01. Why Three Days?
• Genesis 1:9--13: The number 3 represents completeness (Numbers 19:11--12; Leviticus 7:17--18).
• John Lightfoot (1602--1675), (University of Cambridge was the Vice-Chancellor and a rabbinical scholar)“the third day", because the spirit was not supposed to have finally departed till then (Works, Pitman's ed., vol. xii. pp. 351--353). Herodotus testifies that embalmment did not take place until after 3 days (Herod, ii. 86--89). The Jews did not accept evidence as to the identification of a dead body after three days.
• Jesus was clear that this was how long He would be in the grave in Matthew 12:39--40.
• The Rabbis taught that the spirit wandered about for three days, seeking re-admission to the body, but abandoned it on the fourth day, as corruption began then.
• s undoubtedly at sunrise Sunday morning."
• The decomposing of the body takes place at an accelerated process in the Middle East with the heat, which is alluded to in John 11:39--40.
02. What Day Was Jesus Crucified On?
• Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath is important, because it tells that the sabbath day, the day of rest instituted by God through Moses is over (cf. Genesis 2:1--3; Exodus 20:8-11).
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• as it began to dawn toward the first **day of the week, which was from sunset on our Saturday to sunset on our Sunday.
• This solidifies that Jesus resurrected on our Sunday, the first day of the week.
• Jesus died the day before the sabbath (Matthew 27:62; 28:1; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:14; John 19:31; John 19:42).
• The Jews were not allowed to bury their dead on the 7th Day Sabbath (cf. Exodus 20:8-11). If it was a Sabbath High Day (John 19:31) or Sabbath Feast Day, (Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles), they were allowed to bury the dead.
• The only work not allowed on a Sabbath Feast Day was servile work (Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 23:7; Leviticus 23:24; Leviticus 23:35; Numbers 28:18--25), which is any type of work done solely for personal profit.
• Matthew, Mark, and Luke each confirm that Jesus died at the ninth hour Mark 15:34-37; Luke 23:44-46).
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• Jesus went into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the 10th of Nisan, was Sunday, April 6, 32ad. Thus, the day that Jesus was crucified at 3pm on Friday, the 15th of Nisan, or April 11.
• Jesus was then buried in the tomb before the Seventh Day Sabbath (Matthew 27:62; Matthew 28:1; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:14; John 19:31; John 19:42).
• All 4 Mark 14:1; Luke 22:1; John 18:39).
• How does that make 3 full days of being in the tomb? “three days" or even “three years" to also mean parts of three days or parts of three years (1 Sam 20:12; 29:9--30:1; 1K 12:5; 12:12; 2Chr 10:5; 10:12; Esther 4:16; 5:1; Luke 13:32--33).
• To sum all up, Jesus was crucified and buried on Passover, which that year was on a Friday.
03. What Happened in the Week?
• SUNDAY: Palm Sunday, the day of Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. It was on this day when the crowd proclaimed Jesus to be the Messiah (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19).
• MONDAY: Temple Tantrum of Jesus: the 2nd time He cleansed the Temple, the cursing the fig tree, and Out of the mouth of babes, when the children of Jerusalem proclaim Him to be King (Matthew 21:12-22; Mark 11:12-26; Luke 19:45-48).
• TUESDAY: Known as the Last Working Day of Jesus (Matthew 19:30-20:16; Matthew 21:23-25:30; Mark 11:27-13:37; Luke 13:34-35; Luke 12:35-48; Luke 19:11-28; Luke 20:1-21:38; John 12:20-50).
• The events of this day include Jesus teaching in the Temple, disputes with the Pharisees and
Scribes, the widow's mite, the eight woes of Jesus for the nation of Israel, and the teaching of end times events in Matthew 24.
• WEDNESDAY: Judas plots while Jesus takes a rest (Matthew 26:1-5; Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:1-2; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:1-6).
• THURSDAY: Jesus sends the disciples to prepare for the Passover and for the Last Supper in the Upper Room, Jesus goes to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, the arrest of Jesus and Peter's three times denial (Matthew 26:17-75; Mark 14:12-72; Luke 22:7-65; John 13:1-38; 18:27).
• FRIDAY: Trials, crucifixion, and death of Jesus (Matthew 27:1-31; Mark 15:1-47; Luke 23:1-56; John 18:28-19:42).
• Jesus was not caught by surprise of these events, for He Mark 8:31--32; 9:31; Mark 10:33-34; Luke 9:22; Luke 9:44; Luke 18:31-34).
• 6 trials of Jesus: Religious Trials: Before Annas (John 18:12--14); Before Caiaphas (Matthew 26:57--68; Luke 22:54); Before the Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:1--2; Luke 22:63-71); Civil Trials: Before Pilate (Luke 23:1-6; John 18:28--38); Before Herod (Luke 23:6--12); Before Pilate (Luke 23:20-25; John 18:39--19:6).
• Jesus was found guilty by the Jews, innocent by the Romans. Despite that, Jesus was handed over to the Jews to be crucified and buried (Matthew 27:26).
• Jesus was crucified at 9am (Mark 15:25).
• From 12pm to 3pm there was darkness over the whole land (Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44).
• All 4 gospels record a different account of what is written on the sign above the head of Jesus by Pilate (Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19--22). All 4“The King of the Jews." When you combine all 4: “This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews".
• Per the Roman government, Jesus was crucified for the crime of insurrection, according to Rome, he was trying to overthrow the Roman government, even though Pilate knew that Jesus was not guilty of the Roman laws (Luke 23:4; Luke 23:14-15; Luke 23:20). Traitors who try to overthrow the government are punished by death.
• Remember: Pilate gave the option to release Barabbas or Jesus, who was guilty of murder during an insurrection (Luke 23:18-19; Luke 23:25).
• Jesus cries: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46--47; Mark 15:34--36; quoting Psalm 22:1).
• Jesus speaks again, I thirst (John 19:28; cf. Psalm 22:15).
• John records for us: It is finished (John 19:30; cf. Psalm 69:21; Psalm 22:31).
• The veil of the Temple was torn into 2 from top to bottom, and the bodies of the saints arose from the graves (Matthew 27:51-53; Mark 15:37-38; Luke 23:45--46)
• Regarding the veil of the Temple, in Exodus 26:31 that the veil was blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: and this veil was used to separate the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple, where the High Priest would enter once a year on Yom Kippur to make atonement for the nation (Leviticus 16:12--16).
• “The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah", writes that they needed 300 priests to move the veil!
• Luke 23:47--49 **Some claim that Jesus did not die, and that the writers of the Gospels fabricated the trials of Jesus before the religious leaders (cf. On the Trial of Jesus by Paul Winter).
• Evidence in the Jewish Talmud that Jesus was killed: “On the eve of the Passover Yeshu‘He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Anyone who can say anything in his favor let him come forward and plead on his behalf.' But since nothing was brought forward in his favor he was hanged on the eve of Passover" (b. Sanhedrin 43a).
• A crude drawing with inscription, found in the palace of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (ruled a.d. 193--211), apparently was by a pagan youth who sought to ridicule a fellow student named Alexamenos who was a Christian. The crucifix with a donkey's head on the figure of Christ reveals the scandal of the cross and the ancient world's utter contempt for the crucified Christ. The Greek “Alexamenos worships [his] God," attesting to the Christian belief in the divinity of Christ.
• SATURDAY: Silence
