Forwarded Email - Isn't it strange?

Isn't it strange How a 20 dollar bill seems like such a large amount When you Donate it to church, But such a small amount when you go Shopping?

Isn't it strange How 2 hours seem so long when you're at church, And how Short they seem when you're watching a good Movie?

Isn't it strange That you can't find a word to say when you're praying but.. You have no trouble thinking what to talk about With a friend?

Isn't it strange How difficult and boring it is to read one Chapter of the Bible, but How easy it is to read 100 pages of a popular novel?

Isn't it strange How everyone wants Front-row-tickets to concerts or games but They do everything Possible to sit in the last row at Church?

Isn't it strange How we need to know about an event for Church 2-3 weeks In advance so we can include it in our agenda, But we can make Adjustments for other events at a moment's notice?

Isn't it strange How difficult it is to learn a fact about God and share it With others; But how easy it is to learn, understand, extend And repeat gossip?

Isn't it strange How we believe everything that magazines and newspapers Say but.... We question the words in 

The Bible?

Isn't it strange How everyone wants a place in heaven but... They don't Want to believe, do, or say anything To get there?

Isn't it strange How we send jokes in e-mails and they are forwarded Right away but When we have messages to send about God, We think about It twice before we share it with others?

                                     

Events leading up to Resurrection Sunday

 Good Friday? What day did Jesus really die?

What we know about the day Jesus was crucified: While Church tradition commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday, there are several debates over which day of the week Jesus actually died. The biggest question being, did Jesus really die on Friday, or did he die earlier in the week?

The Friday concept is based on Mark 15:42, which says that Christ's death occurred "the day before the Sabbath". Since the Hebrew Sabbath is on Saturday, the Roman Church traditionally held that Jesus was crucified on Friday.

However, Jesus prophesied that he would be dead for three days and three nights before his resurrection: "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40). Now this may not mean literally 72 hours, but I do believe this means three times of light and three times of darkness.

There are obviously not three days and three nights between Friday evening and Sunday morning. The problem is resolved by a clarification of what Mark meant by "sabbath". Along with the weekly Sabbath day, the Jews had other "sabbaths" throughout the year, all holy days were considered to be a Sabbath day. In some translations of the Bible, the passage of Matthew 28:1, is translated to read as, "at the end of the sabbaths" or "on the eve of the sabbaths". This shows us that there had been more than one sabbath the previous week.


As with other holy days, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was also considered a "sabbath" (Lev. 23:6,7). This Feast begins on Nisan 15, the day after the Passover meal (Lev. 23:5-6). Jesus was crucified on the Passover and Mark 15:42-43 notes that Joseph of Arimathea desired to take Christ's body down from the cross before the high sabbath began.

Let's create a plausible timeline:

What if we break down what we know: If the Passover meal, being on the 14th of Nisan, was earlier in the week, the 15th could have been any day prior to Saturday, the weekly Sabbath. John 12:1 mentions that Jesus traveled to Bethany six days before the Passover meal. According to the Jewish calendar, days are counted from sundown to sundown, so that each "day" begins at sundown the evening before. We will track these "days" and I will show you how Jesus could have been crucified earlier in the week.


FRIDAY - The 9th of Nisan: We know from Luke 19:1 and Mark 10:46 that Jesus was in Jericho prior to traveling to Bethany. Jesus would have had to be in Bethany before sundown on Friday, since at sundown the Sabbath would start, and long-distance travel was not permitted on the Sabbath.


SATURDAY - The 10th of Nisan: "On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord." - John 12:12-13. This is Jesus' Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. In modern day, this is commemorated on Palm Sunday. This is in accordance with the Friday view, which put it 5 days before the crucifixion. However, it appears it occurred on a Saturday because His entry into Jerusalem on the 10th day of Nisan also corresponds with Passover tradition. Jesus is the Lamb of God, and in Exodus 12:3-6, we see that a lamb was separated from the flock and put on display as the lamb destined to be sacrificed on Passover. On this day, Jesus was put on display as he proceeded from Bethany down the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem.


SUNDAY - The 11th of Nisan: During this time, Jesus was teaching the people many things. Some of Jesus' most well-known parables and prophecies were made during these next several days.


MONDAY - The 12th of Nisan: A quiet day at Bethany - Matt 26:2-6 (spent in the house of Simon the Leper).


TUESDAY - The 13th of Nisan

WEDNESDAY - The 14th of Nisan: The Last Supper took place at the Passover meal (Luke 22:15-20, John 13-17). Jesus offered his disciples the broken bread and the wine as representing his own body and blood. He was arrested in the Garden after Judas' betrayal. After several trials, he was beaten and finally crucified on Wednesday afternoon. The preparations for burial were made before sundown (Mark 15:42-43) since at sundown would begin a Sabbath day since it is the First day of the Feast.


THURSDAY - 15th of Nisan: Jesus' first full night and day in the tomb beginning on the 15th of Nisan, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (A Sabbath day).


FRIDAY - 16th of Nisan: Jesus' second full night and day in the tomb.


SATURDAY - 17th of Nisan: Jesus' body lay in the grave for the third and final night and day after his crucifixion.


SUNDAY - 18th of Nisan: Sometime after sundown , the start of Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead. Thus, he had been in the grave three days and three nights as prophesied. On Sunday morning, when the women went to the tomb with burial spices, they found the tomb empty.

My Final Thought: 

Now with many things that are in the Bible, this is all an argument of technicalities. To many times people obsess over the details and think that is what is ultimatly important. Over the centuries, to much blood shed has occured because people have argued over the minor details.


I do not believe that when it comes time to answer the ultimate questions, that this detail truly matters. The important thing is to keep the Word, witness whenever you can, and believe that Jesus is a our Rescuer. When someone presents you with an idea that contradicts your own, keep in mind the following, "does it really matter?" Don't sweat the small stuff, and in life there is a lot of small stuff.