WAS PASSOVER ON GOOD FRIDAY?

 MYSTERIES OF THE CROSS ~ PART TWO

WHAT DAY WAS PASSOVER?

Pastor Dave and the college group are at Gorden's Calvary Garden tomb, looking at the cliff wall, Golgotha the place of the skull.

Dave says, "How many of you believe that Passover was on Good Friday?"  Everyone but Dan and Sally raise their hands.

Sally says, "I was taught it was on Tuesday.

He was put in the tomb Wednesday before Sunset, and rose 72 hours later on Saturday's Sabbath."

Dan speaks, "I believe it was on Thursday. 

Pastor Dave says, "Anyone here believe it was Monday?  Does anyone here know what days Passover in Israel was on between 28 AD to 33 AD, if Passover was on Nisan 14th?

James states, "Tuesday March 30th 28 ad, Monday April 18th, 29 ad; Friday April 7th, 30 ad; Tuesday March 27th, 31 ad; Sunday April 13th, 32 ad; and Friday April 3rd, 33 ad."

Cindy asks, "Was Passover on Nisan 14th or Nisan 15?  It seems like there are a lot of confusion here and Biblical scholars come up with different dates for Passover."

John reads: "‘These are the appointed times of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them.  In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover.  Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.  On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.  But for seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.’”  (Leviticus 23:4-8  NASB ~ New American Standard Bible)

Pastor Dave speaks, "How can we figure out which year Jesus was crucified?"

Susanna reads, "When Herod found out that the wise men from the east had tricked him, he was very angry. He gave orders for his men to kill all the boys who lived in or near Bethlehem and were two years old and younger. This was based on what he had learned from the wise men."  (Matthew 2:16  CEV ~ Contemporary English Version)

Debra adds, "Jesus was under two years old when Herod the Great ordered to kill the toddlers in Bethlehem."

James continues, "Herod the Great died shortly after one of the three lunar eclipses in Jerusalem that occurred on  Saturday March 13th, 4 BC; Wednesday January 10th, 1 BC; or  Saturday December 29th, 1 BC."

Peter remarks, "If Jesus was born in 3 BC and Herod the Great died in 1 BC, Christ would be 33 years old when Passover was on Good Friday, 30 AD."

Pastor Dave says, What about the Sign of Jonah.  Does this piece of the puzzle fit in with Good Friday?

Debra answers, "Jesus answered and said unto them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  (John 2:19  KJ21 ~ 21st Century King James Version)  "Friday, Saturday and Sunday!"

Paul answers, "And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again."  (Mark 8:31  ASV ~ American Standard Version)

"Friday, Saturday and Sunday!"

Mary answers too, "...and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day,"  (Luke 24:46  NET ~ New English Translation)  "Friday, Saturday and Sunday!"

Pastor Dave concludes, "Is the case closed, or are there other things we might have missed? Read your Bible, and we'll dive into mystery of the cross tomorrow."