Smoodock's Blog

The text describes the day Jesus died as the preparation day (Mark 15:42). In other words, it was the day before the Sabbath. Most scholars interpret this to mean Friday, the day before the seventh day, weekly, Sabbath or Saturday, as we call our days, today. Nevertheless, this would be wrong. The preparation day was the day before the Feast Day, which was otherwise referred to as the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Luke 22:1), and it fell on the 15^th day of the first month (Leviticus 23:6). It was also a Sabbath, a day upon which no servile work could be done (Leviticus 23:7). The preparation involved was all the leaven of the house had to be removed (Exodus 12:15, 19), and it had to be removed before the 15^th day of the month, which made the Passover Day the preparation day. Passover Day fell on the 14^th of the month, and it was not a Sabbath, for on it the Passover lamb was slain and prepared for the meal in the evening of the 15^th of the month. The Gospel of John even distinguishes this particular Sabbath, from the 7^th day Sabbath by saying: “for that Sabbath day was a high day”[1] (John 19:31). The Greek word used is megas (G3173), indicating the day was great in importance (viz. being led out of bondage and freed – cp. Exodus 12:17).

John tells us that Jesus arrived in Bethany six days before the Feast Day of Unleavened Bread (John 12:1). Prior to his arrival in Bethany, Jesus entered the Temple at Jerusalem and cast out those who bought and sold (Matthew 21:12, 17; cp. Mark 11:11). Before entering Jerusalem, Jesus had sent two of his disciples into a nearby village (Bethany), where they found a colt and it’s mother tied and prearranged for Jesus’ use (Matthew 21:2; Mark 11:2). However, the next time Jesus entered Jerusalem he entered from Bethany, but the colt was no longer tied and waiting for Jesus’ use (John 12:1, 12-14), indicating the colt wasn’t tied but allowed to graze in the field to honor the Sabbath, which was, indeed, the seventh day (Exodus 23:12; cp. Luke 14:5). The point is this. If Jesus arrived in Bethany six days before the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the next day was a Sabbath, the 7^th day, then six days after Jesus arrived would make Thursday of the following week the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the day upon which Jesus was crucified would have to be Wednesday, as we number our days. Once a 7^th day Sabbath is inserted between Jesus’ arrival and his crucifixion, it would be wrong to say he was crucified on Friday, because that would be mathematically impossible.

Returning, now, to Jesus’ crucifixion, Mark introduces us to a man by the name of Joseph, who was also a member of the Sanhedrin and a disciple of Jesus. He did not consent to the verdict of the council (Luke 23:51) that found Jesus guilty of blasphemy, nor was he among those who turned Jesus over to Pilate to be crucified (Mark 15:1). This man boldly, meaning publicly, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body, so he could bury it (Mark 15:43). Pilate was surprised that Jesus was dead so soon, and sent for the centurion, to be certain of the news. Once Jesus’ death was verified by the centurion, and Pilate was assured of Jesus’ death, he permitted Joseph to have his body (Mark 15:44-45).

Joseph had bought fine linen, probably that same day, and took Jesus’ body off the cross and wrapped it in the linen (Mark 15:46). Then he laid the body in his own sepulcher (Matthew 27:59-60), which he had recently cut out of the limestone. The sepulcher was near the place where Jesus was crucified (Luke 23:53; John 19:38-42), and Mary Magdalene and Mary, Joseph’s mother were also sitting there, beholding how the body was laid (Mark 15:47).

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[1] So the KJV. Other translations have a great one or a special one or a solemn one etc. Thus, indicating it was not an ordinary one, that is, not the seventh day Sabbath.