Now remember, the Jewish day begins and ends at 6:00 pm.
Matthew 27:57-58- When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
John 19:39-40- And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
So, when the sun was going down, Joseph of Arimathaea took Christ's body, and he and Nicodemus wrapped it and put it in a tomb that was found in a garden.
John 19:41-42- Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
This tomb belonged to Joseph of Arimathaea, and it had never been used before.
Matthew 27:60-61- And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
Two women who had followed Jesus went also to find out where they were going to bury Jesus. They knew that they couldn't do anything on that day, but they were planning when the Sabbath days were over to come back and properly embalm Him.
Luke 23:56- And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
Because the next day was a Sabbath day, there wasn't enough time to properly embalm the body. So, Joseph just wrapped His body and buried it. This is why Jesus said that the woman who anointed Him with oil and wiped His feet with her tears had prepared Him for burial- there wouldn't be time to do so later.
Jesus was dead and in the tomb before 6:00 at night; the end of the Jewish Wednesday, and the beginning of Jew's Thursday night .
The following morning, the religious leaders were worried about some of the things that Jesus had said when He was alive. They must have been up all night worrying about it, because the next morning they went to Pilate.
Matthew 27:62-65- 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 sepulchre 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. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
Pilate gave the religious leaders a few soldiers to guard the tomb. They thought that the disciples would come and steal the body and say that Jesus had risen from the grave.
Matthew 27:66- So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
A Watch was four guards who changed every three hours. If the guards fell asleep or left their place during their watch they would be executed!
Here's where all the confusion comes in.
John 19:31a- 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,)
People assume that the sabbath was always Saturday. The Jewish word Sabbath means special day. And the Jews had many special days.
Leviticus 23:4-7,32- These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
There were many holy sabbath days, which means they wouldn't all fall on a Saturday. There are many more examples, but for the sake of time, we'll use just this one.
So, the sabbath that was an high day was not Saturday, It was a Thursday!
Have you ever wondered what Jesus did while His body was in the tomb? The Bible tells those of us who are willing to search it out!
First, I need to explain about Paradise.
Jesus told the one thief that He would see the thief in Paradise. What is Paradise? Where is Paradise?
Paradise was a place that the Old Testament Jews, and those who died forgiven by God, would have their souls go to wait for God.
You see, in the Old Testament sins could be covered by the blood of the sacrifices, but they couldn't be completely taken away- Forgiven, but not forgotten.
So, those who were forgiven went to Paradise when they died, and those who weren't forgiven went to hell.
Luke 16:23- And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Hell and Paradise were in the same place. Deep inside the earth, there was a large divide with hell on one side and Paradise on the other. These people could see and hear each other, but they couldn't pass over the divide to each other.
Luke 16:24-26- And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
So, when Jesus died, He went to the center of the earth. He preached the good news to those in Paradise that they were fixing to leave that place; and then He went and preached to those in hell.
I Peter 3:19- By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
While in hell, He met Satan and took away something from him.
Revelation 1:18- I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
That's right! Jesus took the keys of hell and death from Satan. And then, He orchestrated a jail break!
Ephesians 4:8-10- Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Jesus took those souls that were stuck in Paradise and transplanted the entire place into Heaven, where the Lord God Almighty resides.
II Corinthians 12:4- How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
What happened to that empty space? Hell got bigger.
Isaiah 5:14- Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
Jesus had paid the price for the forgiveness of sin. Never again would sin be just covered. It would be forgotten.
Psalm 103:12- As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Micah 7:19- He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
This is why Jesus had to die. Sin could be forgiven by the blood of an innocent animal, but it couldn't be forgotten until someone paid the full price. The only price that could be accepted had be innocent blood from a righteous man!
Leviticus 17:11- For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
God's law to the Jew was that only blood could atone for the soul. There had to be sinless blood shed to take away our sins. But that blood had to be powerful enough to pay for the sins of the world from Creation until the end of time! Only the blood of God Himself could do that.
Hebrews 9:28- So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
This offering only had to be made once. It could atone for all the sins of the entire world without ever having to be repeated!
There's only two place in the Bible that a person goes to after they die, Heaven (where Paradise now is) and Hell, which has grown large enough to have a place for all who reject Jesus' gift of salvation.
And, do you know what you have to do for God to forgive and forget your sins?
Romans 10:9, 13- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Christ died for all. He said whosoever shall call. Shall is present tense, and whosoever means anybody! Praise God! I don't have to try to pay for my sins. I just accept what Christ has done for me on Calvary and I live everyday by thankfully telling others!
So, from Thursday evening until Saturday evening was three nights, and from Thursday morning until Saturday morning was three days. Jesus arose from the grave just after 6:00pm on the beginning of the Jews Sunday evening, which is our Saturday night.
