Here is the only sign Jesus gave to prove He was the Messiah.
Three Days and Three Nights
Several important aspects of Matthew 12:38-40 should be honestly evaluated. The first and perhaps most crucial is contained in verse 40, where Jesus clearly and specifically stated that He would be buried for three days and three nights. Is that what your church teaches? Or have you been taught the fable about a Friday crucifixion and Sunday morning resurrection? Try counting the number of nights and days for yourself. From Friday until Sunday morning, you will only find two nights and one day, not three of each.
Jesus said He would be in the earth for three days and three nights as proof He is the Son of God. If the teaching of most “Christian” churches is true, Jesus was only in the earth for two nights and one day, which would mean Jesus is not proved to be the Son of God.
So, now what do you do? How can you call Jesus the Son of God if His own words disprove it? How has the Friday to Sunday myth come to be taught and believed so universally?
First, religious leaders point to the fact that Jesus was crucified the day before a sabbath day. Then they wrongly conclude it means He was killed on a Friday, since the Bible calls Saturday the Sabbath. (As an aside, this proves that those same religious leaders know Saturday is the biblical Sabbath we are commanded to keep holy in the Fourth Commandment. For more on this topic, request our free booklet Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath?) They overlook the fact that it was actually an annual sabbath, as we will see.
Second, it was prophesied that there would be false teachings that would sway or be accepted by “many” (e.g. Matthew 24:4-5, 11). Satan, who has worked at deceiving mankind for 6,000 years (Revelation 12:9), is the one behind this deception.
These religious leaders who claim that Jesus was killed Friday afternoon and resurrected Sunday morning, totaling one day and two nights in the tomb, are—by denying the only sign Jesus gave of His messiahship—actually denying Christ.
Your Bible proves that the murder of Jesus occurred on Wednesday, April 25, in the year a.d. 31—notFriday. It also proves that the resurrection of Jesus occurred at sunset on Saturday evening, April 28, not at sunrise on Sunday.
Let us look closely at what really happened when Jesus was killed.
Not Buried Before a Weekly Sabbath
“After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death” (Mark 14:1).
This was just before the spring holy days in Israel. The Passover and the annual sabbath day called the first day of Unleavened Bread were just ahead. The annual sabbaths are listed in Leviticus 23. (For detailed information about the annual holy days, read our free booklet Pagan Holidays or God’s Holy Days—Which?)
“And the first day of 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).
Jesus was having His disciples prepare for the Passover, which is not a holy day, but is a sacred service. “And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15).
This is the event commonly called the Last Supper; however, in reality it is the “Lord’s Passover” (Exodus 12:11, 27; Leviticus 23:5). It is not the Passover of the Jews, as so many churches teach today.
Continue reading through Mark 14, and the events and timing become clear. It is also recorded beginning in Matthew 26, Luke 22 and John 18.
Jesus and His disciples partook of the Passover in the evening, then went to the garden where Jesus prayed. In the night, Jesus was taken prisoner by a band of men from the chief priests and Pharisees. “And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes” (Mark 14:53).
This was in the night, following the Passover. Immediately the next morning, Jesus was taken to Pilate. “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).
After the charade that passed for a trial, Jesus was sentenced to be killed.
“And they bring him unto the place Golgotha …. And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him” (Mark 15:22, 24-25). Time was measured according to the military watches, or guards. The third hour was 9 a.m. in our modern terms.
“And when the sixth hour [noon] was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour [3 p.m.] Jesus cried with a loud voice …. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost” (verses 33-34, 37).
Jesus died at 3 p.m. the day before the first day of Unleavened Bread referred to in Mark 14:1.
The day before a holy day is called a day of preparation. This was such a day. The first day of Unleavened Bread is an annual sabbath, or a holy day.
Next was the burial of Jesus by Joseph.
No comments:
Post a Comment