thursday or Wednesday crucifixion.

·       What is at stake?

o   Biblical consistency.  Compare John 13:1; 18:28; 19:14,31,42 with Matt. 26:17-1; 27:62.  John seems to say the meal came before Passover.  Matthew says Jesus ate the Passover with them.

o   Prophetic accuracy.  Matt. 12:40 is the reference of Jesus to being in the grave 3 days and nights as Jonah was in the whale.  A Friday crucifixion makes for an awkward fulfillment of this prophecy; Thursday is also hard.  Further, in John 2:19 Jesus says, “destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”  The Jews were aware of the “three days” (Mt. 26:61; 27:40,63).  Mark 8:31 also says, in Jesus’ prediction on the way to Jerusalem, “and after three days rise again.”

·       What are some issues?

o   Was the “last supper” eaten at the same time that Jews normally ate the Passover meal (John 13:1-2,29; 18:28)?  There seems little doubt that what Jesus shared with the disciples was a Seder meal.  But John seems to says it was eaten before Passover.

o   Was the “Sabbath” following the crucifixion necessarily the normal “Saturday Sabbath” (John 19:31; Lev. 23).  No, not necessarily.  “Sabbath” applied to several “holy days” connected to Jewish feasts.  In this case (from Lev. 23), Nisan 14 (Passover), Nisan 15 (first day of Unleavened Bread) as well as the Saturday before the resurrection are all Sabbaths.

o   Were there different traditions among the Jews as to the beginning and ending of a day that effect this question? Yes.

§  Galileans considered a day to be sunset to sunset (6PM-6AM).  Jerusalemites considered a day to be sunrise to sunrise (6AM-6PM).

§  Therefore, Galileans would kill the Passover lamb at twilight Nisah 13, to be eaten after 6PM Nisah 14.  Jerusalemites would kill the lamb at twilight Nisah 14, and eat it after 6PM that night (which to Galileans would be Nisah 15).

§  In John 19:14, early in the morning, Pilate presents Jesus to the Jews, at the 6^th hour (Roman time, beginning at midnight).  Matt. 27:45 says from the 6^th to 9^th hour (noon to 3PM) there was darkness over all the area (Jewish time as they began counting at the beginning of daylight).

o   Was Jesus crucified on the actual Passover day (Matt. 26:2; Jn. 19:36)? First, it seems necessary since He is our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7).  Further, Jesus seems to predict it (Mt. 26:2).  Third, it fulfills the OT ritual prophecy (no bones broken, cf. Jn. 19:36 with Ex. 12:46).  We believe that He was, that His death actually came after 3PM (after the 3 hours of darkness) and before 5PM, during the time lambs were being killed in the temple area for those celebrating Passover according to the Jerusalem calendar.

Let’s conclude in the next post by considering an order of events based on a Wednesday crucifixion.