If you celebrate Good Friday... You're too late!

Matthew 12:40 [i]"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be [b]three days and three nights[/b] in the heart of the earth."[/i]

In case you are not good with math, Jesus wasnt crucified on Friday. :-)

Many have misunderstood what is meant in scripture during Christ trial and crucifiction when it refers to the Sabbath. The Sabbath in reference is not the weekly Saturday Sabbath, but rather the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The first day of that Feast was a Sabbath as well, and makes total sense in light of Matthew 12:40.

Christ was actually crucifed and laid in the grave on Wednesday.

So Good Wednesday!

Krispy

If Jesus died on Wednesday, well; wouldn't three days and three nights from Wednesday be Saturday-the 7th Day Sabbath, making Saturday the day that Jesus would have been risen from the dead.

Good question. The answer is that the Jewish day begins at 6pm. So today is Wednesday, and Thrusday will begin at 6pm this evening.

Jesus was placed in the grave before the Sabbath (Feast of Unleavened Bread) began, which would be before 6pm of what we would call Wednesday evening.

He arose from the grave sometime after 6pm Saturday evening, which would be Sunday... which the Jews observed as "the first day of the week".

Three days and three nights.

but the speaker put it as a Thursday sabbath.

Yes, thats correct, a Thursday Sabbath. According to the Law they could not handle His body on a Sabbath, so they took Him down from the cross and placed Him in the tomb BEFORE the Sabbath (beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread - Thursday).

Krispy

Yea... today is Wednesday. To the Jews of that time (and orthodox Jews of today), Thursday begins at 6pm this evening.

A friend of mine is Jewish, and the Sabbath begins at 6pm.

Krispy

I dont know if they call dawn morning, or dusk evening... what does it matter? The Sabbath begins at 6pm (some say sun set). Thats what matters.

Krispy

Well, instead lets look at the hours... 6pm Wednesday (the beginning of Thurs) to 6pm Thursday... 1 day, 1 night. 6pm Friday... 2 days, 2 nights. 6pm Saturday... 3 days, 3 nights... and He arose sometime between 6pm Saturday (beginning of Sunday) and dawn Sunday.

Exactly 3 days and 3 nights, just as He said.

We dont know the exact hour, just that by dawn on the first day of the week (Sunday) He was not in the tomb. (Praise The Lord!!)

Krispy

LoveHim... thats a good question... and its a good question that doesnt really matter. We could really get off on debating which side of the Ark the elephants slept on, ya know?

My main point tho in this dicussion is that contrary to traditions of men, Good Friday is not when He was crucified... no more than December 25th was when He was born.

Just trying to get people to think (tho most here have already figured this out) instead of just accepting tradition as truth.

Krispy

Wednesday, Thursday morning... who cares? I just wanted to make the point that man's traditions are not always the truth. I should've known we'd nit-pick this to death.

Krispy

How does the fact that the 14th of Nisan in 33AD was on a Friday figure in?
http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/index.html?year=33&country=34

This is an interesting discussion (one that seems to come up each year here. :-)). But what bothers me is how disconnected 'Easter' is from Passover now. We Christians celebrate 'Easter' (I put it in quotations because the root word is Pascha which is passover) on March 23, 2008, but Passover isn't until April 19th (the 14th of Nisan on the Jewish calendar).

Does that bother anyone else? I've done [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter#Easter_controversy]some research[/url] into the controversy of this topic that was in the early church and how the Council of Nicea determined that the Bishop of Alexandria would determine the date of Easter in accordance to these rules:

[i]that Easter must be celebrated by all throughout the world on the same Sunday;

that this Sunday must follow the fourteenth day of the paschal moon;

that the moon was to be accounted the paschal moon whose fourteenth day followed the vernal equinox;

that some provision should be made, probably by the Church of Alexandria as best skilled in astronomical calculations, for determining the proper date of Easter and communicating it to the rest of the world. [/i]

If we don't follow the Jewish calendar are we really celebrating 'Easter' at the same time that Jesus arose from the dead? Or are we just following church traditions? I don't understand the calendar system well enough to comprehend all this. Could someone help me out?

:-o

And shouldn't every Sunday be a celebration of His resurrection?;-) Hallelujah! JESUS is risen! :-D

Hey y'all... if I seem a bit abrupt on this thread, I do apologize. Havent been feeling well this week. Thats no excuse tho for being short w/ folks.

Forgive me, please.

Krispy

Krispy and are remembering why you might be alittle out of sorts..prayers going forth for your recovery! I though it was an interesting..and fun subject to discuss. Thanks for posting it.

Yea, I'm having that procedure done this afternoon. I'm not bothered by that, it's this dog gone cold I have. Starting to perk up a little today tho... and I'll be on pain killers for the next day or so, so I wont care a hoot about this cold in a few hours! lol

Krispy

Hi all,

Roniya quoted

[i]that the moon was to be accounted the paschal moon whose fourteenth day followed the vernal equinox;[/i]

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar#Difference_between_Gregorian_and_Julian_calendar_dates]wikipedia on days lost between Gregorian and Julian calendars[/url]

Looking at a modern Hebrew calendar, it is clear that the connection between the moons has been lost, in that some months are 30 days long. Also, there is one called Tamuz, which cannot be its original name.

[url=http://www.hebcal.com/hebcal/?year=0001&v=1&month=x&yt=G&nh=on&s=on&i=off&vis=on&D=on&d=on&set=on&c=off&geo=zip&zip=&m=0&.cgifields=nx&.cgifields=nh&.s=Get+Calendar]Hebrew calendar set for year 0001[/url]

I've always wanted to understand the Hebrew calendar better, because I knew there was something about an extra year every so often. Here's wikipedia again.

[i]'The principles of the Hebrew calendar are found in the Torah, which contains several calendar-related commandments, including God's commandment during the Exodus from Egypt to fix the month of Nisan as the first month of the year.[1] The Babylonian exile in the 6th century BCE influenced the calendar, which included the adoption of Babylonian names for the months.[2]

Before the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the calendar was observational, with the beginning of each month determined by the testimony of witnesses who had observed a new crescent moon. Between 70 and 1178 CE a rule-based fixed-arithmetic lunisolar calendar system was adopted to achieve the same effect. The principles and rules of the current calendar were fully described by Maimonides in 1178 CE in the Mishneh Torah.

Because of the roughly eleven-day difference between twelve lunar months and one solar year, the year lengths of the Hebrew calendar vary in a repeating 19-year Metonic cycle of 235 lunar months, with an intercalary lunar month added every two or three years, for a total of 7 times per 19 years. Seasonal references in the Hebrew calendar reflect its development in the region east of the Mediterranean Sea and the times and climate of the Northern Hemisphere. With respect to the present-day mean solar year, the Hebrew calendar's year is longer by about 6 minutes and 25+25/57 seconds, meaning that every 224 years, the Hebrew calendar will fall a full day behind the modern fixed solar year, and about every 231 years it will fall a full day behind the Gregorian calendar year. This is due to the 0.6 second discrepancy between the calendric "Molad" (lunar conjunction interval), which is fixed by Jewish Law,[3] and the actual mean lunar conjunction interval, which itself is slowly changing over time.[4]'[/i]

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_calendar]Hebrew Calendar (wiki)[/url]

The other thing to remember about the year in which Jesus was crucified, is that it was a [b]Jubilee Year[/b], that is, a 50th year after 7 sets of seven years, on the seventh of each set being the year in which slaves would go free if they wanted to, or have their ear pierced against the doorpost, to signify 'I love (I love) my Master, I will not go out free', (which is the subject line of a challenging hymn, now).

Thus, the fiftieth year was particularly significant as a double-portion of freedom, and because it was an extra year off work, when the fields were not cultivated (I believe), people ate off 'the fat of the land'.

Hereby, we see how the spiritual picture had been established in Jewish culture. Jesus was seen after His resurrection for forty days, and Pentecost was on the fiftieth day (I believe).

Going back to His death: if it is reckoned to have been a Wednesday, then He was laid in His tomb on Thursday*; Friday was the first day (after His burial), in the tomb; Saturday was the second day in the tomb; the third day when He arose, was Sunday.

If you think about this based on John's account, it is clear some hours must have passed between Him being on the cross, and finally laid* in His tomb. (It is a wonderful picture - Him being laid to rest in Joseph's tomb - as it were, taking the place of a natural man in his own death.)

John 19
35 And he that saw [i]it[/i] bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, 'A bone of him shall not be broken'.
37 And again another scripture saith, 'They shall look on him whom they pierced'.

38 And [u]after this[/u] Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, [u]besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus[/u]: and Pilate gave [i]him[/i] leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

[I wonder how long it took him to get from Golgotha to Pilate's palace, wait to be given a hearing, and back again?]

39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound [i]weight[/i].
40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation [i]day[/i]; [u]for the sepulchre was nigh at hand[/u].

I believe it must have been Thursday, by now; ie after 6pm on Wednesday.

Another thought is: this service by Joseph and Nicodemus, to prepare Jesus' body for burial, would have made them both ceremonially unclean, and subject to certain ritual cleansing, before being able to join the feasting (although this is not mentioned). Interesting comparason with Jesus first miracle, when He changed water for washing [i]people[/i] (outwardly), into wine, the symbol of His blood, shed for our inward cleansing.

Beloved brothers and sisters, I've just noticed something I cannot remember ever having heard preached upon. Look at this, please:

Genesis 8
20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD;
and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl,
and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour;
and the LORD said in his heart,
[b]I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake;[/b]
for the imagination of man's heart [i]is[/i] evil from his youth;
[b]neither will I again smite any more every thing living[/b], as I have done.
22 [u]While the earth remaineth[/u], seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Okay.... so what I hadn't noticed, is that the flood did away with the curse on the earth which God had said to Adam.

The flood did not do away with the death which passed upon all men through Adam, but it [i]did[/i] do away with the curse on the earth.

This makes more sense of John's baptism unto repentance than I have ever seen before, as a standalone spiritual transaction between God and man.

(We know the disciples baptised in the name of Jesus, also for repentance, but the separation between repentance as man's recognition of his sinfulness, and the remaining need for a sacrifice for sin, is clearly made by this word from God to Noah. The fact that God wiped out every living thing which was not in the Ark (foreshadowing Jesus Christ Himself), underlines the picture in baptism [i]after[/i] Jesus death and resurrection for the signifying of our identification with His death in its spiritual significance, although we retain our natural life, and still have to overcome it in the power of the Spirit.)

BlazedbyGod said

What I mean is, this, this Sunday all over the US people will be celebrating "Easter" or "resurrection sunday"...but the truth is, if we want to really observe it as the Jews did, then we need to observe our " Saturday EVENING" (which is their Sunday morning, INSTEAD of our Sunday morning)

Genesis 1:5
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.
And the evening and the morning were the first day.

In other words, the picture of how a day is constituted, is, it [i]begins[/i], in an attitude of rest.

Thus, even if Jesus was alive as early as sundown on Saturday, it would have been totally in order for Him to begin with a rest - perhaps a sleep - before He began to think about 'rising'.

Here is a different use of the word 'day'.

Mark 1:35
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Here is another possibility: that having risen within the tomb, He prepared Himself through a time of fellowship with His Father, but could not leave until the angels came to roll away the stone, perhaps at His own invitation.

If you celebrate Good Friday... You're too late!

Hi LoveHim,

so what i don't understand is if Jesus was crucified on either wednesday or thursday at 6pm, then wouldn't friday be the first day of the feast

What is more important in the keeping of Passover, is that it began on 14th Nisan. Now, there were sacrifices made every day, but Passover is the day of Atonement. That's why the thick temple veil being torn from above could not have been missed by those ministering (on whichever day was Atonement).

The day of the week, then, was not nearly as important as [u]the day of the month[/u]. (Link to Hebrew calendar in a previous post, p3 this thread.)

(Edited.)

Hi phil,

what do you do with all the verses i listed on pg 2 about Him rising "on the third day"? just curious.

Going back to His death: if it is reckoned to have been a Wednesday, then He was laid in His tomb on Thursday*; Friday was the first day (after His burial), in the tomb; Saturday was the second day in the tomb; [b]the third day when He arose, was Sunday[/b].

Definitely, I fully accept that He rose on the third day. By then though, He had also been dead for three days by Hebrew reckoning, since dying in the last three hours of 14th, would be counted as if He had died 20 hours earlier just the same. The third day after His death was really the fourth, if you include the day [u]of[/u] His death.

Matthew 12:40
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.

(I wonder if the days and nights are really in that order in the Greek?)

LoveHim wrote:

If you check out Leviticus 23, and possibly some other chapters where sabbaths are set by the Lord, you'll find they aren't only on the seventh day and 'sabbaths' isn't referring only to Saturdays.

dorcas, i checked out that chapter, but it doesn't say anything other than the weekly sabbath and also the first and last day of feast are sabbaths. but it doesn't say anything about a high day (when a weekly sabbath and a first day of feast sabbath land on the same day). john 19:31 is a verse that i can't get away from when looking at this issue. it was preparation day for that sabbath was a [b]high day[/b]. if the first day of the feast was thursday or friday, then that sabbath wouldn't have been a high day, do you know what i mean?? that's the part that keeps getting me. the first day of the feast and the weekly sabbath have to fall on the same day to have a high day (at least that's as best as i have understood it and many commentaries have reinforced that). so i am lost in this as well.

This would seemingly indicate a Friday (day), Friday (evening, the evening Sabbath), Saturday (morning, the Sabbath day), Saturday (evening, the evening Sunday) and Sunday (morning, the day following the Sabbath). This accumulates to 3 days and 2 evenings spent in the tomb. Of course, one verse seems to indicate that Christ spent 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb (Matthew 12:40).

brother chris, i don't know if that is exactly true. the jews count days backward from us going "evening and day the first day" (gen 1). so if Jesus died fridayaround the ninth hour- 3pm, then you have friday night and day, saturday night and day, and sunday night and day if He rose on the third day anytime after 6pm on saturday. so in effect if that was what happened, then you would have 3 days and 3 nights.

I guess it doesn't really matter which "day" Jesus died or resurrected. The important thing is that he died and resurrected!

that's so true brother. i see both arguements for a wednesday,thursday, or a friday crucifixion. so for me, though i lean more toward a friday crucifixion, i definitely cannot be dogmatic about something like this.

it's just a pretty interesting to look at and study ya know?? ;-)
phil

My response:

On the 14th day of Nisan the blood of the sacrifice lamb is shed. The blood on the door brings salvation as the death angel passes overhead. It is the eve of the Passover and in the the Exodus that follows God's covenant people are delivered from the bondage of Egypt.

On the 14th day of Nisan in 32 A.D., on the eve of Passover (the 9th hour, or 3:00 P.M. at the time of the evening Sacrifice). The blood of the promised Sacrifice Lamb is shed. This is the redemption God has provided. It brings salvation to His covenant people, delivering them from the bondage of sin and death.

THE MEANING OF PASSOVER
Salvation comes by the blood of the Sacrifice Lamb !

After the Passover lambs were slain at "even". The Feast of Unleavened Bread began at sunset. All leaven, a type of sin, was removed from the houses and the unleavened bread was eaten throughout the seven days of the feast.

[b]On the 14th day of Nisan Jesus was buried shortly after the 9th hour (3:00 P.M.). He was the sinless unleavened 'Bread of Heaven' offered as the perfect sacrifice. Thus He fulfilled the Feast of Unleavened Bread.[/b]

THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD
The unleavened "Bread of Heaven" is the sinless and accepted sacrifice.

Leviticus 23

1. 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 [b]fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover.[/b] 6. And on the [b]fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread[/b] unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 7.[b] In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.[/b] 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.

What we see above refers to the days of the original Passover, and how the Lords Celebration of these events were to take place. The Fifteenth day, of the first month is the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened bread. This day is a special day, that is to be celebrated as a day of Holy Convocation. This is referred to as a High Sabbath day, and is considered a Sabbath day, even though it occurs on other days (other than Saturday).

In the Gospels, other than John’s, this day is referred to as a Sabbath. In John’s Gospel, he tells us that it is a “High Day”:
John 19:31. 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.

Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week, which is Sunday. The Jewish day begins at 6:00 P.M. and continues until the next day at 6:00 P.M. So Sunday started at 6:00 P.M. on (our) Saturday, and ended at 6:00 P.M. on (their) Sunday. When the women came to the tomb on Sunday morning, at dawn, Jesus had already risen:
Matthew 28:1-6; Mark 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-9; John 20.

[b][color=990000]In summary, Jesus was crucified on the 14th day of the month at 9:00 A.M. (The time of the Morning Sacrifice). He died on the cross at 3:00 P.M(the time of the Evening Sacrifice).

The 15th day of the month (Friday)was the Feast of Unleavened Bread, that was celebrated as a High Holy Day, or a Sabbath day. This is the day that John refers to above in John 19:31.

The 16th is a Saturday, which is their normal Sabbath day.

The 17th is Sunday, or the first day of the week. Scripture tells us that Jesus rose from the dead on the “first day of the week”.

Jesus was placed into the tomb before the end of the Jewish day of the 14th (he had to be placed in the tomb before the High Day) the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread that started at 6:00 P.M. on the 14th.

Time in the tomb- at least one to two hours on the day of the 14th.
All night and all day of the 15th
All night and all day of the 16th
All night of the 17th.

In our eyes it appears that Jesus was in the tomb for only two full days, Two full nights and only two-3 hours of the first day (14th). However Jews to this day do not measure their days and nights in hours like we do. If you were to spend several hours with some Jewish guests from Israel today, they would consider that they had spent the entire day with you. They have a different concept of time than we do, and they always have.

In the Jewish concept of time, Jesus did spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, even though by our standards he misses 9 to 10 day hours of one day to qualify for this event.[/color][/b]

Sincerely,

Walter

I noticed that Passover for the Jews this year is from April 20-27. Why do we not celebrate the crufixion and resurrection at that time? I know the gregorian calendar sets easter based on the moon, but why do Christians follow that instead of the Passover for the celebration of our Resurrected Lord? Maybe some of you do? Just curious.

There's a difference between the way Western and Eastern Christians calculate the date of Easter/Pascha.

For the west, it's the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

For the east, it's the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox AFTER Passover.

The dates have been close the last couple of years - last year western Easter and Eastern Pascha were the same day. And this is why Passover has fallen at about the same time as Easter. This year, it's alot later.

Katy

Added:
Some believe it was anti-Semitism which was responsible for the Christian church's adoption of Easter over the Passover which has Old Testament (Jewish) roots. A brutal and vicious persecution against the Jews had started from early under Emperor Hadrian who outlawed Jewish practices and customs."

Hadrian was not a Christian so his persecution of Jews cannot be laid at the door of the church. Also, the relations between Christians and Jews in the early centuries of the church is not as it has often been depicted. It was much worse later.

Emporer Hadrian marked the beginning of the move away from keeping with the jewish calander, completed by Constantine making Rome christian in 313 AD Or 331??? which was then codified at the council of nycea.

Mseaman, here is another question. Did the early Church actually celebrate Easter or did they celebrate Pentecost? Paul is speaking here and we know the Day of Pentecost Paul then Saul was not even saved. Also Pentecost was 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Anyone know this?

Acts 20:16
For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

Katy

Here4Him wrote:
Thanks Walter, that was brilliant, really helpful!

So does that explain how it can be said that Jesus was in the tomb for 3 days and 3 nights and how He rose on the third day?

George

My Response:

Yes, George, that is how Christ fulfilled the propehcy, that He gave of Himself, in Matthew 12:40-41 [b](most Christians today doubt that He actually fulfilled this prophecy)[/b] :
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. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

One of our problems that we have, as well as Bible Scholars and Textural Critics, is no understaning of the idioms and the customs of the Ancient Jews, nor the way that they kept time, nor to their understanding of time itself. We (us, as well as the "experts" mentioned above) also have no understanding of the Feasts of the Lord, the High Sabbath Days, and all of the special requirements and restrictions that God commandeded for these "special" days, found thoughout His Old Testament (Old Covenant) Word.

Once we understand these things, then the Words of the Old Testament Bible and our New Testament come alive with new meaning and understanding. It also increases our faith, and we see Christ for who He really is------------God Almighty, Immanuel, Johovah, The Angel of the Lord, Alpha & Omega, King of Kings, Author of the Faith, Friend of Sinners, Son of Man, The Seed of the woman----who has earned our worship, and our praise, and our devotion, forever.

We can also "see" Christ throughout the Old Testament.Remember when Christ appeared to the two men on their way to Emmaus, and how He witnessed to them of Himself using the [b]Old Testament only? The New Testament had not even been written yet![/b]

Luke 24:13-34
13. And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18. And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19. And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20. And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23. And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25.[b][color=CC0000] Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself[/color][/b] 28. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32. [b][color=CC0000] And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? [/color][/b]33. And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,34. Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

We should all have that same kind of understanding and mastery of the Old Testament.

Truly, the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.

Sincerely,

Walter

Here4Him wrote:
Thanks Walter, that was brilliant, really helpful!

So does that explain how it can be said that Jesus was in the tomb for 3 days and 3 nights and how He rose on the third day?

George

Hello, George.

I thought that I would respond further to your remarks. The Jews have an entirely different understanding of time. I would like to add clarificiation, directly from the Bible, to illustrate this point.

[b][color=0000FF]How the Jews reckoned time.[/color][/b]

The first day of the Week, Sunday, actually started on Saturday night at 6:00 P.M. and continued through till 6:00 P.M. Sunday. The rest of the days followed suit (i.e. Monday started off where Sunday left off- Monday started on Sunday evening at 6:00 P.M. and ended Monday evening at 6:00 P.M.), etc. etc. etc. The evenings were set up in "watches" that I won't go into here.

Also, they practiced morning and evening sacrifices on each and every day of the week. The morning sacrifice was at the 3rd hour (9:00 A.M.) and the evening sacrifice was at 3:00 P.M., the 9th hour. Of note, Christ was crucified on the cross at the 3 rd hour (9:00 A.M.) and gave up the ghost at the 9th hour (3:00 P.M.).

Any part of a day to the Jews was considered to be the entire day. If a Jew received a guest at the 9th hour, and they went home at the 10th hour, they considered that to be the entire day.

[b][color=0000FF]For more understanding of the Jewish reckoning of days, go to Acts 10:8-33. This is a detailed read, but very fruitful. In Acts 10:30 CORNELIUS EXPLAINS THAT 4 DAYS AGO he had been fasting.[/color][/b]

Lets say that this was a Tuesday (just to clarify the example for counting days) and Cornelius gets an answer to prayer at the 9th hour (3:00 P.M.). He is visited by an Angel who instructs him what to do.He immediately sends 3
men to Joptha to bring Peter back. The men left immediately at this time

(about 3:00 P.M. or shortly after).

They rested that night, which was the first half of Wednesday (Jewish time-day starts at 6:00 P.M.).

Wednesday A.M. they continue on their journey and arrive about noon, and spend the rest of the day with Peter.

Wednesday night, which is the beginning of Thursday to the Jews (6 P.M. Wednesday to us) they spent the night with Peter at Joptha.

Thursday A.M. leave for Caesarea.

Thursday night, which is the beginning of Friday to the Jews they spent the night on the road.

Friday A.M. they arrive in Caesarea.

[b][color=0000FF]CORNELIUS COUNTS THIS ENTIRE TIME AS FOUR(4)DAYS. However, with our western minds, with our own concept of time, we see this as only being 3 1/2 days or maybe a little less, depending upon which hour they actually arrived at Caesarea. In any event, the time to the Hebrew was considered 4 days.[/color][/b]

Sincerely,

Walter

bereangirl said

I do take comfort in the fact that we can celebrate the Cross every day, not just at a certain date.

Remembering that Adam was forced to work because he sinned, it should be obvious that if we can cease from sin, we may also cease from 'work', (spiritually). The state of the heart of the inner man tells us whether we are... resting... or not.

:-)

My point in bringing this while topic up was not to be dogmatic about this... besides, who wants a robot that looks like a dog anyway?

My point was we just accept these man made traditions without thinking them thru.

Krispy