Matthew 28:1

  Matthew 28:1

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

a. ASV:  Now late on the sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: And on the eve of the sabbaths, at the dawn, toward the first of the sabbaths, came Mary the Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre,  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Now after the Sabbath, near dawn of the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to take a look at the tomb. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: IN the evening of the sabbath day, when the first day of the week began, there came Mary of Magdala and the other Mary, to see the tomb.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. NLT: Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.  [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

1. “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.”

a. [Strong: 1161 dé, deh; a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:—also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. [In the] end [Strong: 3796 opsé, op-seh'; from the same as G3694 (through the idea of backwardness); (adverbially) late in the day; by extension, after the close of the day:—(at) even, in the end.]

c. [of the] sabbath [Strong: 4521 sábbaton, sab'-bat-on; of Hebrew origin (H7676); the Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension, a se'nnight, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications:—sabbath (day), week.]

1). Jesus Was Crucified on a Thursday, October 23, 2024 by Stephen Davey

Introduction: The day of Jesus' crucifixion is traditionally observed on Friday, but there has been ongoing debate about whether this is accurate. Was Jesus actually crucified on a Thursday? This question isn't just a matter of tradition versus alternate interpretation—it touches on the integrity of Jesus' prophecy, the symbolism of Passover, and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. To understand why Thursday might be the more accurate day for Jesus' crucifixion, we must look closely at the details of Passion Week, the timeline of events, and the scriptural clues that point us in this direction. This article will explore why a Thursday crucifixion better aligns with the Gospel accounts, fits Jesus' own words about His burial, and resolves certain criticisms of the biblical text. Let's take a journey through these important details and discover how God's timing is truly perfect.

a). The Timeline of Passion Week Triumphal Entry on Sunday (Palm Sunday) Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, often called Palm Sunday, occurred on the 10th day of the month Nisan. This day was significant because, according to Exodus 12, it was the day when the Jewish people were to select their Passover lambs. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, He did so surrounded by thousands of lambs being brought for sacrifice—symbolizing that He Himself was the final Passover Lamb who would deliver humanity from sin.

b). The Four Days Leading to Sacrifice: The Passover lambs, chosen on the 10th of Nisan, were to be kept for four days and sacrificed on the 14th. In this particular year, the 14th day fell on a Thursday. Jesus, as the ultimate sacrificial lamb, was crucified on this very day—the same day the Passover lambs were killed—fulfilling the symbolism of the final, perfect sacrifice. This detail underscores the importance of Jesus' role in God's divine plan of redemption.

c). Jesus' Prophecy and the Three Days and Nights; The Prophecy of Jesus in Matthew 12:40; In Matthew 12:40, Jesus predicted that He would be in "the heart of the earth" for three days and three nights, just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish. A Friday crucifixion struggles to fit this timeline—it allows for parts of three days, but only two nights. A Thursday crucifixion, however, provides the full three days and three nights that Jesus spoke of, from Thursday evening to Sunday morning.

d). Calculating the Timeline: Thursday Crucifixion; A Thursday crucifixion means Jesus was buried on Thursday evening, which counts as the first night. Friday was the first day, followed by Friday night, Saturday day, and Saturday night. Jesus then rose on Sunday morning, fulfilling the "three days and three nights" prophecy literally. Understanding this timeline allows us to take Jesus' words at face value, without needing to reinterpret the phrase symbolically or stretch the meaning of "three days." This literal fulfillment also reinforces the credibility of Jesus' words and the consistency of biblical prophecy.

e). Evidence from the Gospel Accounts: Multiple Sabbaths During Passion Week

In Mark 15:42, we read that Jesus was crucified on "the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath." Traditionally, this has been interpreted to mean Friday, the day before the weekly Sabbath. However, during the Passover week, there was an additional Sabbath—called a "High Sabbath"—which could fall on a different day of the week, not necessarily Saturday. This distinction is crucial to understanding the timeline of Jesus' crucifixion, as it helps clarify why certain events happened when they did, and it resolves discrepancies in the traditional Friday crucifixion timeline.

f). The Role of the High Sabbath (John 19:30-31) John's Gospel provides crucial insight by clarifying that the Sabbath following Jesus' death was a "high day"—a special Passover Sabbath, not the regular weekly Sabbath. This suggests that Jesus was crucified on the day before this High Sabbath, which fell on Friday. Thus, Jesus was crucified on Thursday, making way for two Sabbaths—Friday's High Sabbath and Saturday's regular Sabbath—before His resurrection on Sunday. This explanation helps to understand why the traditional timeline often feels incomplete.

g). Matthew's Clue: Plural Sabbaths: Matthew 28:1 adds another important clue. Many English Bible translations render Sabbath as singular in the verse, but the Greek word, σαββάτων, is plural. Matthew is statring that that after the "Sabbaths" (plural), Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb. The use of the plural form indicates there were two Sabbaths back-to-back: the High Sabbath on Friday and the regular weekly Sabbath on Saturday. This dual-Sabbath scenario supports a Thursday crucifixion, providing an extra day in between for these two rest periods. This dual Sabbath explanation helps resolve the confusion around the events that took place during Passion Week and aligns all the Gospel accounts more coherently.

Additionally, understanding the context of these Sabbaths provides clarity on why the women waited until Sunday to visit the tomb. The back-to-back Sabbaths would have prohibited travel and preparation, meaning that Sunday morning was the first available opportunity for them to anoint Jesus' body. These details come together to give us a clearer picture of the actual timeline, reinforcing the reliability of the Gospel narratives. Wisdom International, https://www.wisdomonline.org/

d. [Strong: 3588. [Tē] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [Tē] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, Hē, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

e. [as it] began to dawn [Strong: 2020 epiphṓskō, ep-ee-foce'-ko; a form of G2017; to begin to grow light:—begin to dawn, × draw on.]

f. toward [Strong: 1519 eis, ice; a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:—(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), …ward, (where-)fore, with.]

g. [the] first [Strong: 1520 heîs, hice; a primary numeral; one:—a(-n, -ny, certain), + abundantly, man, one (another), only, other, some.]

h. [day of the] week [Strong: 4521 sábbaton, sab'-bat-on; of Hebrew origin (H7676); the Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension, a se'nnight, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications:—sabbath (day), week.]

i. came [Strong: 2064 érchomai, er'-khom-ahee; middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses, the others being supplied by a kindred (middle voice) ἐλεύθομαι eleúthomai el-yoo'-thom-ahee, or (active) ἔλθω élthō el'-tho, which do not otherwise occur); to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively):—accompany, appear, bring, come, enter, fall out, go, grow, × light, × next, pass, resort, be set.]

j. Mary [Strong: 3137 María, mar-ee'-ah; of Hebrew origin (H4813); Maria or Mariam (i.e. Mirjam), the name of six Christian females:—Mary.]

k. [Strong: 3588. [hē] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [hē] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, Hē, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

l. Magdalene [Strong: 3094 Magdalēnḗ, mag-dal-ay-nay'; feminine of a derivative of G3093; a female Magdalene, i.e. inhabitant of Magdala:—Magdalene.]

m. and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

n. the [Strong: 3588. [hē] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [hē] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, Hē, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

o. other [Strong: 243 állos, al'-los; a primary word; "else," i.e. different (in many applications):—more, one (another), (an-, some an-)other(-s, -wise).]

p. Mary [Strong: 3137 María, mar-ee'-ah; of Hebrew origin (H4813); Maria or Mariam (i.e. Mirjam), the name of six Christian females:—Mary.]

q. [to] see [Strong: 2334 theōréō, theh-o-reh'-o; from a derivative of G2300 (perhaps by addition of G3708); to be a spectator of, i.e. discern, (literally, figuratively (experience) or intensively (acknowledge)):—behold, consider, look on, perceive, see.]

r. the [Strong: 3588. [ton] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ton] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, Hē, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

s. sepulchre [Strong: 5028 táphos, taf'-os; masculine from G2290; a grave (the place of interment):—sepulchre, tomb.]