This posting will prove that Jesus did not die on “Good Friday” and rise from the dead on Sunday. Those desiring God’s Truth, backed by historical documentation, will find that Truth. Let us examine it.

Daniel 9:25,26 states that 69 (prophetic) weeks would transpire between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the Messiah’s arrival at Jerusalem “on an ass, and a colt the foul of an ass” (Zech. 9:9/ Mat. 21:5). Using the “day for a year” principle laid down in Numbers 14:3,4 and Ezekiel 4:6, the time element computes to 483 “days” or actual years (69 weeks X 7 days per week). Later Scriptures reveal that the one who would issue the decree to rebuild Jerusalem was Persian King Artaxerxes, and that he issued the decree in the seventh year of his reign. Both Jewish and Persian records identify the first year of Artaxerxes’ reign as 464-463 B.C., making the seventh year of his reign 458-457 B.C. (Ezra 7:8). Additional evidence of the year of Artaxerxes’ decree to rebuild Jerusalem can be found in the canon of Ptolemy and in the Encyclopedia Britannica. Four hundred and eighty-three years from Artaxerxes’ decree to the date of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem to begin His ministry places his publicly-acclaimed arrival at 27 A.D. (there is no year zero). “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem unto (the arrival of) Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks” (Dan. 9:25). Seven times 69 (62+7) prophetic “weeks” equals 483 years (prophetic “days”). Other evidence of the dates of Jesus’ earthly ministry is found in John 2:20: “Then said the Jews, ‘forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days?'” According to chronologists, from the 18th year of Herod’s reign–from which we are to date the rebuilding of the Temple–until the completion of the work was exactly 46 years. History reveals that Herod began his rule in 37 B.C., making his 18th year 20 B.C. Forty-six years from 20 B.C. is A.D. 27. Jesus entered Jerusalem as the Messiah in the year 27 A.D.

Luke tells us that Jesus was 30 years old when He began His ministry. This places His birth at 4 B.C. Proof of the year of His birth further substantiates the year of His death, in that Scripture tells us that He died at age 31. This information reveals that Jesus was 30 years old in A.D. 27, which establishes His birth in 4 B.C. His ministry began in A.D. 27. He died 3 1/2 years later in 31 A.D. It is vitally important for truth’s sake to establish the correct years involved in that certain important events take place on different dates in different years. Therefore, knowing the exact years involved is critical in determining the truth concerning Passover, Jesus’ death and resurrection. God has promised truth to those who earnestly seek it and will obey it when it is presented to them. Others, He said, will only hear it. Having ears that do not hear, their conscience will have been seared as by a hot iron (1 Tim. 4:2). Those who insist on having Jesus die on Friday and die on Sunday have been so seared.

Other Scriptures provide further proof of the time elements of Jesus’ birth and life. In Luke 2:15 we learn that Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to be taxed at the time of Jesus’ birth. By establishing the year of the taxation we can determine the exact year of His birth. Both Jewish and secular historians determine the year of Augustus’ taxation/census as 4 B.C. Luke 12:1-6 also fixes the date of Jesus’ birth at the time of Augustus’ taxation/census. Thirty-three years later would put His death at 31 A.D. (I will use the names of our week days throughout the remainder of the study. Anciently the days were not named, but rather numbered).

Based on this information and other Scriptures we will soon see that Jesus was martyred on Wednesday afternoon and was placed in the grave just prior to sundown. Three days and nights later he was resurrected on Saturday just prior to sundown. Biblical days begin at sundown. His death occurred just before sundown on Wednesday and His resurrection took place just before sundown on Saturday. The exact time element plays out as follows: Jesus was in the grave Wednesday night (night one), Thursday (day one), Thursday night (night two), Friday (day two), Friday night (night three) and Saturday (day three)–exactly three days and three nights–EXACTLY AS HE SAID THIRTEEN TIMES IN THE GOSPELS. He arose at the approach of the first day of the week (Sunday) which began Saturday at sundown.

Some ask how can we know for certain that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday? The Institutional Church teaches that He died on “Good Friday” and arose on “Resurrection Sunday”–dates concocted by man to coincide with the supposed death and resurrection of Tammuz, the heathen sun god whom the apostate church embraced in order to pacify her heathen “converts.” In-depth Bible study is necessary in order to determine God’s Truth concerning any matter of Scripture. By so doing we obey His command to “Study to show thyself approved of God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). A literal rendering of the expression “rightly dividing” is “to make a clean cut.” God is a God of exactness, as astronomers will testify. We must be no less diligent in our study of His Word. In this study we will “make a clean cut” so as to eliminate all church “truths” that do not line up with the Word of God. This website will reveal that there are many such “truths.”

Evidence that Jesus died on Wednesday comes from Scripture, Jewish history and chronological records, each of which confirms that He died and was buried just prior to an approaching Sabbath (Lk. 23:50-54). This Sabbath was the first day of Unleavened Bread (an annual Feast Sabbath). Since God’s days begin at sundown, Jesus was buried just before sundown on the day He died. Since both weekly and annual Sabbaths are Holy Days, no work could be done on the Feast Sabbath, which occurred on Abib 15 (Thursday) that year according to both chronological records and Jewish historical accounts. There are a number of annual Sabbaths that do not occur on the 7th day of the week–God’s weekly Sabbath (Saturday). It is important to note that the Sabbath following Jesus’ death (Thursday) was called an “high day” (Jn. 19:31).

Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples at sundown at the beginning of Abib 14 which marked the beginning of the 4th day of the week (Wednesday). God commands that the date be an ETERNAL OBSERVANCE (Exo. 12:14-20,25-27). Having been identified as the betrayer, Judas left, prompting the other disciples to assume that because he carried the money bag, he had gone out to buy the things needed for the Feast Sabbath to be eaten the following day (Thursday)–the first day of Unleavened Bread (Jn. 13:39) following Passover. Later, “a great while before day (light),” Jesus and the other disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. There He was taken prisoner. Questioned throughout the remainder of the night, He was beaten and tried the next morning (still Wednesday). Sentenced to die, He was crucified at noon on Wednesday, Abib 14, the day prior to the Feast Sabbath (Thursday-Abib 15). Since Passover and the Feast Sabbath occur respectively on Abib 14 and 15 each year and not on particular days of the week, the week days of the observances change from year to year. History reveals that Passover and the Feast Sabbath fall on Thursday and Friday only three out of every 19 years. During the other 16 years they fall on other days of the week. This proves that Jesus’ supposed Friday death has neither Scriptural nor historical backing. Regardless of the day on which His death falls each year, the 24 hour period following the Passover meal, which occurs on Abib 14, is the Preparation Day for the Feast Sabbath. Another Feast Sabbath falls on the seventh (last) day of the Days of Unleavened Bread.

Following the Lord’s death at 3:00 on Wednesday (Lk. 23:44/Mat. 27:46), His body was hurriedly taken from the cross and placed in a tomb because bodies could not remain on their crosses on the coming Sabbath which would begin at sundown, marking the beginning of Thursday–the “High Day” referred to in John 19:31. It was for this reason that the legs of the two thieves were broken, which would cause them to die quickly. The soldiers could then take them from their crosses prior to sundown. Note in Matthew 26:5 that the priest had decreed that Jesus must be killed before the Feast lest the people rebel. He was referring to the Feast Sabbath that would begin at sundown following Jesus’ death. That year this Feast Sabbath took place on Thursday following Jesus’ death on Wednesday afternoon. According to Jewish law, no work could be done on the Preparation Day (Wednesday) after the 9th hour (3:00 in the afternoon–the time of Jesus’ death) except to prepare for the Feast Sabbath the following day (Thursday that year). And because nothing could be bought or sold after 3:00 p.m., the women were unable to purchase and prepare the spices and oils needed for anointing the body of Jesus following His death at 3:00. Being prohibited by law from working on the Feast Sabbath (Thursday), they were forced to wait until Friday to buy the anointing materials and prepare them, which they did. Because the following day (Saturday) was the weekly Sabbath on which no work could be done, the women were forced to wait until Sunday to prepare Jesus’ body for proper internment. Because of this the women: “RESTED ON THE (7TH DAY) SABBATH (SATURDAY) IN OBEDIENCE TO THE (4TH) COMMANDMENT (Lk. 23:56). The women had purchased and prepared the anointing materials on Friday, then were forced to wait until Sunday–a regular work day–to anoint the body. Upon arrival at the tomb before sunrise on Sunday they were told: “HE IS NOT HERE; HE HAS RISEN, AS HE SAID” (Mat. 28:6). Jesus had risen from the tomb the day before (Saturday) just prior to sundown–the end of God’s Sabbath. HE HAD BEEN IN THE TOMB EXACTLY THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS—“AS HE SAID.” The Counterfeit Church cares not at all about what Jesus said, preferring instead to believe what is said by the heathen about their god–Tammuz–who supposedly was killed on Friday and arose from the dead on Sunday. But all is well, she claims; because she is supposedly “saved” she can call the Biblical Jesus a liar and get away with it. To be continued. L.J.