Jesus Crucified Wednesday?

It amazes me that we have never been told of the words contained within Didascalia Apostolorum, which mentions that the last Passover of Jesus and His Disciples was held on a Tuesday night.

The Didascalia Apostolorum is a document which was said to have been handed down on apostolic instruction around the year 200 A.D.

http://www.bombaxo.com/didascalia.html

The Document states (xx1 - V 13) " For when we had eaten the Passover on the third day of the week at even, (Tuesday) we went forth to the Mount of Olives and in the night they seized our Lord Jesus and the next day which was the fourth day of the week ( Wednesday) He remained in ward in the house of of Caiaphas the high priest."

The text goes on to mention Jesus was crucified on a Friday which shows a bit of confusion about dates as the Bible clearly states that Jesus was crucified the day following the Passover meal.

....Now this was done on the fourth day of the week. For when we had eaten the passover on the third day of the week at even, we went forth to the Mount of Olives; and in the night they seized our Lord Jesus. And the next day, which was the fourth of the week, He remained in ward in the house of Caiaphas the high priest. And on the same day the chiefs of the people were assembled and took counsel against Him. And on the next day again, which was the fifth of the week, they brought Him to Pilate the governor. And He remained again in ward with Pilate the night after the fifth day of the week. But when it drew on (towards day) on the Friday, [[182]] they accused him much [Mk 15.3] before Pilate; and they could show nothing that was true, but gave false witness against Him. And they asked Him of Pilate to be put to death; and they crucified Him on the same Friday....

Nevertheless, it is clear that the Passover Meal was on the Tuesday evening which means that Jesus was actually crucified on the Wednesday.

Epiphanius (A.D. 367-403) who was the bishop at Salamis wrote .... "Wednesday and Friday are days of fasting up to the ninth hour because as Wednesday began the Lord was arrested and on Friday He was crucified."

My investigation into this matter followed a phone call from my Aunt in Moonah, and we discussed the matter for some time. If what we are taught, that Jesus was crucified on the Friday, then one and one does not make two concerning the Resurrection taking into account that days were measured from evening to evening. Therefore, Wednesday began on the Tuesday at sunset.

Socrates mentions in his section of history titled "Differences Of Useage In Regard To Easter" .... "others in the east kept that feast on the Sabbath indeed ...."

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf202.ii.viii.xxiii.html

(131)

However, it was Pope Gregory of Tours is supposed to have stated " In our belief the resurrection of The Lord was on the first day and not on the seventh as many deem" yet, he himself believed in the Sunday Resurrection.", but I cannot find the documented words.

The words contained in the Didascalia Apostolorum certainly line up with what Jesus said in the Bible. Matt 12:40

" For 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."

The Gospels are perfectly clear that Jesus died and was placed in the tomb just before sunset when the Sabbath began. John 19:30 but ... by tradition (that ugly word) the Good Friday - Easter Sunday timing today is sadly way out and has been for centuries and there is no way anyone can correct it.

There is another little thing involved here. John 20:1 tells us "

On the FIRST day of the week,Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early ... WHILE IT WAS STILL DARK ...

and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb".

This means that Jesus was Resurrected BEFORE daybreak

Therefore, He wasn't in the tomb for even a second of the Sunday!

So ... how do they account for todays Easter timing?

By today's Easter Timing Friday sundown to Saturday sundown is one day and one night, Saturday night to Sunday daybreak is another night which gives us two nights and one day. So ... where do we get another day and two days to equal the words Jesus spoke?

This serious problem needs to be addressed for those who attend Stations Of The Cross, and for those who meditate and pray during this sacred time.

There is one other little thing here ... The CONTEXT in which Jesus spoke the words of Matthew 12:40. It was the scribes and pharisees who were demanding a miraculous sign for Him to prove He was the Messiah. His words to them were " An evil and adulterous generation seek after a sign, and NO sign will be given to IT except the sign of the prophet Jonah" (verse 39)

So, the matter of His being in the earth three days and nights in the earth was not a light subject.

The plain fact is, we cannot fit three days and three nights between a Friday afternoon crucifixion and an Easter Sunday no matter which way we try to calculate.

Does the Bible mention Easter? Yes, the word is in the Book of Acts, but ... in fact Easter is the Greek word pascha (derived from the Hebrew word pesach, there is no original Greek word for Passover.

In the matter of Jesus being crucified on the Wednesday we would come to the conclusion ...

Tuesday..... Jesus ate Passover with His disciples at the beginning of Nisan 14 (Biblical reckoning); instituted the New Covenant symbols (Matt 26:26 -28) He was then betrayed by Judas, arrested and during the night taken before the high priest.

Wednesday ... Jesus was crucified and died around 3.p.m. (Matt 27:46-50) This being the preparation day for the annual, not weekly Sabbath which began at sunset (Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, John 19:31) His Body was placed in the tomb just before sunset (Matt 27:57-60)

Thursday ... The High Sabbath and thr 1st day of Unleavened

Bread. (John 19:31, Lev 23:4-7) In Matthew (27-62 it is described as the "Day After Preparation"

Friday ... The High Sabath gone, the women purchased and prepared spices for annointing Jesus Body prior to resting on the Sabbath which began at Friday sunset. Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56 (Also note His Body had already been prepared by the woman who annointed His feet with oil)

Saturday ... The women all rested in accordance with the Sabbath and to the Fourth Commandment. Luke 23:56, Exodus 20:8-11

Jesus arose around sunset fulfilling the sign of Jonah.

Sunday ... The women brought the prepared spices etc; EARLY in the morning during darknesss, Luke 24:1 John 20:1, and found that Jesus had already arisen. Matt 28:1 - 6, Mark 16:2 -6, Luke 24:2-3, John 20:1.

These are but my calculations.

However, I cannot concede there is any connection between the ancient Sumerian goddess Ishtar and easter, as many claim, due to the presence of the word "passover".

So ... less easter egg stuff, and easter bunny stuff and more of the truth in my sight would be far more becoming than lies. I really DO hate lies, and deceit.