03/26/2024
This was a comment, but it’s so long I have to make it a full post.
Why do we observe the crucifixion on a Friday and the Resurrection on a Sunday?
The explanation for Jesus' death on Friday and resurrection on Sunday being counted as three days, according to Jewish methods of counting days during the Second Temple period, revolves around the inclusive way Jews calculated time. In Jewish tradition, any part of a day was considered as a full day. This method of reckoning is evident in multiple ancient Jewish and early Christian writings.
Josephus, a Jewish historian from the first century, provides an insight into Jewish time reckoning in his works, although he does not directly comment on Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. For example, in "Antiquities of the Jews," Josephus frequently employs inclusive reckoning when discussing periods of time (Whiston, William, trans. "The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged," Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987).
Furthermore, the Mishnah, a compilation of Jewish oral traditions completed in the early 3rd century CE, reflects this practice in its various discussions on Sabbath and festival observances, illustrating the inclusive counting of days (Neusner, Jacob, trans. "The Mishnah: A New Translation," Yale University Press, 1988 ).
In the context of the New Testament, this understanding is reflected in the Gospel accounts. For instance, Mark 8:31 states, “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.” The phrase "after three days" was understood within the framework of inclusive reckoning, where Friday (the day of crucifixion), Saturday (the Sabbath), and Sunday (the day of resurrection) were counted as three days.
The early Christian apologist Tertullian (c. 155 – c. 240 CE) also reflects early Christian interpretation of these events in light of Jewish time reckoning in his writings, arguing for the legitimacy of the three-day period based on the Jewish understanding of parts of days as whole days ("An Answer to the Jews," Chapter 8 ).
These sources collectively indicate that the counting of Friday to Sunday as three days in the accounts of Jesus' death and resurrection aligns with contemporary Jewish practices of time calculation, where partial days were counted as full days for religious and ceremonial observances. This method of counting, deeply rooted in the cultural and religious context of the period, provided the framework through which the early Christian community understood and commemorated the events of Jesus' death and resurrection.
Now, the assertion that Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday stems from attempts to reconcile the Gospel accounts, which mention that Jesus rose on the first day of the week (Sunday), with the statement that He would be in the tomb for "three days and three nights," echoing the sign of Jonah mentioned in Matthew 12:40.
Proponents, of a Wednesday crucifixion argue that a Friday crucifixion does not allow for a full three days and three nights in the tomb before the resurrection on Sunday morning, thus suggesting a Wednesday crucifixion to fulfill the full 72-hour period.
However, this viewpoint encounters several challenges:
1. Jewish Time Reckoning: As previously discussed, Jewish tradition counts any part of a day as a full day and night. The "three days and three nights" phrase in Matthew 12:40 is therefore understood to be an idiomatic expression rather than a literal 72-hour period, in line with inclusive time reckoning.
2. Gospel Harmony: The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) present Jesus as having the Last Supper with His disciples on the eve of the Passover, implying that He was crucified on the day of Preparation for the Passover, which is a Friday (Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, John 19:14, 31). This harmonization supports a Friday crucifixion.
3. Early Christian Tradition: The early Christian community and writings outside the New Testament reflect the belief in a Friday crucifixion. For example, the Didache, an early Christian document from the late first or early second century, prescribes fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, with the latter being commemorated in remembrance of the crucifixion.
Those advocating for a Wednesday crucifixion are attempting to address perceived inconsistencies in the Gospel narratives concerning the timeline of Jesus' death and resurrection. However, their argument is less convincing when examined in light of Jewish idiomatic expressions of time, the harmony among the Gospel accounts, the practices of early Christians, and the broader historical and archaeological context. The consensus among biblical scholars and historians tends towards a Friday crucifixion, aligning with traditional Christian commemoration of Good Friday.
Finally, some argue that there were two sabbath’s that week: the regular weekly sabbath, and a “High Sabbath” on a different day of the week.
The argument for two Sabbaths in the week of Jesus' crucifixion arises from an interpretation of the Gospel of John, where it mentions a "high day" Sabbath following Jesus' crucifixion (John 19:31). This has led some to suggest that this "high day" was a special Sabbath, such as the first day of Passover, which could fall on any day of the week, in addition to the regular weekly Sabbath observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Thus, proponents of a Wednesday crucifixion suggest that Jesus was crucified before this special Sabbath (on Wednesday), allowing for a Thursday "high day" Sabbath, followed by the regular Sabbath, to accommodate the three days and nights in the tomb.
However, this interpretation has several issues:
1. Jewish Festive Practices: While it is true that Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread could involve special Sabbaths ("high days"), these do not negate or fundamentally alter the counting of days as understood in Jewish tradition. The presence of a festival Sabbath in addition to the weekly Sabbath does not necessitate an extra day between the crucifixion and resurrection to align with the "three days and three nights" motif.
2. Gospel Harmony: The Synoptic Gospels clearly associate the crucifixion with the day before the weekly Sabbath (Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; Matthew 27:62), indicating that the "high day" mentioned in John refers to the confluence of the weekly Sabbath with the start of the Passover festival, rather than suggesting two separate Sabbath days.
3. Early Christian Witness: The early Christian tradition and writings, including the Didache and writings of the Church Fathers, consistently commemorate Jesus' crucifixion on Friday and His resurrection on Sunday, without any indication of adjusting this timeline for an additional Sabbath.
4. Linguistic and Cultural Context: The term "high day" in John's Gospel likely emphasizes the significance of this particular Sabbath during Passover, rather than indicating an additional, separate Sabbath. It underscores the convergence of two sacred observances, enhancing the solemnity of the time but not altering the basic chronology of events.
The argument for two Sabbaths seeks to reconcile specific interpretive challenges but does so at the expense of the broader coherence of the Gospel narratives, Jewish cultural practices, and early Christian testimony. The predominant scholarly and historical consensus maintains that Jesus' crucifixion occurred on a Friday, with His resurrection celebrated on the following Sunday, encompassing one Sabbath within this period. This understanding harmonizes the Gospel accounts, aligns with Jewish time reckoning, and respects the historical and cultural context of the events.
The tradition is what it is for a reason.
✠ Christopher Bryant, PhD, DMin, BCMHC
