Testing What We Know to be True
This post is a response to Mark, aka @mr-easyfix . Mark has posted detailed comments on my bible study posts as to his understanding of the Passion timeline. I would like to address some difficulties I have with this interpretation. I have not met Mark personally, but His zeal for understanding the scriptures has made an impression on me and he is clearly passionate for the Word of God.
The Mystery of Yeshua's Last Week Timeline
Over the past 7 years celebrating the Passover and Firstfruits, I've wondered each year about the timeline of that final week before Passover, when Yeshua was betrayed and crucified. I generated several studies for myself to understand the final week according to the scriptures I decided to share what I discovered here on Steemit.
I've quoted Mark's comments and my responses.
I can see from your most recent post on this subject that you have let foolish people lead you astray. You were on the right track. Your biggest flaw as I can see it is that you keep on trying to figure it out by using a pagan calendar. You will never figure it out by using man's calendar. the days are 1,2,3,4,5,6,Sabbath get those pagan days out of your head. The day starts a sunset and ends at sunset. If you need a calendar, then draw one out. If you like I will post one for you with all the times and feasts on them. It is nothing fancy, but it will be accurate. All those fancy "Strong's Concordances and Greek" texts where created by trinitarian non Yeshua knowing people. I know that may seem harsh, but that is the truth. Be very careful who you follow. Here is a copy of what I added to your newest post on this same exact subject. Shalom
Recap of the Study in Question
Shalom Mark. The study on the final week before the crucifixion came about by attempting to harmonize the four Gospel accounts together, to understand the seeming contradictions. One contradiction that really bothered me is this question: "when did the women purchase the spices?"
And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. Mark 16:1
Vs.
And they [the women] returned, and prepared spices and ointments [before the Sabbath]; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. Luke 23:56
So... which is it? Before or after the Sabbath? The timeline you have presented below offers an interesting solution - that both accounts are correct. That is an attractive reading, but I believe according to the text that there is no difficulty between Mark 16:1 and Luke 23:56 and there no requirement for multiple Sabbaths in the timeline to harmonize the texts.
Two Different Sabbaths
I am not here to ridicule or point fingers as I was once in your shoes. So before you begin, please ask the Father to show you the truth, No matter how ugly it is. So let's begin: Please pay close attention to the words I have put in Bold Both passages are correct, Because there was actually 2 Different Sabbath days being talked about here. Before you go off the deep end please read on and try to understand.
The 'Two Different Sabbaths' theory was once attractive to me also because I believed that the timeline had to account for 3 days and 3 nights to fulfill the 'Sign of Jonah'. But I ignored that it destroys the multiple "Third Day" prophecies that Yeshua told His disciples.
Let's look at Mark 16: 1 thru verse 2. 1.) When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2.) And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. This is talking about the WEEKLY Sabbath day (Saturday) Now let's look at Luke 23:54 thru 56 54.) And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 55.) And the women also, who came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid. 56.) And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested on the sabbath, according to the commandment. What you need to realize here is What is the Preparation day??? Are they talking about preparing for a weekly sabbath? No they are not.
I cannot find any indication in the Gospels of two preparation days and two Sabbaths during that week.
That Sabbath Day Was an High Day
According to John's witness, the weekly Sabbath was the 15th day of the month.
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and [that] they might be taken away. John 19:31
John is saying it was "the Preparation" (the 6th day of the week) for "the Sabbath day" (the 7th day of the week). Then he continues and says also "that Sabbath day was a high day". This tells us that "the Preparation" is the 14th day of the month, the "Sabbath day" is the 15th day of the month, and "the morrow after the Sabbath day" is the 16th day of the month (Firstfruits).
Yeshua Rose on the Third Day
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Matthew 16:21
I believe these are the three days of the prophecy: the 14th (preparation), the 15th (Sabbath) and the 16th day resurrection (Firstfruits).
- Suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed
- In the tomb
- Raised again the third day
Preparation for the Passover Meal
The Preparation day they are talking about is Preparing for the Passover Meal that was to be eaten at twilight (between the evenings, which is when the sun has gone down and you can see it no longer (but there is still light) until total darkness, this is called "twilight" or "between the evenings") This is when the Passover meal was to be eaten. Once the sun went fully down, then "The Feast of Unleavened Bread" begins. This is the FIRST Sabbath as this feast day is a "High Sabbath Day" as you will see mentioned in a moment. On our calendar it would have been a Thursday and on the biblical calendar it would have been the 5th day of the week. Please note: a High Sabbath day can fall on ANY day of the week and is treated just like a weekly sabbath day and the people would have to rest according to the commandments.
I agree with the above, however John specifically says"that Sabbath day was an High day". He called the seventh day of the week, the High Day, or the 15th day of the month - the first day of Unleavened Bread. The High Sabbath of Passover was not on the 5th day of the week that year, but on the 7th day of the week according to the text.
Between the Sabbath Days?
So when did the women prepare the spices? between the Sabbath days. Between the High Sabbath day (feast of unleavened bread) and the weekly Sabbath day.
I disagree with this interpretation. The conclusion to the bible study in question is that the woman purchased and prepared the spices before the Sabbath/High Sabbath, as reported in Luke's Gospel and supported by Mark's Gospel. They ran out of time to prepare the body before dark.
If the women were getting their spices together between the Sabbath days that means they gathered their spices on a Friday. (6th day) Which puts the Feast of Unleavened Bread on a Thursday (5th day).
Which puts the Passover on the evening of Wednesday (4th day)
Which means he was tried on a Tuesday Night (3rd day)
Which means he was put in the tomb on a Wednesday (4th day), at twilight.
Which means he did not eat the Passover Meal.
Which means he rose on the weekly Sabbath.
The women, nor anyone else said he rose on the first day of the week.
The Bible never says that either!
Count the days, but Do Not use the Gregorian calendar, you will never get the right answer. Use the biblical days 1,2,3,4,5,6,Sabbath. Yeshua (Jesus) was put in the tomb at Twilight (at the end of the 4th day, at twilight)
4th day sunset to the 5th day sunset = 1 day (rest day, High Sabbath)
5th day sunset to the 6th day sunset = 2 days
6th day sunset to the 7th day sunset = 3 days (rest day) (weekly Sabbath)
He rose on the end of the Sabbath at Twilight. (It is night time) 1st day = then the next day Early in the morning, around dawn they go to the tomb. Was he in the tomb? No Most churches teach that he rose at dawn, the Bible teaches otherwise.
The Sabbath Gap Timeline
This timeline has a High Sabbath gap between when the women purchased the spices and prepared the spices.
- The women purchased spices on the 4th day of the week, the preparation day for the Passover (the 14th day of the month)
- The women rested on the 5th day of the week, the High Sabbath (the 15th day of the month)
- The women returned and prepared the spices on the 6th day (the 16th day of the month)
- The women then rested on the weekly Sabbath (the 17th day of the month) Yeshua Resurrects on the Sabbath
- The women found the empty tomb after the weekly Sabbath (the 18th of the month)
I disagree with this timeline. This may offer a solution to the before/after Sabbath spices issue, but destroys the fulfillment of Yeshua's multiple "Third Day" prophecies.
An Alternate Timeline
- The women purchased and prepared spices on the 6th day of the week, the preparation day for the Passover (the 14th day of the month)
- The women did not have time to anoint the body before dark (the 7th day of the week), so they rested according to the commandment (the 15th day of the month) Yeshua Resurrects after the completion of the Sabbath (the third day)
- The women found the empty tomb the morning after the weekly/High Sabbath (the 16th day of the month)
Please refer to my post for the time-markers for each day of that final week.
The Week Before the Crucifixion
I know this is a lot to take in, so try to do it slowly. Read it over until it make sense. This is meat, please eat it slowly so you do not choke. The church doesn't give out meat, enjoy. Ask God to show you the truth no matter how ugly it gets and He will, but be careful what you ask for, lol. If you have any questions I will be glad to answer them to the best of my ability. Shalom, Mark
Blessings to you Mark and to your family. May we both rejoice with the truth according to the scriptures! Benjamin
Time Markers in the Gospels
To my amazement, the Gospels themselves show us the timeline of that final week, including the fulfillment of the Third Day prophecy.
9th - Six Days before the Passover:
Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There thy made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. John 12:1
10th - Five Days before the Passover:
On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, got fronds of palms and came out to meet Him. And they clamored, saying, "Hosanna! Blessed is He Who is coming in the name of the Lord!" and "The King of Israel!" John 12:12-13
And Jesus entered Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. Mark 11:11
11th - Four Days before the Passover:
And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not [yet]. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever. Mark 11:12
And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; Mark 11:15
And whenever it came to be evening, they went out, outside the city. Mark 11:19
12th - Three Days before the Passover:
And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. Mark 11:20
And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, Mark 11:27
After two days was the Passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put to death. But they said, Not on the feast [day], lest there be an uproar of the people. Mark 13:1-3
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, came away to the chief priests that he may be giving Him up to them. Mark 14:10
13th - Two Days before the Passover:
And the first day the unleavened bread, (when they killed the Passover), his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the Passover? Mark 14:12
And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the Passover. Mark 14:16
And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer: yet I say unto you, I will not eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide [it] among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. Luke 22:15-18
And, singing a hymn, they came out to the mount of Olives. Mark 14:26
14th - The Day Before Passover (Preparation Day):
And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried [him] away, and delivered [him] to Pilate. Mark 15:1
They themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passover. John 18:28
But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the Passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? John 18:39
And it was the Preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! John 19:14
The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) John 19:31
15th - The Sabbath
Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Matthew 27:62-64
16th - The Morrow After the Sabbath
In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. Matthew 28:1
Now rising early the first of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. Mark 16:9
Then the same day at evening, being the first of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace unto you. John 20:19
But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Luke 24:21