Jesus’ death and resurrection timeline, and it’s implications. Let’s look at what the Bible teaches us on these matters. Is the timeline that many of us have been taught correct? What are some meaningful implications from this? Mathew 12:38-40 “Then some of the pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.’ He answered, ‘A sicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” We have John 2:19, Mark 8:31, and Luke 24:46 that all further support this passage. This is a huge key in deciphering the correct timeline.
Let’s look at another passage that is helpful in supporting the correct timeline. Daniel 9:23-27 “As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision: “Seventy’ sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. “ To start we need to address some very common error about this passage. Many people claim that this is talking about an “anti-christ” breaking a covenant with modern Israel centered around sacrifices in a third temple and taking place in the middle of a seven year great tribulation. There is a ton wrong with all that. I will only address a few of the errors and very quickly. You can learn more about it on your own. There is no mention of an “anti-christ”. The apostle John says that anti-christ is a spirit and that there are many of them. There is no mention in this passage, or any, about a “seven year great tribulation”.
There are many aspects of the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread that Jesus fulfilled. So many things about that Feast foreshadowed Jesus. He was shown to be the approved perfect sacrificial lamb on the 10th Nissan. He was sacrificed on the Day of Preparation (14th of Nissan), just like the lamb of Passover was to be slain on. He died at the same time that the sacrificial lamb was to be killed. We can find this timeline in Leviticus 23: 5-17. This is when the curtain of the Holy of Hollies was torn from the top down. The timing of this meant that it was readily seen.
Some people will want to debate that the 10th of Nissan was on Sunday and therefore that the 14th of Nissan was on a Thursday. It would mostly seem plausible. Read Mark 11 very carefully. Jesus went into the Temple on the 10th and 11th of Nissan. His triumphal entry was on the Sabbath. He came back to the Temple and turned over the tables the next day. There would have been no buying or selling in the Temple on the Sabbath. If the activities that caused Jesus to flip over the tables been going on the previous evening when he was there would He not have flipped over the tables then? That timeline of Jesus death being on a Thursday does not allow for Jesus to be in the grave for a three full days. So many fail to keep in mind that people were not officially dead until it had been a full three days. In order to have been truly dead, and thus sincerely raised from the dead, it meant that at least 72 hours had to have passed. Every part of Jesus’ death lining up to fulfill the scriptures works when we take the 10th of Nissan as being on a Saturday. What about all of the accounts of the women talking with the angels at the empty grave? The angels say that He HAS risen. It does not say that He just rose, or now is rising. Read it carefully. The angel says in in Mathew 28:6 “He is not here,…”
What about the passage in Luke 24 about the two men traveling to Emmaus that Jesus appeared to? The Bible clearly says that this happened the same day that the women found the empty tomb. It would also make sense for these men to making this trip on the first day of the week. Read verse 21 very carefully. It says: “It is the third day SINCE ALL this TOOK place”. It does not say that is is the third day. That specific wording looks to put Jesus death on a Wednesday, not a Thursday.
Was Jesus maybe resurrected on Saturday into Sunday night? That would then make it technically happening on Sunday. Then Jesus would have had to be in the grave four nights. We already have gone over multiple places that tell us He would be in the grave exactly three nights. He had to rise before the fourth night.
A study of God’s timeline in His Word shows us that a Friday crucifixion and Sunday resurrection is without a doubt wrong. A Thursday crucifixion and Sunday resurrection is close to working. If we study some of the passages very carefully we can see that this does not fit either. A Wednesday crucifixion and late Saturday resurrection is what fits with God’s timeline and Word.
What are some implications now from all of this?
The first thing that this shows is how God’s math does work. It shows how accurate God is. This shows to a higher degree than what many people see how Jesus fulfilled the scriptures.
One can more clearly see now what is meant by “The Lord’s Day”. We see that Mathew 12:8, Mark 2:28, and Luke 6:5 tell us: “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath”. The same logic that tells us that if 1+2=3 means that 2+1=3 as well, should tell us the Sabbath is the Lord’s Day. Yet many people like to twist this verse into supporting a Sunday Sabbath. They say that Jesus rose on the first day of the week. This is then the Lord’s Day. So, the Sabbath is now the first day of the week. The Bible doesn’t actually teach this. There is no passage that supports God changing the Sabbath day. We can see it in the following passage. Exodus 31:13 “Say to the Israelites, ” You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you Holy.” We also have the ten commandments where we have Sabbath keeping as the 4th commandment. It says “remember” (Exodus 20:8), as if God already knew that people would “forget” when the Sabbath is.
People like to point to Bible passages about Christians meeting for fellowship on the “Lord’s Day” and use this to support a Sunday Sabbath. We have shown how the Lord rose on Saturday, the Sabbath day though. That is the Lord’s Day. This language is probably used to further point out Jesus of Nazareth being the promised Messiah. There are passages that talk about Christians meeting to “break bread” on the first day of the week. That doesn’t say that they made a new Sabbath Day. We also have record of some people getting together to break bread every day.
What about Colossians 2:16? “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.” Using that passage to support such a claim is perfectly fine, if there are no other passages to consider that would disagree. It is so important to not cherry-pick out Bible passages to try to make support your desired beliefs. We must consult the whole Word of God and make sure that no other passages would indicate that our interpretations are wrong, or that there are parameters for our interpretations. Did God ever change the Sabbath? What does Daniel 7 tell us of the Beast who thinks to change days, times, and seasons? Clearly this prophecy has happened. God’s calendar is no longer followed. Is God ok with people following this Beast?
Any argument for making Sunday the new Sabbath day is at best week. Is it not safest to actually worship God on the day He appointed for His worship? Be a good honest Berean who studies the scriptures to show themselves approved. May you have a willing heart to make any necessary adjustments in life.