Here is something that will blow your mind;  Jesus did not die on a Friday.  Think about this, Jesus said:

 

            Matthew 12:40 (ESV)
40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

We know that Jesus rose on Sunday assuming we finally got the calendars right.

 

            Mark 16:1-2 (ESV)
1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and 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. (Emphasis mine)

Counting backwards:    Sunday Morning   Day Three – ALIVE!

                                       Saturday Night      Night Three in the grave
                                       Saturday Day        Day Two in the grave
                                       Friday Night          Night Two in the grave

                                       Friday Day             Day One in the grave

                                       Thursday Night     Night One in the grave

                                       Thursday Day        On the cross

 

Jesus was crucified and died on Thursday.  The error of Good Friday is easy to make  because the Bible says “they” did not want the bodies left on the crosses on the Sabbath (John 19:31).  The Sabbath normally begins Friday at sunset and goes to Saturday sunset.  So is the Bible wrong?  No, not at all.  It was the Passover celebration - remember?  Passover was a weeklong celebration.  The first day of the week of celebration was a Sabbath and so was the last day.  Depending on what day of the week the Passover began (this year it falls on Saturday), one week could have as many as three Sabbaths.  The error is in the church tradition.

 

I have always said that tradition is great – as far as it goes.  We must recognize that church tradition is not necessarily inspired, and often is not, at least not by God.  More likely church tradition is inspired by man and is subject to error.  So what affect does this have on the Christian?  About the same effect as knowing Jesus was not born on December 25th, or that the earth was created on a Tuesday (yes, someone figured THAT out).  In other words, it has no effect whatsoever. 

 

What is important is that Jesus died, in payment for our sins and on the third day, He was found to be alive again.  Those are Biblical FACTS and you can count on them.  Jesus is alive, He was dead and now He is alive!  He has gone to prepare a place for us and He will come again.  Whether that happens before the Tribulation or after is another discussion.

 

Bill