This chart indicates what occurred during the final week of the life of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The days of the week in each crucifixion theory are placed against the background of the first column and how many days before the Passover Feast Day (Nisan 15) that the Scriptures indicate the activity would have had to occur. For the Bible references, see the links below for the the associated blogs for each crucifixion theory. According to each theory Jesus was crucified on the 14th day of Nisan. The following day was the FEAST of the Passover, or the First Day of Unleavened Bread (a Sabbath — the 15 of Nisan). Everything is figured with this date in mind and counted backwards 6 days to the time Jesus entered Jerusalem the first time. [NOTE: entries made in blue occur on the previous evening — the same Jewish day but the previous day according to our modern reckoning of time].
DAYS |
WEDNESDAY CRUCIFIXION |
THURSDAY CRUCIFIXION |
FRIDAY CRUCIFIXION |
| 7 days before PassoverNisan 8 | Thursday:At Jericho in the home of Zacchaeus. | Friday:At Jericho in the home of Zacchaeus. | Sabbath:Spent at Jericho. Not Biblical for no one acts like this is a Sabbath rest. |
| Six days before Passover.Nisan 9 | Friday:1st Entry into Jerusalem from Jericho then leaves for Bethany. | Sabbath:Not Biblical for no one rests. Jesus enters Jerusalem from Jericho — or — Jesus rests at Jericho, but no record is offered. | Sunday:1st Entry into Jerusalem from Jericho then leaves for Bethany. |
| 5-days-before PassoverNisan 10 | The Great SabbathEntire day is spent at Bethany with Lazarus, while relaxing on the Sabbath. Many others came to see him. | Sunday:Entire day is spent at Bethany with Lazarus. Many others came to see him — or — Jesus enters Jerusalem from Jericho and spends only the evening and overnight at Bethany. But if the meal is here, there are only 5 days (not 6) before the Passover | Monday:Entire day is spent at Bethany with Lazarus. Many others came to see him — or — Jesus enters Jerusalem from Jericho and spends only the evening and overnight at Bethany. But if the meal is here, there are only 5 days (not 6) before the Passover |
| Four days before PassoverNisan 11 | Sunday:Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem from Bethany. | Monday:Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem from Bethany. | Tuesday:Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem from Bethany. |
| Three days before PassoverNisan 12 | Monday:3rd Entry into Jerusalem & Jesus verbally destroys his enemies. | Tuesday:3rd Entry into Jerusalem & Jesus verbally destroys his enemies. | Wednesday:3rd Entry into Jerusalem & Jesus verbally destroys his enemies. |
| Two days before PassoverNisan 13 | Tuesday:Begins in Bethany with Simon the leper. In the morning Jesus taught in the Temple. | WednesdayBegins in Bethany with Simon the leper. In the morning Jesus taught in the Temple. | Thursday:Begins in Bethany with Simon the leper. In the morning Jesus taught in the Temple. |
| One day before Passover.Preparation Day-Nisan 14 | Wednesday:Begins with the Last Supper and ends with the Wednesday Crucifixion | Thursday:Begins with the Last Supper and ends with a Thursday Crucifixion. | Good Friday:Begins with the Last Supper and ends with a Friday Crucifixion. |
| Nisan 15Passover Feast Dayor the First Day of Unleavened Bread | Thursday:Sabbath a Holy Day, Feast of Unleavened Bread & the day the guard was set at the tomb. | Friday:Holy Day Sabbath, Feast of Unleavened Bread & the day the guard was set at the tomb. | Saturday:Double Sabbath -Feast of Unleavened Bread & 7th Day Sabbath on the same day & the day the guard was set at the tomb. |
| Nisan 16 | Friday:the day between the two Sabbaths the day the spices were bought and prepared by the women. | 7th Day Sabbath:Everyone rests, but when did the women buy and prepare the spices? | Sunday:Resurrection as the sun set (Saturday), just as the Wave Sheaf was being harvestedJesus ascends to the Father at sunrise as the Wave Sheaf is offered. |
| Nisan 17 | Sabbath:The women (and everyone else rested. | SundayResurrection as the sun set (Saturday), just as the Wave Sheaf was being harvested.Jesus ascends to the Father at sunrise as the Wave Sheaf is offered. | Monday:No particular significance |
| Nisan 18 | Sunday:Resurrection as the sun set (Saturday), just as the Wave Sheaf was being harvested.Wave Sheaf offered as Christ ascends to Father to be accepted as our Substitute. | Monday:No Particular Significance | Tuesday:No particular Significance |
| Conclusion | This is the only scenario that agrees with the Scriptures and has no ambiguity in our Lord’s final week on earth | Does not follow the Gospel account. Has Christ entering Jerusalem on the Sabbath and resting in Bethany on Sunday. | Requires a Sabbath before entering Jerusalem, but no one rested on that day! Also Triumphant Entry is on the wrong day. |
Smoodock's Blog 
4 responses to “Differing Crucifixion Traditions”
Nisan 14, 3790 (Hebrew calendar) falls on Wednesday in 30 CE and Monday in 31 CE according to this calculator. http://www.abdicate.net/cal.aspx
Hi Jerry, and thanks for reading my blog and taking the time to comment. Errors can be made in calculations. I can make them; you can and certainly if a program in a computer is wrong, no matter how careful one is in using the program, the result would be erroneous. Something is wrong somewhere because the information I have points to the crucifixion being on a Wednesday (biblical evidence) and it is calculated to 31 CE (AD if you prefer) by other folks. For example, ‘sightedmoon.com’ (see HERE) calculates Passover in 31 CE to be on April 25th, which is a Wednesday. So which website is correct?
NASA calculates the Full Moon to have occurred after sundown on April 25th in 31 CE, a Wednesday (see HERE). Simply scroll down until you get to 31 CE at the NASA website.
We probably cannot be 100% certain with the year because modern experts disagree with how we would find that out–i.e. using which math equations. However, the Bible is very clear that the day of the week was Wednesday for the crucifixion.
Lord bless you.
NASA calculates the Full Moon to have occurred after sundown on April 25th in 31 CE, a Wednesday(see HERE ). I couldn’t find this. Is there a calculator that gives April 25, 31 CE as Nisan 14? I agree that the day is Wednesday.
I rechecked the Link. It does work in that it goes to the NASA website. Did you scroll down the page to 31 CE? I tried to copy the section and paste it here for your convenience, but the columns merged and nothing was discernible. Just scroll down the page. It is in sections showing when the phases of the moon occurred for each month of each year from 1 CE to 100 CE. Just scroll to the year 31. Then look for the April 25th date under the full moon column.
As far as April 25th being Nisan 14 is concerned. It would have to be so. The Holy Day occurred on Nisan 15 at the full moon. The full moon occurred after sundown on the 25th of April. Therefore, the crucifixion occurred on Nisan 14 (April 25th) before sundown and before the full moon occurred.