An "Ask the Preacher" article as it has appeared in the Santa Rosa Press Gazette (Milton, Florida). The author is Pastor Carl Gallups of Hickory Hammock Baptist Church in Milton, Florida. Click HERE to go to the Main Index page of Hickory Hammock Baptist Church to read many more such articles. This article is copyrighted by Carl Gallups and may be reproduced provided that copyright notice is given.



Dear Pastor Gallups, "I heard you say recently that you do not believe that Jesus was crucified on a Friday as some Christian tradition holds. If that is so, why do you feel that way?" - I.R. - Milton

Dear I.R., Yes, it is my opinion that Jesus was crucified on Thursday of the "passion week" and not Friday. The dating of the actual day of crucifixion has been debated among scholars for a long time. But, it really is an important consideration.

The reason that I hold that Jesus could not have been crucified on Friday is based upon several Biblical facts. First, in Matt. 12:38 Jesus promised, as a matter of prophesy, that he would be in the tomb for three days. If he were crucified on Friday, that promise would have been impossible for him to keep.

Secondly, in John 18:28, the gospel writer makes it very plain that by the time that Jesus was before Pilate, the "the Jews had not yet eaten the Passover." Most scholars agree that Passover was on Thursday of that week. So, he would have had to have been crucified on Thursday afternoon. If he was, then he WAS in the tomb a full 3 nights and then on the third day, Sunday, he arose, just as he promised.

Thirdly, In Exodus 12:14-16, the scripture is clear that the first day and the seventh day after the Passover were special Sabbaths. Again, John records that the day AFTER Jesus' crucifixion was a "special Sabbath". (John 19:31) Since Friday was a special Sabbath, on which no work was to be done, then, if Jesus was tried and crucified on Friday, this would have flown in the face of all the Sabbath laws.

A thorough Biblical study of this topic is extremely complex. The celebration of Passover and its surrounding feasts were greatly changed from the pre-exile times of the Old Testament to the post-exile times that Jesus lived in. Much confusion of this topic falls along these lines of understanding.

The important thing to remember, I.R., is this, Jesus DID die on Calvary's cross for your sin and He DID rise from the grave 3 days and 3 nights later, just as he promised, to prove to the world that He was and is the Son of the Most High God. Trust in Him, I.R., and you will never go wrong!