The Truth about Good Friday

      “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”  Matt.12:40

The tradition of celebrating “Good Friday” as the day our Lord Jesus died is a centuries old notion dating back to the times when Constantine was emperor. But is it accurate and scriptural? I would suggest that it is not. In keeping with the admonition of scripture to “prove all things and hold fast to that which is good”, I offer the following study as an alternative to the “Good Friday” tradition as well as the time-honored tradition that our Lord was resurrected on Sunday morning.

Wednesday – Nisan 14 (Preparation Day) Mark 15:42
Last supper and the institution of the Lord's Memorial that would replace the Passover celebration – Matt. 26:17, Luke 22:1, 7-15

Garden of Gethsemane – Mark 14:26, 32

Jesus arrested and undergoes 6 illegal trials – 3 by the Jews; 3 by the Romans

Jesus nailed to the cross at 9am – Mark 15:24-25

Darkness fell on the earth from noon until 3pm – Mark 15:33

Jesus dies on the cross at 3pm – Luke 23:44-46

Jesus placed in the tomb just before the end of Nisan 14 (6pm), as the women watched – John 19:38-42; Mark 15:47

Thursday – Nisan 15
The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a Sabbath “High” Day – Leviticus 23:5-8, John 19:31
The Chief Priests and Pharisees ask Pilate to secure the tomb with a guard to keep anyone from stealing the body of Jesus.

Friday – Nisan 16
After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James & Salome, buy and prepare spices to anoint Jesus’ body – Mark 16:1; Luke 23:54-56

Saturday – Nisan 17  
The weekly Sabbath – Matt.28:1

The 2 Mary’s and Salome, after preparing the spices on Friday, rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.  Luke 23:56

Saturday was also the beginning of the Feast of First Fruits – Leviticus 23:9-14

Jesus resurrected at 3pm on Saturday – 3 days and 3 nights after he died on the cross

Sunday – Nisan 18
The two Mary’s come to the empty tomb before dawn while it is still dark – John 20:1; Luke 24:1-3; Matt.28:1-2;5-6

Jesus ascends to the Father: (I would suggest that at 9am on Sunday, the same time that the High Priest is waving the sheaf of the first fruits of the harvest in the temple, Jesus presented Himself before the Father, as the first fruits of those who will be raised from the dead.   I Corinthians 15:20)

John 20:16-17; Leviticus 23:9-11, James 1:18

Conclusion: I Corinthians 15:1-4 

"Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,  by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,..." (emphasis added)  NASB