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IRENT Vol. III Supplement

Walk through the Bible #7 Passion Week Chronology

See also related companion files:

<Walk through the Bible #7-A – Time & Calendar>,
<Walk through the Bible #7-B – Festival, Feast, & Passover>,
<Walk through the Bible #7-D – Selected Biblical Chronologies>,
<Walk through the Bible #7-E – Sabbath and Sabbath day>

This is one of the supplements to IRENT, a new translation of the New Testament which is
based on the linguistic and literary critical approach. The translation with associated sup-
porting files is open to the public and available free to all to challenge and be challenged.
You should find this helpful in many ways. It is, however, to make the reading rather more
careful than to make it comfortable and easy for reading and studying the Bible. And fore-
most it is here to help ourselves help and continually unlearn, relearn and learn!

As with everything in life, many fails to unlearn those things cherished dearly. It is a life
changing effort. Sadly, no one wants to unlearn. But we all need to unlearn, sometimes
from the ground up. It pays to unlearn!
 IRENT Vol. III. Supplement:

No. 1 (Words, Words, and Words)

No. 2 (Text, Translation, and Translations)
No. 3-A (Name, God, and Spirit)
No. 3-B (God's Name & Tetragrammaton)
No. 3-C (Trinity and Godhead)
No. 4-A (Jesus, Christ vs. Yeshua, Mashiah)
No. 4-B (Cross, Crucifixion and Resurrection)
No. 4-C (Infancy Narrative, Virgin & Virgin Birth)
No. 5-A (Man, Anthropology, and Religion)
No. 5-B (Sin, atonement and blood)
No. 6-A (People and Persons)
No. 6-B (Place, Things, and Numbers)
No. 7-A (Time & Calendar)
No. 7-B (Festival, Feast, & Passover)
No. 7-C (Passion Week Chronology)
No. 7-D (Selected Biblical Chronologies)
No. 7-E (Sabbath and Sabbath day)

WALK THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE

No. 7-C Passion Week Chronology

 No. 7-C Passion Week Chronology
Note: Inevitably a considerable amount of material is present in duplicates being
escaped from scrupulous editing. It is to be taken as reiteration, emphasis, and
different presentation put in different settings.

Contents
1. Conclusion of the Passover chronology
2. Summary of the Passover week timeline
3. Introduction
4. Passover Week Chronology and Timeline
A. Summary of Calendar Issues
B. Preliminary considerations on crucifixion scenarios
C. Events from Arrival at Bethany to Entombment
D. Timelines of the Passion – Passover Week
E. Event-by-event in the Passion Week timeline
F. Liturgical Holy Week vs. Passion Week
G. Current years of the Passion week
H. Calendar of Abib 2019
5. Passion Week chronology – confusions, conflicts & contentions
6. Biblical Lunar Calendar for the Passion Week
7. Basic Vocabulary and Terminology
8. Time-markers in the Biblical passages
9. Appendices
10. References
 On the term 'Passover'
In addition to a basic vocabulary for various words, terms, phrases, it is essential to
have knowledge on various calendar systems. Without them, it is impossible to follow
the timeline and chronology of the biblical narratives, especially the Passover, because
all the claims and arguments are actually the source of confusion, contradictions, and
contentions. See 'Passover' in the file <Walk Through the Bible #7 – Time & Calendar> and
<Walk Through the Bible #8 – Festival, Feast, & Passover>.

Despite the biblical confession 'Mashiah is our Passover', the significance of 'Passover'
is almost lost to the readers of the Bible. Most of them are not aware that the Crucifix-
ion was on the day of Passover, Abib 14, eve of High Sabbath ( Jn 19:31). A Catholic
pope even said it was on the eve of Easter! The Passover is a memorial, not a feast.
Passover [memorial] keeping is no longer in the church liturgy, eclipsed by 'Easter cele-
bration' and 'Eucharist', simply shoved off as 'Good Friday'. Historically this is since the
Judeo-Christian Parting of the Way. They are not sure how the Last Supper and the cru-
cifixion are related to the Passover day; and not clear about what is meant by the word
'Passover' as it appears in the NT text in the different context.a
Note: KJV rendered it in one place as ‘*Easter’ in Act 12:4 – carried over from Tyndale trans-
lation (1526).

a
See Paul R. Finch, The Passover Papers (2009, 2nd Ed.) Ch. 6 What is Passover, pp. 59-78.
'Passover' in NT
Yeshua and Passover
 three Passovers during his ministry;
 death on the Passover day; (born for a Passover lamb – March BC 3).
 'the Passover lamb for us has been killed – Mashiah himself, (Pauline midrash 1Co
5:7)
 Lamb for Passover are not for a sacrifice offering but for the Passover meal at each
family (cf. 'Seder').
 Cf. 'the Lamb of the Elohim' (Jn 1:29, 38) – it does not refer to the lamb of Passover.

Vocabulary:
1. <‘Pesach’ in OT> and <'Passover' in NT>: See in the file <Walk through the Bible #7-B
- Festival, Feast & Passover>
2. Passover memorial; Passover Festival, Passover day; Festival of the matzah ('the
unleavened breads'); Passover meal; Passover lambs
3. 'Palm day' (Abib 10 – Sat. Apr. 1 in30 CE) > Palm Sunday
4. 'Anti-triumphal entry' to Jerusalem > Triumphal entry.
5. 'the Temple Incident' > the Temple cleaning 1.
6. ‘suffering’ - by the hands of the lawless ones in power (Yehudim and Romans)
7. 'in anguish' – Lk 22:44 in anguish ░ (en agōnia) – NIV, HCSB, NET; GNT, ISV; /xx:
agony – KJV, NASB, ESV, ASV, GW, LSV, WNT, YLT; [unrelated with the notion of
‘suffering’ in the Passion narrative – by the hands of the lawless.]
8. 'the Passion' [See below] – 'the suffering'
9. trials, judgment; sentencing
10. to kill, slaughter, to slay, to sacrifice, to offer sacrifice
11. sacrificial offering; sacrifices. – Yeshua's death was not a sacrificial offering (for
atonement) to a God-being for a 'payment'.
12. 'execution stake' > 'cross' [Cf. 'the Crucifixion' > 'the cross']
13. entombed; /x: buried. Cf. ‘burial’ of the dead in a grave.
14. [memorial] tomb - /x: grave
15. risen Master – resurrection
16. ‘blood’ – metonymic and symbolic Life, not death, in self-giving love for us (/xx: in our
place). [Cf. Yeshua did not die from bleeding or with bleeding.]
Related to the timeline of the Passion Week narrative, it is important to find out
whether the word 'Passover' is used in the sense of the Passover Memorial (on Abib
14) or the Passover Festival (= the Matzah Festival – Abib 15-21). Also important is
whether dates mentioned are of Abib in the biblical calendar with a calendar 'day' to
start at dawn, which conflicts with Nisan date as in the Hebrew calendar with a day
reckoned to start at sunset. This cannot be emphasized enough. Day in the Bible be-
gins with morning; is reckoned to start at dawn.a This is the biblical Creator’s calen-
dar that is used in OT & NT. In contrast, the calendar day is reckoned to start at sun-
set in the rabbinic Jewish calendar. In the Gregorian calendar a day for a calendar
date is reckoned to start at 12 a.m.

When we encounter anything written or argued which concerns the timeline of the Passion
Week narrative, it is important to find out whether the word 'Passover' is in reference to the
Passover memorial (on Abib 14) or in reference to the Passover Festival (= the Matzah Festi-
val – Abib 15-21). Also, very important is whether dates used are of Abib or Nisan. A day is
that which begins with sunrise. A biblical day is reckoned to start at dawn in the biblical
calendar with Abib as its first month, whereas this corresponding Nisan in the rabbinic Jew-
ish calendar reckons a day to start at sunset as formulated by Hillel II in 4th c. The calenda-
tion is different. Dates may not coincide. The Jewish calendar cannot be used to follow the
timeline in the NT narratives with its strange idea of a day to begin with evening rather than
with morning. This point cannot be emphasized enough.

As for the weekly Sabbath, it is on 7th day of the lunar week of the biblical luni-solar calendar
and is totally unrelated to 'Saturday', which is kept by the Saturday Sabbatarians (incl. Jewish
people).

An important word is S3904 paraskeuē (6x) (usually translated in the most Bibles as
'preparation' or ‘Preparation’): It is used in the NT metonymically for 'preparation day',
which simply means ‘eve’ (= day before a particular day for preparation purpose). It is
unrelated to 'Friday' of the planetary week of the Gregorian calendar which is followed
in the liturgical Holy Week of the Church. By itself it is not applicable in following the
timeline in the biblical narratives but rather it serves as a source of confusion.

The expression 'eve of the Passover' means 'day before the Passover Festival'. It should
not be confused of 'eve of the Passover day' (e.g. Jn 19:14 'day of preparation of the
Passover' paraskeuē tou pascha). Note that the word 'festival' or 'day' is often implicit
a
See below for different ways with the rabbinic Jewish and Gregorian calendar.
in these Greek phrases in the NT. IRENT uses this unambiguous word 'eve' to trans-
late. It should not carry a sense of ‘evening’ or ‘night’ before a certain day (e.g. ‘Christ-
mas eve’).

Passion

'The Passion of Jesus' is the common term used to refer to the short final period of the life
and ministry of Yeshua in NT from his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane to His death on the
cross — the time of His greatest suffering. [Mt 26:36–27:56, Mk 14:32–15:41, Lk 22:39–23:49,
and Jn 18:1–19:37]

The word 'Passion' (capitalized) a itself does not appear in the NT text.
Ref.
www.etymonline.com/word/passion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passion_of_Jesus
www.gotquestions.org/passion-of-Christ.htmlb
C.P. Fr. Donald Senior (1991), The Passion of Jesus in the Gospel of John

a
www.etymonline.com/word/passion#etymonline_v_7291
b
The movie title 'The Passion of Christ' – a movie title by Mel Gibson (2004)
Fixing the Date of the Passover; Spring equinox

The date of the Passover is connected to the Spring equinox whether it is for the Church
Holy Week of the liturgical calendar or for the biblical Passion week timeline (usually falling
on March 20th; the earliest is on March 19th – 2096; the latest is on March 21st in 2003).
https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/5-things-didnt-know-about-spring-
equinox.htm

/Synod_of_Whitby 664 CE to calculate the date of Easter. Ref. The Synod of Whitby, The
Grapevine, Aug. 2021. No. 11, p. 1-4, The Saint Photios Orthodox Theological Seminary.
https://spots.edu

/[Jewish] Passover The Passover in the Jewish calendar begins on the 15th day of the
month of Nisan, which at present falls between March 26 and April 25 of the
Gregorian calendar.[40] The 15th day begins in the evening, after the 14th day, and
the seder meal is eaten that evening. Passover is a spring festival, so the 15th day of
Nisan typically begins on the night of a full moon after the northern vernal equinox.
However, due to leap months falling after the vernal equinox, Passover sometimes
starts on the second full moon after vernal equinox, as in 2016.

Note on the word Passover (Pesach): The Passover in the Jewish calendar is the name
of the Festival (= 7- or 8-days long Festival of Matzah). The one corresponding to the
Passover [memorial] day of the Bible is confusingly called ereb Pesach [Pesach eve].
Year Full moon Full moon Full Moon
w/ Adar II 2nd after Equinox – Pesach eve
Mar 2016 Mar 23 Apr 22
Mar 2019 Mar 21 Apr 19
Mar 2022 Mar 18 Apr 15
Mar 2024 Mar 25 Apr 22
 1. the Passover Week Chronology - Summary
Many find contradictions in the Gospel Passion Narratives when trying to follow the
timeline of the narrative. They see contradictions as they see by taking the texts; they
do not realize that they are apparent contradictions to get mired in confusion; they
should find that the Gospel narrative itself has no contradiction.

The confusion, conflicts, and contradictions are in the Passover week timeline and
chronology dealing with (1) the year of the crucifixion and (2) when was His death
and the Resurrection – date and day. The first is simply answered as 30 CE (not 31
or 33). The second is connected with the date of the Last Supper and the date of the
Passover [Memorial] day and the Festival of the Passover (= Festival of the Matzah
– unleavened bread).

‘Passover’ is the memorial of the Passover event in Exodus history (Exo 12:1-13)
with Passover vigil and meal. It is not a feast. There is no 'sacrifice' involved.
'Passover' by itself is different and should be distinguished from the Passover Festi-
val (= the Festival of the Matzah). However, the Pesach in the Jewish tradition is the
term applied to the first day of this festival (Nisan 15) with the ritual Seder in con-
trast to the Passover meal on Abib 14 in the biblical timeline. What complicates
more is Jewish recking of a day from sunset to sunset; in their befuddling language a
day begins with evening, not with morning. The rabbinic Jewish calendar is not the
one used in TaNaKh [aka OT] and NT. Understanding the biblical calendar is es-
sential to follow the timeline and chronology presented in the biblical narratives.
Calendar vocabulary

The main culprits are their lack of accurate knowledge and abundant misinformation:

(1) ‘day’ (begins with sunrise’ in all languages and culture, whether it is within or
without the Bible. 'Day' is used for a 'daylight period' or a duration of 24 hours (for
daylight period + night period).

(2) A day as a calendar day begins and ends at a point of time in a 24-hour period.
It is reckoned to start at sunset in the rabbinic Jewish calendar. It is reckoned to
start at12 a.m. a in the Gregorian calendar.

In contrast, a day in the bible begins with morning and reckoned to start at dawn b
(‘morning twilight) c. The Creator’s biblical calendar is what is used in OT & NT.
If we use the Jewish calendar when reading the Bible, this would cause confusion
and havoc in correctly following the narrative timeline, especially so in the sce-
nario of the day of Crucifixion.

(3) Sabbath is on 7th day of the lunar week, which is unrelated to 'Saturday' (of the
planetary week) of the Gregorian calendar, which is used by Sabbatarians (includ-
ing Jewish people). The familiar names of the week in the Gregorian calendar,
such as Saturday, Sunday, and Friday, are alien to the Bible. There is only one sab-
bath day in a week. When it falls on the first day of 7-day long festival, it is called
'high sabbath' (Jn 19:31) which is not on the day other than 7th.

There are no two sabbath days in a week. Not to be confused is the Day of Atone-
ment with the 'annual' sabbath rest day which is unrelated to a weekly sabbath.

(4) 'eve': The Greek word 'preparation'd (S3904 paraskeuē) in NT is used not in the
sense of 'preparing'e but only in reference to a day. It simply refers to 'eve' of a cer-
tain day. Only once it was used in case of eve of Passover day (Jn 19:14). In most
a
Cf. 12 a.m. vs. midnight.
b
http://loveandtruth.net/sabbath-morning.html <When does Sabbath begin - Morning or Evening - by Price (1995)>
- a copy in <IRENT Vol. III - Supplement (Collections #5A - time + calendar)>
c
‘dawn’ = ‘morning twilight’ in the beginning of a new day, opposite of ‘dusk’ = ‘evening twilight’ in the beginning
of the night of that day.
d
S3904 paraskeuē 6x Mt 27:62; Mk 14:42, etc. Only once as in the full phrase 'day of preparation' Lk 23:54.
 cases it is eve of sabbath day (e.g., Jn 19:42). The word became as a root word for
Friday in European languages, but the Gk. word itself does not mean 'Friday'.

(5) Passover [Memorial] Day is on Abib 14 (dawn to dawn). This is not to be con-
fused with the term Pesach in the rabbinic Jewish calendar, which is the first day
of the Pesach festival – on Nisan 15 (sunset to sunset) – with the ritual Seder in the
beginning part of a day, i.e., evening. The Jewish Ereb Pesach (eve of Pesach) cor-
responds to the Passover day in the New Testament.

(6) Last Supper vs. Passover meal: There is also a very common mistake which
takes the Last Supper same as the Passover meal (on Abib 14 – day of Crucifixion)
which was kept by Yehudim ('Jews') after death of Yeshua. The Last Supper was
not on the day (Abib 13) before the Crucifixion but two days before (on Abib 12).
Pilatos' sentencing itself on Abib 13 midday, on the day before the crucifixion –
not on the same day!

(7) With the entrenched scenario they entertain throughout history, they do not ac-
cept the truth that it is impossible to squeeze so many events into a very limited
time period from evening of the Last Supper to next day morning of the Crucifix-
ion.

(8) Counting days in the Bible should be clearly understood. Especially, the phrase
'on the third day' for the crucifixion along with other related confusing English ex-
pressions, e.g., 'three days' ('after three days' 'three days later' ‘in three days’ 'for
three days'). [For the unique Matthean phrase Mt 12:40 'three days and three nights
in the heart of the earth', see in Appendix.] [Cf. an argument on the issue on inclu-
sive vs. exclusive counting is not needed when all these phrases are properly un-
derstood without scratching one's head.]

The Crucifixion day of Abib 14 of the biblical calendar is on the Passover [Memo-
rial] day which is eve of sabbath. Sabbath is on 7 th day of the lunar week (i.e.,
weekly sabbath). It falls on 1st day of the Matzah Festival which [Cf. 'high sabbath'
(Jn 19:31)]

e
'to prepare' - S3903 paraskeuazō (4x Act 10:10 etc.); S2680 kataskeuazō (11x Mt 11:10 etc.); S2090 hetoimazō (6x
Mt 3:3 etc.); S1779 entaphiazō (2x Rm 9:23; Eph 2:10). Cf. S1779 entaphiazō (2x 'prepare for burial' Mt 26:12;
19:40).
In CE 30, Yeshua died on the Passover day, figuratively as the Passover lamb being
killed (not as a sacrifice). He did not have time to keep the Passover in the final year
of His ministry.

In the year CE 30 of his Crucifixion, Abib 14 falls on Apr. 5 Wed in the proleptic
Gregorian calendar, not on Thu Apr. 6, nor on Friday Apr 7 as asserted by some. A
few even loves to choose year CE 33 as they find it have Fri on Apr 7 to satisfy their
Friday crucifixion scenario, fundamentally mistaking the word ‘preparation’ as ‘Fri-
day’, when actually the Greek word for it simply means ‘eve’ of a particular day –
'the day before'.

'Good Friday' and 'Easter Sunday' of the traditional crucifixion day scenario are the terms in
the liturgical Holy Week of the Church, which is in contrast to the Biblical Passion Week.
The two should not be mixed when we have the Biblical narrative correctly followed and
understood.

Any argument for or against a certain date for the Crucifixion is found baseless when all
come with a priori supposition which takes Saturday as sabbath and Friday as the day for the
Crucifixion. In the biblical calendar there are 7 numbered days in a week. There was no vo -
cabulary of the named days of the planetary week in the Biblical times. The proto-Julian cal -
endar, the one current in the Gospel times, was with an 8-day week [labelled A to H, not
with named days of the week which came later]. An event on a certain day in the biblical
calendar in the biblical times, it is to be seen in the proleptic Roman calendar.

Note: Most crucifixion scenarios incredibly put so many events of Abib 12 and 13 into Abib
14 (in the usual scheme of having in in Thursday evening to Friday in the Friday crucifixion
scenario)!! They are perplexed by 'sixth hour' (Jn 19:14) and they let it stand contradictory
to the Synoptic accounts (Mk 15:25 – 'third hour') of His crucifixion time. [See under 'sig-
nificance of Jn 19:14' and 'two-day Passion chronology scenario' elsewhere in this paper.]
 2. Summary of the Passover Week timeline (Abib 12th – 16th)
Before [coming of] the Passover Festival (Jn 13:1);
Abib 12  evening – "Last Supper" [not "the Passover meal"]
 midnight – Arrest at Gethsemane.
His Trial
 sentencing in 6th hour (≈ noon) @
– Eve of the Passover [day] (Jn
Abib 13 19:14).
 jailed in custody till being taken to Golgotha [Note: All the Gospels are
silent on this.]

NEXT DAY
Preparation [day] = eve of Sabbath (Jn 19:31)
Abib 14  = Day of His Crucifixion [from 'third hour' Mk 15:25]
Passover Day  Darkness from 6th to 9th hour (Mt 27:45 //Mk 15:33 //Lk 23:44) (≈ noon to 3
[Wed] [Apr 5] p.m.)
 Death - the ninth hour' (≈ 3 p.m. Mt 27:46 //Mk 15:34)
 afternoon – lambs to be killed for the meal (not as a sacrifice)
 evening – The Passover meal (for Yehudim). Yeshua being entombed.
Abib 15 *High Sabbath (Jn 19:31) – on the 1st day of 7-day long Festival [here, of the Matzah]
[Thu] [Apr 6] = weekly sabbath on 7th day of the lunar week (unrelated Sat. of the planetary
week).
He is risen: (Resurrection at dawn)
Abib 16  The women set out to the tomb early morning
 The Risen Master to the women
[Fri] [Apr
7]  Risen Master to the women and the disciples (with Thomas absent).
Wave Sheaf offering (Feast of Firstfruits) – 1st day of the lunar week (unrelated to
'* third day'
Sun.)
@ [on the day before the Crucifixion!
Not 6 a.m. allegedly by a Roman time reckoning on the same day of Crucifixion.]
The first month of the biblical year is *Abib. It is the season for spring lambing and spring barely har-
vest for the Wave Barley Sheaf offering on Abib 16 (‘omer offering’) (Lev 23:11).
The Passover day is Abib 14. ‘Passover’ is a memorial, not a feast. What is called 'Passover feast' is an
incorrect term for ‘Passover Festival’. KJV has no word ‘festival’ in its vocabulary. Thus, a single day
‘feast’ cannot be distinguished from a 7-day long ‘festival’. Greek word S1859 heortē is for both
‘feast’ and ‘festival’ [equivalent Hebrew is H2282 chag (e.g., Exo 10:9).]
That is, the day of Passover (Abib14 – the day of Crucifixion) is followed by the 7-day Festival of the
Matzah (= Festival of the Passover) from Abib 15 to Abib 21. The first day Abib 15 is sabbath, 7th day
of the lunar week. Since it is the sabbath day in the 7-day festival, which is set on the first day of the
festival, it is called high sabbath (e.g., Jn 19:31).

Summary Tables
Frist part of the Passion Week (Abib 9th – 14th)

[Abib (1st month of the biblical calendar) ≈ Nisan (7th month in the rabbinic Jewish calendar)
Last part of the Passion Week (Abib 14th – 16th)
† † 

@ [High] Sabbath 1st day

30 CE Crucifixion <Entombed> <In the tomb> → <Resurrection>
Abib 14 15 16
Wed (Apr 5) Thu (Apr 6) Fri (Apr 7)
Nisan 14 15 16 17
Holy Week Good Fri Sat Easter Sun
Apr 19 Apr 20 Apr 21
Pesach ereb Pesach I Pesach II III
Fri (Apr 19) Sat (Apr 20) Sun (Apr 21)
2019 CE
Abib 14 (Passover) Abib 15 Abib 16
Thu (Apr 18) Fri (Apr 19) Sat (Apr 20)
Date Events @30 CE 33 CE

Abib 12 Last Supper; Sanhedrin I

Tue Thu
Sanhedrin II + Pilatos (Trial + sentencing)
Abib 13
Wed Fri
†† (Crucifixion + death) (Apr 5) (Apr 3)
Abib 14
1st day (Entombed) (N1)
Thu Sat
(High Sabbath of Matzah Festival)
Abib 15 Roman guard posted
2nd day
(In the tomb) (2N & 1D) Fri Sun
(Apr 7) (Apr 6)
Abib 16  Empty tomb – in the dawn.
third day Resen Master – in the morning. Wave Sheaf.
Sat Mon

[@ 30 CE – Biblical Wednesday Crucifixion scenario] [33 CE – Holy Week Friday for the Crucifixion]
In the tomb = N1 + D + N2 = 2N + 1D (2 nights and 1 day)]
2019 Abib 1 – Apr 5 (Fri). Cf. Nisan 1 – Apr 6 (Sat)]
† † Crucifixion;  Resurrection in the dawn
Graphics copied– from the file <§4A. Sabbath in the Passion Week> for the Gospel texts.
 3. Introduction
The Purpose of this paper: To know what Passover is and to get into what issues are
for chronology and timeline of the Passover Week.

If there is any 'perplexity' in the Passion Week timeline, it is because almost all gen-
uine or wannabe scholars in following the timeline simply pick up our solar calendar
(Gregorian calendar, or 'Common Era Calendar' which is a much neutral term) and
mix with the Hebrew calendar which reckons a sunset-to-sunset day. The 'resolution'
has eluded so far and for long: Until one gets hold of the true luni-solar Biblical calen-
dar, all the confusion, contradiction, and contentions will not disappear, leaving us di-
visions, disagreement, and deception – whether one is a Sabbatarian ('sabbath-keeper')
or not.

The essential points which underline

the scholars' confusion over the Passion Week Chronology:

(1) The word ‘day’ (as 'daylight period') throughout the Bible begins with sunrise and
it is reckoned to start at dawn a of a new day (‘morning twilight')b in the biblical calen-
dar.

It is in contrast to the Gregorian calendar which reckons it to start at 12 a.m. c The more
problematic rabbinic Jewish calendar reckons it to start at sunset to be followed by
‘dusk’ (‘evening twilight).
(2) The biblical 7th day of the lunar week (= day of sabbath) may fall on any of seven
named days of the Gregorian solar (planetary) week. 'Sabbath' in the Bible is lunar sab-
bath; it has nothing to do with 'Saturday' of solar sabbath in the Judaism and the various
Sabbatarians! There is only one sabbath in a week. There is no such thing as 'two sab-
baths' in a week. There is no such thing as an annual sabbath additionally in a week to
fall on other than 7th day of the week.

a
http://loveandtruth.net/sabbath-morning.html <When does Sabbath begin - Morning or Evening - by Price (1995)>
- a copy in <IRENT Vol. III - Supplement (Collections #5A - time + calendar)>
b
‘Dawn’ = ‘morning twilight’, opposite of ‘dusk’ = ‘evening twilight’.
c
a [calendar] day begins and ends at the same point of time in a 24-hour period. In the Gregorian calendar: it begins
at 12 a.m. and ends at midnight.
[Cf. The Day of Atonement is for the special annual sabbath-rest which is independent
of the weekly sabbath. Note: The first day of 7-day long festivals is to set to fall on 7th
day of the lunar week; thus, it is called 'high sabbath' (Jn 19:31).]
(3) Provision of sabbath rest is for the daytime only, not for 24 hours; the night is a natu -
ral period of rest time as God has provided.

(4) The word 'Passover' in the Bible is used in various different senses: (a) the Passover
memorial (lamb killed + meal), (b) the day of the Passover, or (c) the Festival (= the
Matzah Festival). In the Judaism, the world 'pesach' refers to the festival of 7 days from
Nisan 15. Nisan 14 is 'ereb Pesach' (eve of Pesach). [Cf. it is an 8-day festival in Dias-
pora Judaism.]

Covering the chronology and timeline for the biblical Passover and Passion
Week, the aim of this paper is among others,

(1) to find correct date and day of Crucifixion and Resurrection in 30 CE,
(2) to present the timeline of the biblical Passion Week, not the liturgical ecclesial
Holy Week, and
(3) to argue for the true biblical luni-solar calendation which is essential to follow
the correct timeline in the biblical narratives.

To achieve this goal:

(1) As the essential requirement for any kind of our discussion and debate, we
need a basic vocabulary with words and terms to be clearly defined in order to be
on the common ground with common sense.

(2) We need to study on the issues of calendar systems and see how much confu-
sion and contradiction have been caused when two calendar systems – the Hebrew
and the Gregorian calendars in their proleptic use to 1st century events, both are
non-biblical and not used in the Bible.

(3) In reading the Bible narratives, we have to rely on the biblical lunar calendar.
It is simple, concise, and straightforward, and is so unlike the calendar which we
have for civil, astronomic, or religious use. We are to understand the calendar sys-
tems without preconceived ideas and to have a clear idea on the very calendar sys-
tem found in the Scripture.
 [Note: The readers need to translate Nisan dates into Abib when reading any arti-
cle on the Passion Week. That also means you have to make sure their Abib date
itself is not reckoned as sunset-to-sunset, just same as for Nisan.]

Rephrasing Questions and Answers on the Passion Week Chronology

[It is inevitable that this is at the expense of duplicate of all the statements, arguments,
and explanations as well as emphasis.]

Traditionally it is well known that the Crucifixion was on Friday afternoon and the Res-
urrection was on Sunday morning. Then there comes a diffident idea refuting what is as
is kept as the Church Holy Week. No, the Crucifixion was on Wednesday and the Resur-
rection was on Saturday late afternoon. Why? Because the Matthean unique phrase
'three days and three nights' (Mt 12:40) tells, as they claim erroneously, he was buried
and remain dead for full 'three days and three nights'.

The fundamental issues to understand the biblical narratives and the timeline of the Pas-
sion wee chronology are: (1) what day is the first day of the week. Is Sunday 1st day?
ISO 8601 standard has Monday as 1st day of the week which is kept by many countries.
This is not a big issue. (2) Much serious issue is: what does it mean by Wednesday, Fri-
day, Sunday, etc., These are Julian-Gregorian calendar vocabulary. Early 1st century, it
was the proto-Julian calendar in the Roman Empire. It had 8-day week, labelled A to H.
So, using Gregorian days of week does not help but get stuck in confusion. Nor the rab-
binic Jewish calendar was used for the biblical time. The calendar in the Bible is a lu -
nisolar calendar with lunar weeks, not solar weeks. Sabbath was kept on 7th day of the
lunar week; it is lunar sabbath, not solar sabbath which is kept on Saturday. The
Matthean text which was set well before the Passion narrative and they alter it to read to
fit their faulty interpretation. The text does not say he would be buried in a grave; he
simply said he would be in the heart of the earth, that is, in Jerusalem during his min-
istry. The expression 'heart of the earth' has nothing to do with a grave or a tomb.

As will be shown here, the real culprit of all the confusion, contradiction, and conflict in
traditional handling on this topic is the poor understanding and ignorance of the calendar
system used in the Bible, which is luni-solar with lunar weeks and lunar month. Notably,
'day' begins with sunrise to bring morning of a new day; is reckoned to start at dawn.
in the biblical calendar day. In contrast, the rabbinic Jewish calendar reckons to start at
sunset, while the Gregorian calendar reckons to start at 12 a.m. (not 'midnight'). What is
called 'day' is always with sun's rising in all cultures and languages. Somehow 'day' and
'calendar day' are mixed up in Hebrew language. When people say a 'day begins with
evening', it is linguistically befuddling and baffling. [‘Dawn’ = ‘morning twilight’, oppo-
site of ‘dusk’ = ‘evening twilight’; as the sun rises to bring in morning]. Gen 1:5b reads
"And there was evening and there was morning, day one". Does it ever say a day begins
with evening? It's really hard to unlearn, indeed.

The rabbinic Jewish calendar is luni-solar but with sunset-to-sunset day recking but with
solar weeks as in the Gregorian calendar ('Common Era Calendar', CEC) is with
planetary weeks ('solar weeks') and solar months. The Biblical calendar is luni-solar but
is quite different from both. The seven named days of the planetary week ('solar week')
have nothing common with the biblical seven numbered days. Saturday may fall on 7th
day for biblical lunar sabbath coincidentally. When trying to determine the day of a
certain event in the biblical narrative, use of the Gregorian and the rabbinic Jewish
calendar along with their vocabulary such as Saturday of sabbath actually causes
confusion, contentions, and conflicts. Of a particular example, when Saturday is taken as
the day of sabbath by the Sabbath keepers, but it is a solar sabbath, not a lunar sabbath
as in the Bible. Particularly, the word 'preparation' (of a certain day) in the New
Testament simply means 'eve' and is mostly used for eve of Sabbath. Once the date of an
event is determined in the Biblical calendar, then we can locate it on the other calendars.
However, the other calendars cannot have anything to contribute to find what date the
event falls.

Not to be confused when we read the phrase 'eve of the Passover' in Jn 19:14. Here,
'Passover' means 'Passover day' [of a memorial, not of a feast or festival]. It should not
be confused with the phrase ‘eve of the Passover Festival’, which is synonymous with
the Festival of the Matzah (unleavened breads) (Lk 22:1). The idea that the word
‘preparation’ means Friday; sabbath is on Saturday, and first day of the week is Sunday
is the language for the Church Liturgical Holy Week, not the biblical Passover week.

With arguments and counterarguments, along with pros and cons, it is not possible to
have both to be right. Often, we find both wrong. Those trying to refute the other may
have valid points; however, the alternatives provided by them on their own do not re-
main sacrosanct and irrefutable neither.
Everything can be accepted when it is taken ‘as if’; the proof is in the pudding. Every
claim can get easily exonerated should it come with a universal disclaimer, ‘according to
one source’.
Was the Crucifixion in 30, 31 or 33 CE?

30 CE. This is a crucial chronology-related issue concerning the biblical timeline.

This is the year for both biblical Wednesday Crucifixion scenario with the Resur-
rection on Friday dawn and non-biblical Wednesday Crucifixion scenario with
Resurrection on Saturday late afternoon.

31 CE by some; based on eisegesis of Daniel's 7th week prophecy, which has actu-
ally nothing to do with birth and death of Yeshua – a Christian eisegesis par excel -
lence, finding their Jesus and creating him in the OT (not TaNaKh, the Hebrew
Scriptures) being main usefulness of reading OT in support of their own Christol-
ogy.

33 CE was chosen by some scholars (e.g., Hoehner) because they could find Nisan
15 Passover day in that year to fall on Friday [which itself is a misunderstanding of
the of 'preparation' as 'preparation of sabbath day'] of Crucifixion. It fits nicely for
the traditional Friday scenario. Their mistaking Saturday as 7th day of the of the
week in the Bible is a simple reflection of people's ignorance of the biblical luni-
solar calendation with the lunar month-week and the solar day-year in contrast to
the solar calendation of Gregorian calendar with solar day-week-month-year. bib-
lical lunar week (of lunar sabbath). They remained confused even more son
whether the day to be Nisan 14 or 15 for the Passover and the Passover meal. Their
sabbath is solar sabbath (on Saturday); the biblical sabbath is on 7th day of the lu-
nar month – does not correspond to Saturday.

What day of the week? Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sunday …

The naming scheme of the days of the week in our common civic calendar is a
Roman invention. The early Julian calendar [proto-Julian] was with an 8-day
week, labelled A to H – effective during the Gospel times. Later on, they adopted a
7-day named week. To see what is the name of the week was a particular day in the
history should be searched for in the proleptic calendar.
 To see what day of the week in terms of the Gregorian named days of the week is
using Julian-Gregorian calendar proleptically. That the Resurrection is on Sunday,
for example, is not a statement of historical fact, but only a lingo of the Holy Week
of the Church tradition.

What day of the week was He crucified? Fri, Thu, or Wed?

Friday is true only if the year of the resurrection was CE 33. It is not. It was based
on wrong information and wrong data. That year was absurdly settled simply
because it was the only one within the time frame of 29 to 33 CE to have Nisan 15
fall on Friday – without knowing that the sabbath eve (preparation day) is Day 7 of
the lunar week, which does not correspond to Friday of the Gregorian calendar.

What difference does it make to say which one is the day? The best response/reply
should start with ‘No’, followed by ‘So?’a ‘How so?’– ‘So what?’ as if anyone
should care about it as it does not really matter which is to be correct. ‘So then? Is
there something to be at stake? Nothing, except for the church liturgical tradition
for those in position and power. When we remain stuck to follow the narrative in
terms of those non-biblical named day of the week, it actually distorts the narrative
time-line.

By itself the question is not of importance outside the language of the church Holy
Week. However, it does prompt us to pay our attention to the Passion Week
narrative in detail to properly follow correct timelines.

How this is to be correctly answered is much more involved. It requires diligent

studies on calendars and calendation, particularly the biblical lunar calendar, and
astronomical data which is needed to be correctly interpreted. But such an effort is
well deserved. The basic principles are straight forward; but to unlearn is harder.
The fundamental problem is that it is the church language (for doctrines,
theologies, liturgies) people use it instead of the biblical language to understand
the biblical narrative. It cannot be solved until one finds the date of the events in
the ancient times and see what day it falls on the proleptic Gregorian calendar.

a
“So?” “How so?” “So then?” – this is a best response to any statement or claim asserted by anyone in
any setting.
Crucifixion day scenarios

Several scenarios have been entertained all without accurate knowledge of the
biblical luni-solar calendation.

 Friday Crucifixion scenario with the resurrection on Sunday morning.

 Wednesday Crucifixion scenario with the resurrection on Saturday
afternoon
 Thursday Crucifixion scenario with the resurrection on Sunday morning.

Compare them with the biblical scenario based on the biblical luni-solar
calendation:
 Crucifixion on Abib 14, CE 30 falling on April 5, Wednesday, with the
Resurrection on Abib 16 dawn of a new day falling on Apr 7, Friday in the
proleptic Gregorian Calendar wat>

How Friday was chosen by some as the day of His Crucifixion?

The notion of 'Good Friday' is simply from misinterpreting the phrase 'preparation
(of Sabbath)' as ‘Friday’ and 'sabbath day' as Saturday. The use of Gregorian vo-
cabulary for reading the biblical narrative has produced such a Church tradition,
which goes against the biblical truth, leading to confusion, conflicts and contradic-
tions on the narrative timeline.

As far as they are concerned, Sabbath is Saturday. The 1st day of their week is
Sunday for them, without realizing that the Bible does not call ‘Sunday’, but sim-
ply says it was on first day of the week’, that is of the lunar week, not on Sunday.

Did He remain 'buried' '3 days and 3 nights'?

No, it does not say so. G-Mt has its unique phrase 'for three days and three nights in
the heart of the earth' (Mt 12:40) in the pericope of the 'sign of Yonah' which is
located in the Synoptics during early ministry of Yeshua, long before the Passion
narrative begins. It does not mean he was buried in a grave f. The phrase in the heart
of the earth does not mean 'underground in a grave'; it alludes to Jerusalem as the
 center of the world.

[For details, see below in the Appendix <Three Days and Three Nights> for their
math juggling to cover the time period to fit "3D and 3N" into their Passover
timeline.]

Once again, Friday or not, what difference does it make?

If it turned out to be different day of the week? It should be reminded that it is

something of concern of only Church liturgy in conjunction of keeping of the
‘Easter’. Which day for His crucifixion and resurrection as such have no relevance
to our Scripture-based faith, it is of no theological significance, only of ecclesial
liturgical. The problem for the Bible readers is that it is without full chronological
support and evidence found in the Biblical narrative itself. This paper is simply to
provide the readers enough information and challenge to avoid confusion and
wrong conviction on the biblical matters.

In the Bible, there was no such day named Sunday, Saturday, or Friday, etc. It’s
simply non-biblical vocabulary. That a certain day is ‘Saturday’ simply means it is
a day between Friday and Sunday; in itself it has no meaning of Sabbath. It is only
taken as the day of Sabbath when the tradition of the Judaism and other Sabbatari-
ans is followed – it is a solar sabbath, that is, a sabbath in a solar calendar. It
doesn’t belong to the Bible text. It is not useful to follow any biblical timeline, but
instead confuses and misleads. Here we are dealing with substantially different cal-
endar systems. Dating an event can be done to see how a certain day would fall on
the other calendar. A solar sabbath, that is, sabbath on a planetary week, is not
something which is translatable to the biblical lunar sabbath. On the contrary, it
brews confusion, conflict and contradiction in the biblical text itself. The early Ju-
lian Roman calendar [proto-Julian calendar] was with an 8-day week! It’s prudent
to follow the Passion narrative by using the truly biblical lunar calendar (instead of
the Gregorian calendar, overlaid on the Hebrew calendar). Again, 7th day in the
biblical lunar week for Sabbath is not related to Saturday.

Only after we have the 'valid' biblical calendar [with a day to begin with morning
and a correct determination of the New-Moon day (1st day of the lunar month) to
be applied to the Passion Week timeline, it is possible to compare with the Roman
 calendar to see that the day was ‘Friday’ or any other named day of the week. We
should not allow an anachronistic way by thinking in terms of our named days of
the week to reach a verdict on what date of the month is to be for the Crucifixion.
Finding a correct day of the week is a marginal importance and not essential for
following through the biblical narrative.

[Note: References are quoted for the materials I have found useful, not only to
solve problems but also to find challenges and raise questions. Not all things writ-
ten there are relevant to the topics under the discussion here. Not all written state -
ment can be correct, right, or accurate. The readers are to exercise their own judg-
ment to make use of them.]

With not a few tasks to confront, which all are interlinked and tend to be
dovetailed, only after we take on the first thing first, then we should be able to
settle on what should have been only secondary issues. We are to take up different
competing and conflicting scenarios of the Crucifixion day – Friday, Thursday,
and Wednesday (with the resurrection also on Sunday in the dawn or Saturday
afternoon). Each tends to attack the problems which are not substantial but ghosts
as result of misunderstanding of the biblical terms and expression along with
blinded misinterpretation of the biblical texts. Not only we have to deal with bits,
but also to take methodically sound approach in order to bring all to the common
ground of understanding and knowledge.

One thing we should remind ourselves: we should not try to find a timeline by
placing the events on to the named day of the week (e.g., Sun to Sat). The day of
the week should be known by itself once the timeline with the factual date (year,
month, day) is settled.a

When reading the Passion Week narrative, the readers should think in terms of not
what day in the week but is what date in the month Abib for various events. We
should follow the correct timeline of the biblical Passion Week, not the liturgical
Holy Week of the church tradition.

a
Harold Hoehner (1977), Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ.
Ch. IV. The Day of the Christ's Crucifixion
p. 114 <…With Nisan 14 as the day of the crucifixion … the only possible years on which Friday Nisan 15 occurred
were AD 27, 30, 33 and 36 …, leaving only AD 30 and 33 as feasible dates. … most viable date … was AD 33.>
 The phrase 'Good Friday and Easter Sunday' is in the liturgical Holy Week of Con-
stantine Catholic Church tradition; they are not in the vocabulary of the Biblical
Passion Week. The date of Easter Sunday which was arbitrarily determined by the
Church authority is without being chronologically and historical/y related to the
Passover week.

What was the Crucifixion date?

It is Mk 15:42 which says “the preparation day, that is sabbath eve.”a
In contrast to Jewish solar sabbath the biblical lunar sabbath is not related to ‘Sat-
urday’ of the planetary week. The ‘preparation day’ [for sabbath] is on day 6 of the
lunar week; it is not related to ‘Friday’. Nor this text tells that the Last Supper took
place on the evening before His death (i.e. ‘Thursday’ in the Church Holy Week of
the Friday Crucifixion scenario). To find on what day of the planetary week in the
proleptic Gregorian calendar the Crucifixion would fall is not much of a biblical is-
sue, but of the tradition and liturgy of the Christian churches. For that matter, we
simply need to know what biblical calendar and how the biblical narrative fol-
lowed in the Passion Week.
He was crucified on 14th of Abib, the first month of the biblical year – the day of
Passover lamb killed, the God’s Anointed One would lay down His life with self-
giving love at “the appointed time” — to die death by crucifixion for the sins of
man (Rm 5:6). His death on any day other than that of the Passover is biblically
meaningless and useless. It destroys the typology of the Lamb of the Elohim (2x –
in Jn 1:29, 36) as the Passover [lamb] (1Co 5:7 – 'Passover' as a metonym for
‘Passover lamb’) – ‘delivered into the hands of men (Mk 9:31), men of outcast sin-
ners’ (Lk 24:7), ‘been rejected by and suffered many things from the Elders and
chief kohanim and soferim’ (Mt 16:21; Mt 8:31; Lk 9:22).

a
Other Gospel texts express the same basic idea but in diverse ways: Mt 27:57 ‘when evening came …’
Mt 27:62 ‘Next day, when is [the day] after the day of the preparation. Lk 23:54 ‘this had been the day of
sabbath-preparation and there sabbath day was coming to dawn.’ Lk 23:56 ‘after they returned to their
lodging … they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.’ Jn 19:31. "since it was sabbath-
preparation"
What is ‘preparation??
The term in the Passover narrative is in the sense of ‘preparation day’, i.e. ‘eve’ of a cer -
tain day – mostly of the sabbath day. The word itself has nothing to the with ‘Friday’.
The named days of the planetary week in the Gregorian calendar are not connected with
the numbered days of the lunar week with the sabbath on 7 th day – it may fall on any day
other than Saturday. If it comes before the Passover Memorial Day (Abib 14), it would
be ‘Passover eve’ (Abib 13. e.g. Jn 19:14 – the day of Pilatos' sentencing); if it come be-
fore the Passover Festival, it would be the Passover day itself (Abib 14 – the day of the
Crucifixion).

Passover

'Passover' is a memorial, not a feast. The word is also used a metonym for
'Passover festival' and as well as for 'Passover day' which is on Abib 14 with a day
in the Bible to begin with morning. There is no 'sacrifice' in the Passover. Lambs
are killed for Passover meal, not for offering as to the alter. 'Sacrifice' on the part
of Yeshua is his self-giving, not offering for atonement.

The Hebrew word Pesach is the name of the Festival in the rabbinic Jewish calen-
dar, from Nisan 15, originally 7 days, with a [calendar] day beginning with sunset!
Nisan 14 is ereb Pesach (i.e., eve of Passover) – such a linguistic confusion! Cf.
'Day' in the Bible as well as any language is what begins with morning. No one
confuses the notion of 'day' and 'day as a calendar date', except when dealing with
the notion of 'sabbath' and a day in the Passion week narrative – a linguistic befud-
dlement.

There is a chronology and calendation issue which has been treated fully and re-
peatedly elsewhere in this paper.

Abib 14 corresponds to Nisan 14 for the daytime event; Nisan 15 for the night pe-
riod event; Nisan date begins 12 hours ahead of Abib date. The dates in Abib and
those in Nisan may correspond only if the lunar conjunction nearest to the spring
equinox is located to determine the 1 st day of the month, as calendation in the bibli-
cal calendar and in the rabbinic Jewish calendar is different.
Can the Hebrew calendar be used for the biblical times?

No. It actually gives confusion and conflict in the chronology and timeline in the
Bible. It was only from 4th century CE by Hillel II calendation and cannot be ap-
plied to the biblical events.
It is essential to use the biblical calendar, not Hebrew, nor Gregorian calendar, to
follow the biblical narrative correctly. In all languages, cultures, and customs, as it
is in the Bible, *day is that which begins with morning as with sunrise. A biblical
calendar day is reckoned to start at dawna. In our common expression a calendar
day is often mixed up with a 'day of daylight period' or a 'day of 24-hour duration'.
[‘Dawn’ = ‘morning twilight’, opposite of ‘dusk’ = ‘evening twilight’]. Cf. A day
begins with evening as with sunset.

Was the * Last Supper in the Gospels the ‘Passover meal’?

The Last Supper was in the Synoptic Gospels {//Mt 26:20-29; //Mk +14:17-25; //Lk
22:14-20}, but it is not detailed in G-Jn. It was not and was not meant to be the
Passover [memorial] meal, as is plainly shown in the Gospels and explicitly in Jn
13:1.

It was a special fellowship supper (on Abib 12th) for farewell with His last teaching
– not the evening before the Crucifixion as most simply take granted. It was in
evening before Pilatos' sentencing (Abib 13), which itself is a day before the cruci-
fixion. (Abib 14).

The confusion over the Passover memorial meal ('Passover meal') of Yehudim (/
Abib 14th /Nisan 15th) – what and when – is one of major causes of misunderstand-
ing of the biblical text (of the Synoptic Gospels). It has bred a variety of the Passion
Week timeline scheme.
a
This is the meaning of the word 'day' when used in the Bible (OT & NT), either for duration of daylight
period or duration of one cycle of daylight period and night period (approx. 24 'hours'), as well as the
notion of a calendar day. It is not a sunset-to-sunset Jewish calendar day or 12 a.m.-to-12 a.m. Gregorian
calendar day. Note. Hebrew word yom 'day' in Gen 1:4 - 2:3 is called 'creation day'; it is not 'day' of 24-
hour duration. Notice that it was called 'day one' Gen 1:5, not 'first day', unlike the rest (2nd to 7th day).
Most mistranslates it. See the file <Walk through the Scripture #5A - Time, Calendar and Chronology>
on the resultant terminology problem which has been one major cause of conflict, contradiction,
confusion and contention for the Biblical chronology and timelines.
When is the day of Sabbath? More than one sabbath day in a week??
The sabbath day is on the 7th day of the lunar week; it is lunar sabbath. It has noting
common with Saturday of the planetary week of the Gregorian, which the rabbinic
Jewish calendar keeps sabbath. Sabbath rest applies only for the daytime period; the
night period is by itself for the resting. There is only one sabbath day in a week;
when the weekly sabbath falls on the first day of 7-day long festivals, it is called
'high sabbath' (Jn 19:31). Some came up a clever idea of two sabbath days in a week
to justify their wrong-headed Crucifixion day scenarios whether Friday, Thursday or
Wednesday. [Not to be confused with the single annual sabbath-rest on the Day of
the Atonement.]

Calendars, calendars, which calendars?

Instead of finding the biblical calendar to understand the timeline and chronology of
the Passover Passion week, most scholars are talking in the language of the rabbinic
Jewish calendar (e.g. Nisan instead of Abib; a day which reckoned to start at sunset).
They compound it with the language of the solar Gregorian calendar.

This practice is also exacerbated by the proposition of two different calendars which
were used at the time (the only time!) – one by the Judean and one by Galileans.
Also thrown in is another calendar (solar, not luni-solar) is that of Essenes. Befud-
dlement!

What is 'resurrection' referred to?

To locate the time of the resurrection we are actually looking for the date/time of the
disciples' finding the tomb empty. The actual physical resurrection is only to be as-
sumed to be shortly before this.a

What lies at the bottom of confusion in the Passion Week narrative?

When most are reading the narratives in the Bible, they are not aware that it is the
total lack of the calendation issues being happy with unbiblical systems in their ef-
a
E.g., a non-biblical scenario of the crucifixion on Wednesday combined with the resurrection on Saturday
afternoon, precisely to be 72 hours later. This is a hilarious joke of misunderstanding of Mt 12:40 'three
days and three night in the heart of the earth' by reading it as 'three nights and three days buried in a grave'.
fort to follow what the Bible tells.
Twelve points in determining the Crucifixion date:

[See detail in <Walk through the Scripture #5 – Time and Calendars>]

To determine the date on the proleptic Gregorian calendar: [Be in good command of
vocabulary for the words and the terms for clear understanding meaning and usage.]

1. 'Day' in the Bible means that which begins with morning, not with evening.
2. The year = 30 C.E. [Note – various proposals for CE 31, 32, 33, etc.] [This issue
of the chronology directly affects the timeline.]
3. The month = Abib, first month of the biblical calendar.
['Nisan' is 7th month of the Hebrew calendar.]
4. The season = spring (late March to early April) of barley harvest, which was to
be available for Wave Sheaf offering. [cf. 'wheat harvest' for Shavuot – Exo
33:16, 22]
5. 'New-Moon Day' for Abib = after conjunction closet to the vernal equinox.
The 1st day of a month is on the day of dawn after conjunction.
www.worldslastchance.com/yahuwahs-calendar/new-moon-day-the-dawn-after-
conjunction.html a
6. Full Moon (Abib 14) [Nisan date of Jewish calendar varies.]
7. The hour of the Crucifixion from third hour. Death in ninth hour. [Final sen-
tencing by Pilatos cannot be on the same day – morning or midday.]
8. Entombed [not by 'burial in a grave'] in the evening. It was the time for
Passover memorial meal for Yehudim.
9. His body resting in the tomb in the High Sabbath (Jn 19:31), 1st day of the Fes-
tival of the Passover (= Festival of the Matzah). (Abib 15)
10. Wave-sheaf offering (Abib 16 – Day one of the lunar week) comes after Resur-
rection in the dawn.
11. The Festival of the Passover (= Festival of the Matzah) [Abib 15 to Abib 21].
Days of 1st day of the Festival (Abib 15 – High Sabbath – 7th day of the lunar)
a
A minor difference in meaning is significant in the Biblical calendar since an event happening shortly
before sunrise (i.e., dawn) or occurring after sunrise are on the same calendar day. E.g. the Resurrection
in the dawn is on a new day, same date as the one He himself showed to the women. Similar situation is
for an event in midnight in the Gregorian calendar and for an event occurring abound sunset.
 and 7th last day of the Festival (Abib 21 – eve of sabbath) are for set-apart/holy
assembly with no work to be done. (Exo 12:16). Next day, Abib 22 is weekly
7th day sabbath.
12. The Passover day (= Crucifixion day) = 14th of Abib = Day 6 of the lunar week
= Preparation (= eve) of Sabbath. Passover lamb killed in the afternoon;
Passover memorial meal in the evening [of Abib 14, but of Nisan 15 in the rab-
binic Jewish calendar with a sunset-to-sunset day.]. The date falls from the late
March to early April (unlike ‘Jewish Passover’). What is called Pesach in the
Judaism is the festival (Pesach I to VII, VIII for Diaspora Jewry); what they call
'erev Pesach' corresponds to the biblical 'Passover' (memorial). It is beginning
day for eating unleavened bread (Mk 14:12 parallel).
13. Next day, Day 7 of the lunar week, is High Sabbath (Jn 19:31 – sabbath day
which falls on 1st day of 7-day long Festival). 7th day for Sabbath in the Bible
is not related to Saturday of the Gregorian planetary week – the so-called Sat-
urday sabbath is being kept by Sabbatarians, including the Jewish people as
well as 'the Seventh day Adventist'.

Cf. astronomical new moon = Dark Moon. [Sighting the first visible crescent cannot be reliable and consis-
tent method – the source of date discrepancy resulting from difference in calendation.]
[See a separate paper <Calendation Practicum> in <IRENT Vol. III – Supplement>].

Question: How far off the Passover from the equinox?

Question: How far off the Easter from the Pesach?

Year Pesach Begins (at sundown) Pesach Ends (at nightfall)

2021 Mar 27 Sat April 4 Sun
2022 Apr 15 Fri April 22 Fri
2023 Apr 5 Wed April 12 Wed
 4. Passover Week Chronology and Timeline

Clarifying the Passover Week Chronology and Timeline

[See: 'Questions to be asked' at the end of this file]

Many issues, question and problems are interlinked. Unless we deal with them in
totality, it is futile to tackle each of them as if they stand alone. The day and date
problem are unsolvable without understanding of the proper biblical calendar,
setting aside the Hebrew and the Gregorian calendation. Without careful and
unbiased scrutiny of the time related expression in the Passion narrative, all that
has come out is the product of conjectures, unproven hypotheses, and
unsupported illogical arguments.a

The task presented here is not just to give what is believed and proven correct
answers, but to show how to think and how to deal with the different positions,
approaches, and arguments.

The Passion-Passover narrative is a large part of the Gospel which flows on the precise time-
line, while the rest shows the life teaching with healing ministry but without tightly bound to
a timeline. b

The scope of this paper is (1) to find a biblically sound solution on the question of day, date,
and year of the Crucifixion, and (2) to construct a coherent timeline of the Passion Week nar -
rative’. There has been so many different positions and arguments, adding confusion, contra-
diction and contention; with not much of clarification and consensus-building to this impor -
tant subject.

a
E.g. even taking absence of evident as the evidence of absence.
b
Compared with chronology issue (not timeline issue) when we are concerned with His nativity
narrative, the duration of Yeshua’s ministry, and the year of His Crucifixion.
First, several important issues are at stake:
(1) different scenarios for the Crucifixion day (Friday, Thursday, or Wednesday) and the
Resurrection day (Friday, Saturday or Sunday);
(2) seeking precise meaning of the termsa and the idiomsb in the Scripture; and
(3) clear understanding of a week-long timelinec in the Passion Week narrative.
The ultimate solution can only be found when different calendar systems are understood – the
one in the biblical times and those in the modern times. It is at the bottom of misunderstand-
ing and misinterpretation of the biblical texts of the Passion Week narratives. d Only the true
biblical calendar system can overcome problems caused by the Hebrew calendation itself.

Common errors in Passion Week chronology and timeline.

 Using Julian-Gregorian and rabbinic Jewish calendars which were not in the first cen-
tury, instead of the biblical calendar.
 Using the named days of planetary [solar] week – which follows the modern Grego-
rian calendar proleptically – rather than the numbered days of lunar week.
 Mistaking the biblical 7th day of the week as Saturday, and sabbath preparation day (=
sabbath eve) as Friday.
 Gregorian cyclic continuous solar weeks instead of the non-cyclic biblical lunar
weeks.
 Biblical day (which begins with morning) is replaced with Hebrew day (which begins
with evening) (which was copied from ancient Greek practice) with confusion of 'day'
and 'a calendar day', the latter which is reckoned to start at dawn in the biblical calen -
dar unlike in the Jewish one to start at sunset.
 The main stumbling block is using the Hebrew calendar to follow the biblical narra-
a
E.g. the word ‘Passover’ itself used in various senses. Since they don’t have a clear idea of the
calendar system used in that time, but using the Gregorian calendar when reading the Scripture, they
remain confused even on the date, whether the ‘Passover’ was on Nisan 14th, or Nisan 15th. They have
no clear way to find what year and what day of the week was the Crucifixion. Nor they are sure of
whether ‘Lord’s Last Supper’ was a ‘Passover meal’ or not. E.g. AT Robertson (1922), A Harmony of the
Gospels (Notes on Special Points:11. Did Christ Eat the Passover (p. 279) and 12. The Hour of the Crucifixion p.
384)
b
A common but serious misunderstanding of what the unique Matthean phrase ‘in the heart of the
land/earth three days and three nights’ (Mt 12:40) which prompted people go on to replace the
traditional Friday crucifixion scenario.
c
Note: Chronology-related issue is about what year for the events. Calendar-related issues are dates
and days in the narrative timeline. The expression 'Passover Week' is actually the ‘Passion-Passover
Week’.
d
See the detailed on the topic of Time, Calendar and Chronology in the companion file <Walk through
the Bible #7 - Time & Calendar>.
 tives with its notion of sunset-to-sunset day and its use Saturday of the planetary week
instead of the biblical lunar week (e.g. Saturday vs. 7th day of the week.)

Details of Chronological and Timeline Issues:

(1) The year of the crucifixion CE 30 with the duration of His ministry – a little over two
years (involving Passover 3x) (CE 30, 29, 28). This paper does not have space for this.
The idea of year 33 which was based on looking for Friday on the supposedly crucifixion
day as per Hoehner is not worthy of consideration here.
(2) Abib 14th of the crucifixion. “Was it Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday in that year CE
30?” This question is a contentious issue but matters only from a church liturgical
viewpoint. To use non-biblical vocabulary of the named days of the week; actually, it
gives confusion to follow the timeline of the Passion week narrative. It can be determined
by correct method of determining the New Year Day (i.e., Abib 1) and a New-Moon Day
to the accurate astronomical dataa and described as Apr 5, Wed. by applying the
Gregorian calendar proleptically in CE 30.
(3) There is one crucial verse which helps us clarify the timeline of the Passion-Passover
week. It is Jn 19:14 – ‘sixth hour’ (– on Abib 13 – eve of Passover day, not on Abib 14
preparation (= eve) of sabbath – see ‘* preparation’). This shows the date and time of the
Pilatos’ sentencing. It is in harmony with the timeframe when Yeshua was on the Cross
(from ‘third’ Mk 15:25, through ‘sixth’ 15:33, to ‘ninth’ hour 15:34). This latter gives a
clue that the Trial should be placed the day before Crucifixion and consequently to
debunk the absurd traditional allocation of quite a number of events from His Arrest to
Sentencing impossible in a short overnight period. [See details to follow elsewhere.]

a
See details on <How to Determine New-Moon Day and New Year day> fully treated in IRENT Vol. III
Supplement #5 – Time, Calendar and Chronology>.
A. Summary of Calendar Issues
1. The most important thing is to understand difference of three calendar systems.
The Hebrew calendar is not a biblical calendar. People tends to bring a non-bibli-
cal Roman calendar itself into the Biblical text and thereby are misled to come up
with wrong timelines. When we try to follow the timeline of the biblical narratives,
it should be read firmly with the Biblical Lunar calendar as a guide.
2. We have to distinguish a 'calendar day' from a 'day'a that which begins with morn-
ingb. Careful attention to several points on the differences among calendar systems.
A 'calendar day’ is reckoned to start at dawnc; it contrasts with a Gregorian calen-
dar day reckoned to start at 12 a.m. and a Hebrew calendar day at sunset. [‘Dawn’
= ‘morning twilight’, opposite of ‘dusk’ = ‘evening twilight’]
3. The numbered days of the week in the Bible is of the lunar week. It is does not cor-
respond to the notion of planetary week used in two other calendar systems. Sev-
enth day (of Sabbath) is not related to ‘Saturday’ and the Day 1 of the lunar week
is one is not related to the first day of the Gregorian week, ‘Sunday’.d

4. Abib is the 1st month of the year in Biblical Lunar calendar with a day that which
reckoned to start at dawn. Nisan is the 7th month of the year in the Hebrew calen-
dar with its calendar day reckoned from sunset to sunset. [To say a day begins at
evening or at sunset is simply illogical and is a result of confusing ‘day’ as ‘calen-
dar day’.] [As Nisan dates are 12 hours ahead of Abib dates, day time events do
not cause problems since they are on the same date. However, night time events

a
. Cf. 'day' (1) as daylight period, (2) as 24-hour duration.
b
. cf. 'morning' 'early morning' 'late morning'.
c
. Cf. ‘dawn’ vs. ‘dusk’ = ‘twilights’. not to be confused with 'dawn watch', the last part of a
night (fourth watch of the night). Cf. 'sunrise’ = a day-break.
Cf. www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-dusk-and-vs-dawn; Cf. Different expressions of
different meaning - ‘morning breaking’ ‘at dawn break ‘at dawn’ ‘day is dawning’.
www.worldslastchance.com/yahuwahs-calendar/new-moon-day-the-dawn-after-conjunction.html “...
A Biblical day begins at dawn, at the earliest introduction of light, and ends at dusk, with the complete
absence of light. In a consistent pattern, …”
d
The terms, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, etc. are of a non-biblical vocabulary by used in the church
liturgical Holy Week. The traditional Friday crucifixion scenario is not true to the Bible, creating
confusion and contradictions. [Even the year CE 33 was determined as the Crucifixion year because
they found the year had the Passover Day on Friday! It is like putting the cart before the horse.]
 are on different dates, one day late on Nisan.] [The month of Abib/Nisan falls in
March to April. a Depending on the year, the month of Abib and that of Nisan may
not be in the same month period of the year.]

5. The Biblical Lunar calendar is essential in understanding and following the narra-
tive timelines in the Bible correctly and accurately without confusion and contra-
diction.b

For resolving the Passion Week Chronology controversy, only a few points from
the biblical calendation is sufficient to keep in mind:
(1) a ‘day’ begins with sunrise, not with sunset. A biblical calendar day begins
at dawn with morning which is the beginning part of a day; not at sunset with
evening which is the beginning of a Hebrew day,
(2) a biblical week is a lunar week; its numbered days do not correspond to the
named days of the planetary week in Gregorian calendar, and
(3) a biblical Sabbath is Day 7 of the lunar week, which does not correspond to
Saturday, the 7th day of the planetary week. (Cf. the solar sabbath in the Jewish
tradition is from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.)

a
[Gregorian date = Julian date – 2 (from 100 BC to100 CE). Julian dates are used throughout
this file on Passion-Passover Week Chronology.]
b
For the list of reference www.hope-of-israel.org/godscal.htm
B. Preliminary consideration on the crucifixion day scenarios:

[See elsewhere how the New-Moon date is differently determined (Abib 1) to see
what date is Abib 14 – the crucifixion day. See <IRENT Vol. III Supplement –
Walk through the Bible 7 – Time and Calendars>.

Note: Astronomical data for Abib 1 and Abib 14 (CE 30)

the conjuction date/time in 30 CE - Mar-22-Wed at @17:32 UTC. This makes the New-
Moon Day Abib 1 to be on Mar 23. Then Abib 14 is Apr. 5 Wed.

Note: on the named days of the week.

At the bottom of the confusion lies reliance on the notion and the named
days of Gregorian planetary week which is cyclic and continuous. With the
Scripture based luni-solar calendar (with lunar non-cyclic non-continuous
week) it is easily and clearly shown that how a certain biblical scenario is
found to be correctly allow us to follow the internal timeline of the biblical
Passion narrative. The readers will see how it is essential to have firm grip on
the calendar systems and to find the one which is used in the Scripture. With-
out it, it is hopeless to make sense out of the timeline of the Passion-Passover
Week.

Much more than finding the correct day of the planetary week on the
proleptic Gregorian calendar, but this controversy helped to appreciate the
importance of calendar issue when dealing with the timeline of the Passion-
Passover Week.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday – these named days of
the week belong to the Gregorian vocabulary; do not belong to the biblical vocabulary. a In
the early Julian calendar, it should be noted, that it was with eight-day week (‘ nundinal
cycle’), designated as A to H.] In contrast, the biblical week is numbered and of lunar week
(with 7th day for sabbath day). The 7th day of the week in the Bible does not correspond to

a
[An unbiblical modern easy-read paraphrase-type Bible translation, GNB, has 'Sunday' in place of ‘the
first day of the week’ as in all other translations.
Saturday in the Gregorian calendar (which is also used for the sabbath day in the Hebrew
calendar – both calendars having planetary week.).

Nowhere the Bible says the Crucifixion was on Wed, Thu, or Friday. Nor does it say He was
raised on Sunday or Sat. It is not quite accurate even to say ‘on such and such day He was
crucified (be it Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, the names which do not appear in the
Bible. We honestly can only say that the day of His Crucifixion was found to fall on a cer-
tain named day of the planetary week of the Gregorian calendar. It can be located on the pro-
leptic Gregorian calendar (with a Julian date) only after the chronology and the timeline of
the Passion Week narrative are clearly understood in terms of the true Biblical luni-solar cal-
endar, without being mired in the nonbiblical Hebrew calendar.

The biblical text cannot be and should not be interpreted in terms of seven named days of
Gregorian solar cyclic week, which is in sharp contrast to the seven numbered days of the
lunar non-cyclic week. Actually, the issue of what named day of the week the Passover day
is, does not help for the readers understand and follow the Biblical narrative, and on the con-
trary, it has been unrecognized source of confusion over chronology and timeline. What
name day of the week the Crucifixion was, should matter only for church liturgy, in line
with our modern custom to remember something associated with the named day of the week.

With the Scripture based luni-solar calendar, it is not difficult to see that how a certain bibli -
cal scenario would correctly fit the internal timeline of the biblical Passion narrative. The
readers will see how it is essential to have firm grip on the calendar systems and to get ac-
quainted with the one which is used in the Scripture. Without it, it is hopeless to make sense
out of the timeline of the Passion-Passover Week.
Note: 'Wednesday' or 'Thursday' for Abib 14
How the New-Moon Day be correctly determined in terms of the true biblical lunar
calendar (in term of Abib, not Nisan, for the first lunar month of the year) will affect
whether the Passover day of CE 30 (= the crucifixion day) to fall on either Thursday
or Wednesday on a proleptic Roman calendar.
(1) based on astronomical data on date and time of Conjunction (→ 'dark
moon' = 'astronomical new moon') and sunrise at Jerusalem to determine the
New-Moon Day (Abib 1 > Nisan 1)
(2) by rather imprecise, subjective and impractical method of ‘first visible
crescent moon’ as was used in the ancient times in OT history with declaration of
the sight of the crescent moon by Sanhedrin.
Ref. H. Goldstine (1973) New and Full Moons.
“… One-day discrepancy between the two scenarios of the Crucifixion date is due to
different way of determining the New Moon Day. The method of sighting first visible
crescent would be only feasible in the ancient time for the people living in the limited
geographic area of Judea.”

“ www.triumphpro.com/jesus-in-grave-new-truth.htm). He is taking a positon of

Thursady Crucifixion scenario.

With the astronmical data on the conjuction date/time Mar-22-Wed 30 CE at 17:32 UTC
But with the inaccurate 'first visible crescent method'

In 30 CE, for the month of March, the molad or conjunction of the New Moon oc -
curred on Wednesday, March 22. [Q: at what time?] The crescent New Moon was seen
in the evening of Thursday, March 23, making Abib 1 March 24-Fri. Therefore, in 30
CE, the 15th day of Abib – the First Day of Unleavened Bread – was Friday, April 7th!
This means that in 30 CE. the day of the Passover [lamb] Abib 14, was NOT ON
WEDNESDAY, BUT RATHER ON THURSDAY, April 6 th! In other words, the date of
the crucifixion was THURSDAY, APRIL 6TH, CE 30!”

Note: this traditional sighting of the (visible) first crescent as was practiced in the an-
cient Israel is simply impractical – inapplicable for the rest of the world.
C. Events from Arrival at Bethany to Entombment:
Nisan – in the manner of 7th month of the Hebrew calendar - sunset-to-sunset day.
Abib – 1st month of the Scripture-based calendar with a calendar day beginning at dawn.

 Flow of the events follows G-Mk with <Temple Incident>. Cf. G-Mt and G-
Lk place on the same day as <Jerusalem Entry> to affect the timeline to
allow one more full day for the (final) Sanhedrin session
 Flow of the events ( to ) – *Sanhedrin I (initial session for interrogation) &
II (final session for judgment) and Pilatos I & II – ‘more than one day for the
Passion’

 long segments - interrupting the narrative flow. (Jn 12:20-36a; 36b-50; Jn

14:1 – 17:26)
 Note: the events to are on the dates as read from G-Mk. G-Mt involves
different dates for these (with G-Lk possibly similar to it), which can result in a
different timeline for the Passover-Passion Week from Abib 10 to Abib 12 in this
reconstructed timeline! See in the Table following, separates columns are made for
G-Mt and G-Lk with highlighted entries.
 Table: 26 events from Arrival at Bethany to Resurrection:
(↓ dates in Abib; N for night) Events
9 B-1 Arriving at Bethany [6 days before Passover Festival (Abib 15)] (Jn 12:1)

B-2 Supper and Anointing (Jn +12:2-8) + Crowd came (Jn 12:9-11)
N = [M-4 Anointing (Mk 14:3-9; Mt 26:6-13) – (flashback)]

10 B-3 Anti-triumphal Jerusalem Entry [‘Palm Day’] Lambs

(Mk 11:1-10; Mt 21:1-11; Lk 19:28-40, 41-44; Jn 12:12-19#);
N Temple visit; return to Bethany (Mk +11:11)
B-4 Barren Fig Tree (Mk +11:12-14)
11 B-5 6 Temple Incident (Mk +11:15-19)
6 Mt +21:12-17
6 Lk +19:45-48
Mt +21:18-19
Mt +21:20-22
N
M-1 Withered Fig Tree (Mk +11:20-26)
M-2 Confrontation & Teaching
(Mk +11:27-33; 12:1-44; Mt +21:23 – 23:39; Lk +20:1 – 21:4)
M-3 Olivet Discourse (Mk +13:1-37; Mt +24:1 – 25:46; Lk +21:5-36)
12
D [2 more days to Abib 14 (Passover day) Mk 14:1a; Mt 26:1-2]
Yehudim plot (Mk +14:1b-2; Mt +26:3-5);
M-4 [ Anointing (Mk +14:3-9; Mt +26:6-13)] (→ B2)
Judas (silver money) (Mk +14:10-11 //Mt +26:14-16; Lk +22:2-6)
M-5 Upper Room Preparation (Mk +14:12-16; Mt +26:17-19; Lk +22:7-13)
M-6 Last Supper (Mk +14:17-26; Mt +26:20-30; Lk +22:14-30; Jn 13:1-35)
<Kefa’s warned> (Mk +14:27-31; Mt +26:31-35; Lk +22:31-38; Jn +13:36-38)
Gethsemane (Mk +14:32-42; Mt +26:36-46; Lk +22:39-46; Jn 18:1)
12
M-7 Arrest (Mk +14:43-52; Mt +26:47-56; Lk +22:47-53; 63-65; Jn +18:2-12)
N M-8 Hannan (Jn +18:13-14→ Peter → 18:19-24) (Mk Mt Lk Ø)
M-9 Sanhedrin I (Mk +14:53, 55-61; Mt +26:57, 59-63a) (Lk Ø)
<Kefa’s whereabouts> (Mk +14:54; Mt +26:58; Lk +22:54-55; Jn +18:15)
<Kefa’s denial> (Mk +14:66-72; Mt +26:69-74; Lk +22:56-62; Jn +18:16-18, 25-27)

M-10 Sanhedrin II (Mt 27:1; Mk +15:1a; Lk +22:66-71) (Mt 26:63b-66 //Mk 14:61b-64)
<Judas’ suicide> (Mt +27:3-10. Cf. Act 1:18-20)
M-11 Pilatos I (Lk +23:1-7); Herod Antipas (Lk +23:7-12);
13 M-12 Pilatos II (Mt +27:11-26; Mk +15:1b-15; Lk +23:13-25; Jn 18:28 – 19:16@)
*** [Into custody]
N *** [In custody]

A-1 <Via Dolorosa>

Passover Day
14 A-2 Crucifixion – 3rd hour (Mk 15:25)
A-3 Death – 9th hour (Mk 15:34; Mt 27:46) ← Passover lamb killed

A-4 Entombment – evening through night; ← Passover meal

N
[High Sabbath] <Posting Roman guard> (Mt 27:62-66) Passover Festival begins
15

N
A-5 Resurrection early in the morning
[Wave sheaf of the Firstfruits]
<to the Roman guard> (Mt 28:4, 11-15);
16 <to the Women> (Mt 28:5-10; Mk 16:9-11; Jn 20:11-18)
<on the road to Emmaus> (Lk 24:13-49; Mk 16:12-13)
<to the Eleven> (Mk 16:14-18) (Jn 20:19-25 w/ Thomas absent)
N

17
(see *graphic image 5 pp. down)

Events numbering and notation symbols

[Initials such as B for Bethany arrival; F for Barren Fig tree; f for fig tree withered;
D for debate; L for Last Supper; S for Sanhedrin; P-P for Pilatos I & II, etc.
used in the tables]

Events numbering and notation symbols in the Charts

B for Beginning; M for Middle A for After
Lamb presented; taught Last Supper; Arrest; Trial Crucifixion; Death; Resurrection
Abib 9 Abib 12 Abib 14
M-1 <fig tree withered>
B-1 <Bethany arrival> A-1 <Via Dolorosa, bearing the cross>
M-2 <Debate and Teaching> A-2; A-3 <† - † Crucifixion & Death>
B-2 <Anointing – G-Jn> (←M-4)
M-3 <Olivet Discourse> <Passover lamb killed>
M-4 <Anoint – G-Mt, MK> (→B-2)
A-4 <P-m> the Passover meal
<Judas’ silver money>
M-5 <Upper Room Prep> Abib 14-15
Abib 10
Abib 12 evening A-3 <Entombment> ****
<In the tomb>
B-3 <Ϡ Palm day; Lambs & M-6 <Last Supper>
Yerusalem Entry> <Gethsemane>
Abib 15
M-7 <Arrest>
A-5 <Keeping sabbath>
M-8 <Hannan>
& <Peter’s denials>
Abib 11 Abib 16
M-9 <Sanhedrin I>
A-6 < Resurrection>
B-4 <Barren Fig tree >
(in the dawn of Abib 16)
B-5 <Temple Incident> A-7 <Empty tomb>
Abib 13
M-10 <Sanhedrin II> A-8 <Risen Master> to the Disciples
M-11 <Pilatos I>
M-12 <Pilatos II> (,  resurrection proposed
<In custody overnight> other than on Abib 16)
D. Timelines of the Passion-Passover Week

All happened in one week,

that momentous events in the history
on which Christianity is anchored
[It is the Passion-Passover Week to be known, rather than the Passion Week since His
Passion cannot be without being meshed in the Passover week on that year.]

[For the Crucifixion and Resurrection dates, see below under the heading of <Table for
the list of Crucifixion scenarios>.]

[About the term Nisan:a In all the subsequent tables for the Passion-Passover week, the
entry under ‘Nisan’ is simply to show what it would have been when a day was taken
12 hours ahead of an Abib date, in the way of the Jewish reckoning of a day from
sunset. See in detail for ‘Abib vs. Nisan’]

There, one does not need the Gregorian vocabulary of the named days of the planetary
week to follow the timeline. Aside from finding correct days on which the Crucifixion
and Resurrection fall, the more pressing need is to have the timeline of the Passion
week constructed out of the Gospel narratives. As we often do not clear-cut time indica-
tors to arrive at an unequivocal timeline, we have to accept some variations (within dif-
ferent scenarios of crucifixion day) as long as these three are fit in the timeframe from
the Arrival at Bethany on Abib 9.

A Gospel book consists of His life teaching (with teaching, God’s mighty works, and
healing, and challenging and confronting the established religion of that time) and the
narrative of His life. One may say a Gospel is 'Jesus story'. But is it about Him? What

a
Nisan dates in all the Passion Week timelines – the word has marked with * – are for comparison
only. A Nisan date is 12 hours ahead of the equivalent Abib date. Its date itself, however, cannot be
fixed since calendation to locate the first day of this month in a proleptic rabbinic Hebrew calendar is
different from Abib of the Biblical calendar.]
about from and by Him and on Him? The first division of the Gospel book deals with
the His life teaching mostly. There is the story of His nativity. By and large, narrative is
not of its picture. However, when we move into the second and final division, we are
presented by the narrative of the Passion Week. It is the literary work of narrative genre
par excellence. It cannot be read properly and profitable with following its timeline –
correct and accurate one, which is only feasible with the correct biblical lunar calendar
(the Hebrew calendar actually hinders for properly understand the text).

The task for the readers is then how to grasp the whole picture of this week with the
timeline presented by the Gospel itself. As a practical purpose, it is found to be very
useful to divide the 9-day period in three segments, adding Abib 9 & 17 to the Passion-
Passover Week (Abib 10 to Abib 16).

 First 3 days –
Abib 9 (Anointing), Abib 10 (Palm Day), Abib 11 (Temple Incident)
 Middle 2 days –
Abib 12 (Olivet Discourse → Last Supper) to Abib 13 (Trial)
 Last 3 days
Abib 14 (Crucifixion), Abib 15 (High Sabbath Jn 19:31),
Abib 16 (Resurrection & Risen Master)

Note: The time for the Resurrection is inferred from the time the tomb was found empty.

The traditional church liturgical Holy Week is a pale resemblance of the Passion Week
(or, more inclusively 'Passion-Passover Week'). The anchoring events in the timeline of
the week, which allocates all the events in a coherent timeline of the week:

(1) Abib 10 – Palm Day with presentation of Yeshua as the lamb for Passover typology
(1) Abib 12 – 'Last Supper'
(2) Abib 13 (= Passover eve) – the trial day with Pilatos' sentencing ≈ midday (Jn
19:14)
(3) Abib 14 (= Passover = Sabbath eve) – The Crucifixion. The Passover lamb killed.
(4) Abib 15 – High Sabbath, first day of the Festival Passover (/the Matzah Festival).
(5) Abib 16 (in the dawn of a new day) – the Resurrection. [Gk. S536 aparchē; H7225
reshith] – the risen Master to the disciples (morning & evening). [Cf. the day of the First-
fruitsa offering].
a
'first-fruits' [Gk. S536 aparchē; Heb. H7225 reshith]
To revisit and construct the correct and accurate timeline of the Passion Week, the
first task is to deal with the last half from the Crucifixion to the Resurrection. Once
its timeline is fully grasped, unshackled from the frame of the Church liturgical Holy
Week, the clear picture is formed for the first half of the week to the closing with the
Trial. The crucial point here to be paid due attention is that (1) the Crucifixion can -
not be allocated on the same day as the sentencing by Pilatos and (2) the breath-tak -
ing run of quite a number of events from the Last Supper to the Road to Golgotha
cannot be squeezed into a short time-period of single overnight from night to morn-
ing. The inevitable conclusion is that His trial before Pilatos cannot be other than on
the day before the Crucifixion. That means, the Last Supper itself is to be placed
two days earlier (in terms of Gregorian dates) than His Crucifixion. There won’t be
such a day as the so-called Silent Wednesday of the Holy Week – a hilarious idea in-
deed whispering that their Jesus took a day of rest on the day before he assumes ac-
tivity on the Maundy Thursday. [See a zip file <Significance of John 19.14 for 'sixth
hour'> in <IRENT Vol. III Supplement - Collection #6B – Trial – Time & Duration>]

We cannot discredit what the Bible tells for the several important timeline markers
(‘time indicators’) and leave them standing contradictory. We cannot read and inter-
pret the Bible to justify the tradition explanation of the Church liturgical Holy Week
timeline. A product of religious mind is not only useless but also misleading.
 Monthly Calendar in the biblical luni-solar calendation.

This diagram is the monthly calendar for the biblical calendar. This serves as a basis for a
template of the calendar to use, with Gregorian and Jewish calendar dates to be overlaid.
Only one monthly calendar template is needed. Every month is same.

[from https://youtu.be/WxmKC_69MQY
<Forbidden lunisolar biblical calendar explained in 10 verses>]

Abib 14 = Passover Day = Day of Crucifixion

Abib 16 = Day of Resurrection – at dawn of a new day [with daytime = sunrise to sunset]
 Timeline – First Half of the Passion Week
Passover ~ ~ Lambs Eve of ~ Prep. ~ ~ Meal
B A ϠY FT fDO L-S A † † <tomb>
day night
Day of Week 1 2 3 4 5 6
Mnemonic Start Mounted Temple Www Trial Final ****
13 14
Abib 9 10 11 12 Passover eve Passover
CE 30 Apr- 1 2 3 4 5 
Fri Ϡ Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed
14 15
Nisan* 9 10 11 12 13
Erev Pesach Pesach I

[* Nisan date, which is 12 hours ahead, is for comparison only since calendation for the rabbinic Hebrew calendar and
the Biblical calendar is different.] [**** entombment (not ‘burial’)]
[Abib (the first month in the biblical calendar) ≈ Nisan (7th month in the Hebrew calendar)]
[Abib 10, Day 2 of the lunar week = 'Palm Day' – so-called ‘Palm Sunday’ in the liturgical ‘Holy Week’]
A day is that which begins with sunrise. A calendar day in the bible is reckoned to start at dawn;
it is at sunset for the rabbinic Jewish calendar; at 12 a.m. for Gregorian.

(graphic image below – to copy to IRENT Gospels)

 Timeline - Second Half of the Passion Week

Day of Week 5 † † 6 7  1 2
<I n t h e t o m b>
**** High Sabbath Wave Sheaf
Mnemonic Trial Final Silent Start Meet

Abib 13 14 15 16 17
Passover eve Passover Matzah – D1 D2 D3
CE 30 4 Tue 5 Wed  6 Thu 7 Fri 8 Sat #

14% 15@ 16 17 18
Nisan* 13
Erev Pesach Pesach I Pesach II Pesach III IV

# Solar sabbath; **** entombment

% Nisan 14 is Ereb Pesach (Pesach eve); @ Nisan 15 – first day of Pesach Festival (Pesach I)

[* Nisan date, which is 12 hours ahead, is for comparison only since calendation for the rabbinic Hebrew calendar
and the Biblical calendar is different.] [**** entombment (not ‘burial’)]
[Abib (the first month in the biblical calendar) ≈ Nisan (7th month in the Hebrew calendar)]
A day is that which begins with sunrise. A calendar day in the bible is reckoned to start at dawn;
it is at sunset for the rabbinic Jewish calendar; at 12 a.m. for Gregorian.

(graphic image below – to copy to IRENT Gospels)

 List of the Charts in vertical and horizontal formats:
Below is a collection of several charts in tables in two formats:
[V -- in a vertical format and H -- in a horizontal format]

V-0 Horizontal Timeline: Seven days

from Arrival (9th) to Resurrection (16th Abib)
V-1 Last 3 days from Crucifixion (14th) to Resurrection (16th Abib)
H-0 Vertical Timeline from Arrival (9th) to Risen Master (17th)
H-1 From Arrival (9th) to Crucifixion (14th)
H-2 From Crucifixion (14th) to Resurrection (16th)

Annotation to the charts:

L-S Last Supper (DoW 4); Trial (DoW 5)

A Arrest
S Sanhedrin I & II
P-P Pilatos' trial I & II
 the bearing the cross to Golgotha
†† Crucifixion (3rd to 9th hour)
**** Entombment
w.s. Wave sheaf offering

 Resurrection in the dawn of Day 1 of the lunar week

 Resurrection in the morning, Sunday (cf. Easter)
 Resurrection in the evening (in the unbiblical Wednesday crucifixion scenario)
[from ‘two-day Passion chronology’ = a day for Trial + next day Crucifixion]
(*graphic)
S-W – Biblical Wednesday Crucifixion scenario (w/ Fri dawn resurrection). CE 30 – Abib 14 †
on Wed (Apr-5).

S-X – a non-biblical Wednesday Crucifixion scenario. Here the Resurrection  is absurdly

placed in the late afternoon, ignoring the plain biblical statements, on the wrong day to boot.

S-T – Thursday Crucifixion Scenario (w/ Sunday dawn resurrection). CE 30 – Abib 14 † on Thu
(Apr-6). The date is one day off from S-W by fixing the New-Moon Day wrongly with 'first
visible crescent' method.
S-F – Traditional Friday Crucifixion scenario with Sunday morning resurrection, CE 33. [The
Palm Day falls on Sunday as the Resurrection does; hence the traditional name ‘Palm Sunday’.
However, the Palm Sunday Ϡ does not fall on Nisan/Abib 10 as it should.]

(Blue colored Saturday – as sabbath day as in the Jewish tradition).

Note: A major difference in the timeline for the first half of the Passion Week (from His Arrival
at Bethany to the Crucifixion) should be noted. The Biblical one has the Crucifixion on the day
after Pilatos' sentencing.

The internal timeline within the Passion narrative shows

(1) Abib 13 (‘the preparation of Passover Memorial Day’ = Passover eve) – Pilatos'
sentencing – a day before the Crucifixion.
(2) †Abib 14 (“the preparation of sabbath” = sabbath eve). Day of Passover lamb
killed and Passover meal;
(3) Abib 15 – High Sabbath ( Jn 19:31) - (on Day 7 of the lunar week – for daytime
period only);
(4) Abib 16  as the Firstfruits (Day 1 of the lunar week)
(1Co 15:20, 23; Lev 23:10-12) (Cf. Lev 23:20).
 Day of Week = Numbered day of the lunar week (here, in the 2nd week of the month Abib).
 The numbered Day of the Passion Week = Day No. of the lunar Week.
 The date in April for Thursday scenario is same as the numbered Day of the Passion week.
 Into such a short period of time ( – ), so many events [from M-6 < Last Supper> to M-
12 < Pilatos' sentencing>] are impossible to be crammed – the fatal Achilles’ heel in the usu-
ally accepted ‘one-day Passion chronology’. [Note: In Friday scenario, Last Supper is
wrongly interpreted as the A-4 <Passover memorial meal> in their poor understanding the
Bible text.]. vide infra for the subject of <'More than one day' Chronology>.
 Mnemonic – with initials of the words Mnemonic works only with a Thursday and the Friday
crucifixion scenarios only.
– Sat for Start into Sun for Mounted on a colt – into Mon for Temple
– into Tue for WWW (withered, watch, wait; triple warnings) – into Wed for Trial
– into Thu for Final into Fri for Silent into Sat for Start

Day of the Week (DoW):

It is for the day of the lunar week (Day 1 to Day 7), and totally unconnected to the
named days of the Gregorian solar (or planetary) week.
In the Passover week (the 2nd full week of Abib CE 30 – day 2 to 8), the numbered
Days of a lunar week (Day 1 to Day 7, instead of Sunday to Saturday) correspond to
the days of the Passion week (1st day to 7th day before the resurrection on 8th day).
This makes it easier to grasp the narrative timeline.

First 3 Days of the Passion

Arrival 9th to Temple Incident (11th Abib)
 B-1 Bethany Arrival; B-2 Anointing (← M-4)
 B-3 Palm Day (Jerusalem Entry) (Abib 10)
 B-4 Barren fig tree; B-5 Temple Incident
Middle 2 Days of the Passion Week
From Olivet Discourse (12th) to Trial (13th Abib)
 M-3 Olivet Discourse
 M-6 Last Supper M-7 Arrest;
 M-9 & 10 Sanhedrin M-11 & 12 Pilatos & Sentencing

Last 3 Days of the Passion Week

From the Crucifixion (14th) to the Resurrection (16th Abib)
 A-1 <Via Dolorosa>; A-2 Crucifixion & Death
 A-3 Entombed; A-4 P-m <Passover memorial meal>
 A-5 Keeping Sabbath A-6 Resurrection
 A-7 At the empty tomb A-8 Risen Master to Disciples
H. Comparative Timeline Passover Week from Arrival to the Resurrection (Abib 9 to 16)

Day Night

Day of Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
Mnemonic Start Mounted Temple WWW Trial Final Silent Start
13 14 15 16
Abib 9 10 11 12
Erev Pesach Passover** Matzah I Matzah II
High
Passover + + Lambs + Eve Prep. ++Meal Sabbath
Wave Sheaf
BA ϠY F T f DOJ L S P-P † † <I n the tomb >  Risen Master

14 15 16
* Nisan 9 10 11 12 13
Erev Pesach Pesach I Pesach II
 – 

Apr → 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
30 (Wed) S-W
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue  † Wed Thu Fri Sat

[↓ For comparison – those with customary ‘One-day Passion chronology’]

 – 
(B&A) Ϡ F T fDOJ “silent Wednesday”  SP  † -†
Mar-31 Apr-1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
30 (Wed) S-X
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue  † Wed Thu Fri Sat 
Apr-1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
30 (Thu) S-T
Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed  † Thu Fri Sat  Sun
Mar-29 30 31 Apr-1 2 3 4 5 6
33 (Fri) S-F
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu  † Fri Sat  Sun Mon

Abib 14 ‘preparation day of sabbath’ (= ‘sabbath eve’);

** Passover memorial = Passover lamb killed + Passover meal .
H-1 -- From Last Supper to Crucifixion (Abib 12 to 14)

Day Night

Day of Week 4 5 6 7 1
Mnemonic WWW Trial Final Silent Start
13 14 15 16
Abib 12
Erev Pesach Passover Matzah I Matzah II

f DOJ L S P-P † † < I n the tomb >  Risen Master

---- ----- 

High
Passover Passover Eve P. Prep. +P. Meal Sabbath
Wave Sheaf

Apr 3 4 5 6 7 8
30 (Wed) S-W
Mon Tue † † Wed Thu  Fri

[Into such a short period of time ( - - - ), so many events [from M-6 < The Last Supper> to
M-12 < Pilatos' sentencing> are incredibly crammed in the traditional Passover Week scenario,
whether it is Friday, Thursday or even Wednesday Crucifixion scenario.]
H-2 -- From Arrival to Crucifixion (Abib 9 to 14)
day night
Day of Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10 13 $ 14
Abib 9 lambs
11 12 Passover eve Passover Matza
h
BA ϠY FT fDOJ L A S P-P † † <in the tomb>
[Nisan] 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

CE 30 Mar-31 Apr-1 2 3 4 5 6
S-W Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu

CE 30 Apr-1 2 3 4 5 6 7
S-T Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed <Thu> Fri

CE 33 29 30 31 Apr-1 2 3
S-F Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu <Fri> Sat
ϠY FT fDO J (silent) 
LSP
(Hoehner) (crowd) ϠY FT f DOJ † †

Passover = Passover lamb killed + Passover memorial meal (on the same date of Abib)

H-3 -- From Crucifixion to Resurrection (Abib 14 to 16)

Day of Week
(lunar) 5 † † 6 7  1 2
P-P < I n the tomb >

$ Preparation High Sabbath Wave Sheaf

13 14 15 16 17
Abib
Passover eve Passover Matzah I Matzah II Matzah III
13 14 15 16 17 18
[* Nisan]
Erev Pesach Pesach I Pesach II Pesach III Pesach IV
S-W 5 †Wed 6 Thu  7 Fri 8 Sat

30
S-X 5 †Wed 6 Thu 7 Fri 8 Sat 
S-T April 6 †Thu 7 Fri 8 Sat  9 Sun
33 S-F 3 † Fri $
4 Sat @
 5 Sun 9 Mon
V. Timeline Passover Week (Arrival to Resurrection) — Abib 9th to 16th:
[After the biblical Wednesday Crucifixion Scenario with lunar sabbath]
*
Nisan
Apr Abib Events (Abib 15 = Day 0) *
8 Thu 8D [Sabbath for the daytime period]
(Day 7 of the lunar week)
8N
9 Fri (Day 1) (-6
d) * [6 days before Passover Festival (Abib 15)]
9D
B-1 <Arriving> at Bethany before sunset (Jn 12:1)
B-2 <Anointing> (Jn 12:2-8) (← M-4 Mt; Mk)
9N

10 Sat (Day 2) (-5

d) lambs
10 D B-3 Palm Day <Anti-triumphal Jerusalem entry>
10 N
Sun (Day 3) (-4 d)
11 11 D B-4 <Barren fig tree> (Mk) [Cf. Mt]; B-5 <Temple Incident>
11 N
(Day 4) (-3 d) M-1 <Withered Fig Tree> (Mk)
Mon M-2 <Confront & Teaching>; M-3 <Olivet Discourse>
12 D 2 more days to Passover day (Abib 14); <Plot>; M-4 <Judas’ Money>
12
M-5 <Upper Room Preparation>
M-6 <Last Supper>; <Gethsemane>; M-7 <Arrest>
12 N
M-8 <Hannan>+ <Kefa’s Denials>; M-9 <Sanhedrin I>
Tue (Day 5) (-2 d) <Trial day> Passover eve
13 13 D
M-10 <Sanhedrin II>
M-11/12 <Pilatos - I & II> (Sentencing ≈ 'noon')
13 N <In custody>#
14 Wed (Day 6) (-1 d) A-1 <Via Dolorosa> Passover day
14 D
A-2 <Crucifixion>; <Death>; Passover lamb killed
Apr 5
14 N A-3 <Entombed> A-4 Passover meal
15 Thu
* 15 D A-5 High Sabbath – [Festival begins] [Posting the Roman guard]
Apr 6
15 N
Fri A-6 <Resurrection> (in the dawn)
16
16 D A-7 Empty Tomb;
Apr 7 A-8 Risen Master to Disciples

17
Sat
16 N
* Counting from Abib 15 = Day 0
# See ‘More Than One Day Passion Chronology'.
= Festival of the Passover = Festival of the Matzah.
V. Last 5 Days Timeline (Crucifixion – Resurrection)
Nisan
#1 Events #2 #3 #4
Nisan Abib (Day 6) A-1 <Via Dolorosa> Passover day
14 D
14 D A-2 <Crucifixion> (3rd hour); Wed Thu Fri
A-3 <Death> (9th hour); Passover lamb killed
15 N
14 N A-4 <Entombed>; Passover meal
15 D
(Day 7 = High Sabbath) Passover Festival begins Thu Fri
15 D
[Sabbath (for daytime period); unrelated to ‘Saturday’]
16 N
15 N

16 D A-5 < Resurrection> (in the dawn)
Fri Sat Sun
(Day 1) (unrelated to Sunday)
<Empty Tomb> A-7 (Mk 28:9-10; Mk 16:9-11; Jn 20:11-18)
16 D <Risen Master> morning A-8
Day of First-fruits with Wave Sheaf Offering and
Omer countdown to Shavuot (x: Pentecost).
on the Emmaus Road (Mk 16:12-13; Lk 24:13-49)
16 N to the Eleven (Mk 16:14-18) (Jn 20:19-25 Thomas absent)
17 N


17 D (Day 2)
Sat Sun Mon
17 D

18 N
17 N

Resurrection differently located in timeline in different scenarios:

#1 –  Biblical Wednesday scenario;
#2 –  Non-biblical Wednesday;
#3 –  Thursday;
#4 –  Friday
N for Night period; D for Daytime period
Abib 15 – colored for lunar sabbath.
Festival of the Passover = Festival of the Matzah
Timeline of Yeshua's Final Hours
https://spiritualdirection.com/2013/03/29/the-crucifixion-of-our-lord revised – added and corrected

Preceding Events
Abib 12 Evening
The Last Supper (Mt 26:20-30; Mk 14:17-26; Lk 22:14-38; Jn 13:21-30)
In the Garden of Gethsemane (Mt 26:36-46; Mk 14:32-42; Lk 22:39-45)

Abib 12 Night
Betrayed and Arrested (Mt 26:47-56; Mk 14:43-52; Lk 22:47-53; Jn 18:1-11)

Abib 12/13 Night - Morning

The Religious Leaders Condemn (Mt 27:1-2; Mk 15:1; Lk 22:66-71)
Stands Trial Before Pilatos (Mt 27:11-14; Mk 15:2-5; Lk 23:1-5; Jn 18:28-40)
Sent to Herod (Lk 23:6-12)

Abib 13 Noon (Jn 19:16)

Returned to Pilatos (Lk 23:11)
Sentenced to Death (Jn 19:16; Mt 27:26; Mk 15:15; Lk 23:23-24)

The Crucifixion
Abib 14 Next morning:
Led Away to Calvary (Mt 27:30-33; Mk 15:22-22; Lk 23:26-31; Jn 19:16-17)

≈ 9 AM – “The Third Hour” (Mk 15:25)

is Crucified on the Cross (Mk 15:24-26; Mt 27:35; Lk 23:33; Jn 19:18)
Soldiers Cast Lots for his Clothes (Mt 27:35; Mk 15:24; Lk 23:34; Jn 19:23-24)

≈ 10 AM
is Insulted and Mocked (Mt 27:39-44; Mk 15:29-32; Lk 23:35-37, 39)

≈ 11 AM
With two 'Criminals' (Lk 23:40-43)
Speaks to his mother and 'John' (Jn 19:26-27)

≈ Noon – “Sixth Hour” [Mk 15:33 //Lk 23:44]

Darkness Covers the Land (Mt 27:45; Mk 15:33; Lk 23:44)

≈ 3 PM – “The Ninth Hour” [Mk 15:34; Lk 23:44]

Cries Out to the Father (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34)
is Thirsty (Jn 19:28-29)
It is Finished (Lk 23:46; Jn 19:30)
The time corresponds to the time of Passover lamb killed in OT [≈ midafternoon]a

Events following the Death

The Earthquake (Mt 27:51-52)
The Centurion – “Surely he was a god's son!” (Mt 27:54 //Mk 15:39; cf. //Lk 23:47)
The Soldiers Break the Thieves’ Legs (Jn 19:31-32)
The Soldier Pierces Yeshua’s Side (Jn 19:34)
Laid in the Tomb (Mt 27:57-61; Mk 15:42-47; Lk 23:50-56; Jn 19:38-42)
Empty Tomb & Risen Master (Mt 28:1-7; Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-9)

a
'*between the two setting-time' = Heb. idiomatic phrase 'ben ha-arbayim' [11x in OT; 5x for the
Passover lamb to kill (Exo 12:6; Lev 23:5; Num 9:2, 5, 11)]; often translated confusingly as 'between
two evening', and often wrongly as 'at even' (KJV) 'at twilight' (NASB, NIV, ESV, HCSB, NET,
NWT).
V. Timeline table of each different scenario
[Nisan date starts at sunset; solar sabbath on Saturdays; - here for comparison purpose only
[Abib date begins at dawn; lunar Sabbath on Day 7 of the lunar week (8, 15, 22, & 28th day of each month) of
the lunar calendar).]
[Note: Wednesday Scenario → Palm Saturday and Resurrection Saturday; Thursday Scenario → Palm Sunday
and Resurrection Sunday)

1. Based on the biblical lunar calendar: WEDNESDAY scenario

Apr * Nisan Abib (Counting back from Abib 15 = 0)

8 [Sabbath – daytime]

9 (-6) <Journey from Yericho>

FRI
<Arriving> at Bethany (Jn 12:1)
9 <Anointing> (Jn 12:2-8) [← Anointing (Mk; Mt)]
10
SAT (-5) <Jerusalem Entry> [Palm Day]; ← Lambs
<Temple court visit>
10
Sun 11
(-4) <Barren Fig Tree>; <Temple Incident>
11
(-3) <Withered Fig Tree>; <Confront & teaching>
12
Mon <Olivet Discourse>; <Yehudim plot>; ; <Judas’ Money>
12 <Upper Room Preparation>
<Last Supper>; <Gethsemane>; <Arrest>; $
<Hannan> (Jn); <Kefa’s denials>; <Sanhedrin I>
13 (-2) <Sanhedrin II>; <Pilatos I> + <Herod Antipas> (Lk); $
Tue
<Pilatos II> [sentencing: 6th hour (≈ 'noon') – Jn 19:14] $
13 <In custody>

WED (-1) <Via Dolorosa>;

<Crucifixion> 9 AM (Mk 15:25); Passover Day
14
5th <Death> 3 PM (Mk 15:34; //Mt 27:46);
14 ← Passover lamb killed

← Passover meal
15 <Entombed>;

THU (-0) <Posting Roman guard> [High Sabbath] Passover Festival begins
4/6 15

16
< Resurrection> (in the dawn)
<to the Roman guard> (Mt 28:4, 11-15); <to the Women> (Mt 28:5-10; Mk 16:9-11; Jn
<on the road to Emmaus> (Lk 24:13-49; Mk 16:12-13)
FRI [Wave Sheaf offering; Day of the Firstfruits]
16 <to the Eleven> (Mk 16:14-18) (Jn 20:19-25)
4/7

17
SAT
2. With a non-biblical Wednesday scenario with the resurrection in the afternoon.

Apr * Nisan Abib (counting back from Abib 15 = 0)

9
F (-6) <Journey from Yericho>
R <Arriving> at Bethany (Jn)
I 9 <Anointing> (Jn)
S
A
10 (-5) <Jerusalem Entry> [Palm Day (Saturday)] Lambs
T <Temple court visit>
10
S 11
U (-4) <Barren Fig Tree>; <Temple Incident>
N
M 11
12 (-3) <Withered Fig Tree>; <Confront & Teaching>
O
N
12
T 13 (-2) <Olivet Discourse>; <Yehudim’s plot>; <Judas’ money>
U <Upper Room Prep>
13 <Last Supper>; <Gethsemane>; <Arrest>;
E $
<Hannan> (Jn); <Kefa’s denials>; <Sanhedrin I>;
$
W <Sanhedrin II>
<Pilatos>+<Herod>; <Pilatos > [sentencing: 6 A.M. ] $
E 14
(-1) <Via Dolorosa>; Passover Day
<Crucifixion> – 9 AM (Mk)
D <Death> – 3 PM (Mk //Mt);
14 ← Passover lamb killed
<Entombed> [before sunset ]
5th
← Passover meal

T 15
H <Posting Roman guard> [ ‘Annual sabbath’] Passover Festival begins
U 15

F
R 16 [Silent Friday ?!]
I 16
S < > (early in the morning) (**)
A 17
[Weekly Resurrection→ (late afternoon )
T 17 Saturday
Sabbath] [Where was He waiting after resurrection until the women at the tomb
is not elaborated in this scenario!]

<to Roman guard> (Mt 28:4, 11-15); <to the Women> (Mt 28:5-10; Mk 16:9-11; Jn 20:11-18);
<on the road to Emmaus> (Lk 24:13-49; Mk 16:12-13)

[Note: Events to are not covered in detail in Torrey’s.]

Problems of nonbiblical Wednesday scenarios – the original scenario places the time of  Resurrection later
afternoon on Saturday; a different scenario offered with  ** the Resurrection in the morning of Saturday as in
www.herealittletherealittle.net/index.cfm?page_name=Jesus-Resurrection . (both has Sat. Sabbath.)
3. With a Thursday scenario after Boice with the non-biblical calendation:
- back to back two sabbaths argument. Nisan 14 CE 30 Apr 6 Thursday " …Jesus rises from the dead
sometime between the coming of darkness on Saturday evening and the coming of Sunday morning."
[Yellow highlighted → portion for the events sequence different from the biblical timeline of first days of the week.

Apr * Nisan Abib (Counting back from Abib 15 = 0)

S
9 (-6) <Journey from Yericho> [sabbath violation ]
A
<Arriving> at Bethany (Jn);
T
9 <Anointing> (Jn 12:2-8) [←]
10
S (-5) <Jerusalem Entry> [Palm day (Sunday)] ← Lambs
U <Temple court visit>
N 10
M 11
O (-4) <Barren Fig Tree>; <Temple Incident>
N
11
T
(-3) <Withered Fig Tree>; <Confront & Teaching>
U 12 <Olivet Discourse>; <Yehudim’s plot>; <Judas’ Money>
E 12
W (-2)
13  <Upper Room Preparation>
E
D
<Last Supper>; <Gethsemane>; <Arrest>;
$
<Hannan>; <Kefa’s denial>; <Sanhedrin I>;
T 13 $
14 <Sanhedrin II>; $
H <Pilatos>+<Herod>; <Pilatos II> (sentencing – 6 a.m. )
(-1) <Via Dolorosa>; <Crucifixion> 9 AM (Mk 15:25) Passover Day
U
<Death> 3 PM (Mk 15:34; //Mt 27:46); ← Passover lamb killed
14  <Entombed>
6th
← Passover meal
F 15
R <Posting Roman guard> [‘Annual sabbath’]  Passover Festival begins
I 15
16
S
A [Weekly sabbath] 
T
16 < Resurrection> Sat evening to Sunday morning
17
S
U 17 <to Roman guard> (Mt 28:4, 11-15); <to the Women> (Mt 28:5-10; Mk 16:9-11; Jn 20:11-18);
N <on the road to Emmaus> (Lk 24:13-49; Mk 16:12-13)

<to the Eleven> (Mk 16:14-18) (Jn 20:19-25)

4. With the Friday scenarios with the non-biblical calendation:

@↓ A Friday Scenario (CE 33 Apr-3) (Counting back from Nisan 14/15) @↓

Apr Nisan Abib Traditional Hoehner (further adjusted)
(-6)
S
A 8 <Journey from Yericho> ['sabbath' violation ;-< ]
8 <Arriving> at Bethany (Jn)
T
(-5) <Anointing> (Jn);

S 9  [Palm Day] (Sun) Lambs (-6)

U <Crowd came>
N
9 <Temple court visit> <Arriving>
(-4) <Anointing>

M 10 (-5)
<Barren Fig Tree>
O [Palm Day] (Mon) Lambs
10 <Temple Incident>
N
(-3)
T 11 <Withered Fig Tree>; <Confront & Teaching> <Barren Fig Tree>
U 11
<Olivet Discourse>
<Temple Incident> (-4)
<Yehudim plot>; <Judas’ Money>
E
(-2)
W
12 <Withered Fig Tree>; <Confront & Teaching> (-3)
E 12 [Silent Wednesday] <Olivet Discourse>
<Yehudim plot>; <Judas’ Money>
D
(-1)
T (-2)
13
H  <Upper Room Preparation>
13
U (0) <Last Supper>; <Gethsemane>;
<Arrest>; <Hannan> (Jn); <Sanhedrin I>
F
R <Sanhedrin II> <Pilatos I>; <Pilatos II> (sentencing at ‘6 A.M.’ );
(-1)
<Via Dolorosa>; <Crucifixion> – 9 AM (Mk) Passover Day
I 14 <Death> – 3 PM (Mk //Mt); ← Passover lamb killed
Apr 14 <Entombed>
3rd ← Passover meal
S 15
(0)
A <Posting Roman guard> ['Doubled-up' sabbath ] Passover Festival begins
T 15

S 16 < Resurrection> (in the dawn) [Easter Sunday]

U
N 16 <to Roman guard> (Mt 28:4, 11-15); <to the Women> (Mt 28:5-10; Mk 16:9-11; Jn 20:11-18);
<on the road to Emmaus> (Lk 24:13-49; Mk 16:12-13)

17 <to the Eleven> (Mk 16:14-18) (Jn 20:19-25)

@ (-6) counting from Nisan 14, instead of (-6) counting from Nisan 15.
[Note: Here, *Palm day on Sunday does not fall on Nisan/Abib 10.]
5. Extra info - some other timeline schemes:
[Yellow highlighted and green font dates – divergent from a common pattern.
[Sabbath; High Sabbath Note: All schemes here follow the Jewish calendar (with Saturday = Sabbath).]
[Column of Abib – for reference only after the biblical scenario timeline. D & N – Day and night-time]

CE 33 CE 30
Hoehner Finch Sherrill Coulter
Abib
Fri Fri Fri Wed
Nisan 8 Sat Nisan 9 Nisan 9
Group 1: Arrival at Bethany.
9D Nisan 9 <crowd> [Apr 3 Sun] Mar-29-Fri Nisan 8
and Anointing Nisan 10 Nisan 10 Nisan 10 [Mar-30 Thu]
9N
[Mar 30 Mon] [Apr 3 Mon] [Mar-31 Sun]
Group 2: Palm Day
10
Nisan 11 Nisan 11 Nisan 11 Nisan 9
[Mar 31 Tue] [Apr 4 Tue] [Apr 1 Mon] [Mar-31 Fri]
Group 3: Temple Incident.
11 Nisan 10
[Apr-1 Sat]
Temple visit
Nisan 12 Nisan 12 Nisan 12 Nisan 11
[Apr 1 Wed] [Apr 5 Wed] [Apr 2 Tue] [Apr-2 Sun]
Group 4: Confront/Teaching
and Olivet Discourse;
Judas money Nisan 13 Nisan 12
12D [Apr 3 Wed] [Apr-3 Mon]
Nisan 14 ‘Silent’
[Apr 4 Thu]
Group 5: Upper Room Prep Nisan 13 Nisan 13 Nisan 13
(‘Bethany dinner’)
[Apr 2 Thu] [Apr 6 Thu] [Apr-4 Tue]
Group 6: Last Supper & Arrest Nisan 15 Nisan 14
Nisan 14 Nisan 14
12N Group 7: Trial – Sanhedrin I [Apr 3 Fri] [Apr 7 Fri]
[Apr 5 Fri] [Apr-5 Wed]
13D Group 8: Trial – Sanhedrin II
and Pilatos I & II.
13N [In Custody]
14D Group 9: Via Dolorosa;
Crucifixion; Death;
14N Group 10: Entombment
15N <In the tomb> Nisan 15 Nisan 15 Nisan 15
[Apr 4 Sat] [Apr 8 Sat] [Apr 6 Thu]
16D <High Sabbath> Nisan 16 Nisan 16 Nisan 16 Nisan 16
<In the tomb> [Apr 5 Sun] [Apr 9 Sun] [Apr 6 Sat] [Apr 7 Fri]
Group 11: Resurrection Early morning Early morning Nisan 17 Nisan 17
16N [Apr 7 Sun] [Apr 8 Sat]
Early morning Late afternoon

Can any of these discrepant timelines be the right one? The answer is ‘Hardly’. Without clear knowl-
edge of various calendar systems and the astronomical date, proper construction and explanation of
each one example is incomplete and inaccurate with confusion, contradiction and conflicting; it is im-
possible to be close to the biblical timeline of the Passion week.
 Harold W. Hoehner (1978), Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ (pp. 74-76)
(http://books.google.com/books?id=fS28b9GC1dcC) https://play.google.com/books/reader?
id=fS28b9GC1dcC&pg=GBS.PA64&printsec=frontcover

 F.R. Coulter (2001), A Harmony of the Gospels (pp. 216-217, 320-321 – timeline tables) – has
the Palm day wrongly placed on Nisan 8.
 Also it keeps Nisan 10 eventless (other than Mk 11:20 finding the fig tree withered); and Nisan
12 left eventless, claiming to be ‘sabbath’ (Jn 19:28-41).]
 Paul *Finch, The Passover Papers (2009, 2nd Ed.) [Ch. 8 Chronology of Passion Week., pp.
93-118.] [Note: The date Apr. 7 Friday as Nisan 14 of the Crucifixion is only once shown in p
151 citing data from Fotheringham, Parker and Dubberstein, and O.T. Olmstead.]
 Nathaniel Huntting Sherill (2012), The Layman’s Gospel Harmony (p. 343)
Various crucifixion day scenarios:

List of Four Scenarios:

Year Crucifixion Resurrection* Sabbath in the week
Biblical scenario with Biblical Calendar
30 Wed (Apr-5) Sat in the dawn High Sabbath (Thu)
Non-biblical scenario with rabbinic Jewish Calendar
30 Wed Sat in the dawn Sat. as Weekly Sabbath

30 Wed (Apr-5) Sat late afternoon! Annual and Weekly Sabbaths

a day apart@

30 Thu (Apr-6) Sun in the dawn Annual and Weekly sabbaths

back to back
33 Fri (Apr 3) Sun in the dawn A 'doubled-up' sabbath
* A calendar day begins at dawn; [‘dawn’ = ‘morning twilight’]
@ What about Abib 16 btw their annual and weekly sabbaths?!
What would prevent the women from going to the tomb?

The scenario with the biblical calendar: (CE 30 Apr-5 Wed)

 Passover day = the Crucifixion day = Abib 14 = Apr. 5 Wed 30 CE.

 Different Crucifixion day scenarios have constructed different timeline of the first
half of the Passion Week (before the Crucifixion). This biblical Wednesday sce-
nario has one additional day allocated between the Pilatos' sentencing and the Cru-
cifixion. ('more than one day' chronology)

Nonbiblical scenarios:

 Most takes the non-biblical conventional interpretation of the essential time

indicator ‘ninth hour’ in Jn 19:14 for Pilatos’ sentencing as 6 A.M.
 Entombed in the evening is read as 'being buried'. Usually wrongly read as 'late af-
ternoon'.
 So-called Silent Wednesday in the Friday scenario – no events in day and night.
 All arguments are affected by their universal lack of understanding the biblical
calendation.
 Silent Friday in the Wednesday crucifixion – Saturday afternoon resurrection sce-
nario.
Friday scenario (CE 33 Apr-3)
'Good Friday and Easter Sunday' is the traditional Friday crucifixion scenario in the
Church liturgical Holy Week.

As such it should have settled. However, there the serious problem arises in reading the
biblical narrative when people take this as if the true biblical Crucifixion scenario and was
prompted to find a correct one which can be applied to the biblical timeline.

1. The Friday proponents misread the phrase 'preparation (day) for Sabbath' as 'Friday' of a
Gregorian calendar vocabulary which is not used in the Bible.
They chose CE 33 as the year of the Crucifixion since it was the one choice among several
years which had Nisan 14 on Friday (Apr-3 CE 33) just as they wanted to find. Once they have
the year CE 33, that itself is used as an evidence of Friday being the day of the crucifixion – a
circular logical fallacy par excellence!a

2. The phrase ‘7th day of the week’, which is of the lunar week, is mistaken as 'Sat-
urday' (for sabbath).

3. The phrase '1st day of the week' is interpreted as Sunday. Resurrection is put on Sunday
in the morning. ('Easter Sunday'). This contradicts the internal timeline in the last part of
the Passion Week in the Gospel texts; if Resurrection is on Sunday, the Crucifixion has to
be Thursday (on the other hand; if the Crucifixion is on Friday, the Resurrection falls on
Monday according to the biblical Passion Week timeline in the Gospels, not to the liturgical
Holy Week timeline). This is erroneously called 'Easter Sunday'; 'Easter' is a later devel-
oped as in the Church Liturgical Holy Week.

4. The phrase Jn 12:1 ‘six days before Passover’ – 'Passover' was rather wrongly taken as
Passover day (Abib 14) instead of its usual sense of ‘Passover Festival’ (Abib 15). The
reason behind this is hardly given by the Friday proponents.

5. If Sunday is taken as the day of His Resurrection, the day of His crucifixion cannot be on
Friday, but Thursday. If Friday was for the crucifixion, His resurrection cannot be on Sun -
day, but Monday.

(A) Traditional Friday scenario as in the Church Liturgical Holy Week:

 So-called Silent Wednesday – how can such a thing be acceptable in the narrative
timeline???
 The so-called "Palm Sunday" Ϡ in the church liturgical Holy Week is put on Abib 9,
not on Nisan/Abib 10 as it should be.
 www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/1985/JASA3-85Humphreys.html [Friday Apr 3, CE 33
scenario by Humphrey.
(B) Friday scenario after Hoehner (CE 33) (Chronological Aspects, pp. 90-93)

 Hoehner has one thing altered in the timeline of the traditional Friday scenario: <The
Crowd coming> (Jn 12:9) is in one whole day, making the Palm Day put onto
Monday, instead of Sunday. This gets rid of the so-called Silent Wednesday of the
Holy Week of the Church liturgy.

a
Some even find CE 30 Apr 7 = Friday as the day of the crucifixion. See here elsewhere <Friday Apr-7 CE 30
by Paul Finch>.
Wednesday scenario

(CE 30 Apr-5 Wed) with non-Biblical calendation (e.g. by Torrey)

This Matthean unique phrase 'for three days and three nights in the heart of the
earth' (Mt 12:40), a statement made by Yeshua himself found in the so-called ‘sign
of Jonah’ pericope (Mt 12:39-40; //Lk 11:29; Mt 16:4) prompted many to seek and
find a corrective on the traditional Friday scenario. [See in the Appendix below for
<Three Days and Three Nights>.]

Out of their lack of discernment they read the phrase to tells His 'being remained dead
and buried' for full three days (as precisely as 72 hours!) a and saw the Friday scenario
can come up only 2N and 1D. The phrase '3D and 3N' which is outside the Passion
Week narrative alluding to His ministry of three years is now change in their mind to
'3N and 3D' which is in the Passion Week for His being buried in a grave. This al-
lowed them to magically place the time of the resurrection in the late afternoon!! It is
contrary to what the Bible says throughout in the Passion Week narrative. Here comes
a non-biblical scenario of Wednesday Crucifixion with Saturday afternoon Resurrec-
tion!! [Cf. He was also not 'buried' but 'entombed'.]
As to the date of the Crucifixion, they had on their hand correct astronomical data for
Wednesday in 30 CE April though they did not elaborate what method was used to
determine the 1st day of Abib.
 [Compared to the tradition Friday scenario, the events (Upper Room Prep to Olivet Discourse)
are pushed back by one day filling up the Silent Wednesday of the Friday scenario.]
 The fatal error in the timeline of their theory is the Resurrection being placed on
evening or late afternoon in their scheme. This also results the Resurrection day to be
put on Nisan 17 (of Saturday sabbath), and the Wave Sheaf Offering to be put on the
sabbath. [Cf. sheaf of the First-fruits – Lev 23:10-11 – “on the day after the
Sabbath”).
 Palm day and Resurrection day – fell on Sat (nonbiblical solar sabbath!) in this
scenario following a non-biblical calendar. Cutting palm leaves is not fit for the day
they have Sabbath on.
 Torrey does not give a detail on the events following <Jerusalem Entry> for the
timeline of the first several days of the Passion Week.

Problems of this particular aberrant Wednesday scenario: they follow Jewish calendar with
the planetary week and Saturday as Sabbath (from Friday evening to Sat. evening). This
scenario places the time of Resurrection  on Saturday Sabbath afternoon. A refined
palatable one is offered to have the Resurrection in the morning of Saturday (their Sabbath
day) as in www.herealittletherealittle.net/...Jesus-Resurrection .

a
They believe the of 'Jonah's sign' to be the proof of Jesus' messiahship! The have misinterpreted the
Hebrew idiom 'in the heart of the earth' as 'being buried underground in a grave'!! When the phrase is
not relevant to the Passion narrative but only to Yeshua's ministry of three-year duration. As for how
long He was in the tomb: <2 night-periods and 1 day-period> from Abib 14 evening in the tomb to
Abib 16 dawn with the tomb fund empty. 1N + 1D + 1N → 2N + 1D.
Thursday scenario

(CE 30 Apr-6-Thu) (with non-biblical calendation) with Sunday resurrection

The non-biblical Thursday proponents have come up with the unbiblical “two-sabbath
theory” of the Passion Week (‘annual sabbath’ and ‘weekly sabbath’ back-to-back). It is
unavoidable since they have not known the fact that the vocabulary of the named days of
the planetary week does not belong to the Bible and ‘sabbath’ in the Bible does not mean
‘Saturday’

www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/what-time-day-did-crucifixion-happen (Here, it is
Thursday Crucifixion on Nisan 14 (what year is not mentioned). Note: it reads Pilatos'
sentencing of 6th hour incorrectly as 6 a.m.).

" .. the preparation for (or eve of) the Passover which coincided with the
preparation for (or eve of) the weekly Sabbath. (Jn 19:14; cf. vs. 31, 42;
20:1) The first ceremonial Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
Nisan 15, also coincided with the weekly Sabbath (Lev 23:6-8; cf. Mark
15:42 to 16:2; Luke 23:5 to 24:1)."

Here, the resurrection remains same as in the traditional scenario, in the dawn of Sunday,
not 'late afternoon' as in a Wednesday scenario.

Though they have accurate astronomical data on the Conjunction date/time and sunrise
date/time, the New-Moon date is determined as with 'visible crescent method' to have
Abib 14th day fall on Thursday (Apr-6, CE 30), the ancient method which is impractical
and inapplicable.

This article also an unbiblical error of the so-called “two-sabbath theory” of the Passion
Week (‘annual sabbath’ and then ‘weekly sabbath’ occurring back-to-back). It is
unavoidable since they would not have known the fact that the vocabulary of the named
days of the planetary week does not belong to the Bible and should not be used to
interpret the time-related expressions in the Bible.

 Crucifixion on Thursday – One day off Wednesday scenario due to its wrong
method used to determine the New-Moon Day ("first visible crescent" method).
The date for Abib 1 was determined the untenable 'first visible crescent method'
(Some others do give astronomical and calendar data.)
 It solves the several issues while keeping the Resurrection on Sunday (Boice, p.
931). A whole day is allocated solely for Upper Room Preparation of the
Passover.
 Compared to the traditional Friday scenario, all the events of Thu to Friday
daytime (Upper Room Prep to Olivet Discourse) are pushed back by one day,
filling up the Silent Wednesday;
 Journey to Bethany would not fit for the day they have as Sabbath.
Various Timelines compared:
The aim here is to make the task of all those having interests and questions easer in
challenging any claim for its validity vis-à-vis the biblical Wednesday scenario presented in
this work.

 Solar sabbath (Jewish) is Saturday of the planetary week (from Friday sunset to
Saturday sunset) – Gregorian and late Julian calendars. [Early Julian calendar had
8-day week, labelled A to H.]
 Lunar sabbath – daytime of 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th of a month. The word ‘sabbath’
in the biblical vocabulary is for 12 hour-periods for a daytime period); it has
nothing to do with ‘Saturday’
 High Sabbath (Jn 19:31) first day of 7-day long festivals; always falling on 7th
day of the lunar week) – Here Abib 15th. [‘Annual sabbath’ of some scholar's jargon
which does not appear in the Bible may be applied to special sabbath rest – on the Day of
the Atonement – Lev 16:29-31, 23:27 ‘sabbathh sabbathhon’ – fasting from evening] and
Day of Shofar blowing [1st day of 7th month for sabbath – New-moon day – Lev 23:24-
25 (Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year].
 [some events not possible on Sabbath – 'sabbath-day journey' (2000 cubits; Act 1:12) –
distance permitted to travel on sabbath Exo 16:29; about 0.57 mile.)
 <Palm Day> = on Abib 10. [Sun, Mon, or Sat]
 <Upper Room Preparation > = it is to have a place ready with necessary provisions for the
upcoming the festival celebration (including the Last Supper).
  problems with sabbath violation (‘Saturday sabbath’).
 $$$ traditional timeline – cramping so many events in one overnight. %% Pilatos' Trial is
allocated from the morning to noon, not in the fourth watch of the night. Yeshua was in
custody till next morning to begin His journey to the Golgotha. The time indicators in all
four Gospels also show a break in the time flow of events: (1) the formal Sanhedrin
session in the morning and the trial, Pilatos v. Yeshua (till noon) and, on next day, (3) the
road to Golgotha to Crucifixion. [See above for ‘significance of Jn 19:14’.]
 Sequence of events:
G-Mk: <Barren Fig Tree> → <Temple incident> Mk 11:15-17 → (next day) <Withered Fig
Tree> Mk 11:20 -24
G-Mt: <Temple Incident> Mt 21:12-13 → (next day?) <Barren Fig Tree> → (next day?)
<Withered Fig Tree> Mt 21:18-22. [Chronologically and thematically awkward sequence]
G-Lk <Temple Incident> Lk 19:45-46; no < Fig Tree> periscope.
G-Jn: No <Fig Tree> pericope. It places <Temple Incident> Jn 2:13-22 in the beginning of
Yeshua's ministry. Cf. the Synoptics translocate to place it within the Passion Week,
giving its symbolic and dramatic effect.
 Most places <Upper Room Prep> (Mt 26:17-19 //Mk +14:12-16; //Lk 22:7-13) on the day
after <Olivet Discourse>. The narrative itself is continuous and follows the Mark and
Matthean <Anointing> (Mt 26:6-13 //Mk +14:3-9) (Cf. Jn 12:1-11) (cf. Lk 7:36-50).
However, that it is on another day is shown by the text which begins with a time indicator
phrase ‘toward the beginning day for the unleavened bread’.
 Scenarios which have both Palm Day and Resurrection Day on Sunday – to call Palm
Sunday – are with the traditional Friday crucifixion scenario and a Thursday scenario.
 The date of His arrival on Abib 9. That would be ‘six days before the Passover’ [Jn 12:1 =
‘the Festival of the Passover’ Jn 13:1 (Abib 15) – not the day of Passover memorial]. On
Nisan dates, however, it is may not be straightforward, depending whether He arrives be-
fore or after sunset. It takes about 8 hours’ hike from Yericho. With Nisan date (sunset-to-
sunset), if Yeshua arrives before sunset, the date of Arrival at Bethany itself would be not
Nisan 9th, but Nisan 8th. The timeline (with sequence of events) in the first few days of
the Passion Week would follow as long as the anchoring events <Anointing> (on Abib 8 /
Nisan 9) and <Palm day> (on Abib/Nisan 10) are correctly placed.
Our purpose is to examine handful variations of the timeline in several Crucifixion day
scenarios for comparison purpose vis-à-vis the biblical model in order to show how and
how much they deviate from the Scriptural evidences and harmony, not only the major
anchoring events and date, but also detailed flow of events.

For our evaluation of different timelines, the major event groups are checked for their
date allocation and alignment.

Group 1: Arrival at Bethany and Anointing.

Group 2: Jerusalem entry on Palm Day.
Group 3: Temple Incident.
Group 4: Confrontation/Teaching and Olive Discourse
Group 5: Upper Room Preparation
Group 6: Last Supper/Arrest
Group 7: Trial – Sanhedrin I (interrogation) & Sanhedrin II (judgment)
Group 8: Trial – Pilatos I, II, & Sentencing
Group 9: Via Dolorosa; Crucifixion; Death;
[Group 10: Entombment (not 'burial')]
[Group 11: Resurrection]

Several points are needed to find whether any scenario and its different schemes of timeline are in
error and to allow to draw a valid conclusion.
1. The day of the Crucifixion cannot be other than Abib 14 (Nisan 14).
2. The year of the Crucifixion cannot be CE 33, since the year was found to have Nisan 14
on Friday, when the Bible has no such idea. Most were mistaken the day of Sabbath as
Saturday by simply follow the non-biblical Hebrew calendar.
3. CE 30 Abib 14 is Apr. 5 Wednesday – based on the New-Moon Day of Abib (the one
closest to vernal equinox) with 'Dawn after conjunction' method, with the accurate astro-
nomical data and true biblical calendation.
4. In the timeline, the <Upper Room Preparation> cannot occupy a whole daytime period.
5. <Palm day> and <Temple Incident> are on two consecutive days as in G-Mk. They can-
not be on the same as G-Mt has it ambiguous.
6. Multiple <Trial Sessions> (Sanhedrin I & II and Pilatos) cannot be possible placed into
one overnight period. It is impossible and impractical, though the biblical text itself for
narrative reads as if contiguous.
7. The bible explicitly says the entombment began not late in the afternoon, but in the
evening until sabbath was dawning (Lk 23:53). The scenario to have it done in haste and
completed in the late afternoon before their sabbath to come at sunset is simply untenable
fabrication. [//Mt 27:59; //Mk 15:42; //Lk 23:54] Many scholars simply dismiss these texts to
come up different interpretation of other time-relevant texts.
8. The biblical Sabbath is not on Saturday (= the 7th day of the planetary week), but on 7th
day of the lunar week. [Lunar sabbath, not solar sabbath] Sabbath rest is only for the day-
time. Night period is by itself time for resting from laborious work. It is not quite same as
the Saturday sabbath keeping in Jewish or Sabbatarian traditions.
9.
Chronology of 'More than one day':

 Eugen Ruckstuhl (1963 in German, 1965 English trans.), Chronology of the last
days of Jesus: A critical study

 Annie Jaubert (1965), The date of the Last Supper, (Ch. 2. The Events of the Passion
in the Chronology of Three Days, pp. 111-113)

In contrast to the timeline of a Thursday crucifixion scenario with Sunday resurrection in the
dawn, both Ruckstuhl and Jaubert add two more days are to cover Sanhedrin I & II and Pilatos'
Trial I & II, coming up with a ‘three-day Passion chronology’. That way there is one day lost for
the timeline of the Passover Week (DoW) Day 1 to 12. On the other hand, one extra day as for
the so-called Silent Wednesday in the Friday Crucifixion scenario no longer exists when the
correct timeline is followed as presented here in this writing (with the Crucifixion on the day
after Pilatos' sentencing – see <Significance of Jn 19.18 - '6th hour'> elsewhere here.

Eugen Ruckstuhl (1965), Chronology of The Last Days of Jesus – A Critical Study
[Trans. from German ed. 1963] [for ‘The Chronology of “More Than One Day”.

Ch. V. From the arrest of Jesus to His Crucifixion Timetable and Duration of the Events.
A. Survey of the Events (pp. 32-35)
B. How long did the Passion last? Reasons in favor of the “More Than One Day”
theory. (pp. 35-55)

[For a copy of relevant portion from his book, see a file ((For WB #6 )) ‘More than one day
chronology’ in IRENT Vol. III Supplement (Collection #6B – Trial – Time and Duration.)]

His conclusion: By scrutinizing several secessions of His Trial in the Passion narrative
(Sanhedrin session I for interrogation in the night, Sanhedrin session II for judgment in the
day time, Pilatos I, and Pilatos II) the Passion story requires more than one day.

His proposal is to add not just one but two more days, making it a ‘three-day Passion
chronology’: (1) Tuesday – Arrest; (2) Wednesday – Sanhedrin; (3) Thursday – Sanhedrin
+ Pilatos; and (4) Friday –Crucifixion. This may account well for the multiple sessions
enough time allocated to each. However, there are just not many extra days to spare in the
timeline from the events from the Bethany Arrival to His Arrest, with only one day which
would be available for such a purpose – the so-called Silent Wednesday in the traditional
Friday Crucifixion scenario.

In contrast, the biblical Wednesday scenario allocates in the timeline for the Trial of
Yeshua vs. Pilatos on a separate day (early morning to noon), with the Crucifixion to
follow next day. We have to look for hidden time indicators (which the narratives demand)
as well as the explicit ones in order to examine various timelines to deal with.

Fanciful two-calendar theories – people kept two different calendars!?

 Annie Jaubert
 Eugen Ruckstul
 Humphrey – Judean calendar for the Temple (in G-Jn) + Galilean calendar (in
Synoptics) – 'two Passover' in that week.
E. Event-by-event in the Passion Week timeline
This is important to scrutinize and identify each event so that they can be put them in
their proper positions in the timeline in the whole perspective at one glance, rather
than struggling with them to understand their meaning in a piece-meal fashion –
worse with eisegesis mind set. It has to be logical non-contradicting and kept in
harmony with biblical and historical (astronomical) data and information.

Once the issue of which days were the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, the
remaining issue is the narrative timeline of the ever in the Passion Week. Once the
several anchor points are (1) Abib 10 as the Palm day and (2) Abib 14 as the
Crucifixion day are set in the timeline, as well as (4) Abib 16 of the Wave sheaf (Lev
23:10-11) of the Risen Master as the Firstfruits, we come to what the conventional
scenario and the alternatives all fail to pay attention on the time-marker in Jn 19:14
(the time for Pilatos’ sentencing) and the literarily impossible task of allocating so
many events in a short overnight period following His arrest at Gethsemane.

Not just the time of events but the flow of events is affected. One example is <Crowd
coming> to see Yeshua when He arrived at Bethany (Jn 12:9-11) belongs to the same
day, not a separate whole day as in Hoehner which breaks the flow of narrative,
without showing any suggestive time indicator. A more important example is a
crucial one: for the middle third of the Passion Week is the need of clear break
between the night time of Abib 13 for <His Arrest>, <Sanhedrin v. Yeshua>, <Pilatos
v. Yeshua – I and II>. Usually, quite a number of events are crammed into less than 6
hours of the night to the dawn with Yeshua brought to crucifixion to Golgotha at the
supposedly 6 a.m.! This is despite clear indicators of flow of events in the biblical
text in all four Gospels (Mk 15:1; //Mt 27:1; //Lk 22:66; //Jn 18:28-29)! [See below
<* Significance of Jn 19:14>.]
*graphic
B-1 to B-5

B-1 <Bethany arrival> (Jn 12:1)

B-2 <Anointing> (Jn 12:2-8) [← M-4 (Mk 14:3-9; Mt 26:6-13) – flashback]
B-3 Ϡ <Yerusalem Entry>. [‘Palm Day’]
(Mk 11:1-10; Mt 21:1-11; Lk 19:28-40; 41-44; Jn 12:12-19); (cf. Jn 12:20-36a; 36b-50)
Temple court visit (Mk +11:11; +Mt 21:10-11)

B-4 < Fig tree cursed> (Mk +11:12-14; Mt 21:18-19)a

B-5 <Temple Incident> (Mk +11:15-19; Mt 21:12-17; Lk 19:45-46)

B for Beginning with Bethany Arrival:

B-1 <Bethany arrival> (Jn 12:1) (← Jn 11:54)

‘six days before Abib 15th of the Passover Festival’

 On Abib 9, Day one of the lunar week; it is the first day of the Passion Week
 → The crowd came (Jn 12:9-11).

Here ‘the Passover’ refers to the Festival of the Passover = the Festival of the Matzah
(starting on Abib 15), not the Passover day (Abib 14 for Passover lamb to kill and for
the memorial meal).b

Returning from Ephraim (Jn 11:54) after finishing his Judean mission, Yeshua was
now heading to his final destination, Jerusalem. There he was to be the very Passover
lamb [cf. 1Co 5:7] to die on the cross – at the appointed time by his Elohim.

Journey from Yericho to Yerusalem takes about 8 to 9 hours’ hiking on a steep ascent.
This cannot be placed on the day of Sabbath [e.g., Saturday in the case of the
conventional Friday crucifixion scenarios].

B-2 <Anointing> (Jn 12:2-8) [Cf. M-4 (Mk 14:3-9; Mt 26:6-13)]

[Typologically and chronologically fit here since it was time to prepare His body
selected for the Passover lamb, presaging the anointing for entombment (x: 'burial').
The placement of this pericope in the G-Mt and G-Mk (with no parallel in the G-Lk)
on the day for Last Supper and Arrest is a flashback to thematically combining with
<Judas’ Silver Money> (Mk 14:10-11 //Mt 26:14-16). The text of G-Jn does not say that it was
at the house of Lazarus and his sisters. Cf. G-Mk and G-Mt told it was at the house of Simon,
the leper.]

Quite a number of Yehudim came to see while a plot was cooking in the Yehudim of authority
[Jn 12:9-11] – this was allocated in Hoehner’s modified Friday scenario onto next day, a
single day, Sunday, with the Palm day pushed down onto Monday [hence, 'Palm Monday' for
his scenario – see the next].

a
See under M-1for the sequence of the events ‘Barren Fig Tree’, ‘Withered Fig Tree’, and ‘Temple incident’.
b
as in Coulter, Harmony (pp. 216-7).
B-3 Ϡ <Yerusalem Entry>. [‘*Palm Day’]
(Mk 11:1-10; Mt 21:1-11; Lk 19:28-40; 41-44; Jn 12:12-19); (cf. Jn 12:20-36a; 36b-50)
(→ return to Bethany Mk 11:11b)
Abib 10 It was the day of His anti-triumphal entry to Jerusalem. Traditionally-
known ‘Triumphal Entry’ has nothing ‘triumphal’ about his Entry in the theme of the
Passion narrative. It would be more appropriate to call it ‘anti-triumphal’ as Yeshua
were standing against the triumphant world power, religious and political, as Pilatos
relocates from his usual residence in Caesarea Maritima a to Jerusalem to have control
of the City to keep secure during the Festival; he would be entering from the west,
while Yeshua was from the east starting from Bethany.
It is the day when the Passover lambs were selected to be kept till Abib 14 [Exo 12:3,
6] with Yeshua presenting Himself as the Passover Lamb.
The name for this day should simply and accurately called as ‘*Palm Day’b. The
traditional term ‘Palm Sunday’ is a day in the Church liturgical Holy Week. [ ‘palm
trees’ Jn 12:13; ‘trees’ Mt 21:8 //Mk 11:8. Cf. Lev 23:40 H8558 tamar – Festival of Sukkot; Mac
13:51]

[Cf. Heb. word /lulab for the festive palm branch which was carried and waved on the
Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).]
[Note: Hoehner, without showing any source for his idea, tweaked the first few days of
the Week to push this event onto Monday (which would be called ‘Palm Monday’) for
the otherwise conventional scenario with <† Friday +  Sunday > in CE 33. Ostensibly
it removes the so-called ‘Silent Wednesday’ in the Holy Week timeline.
‘Palm Sunday’ – the traditional Friday scenario; Thursday scenario
‘Palm Monday’ – in the Friday scenario (Hoehner)
‘Palm Saturday’ – in the Wednesday scenarios
The traditional Friday scenario is unacceptable and unbiblical as it places ‘Palm
Sunday’ incorrectly on Nisan/Abib 9, unlike the modified one by Hoehner to have it
on Nisan/Abib 10.

Note: After B-3 <Y>, G-Jn does not record the events shown in the Synoptic Gospels
until it resumes with M-6 <L-s>.

B-4 <Fig tree cursed> (Mk +11:12-14) [See M-1 <Withered Fig Tree>.

B-5 <Temple Incident> (Miqdash incident); (Mk +11:15-18; Mt 21:12-17; Lk 19:45-46)

It has been traditionally called ‘Temple Cleansing’, which is thematically a
misnomer. It is not about cleansing, but about foretelling destruction of the Temple-
based Judaic religious system. The Temple is not something that could be cleansed to
keep Elohim honored. [Cf. This pericope is similar to but distinct from the one in Jn 2:13-
17, which places it very early in the Yeshua’s ministry.]

a
On the Mediterranean coast, 85 miles NNE of Jerusalem [between Tel Aviv (Yafo) and Haifa of modern Israel].
b
[This term ‘Palm-day’ (instead of he traditional ‘Palm Sunday’) is neutral and more accurate is the one used in
Frederick Godet (1886), The Commentary on the Gospel of John (Vol II)
http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=yale.39002051184100;view=1up;seq=9.]
[Boice (p. 930) – for a Thursday crucifixion scenario – mentioned Frederick Godet for the Palm Day to be on
Monday.] [Note: with Abib 14 as their Friday crucifixion, this Palm day’ of Abib 10 falls on Monday. – ARJ]
 M for Middle (btw <Bethany Arrival> and <Pilatos' sentencing>)
M-1 to M-10
M-1 < fig tree withered> (Mk +11:20-26) (cf. Mt +21:20-22)
M-2 <Confront & Teaching> (Mk +11:27-33; 12:1-44; Mt +21:23 – 23:39; Lk +20:1 – 21:4)
M-3 <Olivet Discourse>; (Mk +13:1-37; Mt +24:1 - 25-46; Lk +21:5-38)
M- <Time marker> (Mk +14:1-2; Mt +26:1-2; Lk +22:1)
M-4 <Anointing in G-Mt & G-Mk> (Mk +14:3-9; Mt 26:6-13) (→ B-2)
+ <Judas’ silver money> (Mk +14:10-11 //Mt +26:14-16)

M-5 <Upper Room Prep>. (Mk +14:12a; 12b-16; Mt +26:17a; 17b-19; Lk 22:7; 8-13)
M-6 L-s <Last supper>; (Mk +14:17-26; Mt +26:20-30; Lk +22:14-30; Jn 13:1-35)
[verses in red – Judas’ betrayal foretold]
Mk +14:17-21; 14: 22-26;
Mt +26:20-25; 26:26-30; Jn 13:1-17; 18-30
Lk +22:14-20; 22:21-30;
<Foretelling Kefa’s denial> (Mk +14:27-31; Mt +26:31-35; Lk +22:31-38; Jn +13:31-38)
<Gethsemane - Agony & Prayer> (Mk 14:32-42; Mt 26:36-46; Lk 22:29-46; Jn 18:1)

M-7 <Arrest> (Mk+14:43-52; Mt +26:47-56; Lk +22:47-53; 63-65; Jn +18:2-12).

M-8 <Hannan> Kefa’s whereabouts – Mk +14:54; Mt +26:58; Lk +22:54-55; Jn +18:15-16
Kefa’s denial – Mk +14:66-72; Mt +26:69-74; Lk +22:56-62; Jn +18:17-18, 25-27
1st denial – Mk 14:66-68; //Mt 26:69-71a; //Lk +22:56-57; //Jn +18:17-18
2nd denial – Mk +14:69-70a; //Mt +26:71b-72; //Lk +22:58; //Jn 18:25
3rd denial – Mk +14:70b-72; //Mt +26:73-74; //Lk +22:59-62; //Jn +18:26-27
M-9 <Sanhedrin session I> (for interrogation) (night-time) (Mt 26:57, 59-68; Mk 14:53, 55-65)
M-10 <Sanhedrin session II> (for judgment) (morning) (Mt 27:1-2; Mk 15:1; Lk 22:66-71; 23:1)
M-11 <Pilatos I> (Mt 27:11-14; Mk 15:2-5; Lk 23:2-5; Jn 18:19-23)
<Before Herod Antipas> (Lk 23:6-12);
M-12 <Pilatos II> (for sentencing) (Mt 27:11-26; Mk 15:6-15; Lk 23:13-25; Jn 18:28 – 19:16)
<Jailed in custody> [all the Gospels are silent on this]

Highlighted are the texts in G-Jn.

M-1 f <Withered fig tree> (Mk 11:20-26)

G-Lk does not have the Fig Tree pericope.

The two events B-4 <Fig tree cursed>and M-1 <Withered Fig tree> are placed as in
G-Mk on two consecutive days flanking B-5 <Temple Incident> between them –
chronologically accurate to read the timeline. The effect is to enable the readers to see
the same symbolism for the fate of unrepentant Israel in both <Temple Incident> and
<Withered Fig Tree>.

In contrast to G-Mk, however, a literary editorial work in G-Mt is not polished in. Both
episodes F (B-4) <Barren Fig Tree> and f (M-1) <Fig Tree>are merged into one. Thus,
it is made to follow B-5 <Temple Incident> without an interruption. That the tree
withered right in before their eyes is a crude and awkward literary work.

The text seems to give an exaggerated report of ‘the tree withered instantly’ (instead of
‘got withered’ or ‘withered already’) as if withering happened right in front of their
eyes.

G-Lk does not have the Fig Tree pericope.

M-2 <Confrontation & Teaching>;

(Mk +11:27-33; 12:1-44; Mt +21:23 – 23:39; Lk +20:1 – 21:4)

Widow’s offering (Mk +12:41-44; //Lk +21:1-4)

(Cf. Yeshua's foretelling with pronouncement, but nothing of 'prediction of future'.)

M-3 <Olivet Discourse>; (Mk +13:1-37; Mt +24:1- 25-46; Lk +21:5-36)

– concerning about the imminent future of Yerusalem in apocalyptic imagery; not
about the so-called end-time eschatology.
M- <Time marker> (Mk +14:1-2; Mt +26:1-2; Lk +22:1)

<Two more days until Passover Day> (Mk 14:1a; Mt 26:2; cf. Lk 22:1);

= It is on Abib 12 now with two more days until the Passover, which in the context
means (the day of) Passover memorial (on Abib 14). Not to be confused with the
sense used as ‘the Passover Festival’ (Jn 13:1 – ‘it was before [coming of] the Festival
of the Passover’ – not ‘on the day before’), which begins on Abib 15.

Mk 14:1
Now coming up after two days [= v. 12] was
the Passover [memorial] day [cf. Lk 22:1]
and the Matzah [festival] to follow.
Mt 26:1
… Yeshua said to his disciples,
26:2
“In two days, as yoů know,
it will be the Passover [memorial] day.
Yes, I’m telling yoů,
the Son-of-man is to be handed over to be crucified.
Lk 22:1
Meanwhile, getting near was the Festival of the Matzah, [cf. Mk 14:1]
+M
which is called 'Passover [festival]

This is followed by <Plot against Yeshua> (Mk +14:1b-2; Mt +26:3-5; Lk +22:2)

M-4 <Anointing in G-Mt & G-Mk> (Mk 14:3-9; Mt 26:6-13)

+ <Judas’ silver money> (Mk 14:10-11 //Mt 26:14-16)

G-Mk //G-Mt place this <Anointing> on DoW 4, in tying it thematically with

<Judas’ silver money>, giving a picture of presage of anointing the body after death
of Yeshua. Here it was by an unnamed woman in the house of Simon the lepera.

Note: It should be same as the <Anointing according to G-Jn> (B-2) which is

chronologically accurate in the timeline as it was placed before the day of His anti-
triumphal Yerusalem Entry, thereby typifying it as the preparation for the Passover
lamb on Abib 10. G-John alone gives the name of the woman, Mariam, a sister of
Eleazar (Lazarus).

Cf. Lk 7:36-50 has a different anointing pericope outside the Passion narrative with
the presage of anointing Yeshua by an unnamed woman at a Pharisee named Shimon
– possibly a prequel.

a
Leper - The epithet ‘the leper’ probably from his history of contracting leprosy and got healing from
Yeshua. Was he the same Pharisee who hosted Yeshua before as recorded in G-Lk and now appears
again in the Mt-Mk pericope of his spreading a table of hospitality to Yeshua in his gratitude, to make
the Lukan pericope as a prequel?
M-5 <Upper Room preparation for Passover Festival celebration>.

Mk 14:12
And there, it was [= v. 1a; Abib 12]
at the beginning day for having the unleavened bread
(xxx: on the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread – NIV)
(xxx: the first day of the unleavened bread – KJV)
((on which occasion
the Passover lamb would be killed)), [//Lk 22:7b]
Mt 26:17
Now [= v. 2; Abib 12] it was
at the beginning for having the unleavened bread [→ 27:35]
(xxx: on the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread – NIV)
(xxx: the first day of the feast of unleavened bread – KJV)

Lk 22:7
Now, there coming close was [= 22:1. Abib 12]
the day for having the unleavened bread,
the occasion for which it is necessary
to have the ☼Passover lamb killed. [//Mk 14:12] [→ 23:33]

(Mk +14:12-16; Mt +26:17-19; Lk +22:7-13)

Here, preparation (of the upper room) was for celebration of the coming Passover
festival [the 'season' itself begins on Abib 10 with preparation of Passover lambs]; not
meant for one day’s activity, nor for the Passover meal of the Passover day of Abib
14. The preparing was not something done by the disciple taking a whole day.
Relying on the master of the house, they simply had the room and other things to be
ready for the celebration of the Passover festival. Note: Lambs were killed for
Passover memorial meal; not for offering of sacrifice on the alter with shedding of
blood. 'Sacrifice' on the part of Yeshua is his self-giving of his life, not for
'atonement'.

The text gives a timeline marker in Mk 14:12 //Mt 26:17 ‘the beginning day (/x: ‘first day’)
for the unleavened bread eating’ (cf. different expression in //Lk 22:7).

It should not be confused as ‘the first day of 7-day long Festival of the Matzah’ (= Abib 15th
which is the day after Passover lamb killed (afternoon) and Passover meal (evening).

From the day Abib 14 [ =, the very day of Passover lamb to be killed and the Passover meal]
leaven is removed from the house, and no bread other than unleavened bread [H4682 matstsah
53x; Gen 19:3; Exo 12:8] is being eaten from then on. [Only for the Festival name itself, the
word ‘Matzah’ (capitalized) is used in IRENT, e.g., the Festival of the Matzah {= Festival of
the Passover}.]

The setting is on the same day (Abib 12) of the opening of the section Mk 14:1a, Mt
27:1-2; Lk 22:1. Here the narrative has it move heading towards the day – not ‘on the
day’ – of the beginning day for the unleavened bread as leaven is being removed from
the house.

See elsewhere on <*leavening and unleavened>.

 '*eat for the Passover festival'' (7x)
phagō [S5315] to pascha [S3957]
IRENT renders it as 'eat for the Passover festival', taking ‘Passover’ metonymic for
the Passover Festival (= the Festival of the Matzah in Synoptic Gospels.)
Mk 14:12 'prepare so that you may eat for the Passover festival'
Mt 26:17 'prepare for you to eat for the Passover festival'' [Cf. 26:18 'keep
celebration of the Passover festival']
Lk 22:15. ‘desired to eat for this Passover festival coming up with you’
Lk 22:8; Mk 14:14 //Lk 22:11
Jn 18:28 (for Yehudim) ‘so that they may eat for the Passover festival’
The literal translation here '*eat the Passover'a is not idiomatic in English and
nonsensical in the context. In reading the Synoptic text, it is too easy to take the
word 'Passover' as a metonymy for 'Passover meal'. b This leads to an erroneous
conclusion that the Last Supper was the 'Passover meal', the meal on the very day of
Passover.

However, it does not fit for the timelines in the Passion Week narrative, flatly
contradicting the Johannine narrative and destroys the essential typology of 'Yeshua
Mashiah' as the Passover lamb [1Co 5:7]
The Last Supper was NOT ‘the Passover meal’ (as in the Jewish Seder in which
roasted lamb is an integral part), which was to come up in a few days to be eaten by
the Yehudim in the evening of the day of His Crucifixion.
[Ref. http://themessianicfeast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/TMF_50-Reasons.pdf <50
reasons why the Last Supper was not the Passover> - a copy in the Collection]

Instead, the Last Supper is a farewell meal of Yeshua and His disciples, as they were
waiting the Passover festival season to come upon soon. As for the disciples, they
would not be aware of Yeshua’s plan for this special occasion for them to share with
Yeshua before He would offer Himself as the Passover lamb.]

Thus, the phrase as it appears in the Passion narrative in the four Gospels (for
Yeshua and his disciples, but also for the Yehudim Jn 18:28) is clear that the phrase
is to be rendered as 'eat for the Passover festival'', i.e. to eat festive meals for the
Passover season. It carries a sense of 'celebrate the Passover Festival’ (along with
eating unleavened bread).c
Passover is used in NT mostly as metonym for ‘Passover festival’. Other important
metonymic use of ‘Passover’:
Passover Memorial; Passover day – Mk 14:1, 14; Jn 11:15; 19:14
Passover lamb – Mk 14:12; Lk 22:7; 1Co 5:7;

OT → 'eat (H398 akal) + meal' –

2Ch 30:18 'eat the Passover meal'
Exo 12:43, 45, 48 'regulation on Passover keeping: No foreigners may eat of it'
eat of lamb – Exo 12:11; Num 9:11;
eat unleavened bread – Exo 23:15 etc.]

a
'eat the passover' – KJV (does not capitalize the word 'passover').
b
Note: There is no Greek or Hebrew phrase in the Bible corresponding to the English phrase 'Passover meal'.
c
E.g. 'to eat for this Passover festival' (Lk 22:15) – referring to the upcoming Passover which He would not have it.
M-6 L-s<Last supper>; (Mk 14:17-26; Mt +26:20-30; Lk 22:14-30; Jn 13:1-35)

[See under the subheading ‘Last Supper vs. Passover memorial meal']
[Cf. It was not 'Eucharist', a Christian lingo.] [The common expressions ‘New Testament Passover’
(after Coulter) and ‘Christian Passover’ are misnomers and nonbiblical.]

(Mk +14:17-21 →14: 22-26; Mt +26:20-25 → 26:26-30; Lk +22:14-30 (22:21-23) (cf. Jn

13:1-20 → 13:21-30) [red font – Judas’ betrayal foretold]

[The expression ‘Lord's Last meal’ should be avoided as it gives a wrong picture
of a meal confusing with the ‘Passover meal’.]
The *Last Supper or the ‘Lord’s Last Supper’. It was not the Passover meal (the
memorial meal on the Passover evening → a precursor of the ritual Seder in later
rabbinic Judaism), though many wrongly interpret it that way, and as a result the
Johannine testimony and the Synoptic narrative are left contradictory as to the
nature of the Last Supper. [See in Appendix below for <Last Supper vs. Passover
Meal’>.]

Foretelling Kefa’s denial (Mk +14:27-31; Mt +26:31-35; Lk +22:31-38; Jn +13:36-38)

It is 'foretelling of the things on due course'. There is no a such thing in the Bible language
as 'prediction' of something which might or might not happen.

<Gethsemane Prayer> (Mt 26:36-46; Mk 14:32-42; Lk 22:29-46; Jn 18:1)

M-7 <Arrest> (Mt +26:47-56; Mk+14:43-52; Lk +22:47-53; 63-65; Jn +18:2-12).

Note: The arresting team was only of Yehudim; no Roman soldiers involved. Jn 18:3 mentions
'squad of soldiers' – it is of Temple guard, not of Roman troop.
 Six Trials of Yeshua

[a graphic from the file <13. Six Trials of Yeshua – Gospel Texts>]

[Lk 22:63-65] Mistreated – beaten -by religious leaders.

[Jn 18:15-16]; [Jn 18:17-18] – difficult to align to be parallel to Synoptic counterparts

Ref: George A. Barton, "On the Trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin" J. of Biblical Litera-
ture, Vol. 41, No. 3/4 (1922), pp. 205-211

Trials of Jesus – Ref. Farrar (1891), Life of Christ, p. 465 – the three successive trials which
our Lord underwent at the hands of the Jews, the first only – that before Annas – is related to
us by G-John; the second – that before Caiaphas – by G-Mt and G-Mk; the third – that
before the Sanhedrin – by G-Luke alone. That of Annas was the authoritative praejudicium,
that of Caiaphas the real determination, that of the entire Sanhedrin at daybreak the final
ratification.
M-8 <Hannan> and <Kefa’s denial>;

[Rooster-crow – twice (Mk 14:72) – Temple-crier’s call at beginning and at ending

of the rooster-crow watch (3rd watch of the night).

M-9 + M-10 <Sanhedrin I & II>;

M-9 <Sanhedrin session I> (interrogation) (Night time)

Mt 26:57, 59-68; Mk 14:53, 55-65.
M-10 <Sanhedrin session II> (judgment) (Daytime)
Mt 27:1-2; Mk 15:1; Lk 22:66-71; 23:1;

It was on Abib 13 ('eve of the Passover day); it was not on the Passover day (Abib
14), nor on the first day of the Passover Festival (= the Matzah Festival) (Abib 15).

A typical example of misunderstanding and misinterpretation (strike-out

words):
“… It was against Jewish custom to begin a trial on Passover day. The arrest of
Jesus and his appearance before the Sanhedrin are recorded in Mark as having
taken place on the Passover night, so that we are to presume that instead of
celebrating the great Passover Festival in a normal way, all those in authority
were milling about the city involved in a criminal case. … The crucial point
remains that in John too the Sanhedrin sits in judgment at night, though Jewish
custom did not allow nocturnal judgment, nor could be a sentence of guilt
handed down on the same day as the interrogation itself. From Joel Carmichael
(1962), The Death of Jesus. pp. 37-38)

Note: In truth, the event of his Trial cannot be on the Passover night (Abib 14; Nisan
15), but it is before. In IRENT the whole of formal phase of <Sanhedrin v. Yeshua>
is located in the early morning Abib 13 (Mk 15:1) and the following session of
<Pilatos v. Yeshua> is from morning to midday (Jn 19:14).

M-11 + M-12 <Pilatos I & II>; <Trial and Sentencing> ‘Pilatos v. Yeshua’.
M-11 <Pilatos I> (Mt 27:11-14; Mk 15:2-5; Lk 23:2-5; Jn 18:19-23)
<Herod Antipas> (Lk 23:6-12);
M-12 <Pilatos II> (Mt 27:11-26; Mk 15:2-15; Lk 23:13-25; Jn 18:28 – 19:16)
<Jailed in custody> [all the Gospels are silent on this]
 Roman scourging of Yeshua – Mt 27:26 = Mk 15:15 (at the end of trial); Jn 19:1 (in mid
trial); Cf. Lk 23:16
www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume44/v440106010.htm ...The victim of a scourging
was bound to a post or frame, stripped of his clothing, and beaten with the flagellum from
the shoulders to the loins. The beating left the victim bloody and weak, in unimaginable
pain, and near the point of death.
In the usual scenario, in contrast to the scenario of His trial into the night, He was forced to
carry the ‘cross’ in his near exhausted condition right after scourging!
Bleeding from scourging would not have ‘fresh’ blood from the wounds left on the body
and be transferred to a shroud as in the case of Shroud of Turin of a medieval relic!
https://ptl2010.com/2012/03/22/the-scourge-its-role-in-biblical-history-and-jesus-
execution/ www.cbcg.org/scourging-crucifixion.html

Note: Importantly, most commentaries are blind to the fact that many events –
from the ending of M-6 <Last supper> to the final sentencing M-12 <Pilatos> –
are cramped into such a short one overnight period, from midnight to next
morning, before the beginning of A-1 < Road to Golgotha> in a breakneck
speed people were put to go through all! They don't seem fazed at all.

The correct timeline accounts for all the events which were taking up considerable time
and the setting of the scene which cannot possibly occur in the night (from midnight to
morning break).a

Most commentators do not see the flow of the events which shows that it needs
‘more than one day’ to cover for the Trial and the Crucifixion of Yeshua. The trial
of Sanhedrin v. Yeshua (night to morning) and the trial of Pilatos vs. Yeshua (from
the early morning to midday).

Note: This timeline of the week is reconstructed here in keeping with the biblical
lunar calendar. It allocates the Pilatos’ Trial of Yeshua on a separate day Abib 13
(Tue). After final sentencing in 6th hour period – not 6 a.m. as most interpreted,
the crucifixion was carried out on the next day, Abib 14 (Wed).
Consider two important observations of (1) Jn 19:14 ‘6th hour’ which cannot be
manipulated to make it as 6 a.m. and (2) of the physical impossibility to keep all
the actors move one place to another in an incredible frantic pace in one short
overnight period of about 6 hours – the events from His arrest to the final Pilatos’
sentencing. Moreover, the Scripture texts are plain and clear to give the time indi-
cator for the Trial by [the final session of] the Sanhedrin to be in the morning – Mt
27:1-2; Mk 15:1, Lk 22:66, after which they brought Yeshua to Pilatos.

a
Some dismisses the possibility of placing the Trial on a day before the Crucifixion. In the
otherwise excellent book by Paul Finch (2009, 2nd Ed), The Passover Papers –
Controversy, Myth, Fairly Tales and Nonsense! Ch. 11: Did Jesus Spent a Night in Jail?
pp.171-178, the author concludes that there is – miraculously! – no discrepancy between
Jn 19:14 and Mk 15:25!]
[Quote from *Finch, p. 171 “… a capital crime was not to be conducted on a day before a
Feast day and that it required two days to convict a person of death penalty by Jewish
Law.” – based on the rule Mishnah. However, he failed to see the validity of 'two-day Pas -
sion Chronology' scenario, which is the only solution to remove contradictory reading and
interpretation of the Passion Week timeline.]

The copies and an edited file of the following references are collected in <IRENT Vol. III
Supplement - Collection #6B – Trial – Time & Duration>:

 William F. Dankenbring, "The Mystery of Mysteries: John 19: 14 - What Do You

Mean, 'About the Sixth Hour'?", Prophecy Flash! (Triumph Prophetic Ministries, Vol.
12, No. 1, April-May, 1998): pp. 41-54; "A New Look at: Jesus' Last Week and the
Sufferings of Messiah!", Prophecy Flash! (Vol. 11, No. 2, April-May, 1997): pp. 3-36.
www.triumphpro.com/sixth-hour-of-john-19.htm [he correctly asserts that the Last
Supper cannot be the Passover meal. And since it is impossible to be 6 a.m. (allegedly
by Roman reckoning), it cannot be other than noon.

 Glen Myers (August 20, 1999), 'Hebrew Time vs. Roman Time' - Did the Apostle John
use Hebrew Time or Roman Time in His Writings in the New Testament: (6 pp.)
https://web.archive.org/web/20151026162000/http://churchofgodcount.com/
timehr.html

 www.cgministry-inchrist.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Passover-Lords-
Supper-and-Pentecost.pdf [pp. 19-22] Ruckstuhl - ‘More than One Day’ chronol-
ogy.

 Glenn E Weeks (with a modified Friday crucifixion scenario) – he interprets ‘6th

hour’ in Jn 19:14 naively and incredibly as 'midnight'!! It was by counting from
sunset – both in Jewish and Roman reckoning), which cannot be the time of
Yeshua vs. Pilatos confrontation occurring through the night. In his reckoning
about 18 hours from Thu morning to mid-night, with the Crucifixion next day (Fri -
day).] http://christiantext.com/chapters.php Ch. 4 (Establishing Time Elements of
the Trial of Jesus) & Ch. 5 (The Trial and Elapsed Time of Trial Events)]
 A for After Pilatos’ sentencing: Abib 14-17

A-1 to A-8

 A-1 <Via Dolorosa>; A-2 Crucifixion & Death

 A-3 Entombed; A-4 P-m <Passover meal>
 A-5 Keeping Sabbath A-6 Resurrection
 A-7 At the empty tomb A-8 Risen Master to Disciples

To Golgotha

<Next morning> Abib 14 /Nisan 14

Mt 27:32-33; //Mk 15:16-22; //Lk 23:26; //Jn 19:17

A-1 <Via Dolorosa> [Bearing His cross to Golgotha. Cf. So-called ‘Stations of the
Cross’ in the church liturgy.] Mt 27:32; Mk 15:21; Lk 23:26; Jn 19:17
[Cf. https://youtu.be/hO3nAAq4LsE The Underground Street of Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem]
www.askelm.com/golgotha/index.asp EL Martin, Secrets of Golgotha – the Lost History of
Jesus’ Crucifixion.

The horizontal cross-bar (patibulum) of the execution stake (‘cross’) was carried to
the place of execution where an upright post (stipes) is in place.
www.frugalsites.net/jesus/crucifixion.htm

Where was He crucified and buried?

 Ref. EL Martin (1996, 2nd Ed.), Secret of Golgotha www.askelm.com/books/book001.asp
[Reviews: www.leaderu.com/theology/stunning.html http://reconciliationoutreach.net/wp-
content/uploads/2016/01/Introduction.pdf ]
 http://triumphpro.info/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/where-did-jesus_-die1.pdf

A-2 †- † <Crucifixion & Death> on the day of the Passover

 The Crucifixion day (Abib 14) falls on Wed in CE 30 (Apr-5).
 It was eve of Sabbath ['Preparation day'] (High Sabbath Jn 19:31, not annual sabbath)
– Mt 27:62; Mk 15:42; Lk 23:54; Jn 19:31
 Put on the execution stake in third hour (≈ 9 a.m.) (Mk 15:25).
 Darkness covered of the land in the 6th hour (≈ noon) (Mk 15:33; //Mt 27:45; //Lk
23:44).
 His death in ninth hour (≈3 p.m.) (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34; cf. Lk 23:44). It was the time
Passover lambs were killed in OT.
 His side pierced – Jn 19:34.

The time for the Passover lamb was killed in OT.

It is ben haArbayim, the Heb. phrase Exo 12:6; Num 9:3, 5, 11; Lev 23:5 ‘*between the
two setting-times’ (i.e., 'afternoon'). Cf. a confusing rendering is 'between the two
evenings'; other erroneous renderings – /x: 'in the evening' – KJV; /x: 'at twilight'- INV,
 ESV, NASB; /x: 'around sundown' - NET. [See in the companion file – <Walk through
the Scripture #5A – Time & Calendar>.]
Killing Passover lambs were for Passover memorial meal, not for blood shedding for
atonement to offer a sacrifice on the alter. No such notion as 'Passover sacrifice' in the
Bible.
Cf. different crucifixion date scenarios: Apr-7 Thu CE 30 (proposed to replace the
traditional Fri. scenario); Apr-7 Fri CE 30 (after *Finch); Apr-3 Fri CE 33 (traditional
church Holy Week scenario as well as Hoehner’s modified one); Apr-25 Wed CE 31;
Apr. 5 Wed CE 30 Wednesday crucifixion – Sat. afternoon resurrection scenario.
The execution cannot occur during the Festival (of the Passover = of the Matzah) (Mt
26:5). The prevalent conjecture of taking the Last Supper as the Passover memorial meal
(as in Fri † scenarios) is simply untenable, just as G-Jn Jn 19:14 telling unequivocally
that it was ‘preparation of the Passover’ (= eve of the Passover).
To find out what year was of the Crucifixion, they searched out one year (btw the
extremes of CE 26 and 36 – p. 99 Hoehner, Chronology) which had Nisan 14 fall on
Friday – because of their presupposition (they knew it was Friday because that’s how it
was on CE 33). Voila, they found CE 33 – a circular reasoning actually to prove nothing!
It was reinforced by interpreting Daniel’s 70-Week prophecy to give the support for CE
33. In fact, others have done for 30, 31, 32, 34, and even 17 CE for their liking!

Seven Sayings on the Cross:

 "Father, forgive them..."

 "Truly I say to you today: with me you’re going to be in paradise"
 "Woman, behold thy son..." [darkness: noon – 3 pm]
 "My Elohim, My Elohim ..."
 "I thirst"
 "It is completed"
 "Into Your hands..."

Yeshua foretells His suffering and death:

['foretelling' is not 'predicting' or 'prophesizing']

On three occasions before entering Jerusalem,

1st Time 2nd Time 3rd Time

G-Mt 16:21‐23 17:22‐23 20:17‐19
G-Mk 8:31 9:30‐32 10:32‐34
G-Lk 9:21‐22 9:43‐45 18:31‐33
G-Jn 12:20‐36
A-3 <*Entombment>
All four Gospels cover it clearly – //Mt +27:59-61; //Mk +15:42-47; //+Lk 23:53-56; //Jn 19:38-
42. [Cf. Unique in Jn 19:39 is “There along with him also came Nicodemus, the man who had on a
former occasion paid a visit to Yeshua by night, here having a mixture of myrrh and aloes brought
— about seventy-five pounds.]

Now the setting was a few hours from the death of Yeshua AND the sunset. It would take quite a
time for Yosef of Arimathea to receive the news of Yeshua's death and to present himself to Pilatos
and for Pilatos to let him take the body and for Yosef to come to the site of the crucifixion and take
the body to his tomb – way into evening. Their work of entombing to begin was explicitly
mentioned as 'evening having come on the eve of the high sabbath (Jn 19:31) – Abib 14. Mt
27:57 //Mk 15:42. Also Lk 23:54. [Cf. eve of sabbath in Jn 19:41 without specifically mentioning
'evening'] [Note: Lunar sabbath is for daytime period. It begins in the morning, not at sunset.]

The sentence does not make sense with Jewish reckoning of a day to start at sunset – making them to
violate sabbath by working on entombing!] [‘Preparation’ is a metonym of ‘preparation day’, which is
rendered as 'eve' in IRENT, was 'eve (=Abib 14) of the High Sabbath (= Abib 15)' of the Festival. cf.
Not to confuse with ‘preparation (eve) of the Passover day (Abib 14 for memorial with sacrifice and
meal) in Jn 19:14. See EE there];

(His ‘*burial’ was by *entombment, not by ‘burying in a grave’. Cf. ‘interment’)

http://craigaevans.com/Burial_Traditions.pdf Craig Evans, Jewish Burial Traditions

and the Resurrection of Jesus
The so-called burial of him should not be confused with the body to be buried in a
grave dug underground. He was NOT 'buried' as in the grave; but his body was
'entombed'. The body was prepared with anointing (washing and spices); no
embalminga as customary in Christian countries and in the ancient Egypt.
[See below a separate entry <Cf. ‘*three days and three nights’ (Mt 12:40); ‘Jonah’s
sign’> under ‘Time-markers in the Biblical passages’].
The so-called ‘Shroud of Turin’, an ancient genuine product, a medieval Catholic relic,
but a modern hoax for the real burial cloth (‘shroud’) of Yeshua. [See in the Appendix
below on the shroud relic mania.]

His entombment was not in the late afternoon before sundown (as a big issue for those
with the non-biblical solar sabbath of Saturday), but began in the evening and continue well
through the night as the text shows:
 Lk 23:54 “Thus, [all] this had been the day of sabbath-preparation [Abib 14], and
there sabbath day was coming to dawn” – sabbath keeping is for the daytime period
only.
 Mt 27:57 “Now evening having arrived ~~ Yosef of Ramathayim came to Pilatos to
ask for the body of Yeshua to be taken down.”
 Mk 15:42 “It was already evening there arrived Yosef of Ramathayim ~~.]
[Lunar sabbath is for day-time period only; it begins in the morning, not at sunset as in the
Jewish calendar.] Most ignore what the Bible plainly says, and they picturesquely explain
that the burial process was in haste before sabbath sets in with sunset, ignorant of Sabbath
which has nothing to do with Saturday. Some would say the burial was a temporary one and
to be completed by the women group when Sabbath was over, little knowing that the burial

a
https://bartonfuneral.com/funeral-basics/history-of-embalming/
http://americacomesalive.com/2010/08/03/wars-drive-advances/
Alvin J. Schmidt (2015), Cremation, Embalmment, or Neither? – A Biblical/Christian Evaluation.
was not a task for women. Some would believe the Shroud of Turin would keep the image
with the blood on the body left unwashed!
The process taking time was taking considerable time (‘not in haste’) – from evening into
deep night till dawning of sabbath day (Lk 23:54). https://youtu.be/AWKq_YiWTNA <Sabbath at
Sunset? Absurd and Impossible! www.worldslastchance.com>

Preparing the body consists of a ceremonial washing (called taharah) and wrapping. No
women were allowed for this task. /Anointing – for Yeshua Jn 19:39, 40; For David's body –
2Ch 1:14. [No embalming (as by Egyptian manner) in the Bible except in 2 places H2590
chanat – 'to embalm' Jacob (Gen 50:2, 3) and Joseph (Gen 50:26).]

Often a fanciful imagination carried people to think it was temporary so that someone else
would come back to finish the job when their ‘Jewish Sabbath from sunset to sunset is over.

A-4 P-m <Passover meal>

– As for the Yehudim the Passover memorial meal was to take it in the evening of Abib 14,
at the very time the body of Yeshua was being entombed.
[When the sacrificial system and Temple worship is no longer a part of the Judaism of
today, the only remaining practice of the ancient Passover is the precursor of the ‘Seder’
ritual and meal, which is observed on the (beginning) evening of Nisan 15, which
corresponds to Abib 14 evening.]
[Cf. A ‘second Seder’ is a Diaspora Jewish practice on the evening of Nisan 16] [Note: ‘Yehudim’,
not ‘Jews’, who are in the modern setting in diaspora after the Fall of Yerusalem in 70 C.E.

Abib 14 is Passover Day = the day of Passover lamb killed (late afternoon) + Passover
memorial meal (in the evening).

Often, the Last Supper is interpreted as the Passover memorial meal (/x: Passover feast),
without clear solution to resolve apparent contradiction to John 13:1, etc., compounded by
inadequate understanding of the Synoptic time-makers (Mk 14:12 and parallel). It is
hopeless to attempt to construct any sensible timeline from their point of view, as it takes
that the Crucifixion was incredulously to come after the Passover day!!
A-5 <Keeping Sabbath>
 The women rested on Sabbath – (daytime period only) – Lk 23:56b (Exo 20:8-11)
 The women bought spice after Sabbath – Mk 16:1
Abib 15th is Sabbath (on Day 7 of the lunar week in the lunar month) in the biblical
calendar This was ‘High Sabbath’ (the term is found in Jn 19:31), sabbath on Day 7 of the
lunar week on which first day of the week-long Festivals falls. [Note: Sabbath rest is for the
period of daytime only, not 24 hours. Night is by itself a period of rest, whether sabbath or
not.] [Abib 15th is the first day of the Matzah Festival (Lev 23:6-7; Exo 23:15; 34:18,
etc.).]
In a full 7-day week, whether the week is festival or ordinary, there is always only one
Sabbath day. There is no another separate different Sabbath for annual (festival) or
weekly.

The scholar's jargon 'annual sabbath' does not appear in the Bible. The term may be used
for the special sabbath-rest [H7677 sabbathon] on the Day of Atonement, which is
independent to 7th day of the week [Lev 16:29-31; 23:27].a

a
sabbath of sabbath-rest on the Atonement Day:
Lev 16:29 "in the seventh month, on the 10th day"
The Friday crucifixion scenario has to resort to an ingenious idea of having two different
sabbaths fall on the same date (‘doubled-up sabbath’). Neither we have two sabbath-days
back-to-back in that week which is come with a Wednesday crucifixion scenario [with
Saturday day afternoon resurrection].

A-6  <Resurrection in the dawn> (= the Risen Master Yeshua Himself presented
as the First-Fruits) w/Empty tomb. “Resurrection morning” – Abib 16 – * third day.

The factual resurrection itself is not described; the time cannot be other than shortly
before the disciples' encountering the empty tomb. A non-biblical Wednesday or
Thursday crucifixion with the resurrection almost half a day before is simply absurd
to have him wait somewhere until the disciples to see their risen Master.

Day is that which begins with sunrise. A calendar day in the Bible is reckoned to
start at dawn, not at sunset. [‘Dawn’ = ‘morning twilight’, opposite of ‘dusk’ =
‘evening twilight’]
In the Gospel narratives, the exact time of the resurrection was not mentioned, however it is
clear that it should be shortly before He appeared to the womenb – in the dawn of Day 1 of
the lunar week — (Abib 16).

Lk 24:1 //Mk 16:2

Mt 28:1 tē epiphōskousē
Mk 16:9 prōi early in the morning
Abib 16, the day after High sabbath (Jn 19:31) of Abib 15.

As for his death:

From ninth hour of Abib 14 (Wed ≈ 3 p.m.) to dawn of Abib 16 (Fri ≈ 6 a.m.)

≈ 39 hours [ = 3 hours (Wed) + 1N (Wed) + 1D (Thu) + 1N (Thu)]

Nothing to do with 72 hours of ‘*three days and three nights’ [vide infra];

A-7 <At the Empty Tomb>

Cf. Jn 20:1 Mariam Magdalene (possible with others) went to the tomb and found empty.
In the morning they encountered the Risen Master.

A-8 <Risen Master> to disciples

(1) The women;
(2) The two disciples on Emmaus (> Emmaus) road;
(3) The rest of disciples;
(4) The Disciples w/ Thomas (a week later).

Lev 23:32 "It shall be to you a Sabbath of sabbath-rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the
9th day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your
sabbath.”
Does it say a day begins with evening? No.
Does it say the keeping of a weekly sabbath is from evening to evening? No.
b
The women went with the spice prepared back to the tomb; not to ‘anoint’ the body for
(permanent) burial, as the job was not for women and it was already completed by Yosef and
Nicodemus taking quite a time in the evening to the night period of the same day Abib 14 (as the day
of Crucifixion).
After Resurrection
The risen Master showed Himself on Abib 16:
1. (early morning) to Mariam the Magdalene, 1st one to visit the tomb alone) – Jn 20:1-18
(early morning) to Mariam to Magdalene and other women – Mk 16:9-11; Mt 28:5-
10;
2. (afternoon) to two disciples on the road to Emmaus – Lk 24:13-49; Mk 16:12-13;
3. (evening) to the Eleven –Mk 16:14-18 //Jn 20:19-25 (Thomas being absent);

Later:
1. to the eleven disciples including Thomas –Jn 20:26-29;
2. to the Eleven (in Galilee) (Mt 28:16-20) (Jn 21:1-24)
3. Ascension – Mk 16:19-20; Lk 24:50-51; Act 1:9-10;
4. Pouring of the holy Spirit onto the Mashiah followers – Act 2:1-4;
(Disciples’ acts – Lk 24:52-53; Act 1:12-26)

Five appearances shortly after He was risen – Abib 16:

1. To Mariam Magdalene [given a message to the disciples]

2. To the other women who come to the tomb [intending to complete the burial
preparation of His body]
3. To two disciples on the Road to Emmaus
4. To Simon Peter [nowhere recorded, but alluded to in Lk 24:33 and 1Co 1:5]
5. To the astonished disciples [Thomas is absent]

The women who followed Yeshua in His ministry and Passion narratives:

Mt 27:55 ‘many women who had followed Yeshua from Galilee’

Mk 15:40 ‘there were women from distance looking on’
Lk 23:27 ‘women beating on their chest and wailing’ – in Via Dolorosa (Cf. a Catholic
legend of St. Veronica)
Lk 23:49 they watched as Yeshua breathed His last.
Lk 23:55 at the scene of the tomb (Yosef)
Lk 24:10 Mariam the Magdalene, Yohanah, Mariam the mother of Yaakob and other
women reports to the apostles.
Cf. Lk 8:2-3 Mariam the Magdalene, Yohanah the wife of Kuza, Susanna and others.

<Day of Wave Sheaf of Firstfruits> with Wave Sheaf Offering (barley harvest). Abib 16.
(Yom haBikkurim) (Cf. Chag haBikkurim ‘feast of the firstfruits’). The day after High
Sabbath (Jn 19:31) = is the first day to begin omer count (seven full sabbaths AND 50
days!!) to find the day of Shavout (‘Pentecost’) to fall in the summer wheat harvest (Exo
34:22) + grapes, etc. in the fourth month of the lunar year. It has nothing to do with
‘Sunday’. [www.worldslastchance.com/yahuwahs-calendar/pentecost-calculation-
restoration.html A copy <wlc - Pentecost Calculation Restored> is in the collection.]
F. Liturgical Holy Week vs. Passion Week

Liturgical Holy Week vs. Passover-Passion in 30 CE

Abib → 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

* Nisan 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Mar-31 Apr-1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
30 C.E.
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue †Wed Thu Fri Sat

Lazarus* Ϡ Palm Maundy Good Holy Easter

Holy Week
Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu † Fri Sat Sun

The Passion Week 30 CE in the Scripture and the Holy Week in the Church liturgy of the current year are not same;
dates do not mach. Sabbath is on Saturdays (Friday evening to Saturday evening) from the Jewish tradition.

G. Current years for the Passion week

Current years for the Passion week

Apr-14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
2008
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue
Apr-13 14 15 16 17 18  19 20 21
2011
Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu
Apr-1 2 3 4 5 6  7 8 9
2012
Palm Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Good Fri Sat Easter Sun# Mon
Mar-20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
2013
Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu
Apr-9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
2014
Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu
2015 Mar-29 30 31 Apr-1 2 3 4 5 6
Palm Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Good Fri Sat Easter Sun# Mon
Mar-17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
2016
Thu Fri Sat Palm Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Good Fri
Abib 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Nisan <varied depending on which year>

The liturgical ‘ Easter Sunday’ is not same as ‘Resurrection day’ (Abib 16).
Nisan dates of the Hebrew calendar cannot be aligned here, since each year is different.
The liturgical Holy Week is not parallel to the biblical Passion-Passover Week.
H. Calendar of Abib 2019
[See a separate file <Calendation Practicum> in <IRENT Vol. III – Supplement>]
Abib [Apr – May 2019]
[a graphic copied from <Calendation Practicum>

Lunar Sabbath; 1 New-Moon Day begins at 'dawn after the conjunction'; 30 transitional day;
Dark Moon:
◙ Apr 5 @ 03:51 CDT; ◙ @11:51 IDT
◙ May 4 @ 19:46 CDT; May 5 @ 00:46 UTC; ◙ May 5 @ 03:46 IDT
Full moon – Apr 19 ☼ @06:13 CDT; ☼ @ 14:13 IDT
†-† Crucifixion (Abib 14, Passover) – Apr. 18 (Thursday!);
 Resurrection;  Easter = Apr 21. (Apr 28 – Orthodox)
Gregorian dates Sundays Biblical dates
Apr-May 2019 with overlaid Abib /Nisan dates:
[graphic copied from <Calendation Practicum>]
 5. Passion Week chronology
– confusions, conflicts & contentions

The Church liturgical ‘Holy Week’ is a period of one week, Sunday to Sunday, before
Easter Sunday, beginning with ‘*Palm Sunday’. It is a church construct, and its timeline
does not correspond to that of the internal timeline in the passion narrative in the Scrip-
ture. It is chronologically and thematically disconnected from the biblical Passion Week.

‘Good Friday’ is not related to the historical ‘† Crucifixion Day’ (Abib 14)
‘Easter Sunday’ is not related to ‘ Resurrection day’ (Abib 16). [‘Sunday
morning Resurrection’ is a nonbiblical term.] – originates from Constantine Catholic
Church since early 4th century.
‘Maundy Thursday’ [fr. Latin mandatum = commandment (to love each other as He
loved)]
So-called Silent Wednesday by many (‘Ash Wednesday’). Hoehner tweaked the
first few days of the Holy Week, resulting in ‘Palm Monday’ and erasing Silent
Wednesday in the timeline. A hilarious idea indeed to come up that their Jesus took
a day of rest (or doing nothing) on the day before he assumes activity on the
Maundy Thursday!
Cf. *‘Lazarus Saturday’ – 1st day of the Holy Week in the Eastern Orthodox
Church.
Paschal Triduum (Easter Triduum, Holy Triduum) - the period of three days that
begins with the liturgy on the evening of Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) and
ends with evening prayer on Easter Sunday.
Easter – Catholic & Protestant Churches = Pascha – Orthodox Church

The liturgical Resurrection  is in the ‘morning’ of Sunday, which is at the beginning of

a day of the Holy Week in Gregorian calendar; while the biblical Resurrection  was in
the dawn.

 Passover festival season (inclusive 8 days): Abib 14 + Abib 15 – 21 (7 days of Festi-

val of the Matzah - Lev 23:6; Num 28:17; Deu 16:3) [Cf. Unleavened bread is eaten from Abib 14
(Exo 12:18), making it total 8 days.] [the preparation of the season begins on Abib 10 with Passover
lambs on the Palm Day.].
‘Pesach I to VII’ in Jewish Pesach for Nisan 15th to 21th (Nisan 14 as Erev Pesach).
 Passion Week: [Day # of the lunar week = Day # of the Passion Week]
from Abib 9th to Abib 15th (Day 1 to Day 7 of the Week)
 CE 29/30 = AM 3790 = SC 4012;
CE 2013 = AM 5773 = SC 5995;
CE 2014/2015 = AM 5775 = SC 5997. www.yhrim.com/Calendars/5997_GMT.pdf
CE 2015/2016 = AM 5776 http://antipas.net/heb_cal_2015-16.htm
On the calendar system and errors in the Passion Week Chronology

1. Gregorian and Hebrew calendars were not the calendars used in the bible
and cannot be applied to the biblical narratives. They differ fundamentally
from what is the Bible.

Hebrew calendar: a non-biblical calendar; the calendar day is reckoned from

sunset. Nisan (corresponding to Abib) is the 7th month. Sabbath is solar and on
Saturday (from Friday sunset), being tied with the Gregorian week of seven
named days. A sunset-to-sunset day was taken over from the ancient Greek practice. Cal-
endation involves 'Postponement' and 'Metonic cycle'.

Roman Julian-Gregorian calendar: The calendar day is reckoned to start at 12

a.m. (not 'midnight'). [Note: date in Julian = 2 + Gregorian (in 100 BC to 100 CE).
All dates for the Passion week throughout this file are in Julian dates.] Note: Ro-
man calendar day is from midnight to midnight, but as for counting the 12 hour-
periods of daytime it begins from sunrise on the sundial.

2. The seven named days of Gregorian calendar is of planetary week which

is cyclic continuous. [Cf. in the early Julian calendar, it was 8-day week!]

3. The true biblical luni-solar calendar is essential for following the biblical
narratives, especially for the Passover Passion Week, providing correct and
proper timeline and chronology. Abib as 1st month, and a calendar 'day' in
the Bible begins at dawn. [‘dawn’ = morning twilight]. On the other hand,
the Hebrew calendar reckons its calendar day to start at sunset, while our
Gregorian to start at 12 a.m. (not same as 'midnight').

4. These are unrelated to the seven numbered days of the biblical calendar,
which are non-continuous non-cyclic lunar week.

There are four full 7-day weeksa with four Sabbath days in each lunar
month; they are on the 7th day of the lunar week.b Sabbath rest is applied to
day-time period only, not 24 hours. c Without basic knowledge of the bibli-
cal calendar, most people think the 7th day of the week for sabbath is Sat-
urday (7th day of the planetary week). Likewise, sabbath eve ('preparation
day') (= sabbath eve) is Friday. This is how the Crucifixion put on Friday.

a
They are 2nd – 8th; 9th – 15th; 16th – 22nd; 23rd – 29th day of each month. 1st day is the New-Moon
Day; 30th day, if any, is transitional day – both do not belong to either work day or sabbath day.
b
7th day sabbath is fixed on 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th day of each month.
c
[Cf. The Sabbatarian issue – which is the weekly sabbath is to be on.] [The so-called Postponement
Rules in calendation by Hillel II – should not be our concern for fixing the lunar calendar for the year of
the Crucifixion.]
Summary and conclusion on the Passion Week Timeline:

In a nutshell:

To follow the Passion Narrative in CE 30

from Abib 12 to Abib 17

 Abib 12 – Last Supper; Arrest, Sanhedrin [night – morning break]

 Abib 13 – Pilatos' Trial [sentencing at midday]
 Abib 14 – Crucifixion; Death; Entombed
 Abib 15 – High Sabbath; a
 Abib 16 – Resurrection Day in the dawn
– Morning/Evening – Risen Master to the Disciples

Yeshua died on the day of Passover [memorial] as a Passover Lamb. It is not ‘sacri-
fice’ but for the meal.
He did not celebrate the Passover in the last year of His earthly ministry.
The Passover memorial meal on Abib 14 was for the Yehudim.
The Last Supper was not the Passover meal.

a
'High Sabbath' (Jn 19:31) – the weekly sabbath falling on the first day of 7-day Festival, on 7th day
of the lunar week. The so-called 'annual sabbath' applies to the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) – on
the 10th of the lunar month), which is not 7th day of the lunar week (weekly sabbath). Lev 16:29-31,
23:27.
Table of the various scenarios offered for the Passion week:

First Three Days of the Passion Week (from Arrival to Trial) – A Timeline

First Five Days of the Passion Week

˅ ˄ ˅ ˄ ˅ ˄ ˅
● ☼ ● ☼ ● ☼ ☼ ● ☼
DoW 1 2 3 4 5

A LG AS P-P ↓† †

9 Abib 10 Abib 11 Abib 12 Abib 13 14

Nisan 10 Nisan 11 Nisan 12 Nisan 13 Nisan 14

Apr 2 (Sun) Apr 3 (Mon) Apr 4 (Tue) Apr 5 (Wed) Apr 6 Thu
30 CE
Apr 1 (Mon) Apr 2 (Tue) Apr 3 (Wed) Apr 4 (Tue) Apr 5 Wed

33 CE Mar-30 (Mon) Mar-31 (Tue) Apr-1 (Wed) Apr-2 (Thu) Apr-3 Fri 

˅ sunrise; ˄ sunset; ☼ midday; • midnight

LG Last Supper – Gethsemane; AS Arrest – Sanhedrin; P-P Pilatos Trial;
↓ † † – Golgotha and Crucifixion;
ET – Entombed;  - Resurrection
Last Three Days of the Passion Week (Crucifixion to Resurrection) – A Timeline

H-Chart comparing three scenarios:

Last Three Days of the Passion Week

● ☼ ● ☼ ● ☼ ☼ ● ☼
DoW 5 6 7 1
Passover Wave-sheaf
Passover meal
High Sab.

LG A S P-P † † <Entomb> 
12 Abib 13 Abib 14  Abib 15 Abib 16 17
Nisan 13 14 15 16 17

Apr 5 (Wed) Apr 6 Thu Apr 7 (Fri) Apr 8 (Sat) Apr 9 (Sun)
30 CE
Apr 4 (Tue) Apr 5 Wed Apr 6 (Thu) Apr 9 (Fri) Apr 10 (Sat)

Apr-3 Fri  Apr-4 (Sat)

33 CE  Apr-5 (Sun)
Preparation day 'Doubled-up sabbath'

[Cf. full moon 33 CE Apr. 3 – at 15:00]

A summary diagram – Last Three Days

Comparing three scenarios

from the Crucifixion to the Resurrection

Scenarios for Crucifixion-Resurrection days

† †  

Abib 13 Abib 14 Abib 15 Abib 16 17

Day 6@ Day 7 Day 1

Nisan 14 Nisan 15 Nisan 16 Nisan 17

a Wednesday Scenario**
† †  

Tue Wed ᄉ Thu  Fri Sat 

Thursday Scenario
† † 

Wed Thu Fri Sat  Sun

Friday Scenario
† † 

Wed Thu Fri  Sat  Sun

 To Golgotha; † † Crucifixion;  Resurrection [in the dawn];

**wrong resurrection time  in a popular non-biblical Wednesday scenario;
 Full Moon; ᄉ– Passover memorial meal; @ Day of the lunar week
It is prudent and sensible to follow the timeline in terms Abib dates and the numbered days of
the lunar week. However, below is a diagram for those who insist to compare the two scenar-
ios in term of the named days of the planetary week.

Above is a diagram provided for those who want to compare the two scenarios in
term of the named days of the planetary week. Note: Some noted that Apr-7 was
Friday in CE 30 (but no other Friday scenario has been proposed).
Note: See the Passover day to keep is Abib 14 (Nisan 14), and the Passover memo-
rial meal ᄉ is on the evening of that Abib 14th, which is confusingly on Nisan 15th
evening by Jewish reckoning. It is how Jewish Seder is kept on Nisan 15th, even
though Torah commands to keep Passover on the 14th of the month in O.T.
Confusion of whether Passover is on Nisan 14th or 15th is not because of a possibil-
ity of two different calendars being used at that time by two groups of people (an ab-
surd proposal), but from the Jewish unbiblical convention of reckoning a day to start
at sunset so that the events in the night period belongs to a day later than the date
in Abib.
Middle Three Days of the Passion Week – A Timeline:
Once the last three days are in place in the timeline, our next task is with the mid-
dle three days – from the Temple to the Crucifixion.
Abib 12 13 14 15
B LS AR    † †
F xxxx 
* Nisan
A x 
13 14 15
Gregor K L M
WWW: LS: Last Supper; AR: Arrest;
 Yehudim vs. Yeshua;  Pilatos' sentencing;

The only sensible timeline is shown in the [Row B] (B for Biblical). It is futile and impossible
to fill events in the slot marked xxxx of a short overnight period as in the [Row F] (F for false)
after the midnight Arrest with ex-Chief kohen Annas; Sanhedrin; w/ Pilatos; w/ Herod
Antipas to the dawn with Pilatos. Some pushes as in the [Row A] (A for absurd)
Pilatos into night (before the crucifixion day). But how the Roman governor should conduct
the trial in the evening to bring down the final sentencing towards midnight???

Unleavened bread eaten (Exo12:19)

Abib 14th 15th 16th 17th

Passover
Festival of the Matzah (Lev 23:6) (Abib 15 to Abib 21)
(Lev 23:5)

1st Day of Omer counting

Paschal Lamb
Matzah Festival begins; -
Slain
(Lev 23:6) (Lev 23:15)

High Sabbath Firstfruits – wave

Sabbath eve
(Lev 23:7) sheaf -
(Lk 23:54)
(Jn 19:31) (Lev 23:10-11)

Resurrection/
Crucifixion In the tomb
Risen Lord

1st Day 2nd Day 3rd Day

Nothing to do with "3 Days and 3 Nights" (in a grave!)

The above simplified table for the Passion Week Timeline only needs a quick glance at it
to get acquainted. Because of different reckoning of a day to start, if we count with Nisan,
the same period should involve four days and dates. It is same also when counted with
the Gregorian days of the week. The except is the Friday scenario which in correctly in -
volve only three days and dates. It is because of its wrong interpretation of the biblical
terms, phrases, and idioms that one day comes shorter than it should.

We can see it makes much sense if we follow the timeline in the Bible simply in terms of
Abib dates and the numbered days of the week (that is, the biblical lunar week with Day
7 as the day of sabbath, which is for the daytime period). The non-biblical vocabulary,
such as Friday, Saturday, Sunday, etc. in the liturgical Holy Week of the Church is non-
biblical and it has led into erroneous understanding and interpretation of the biblical nar-
ratives.

The Resurrection serves as the terminal point of an interval, while the initial endpoint is
dictated plainly by the context, whether it is to count off the number of dates or to see a
duration (in days) of the interval.

Note that this has nothing to do with the Matthean phrase ‘for three days and three nights
in the heart of the earth/land’ (Mt 12:40), which is outside the Passion narrative and has
been misread, misinterpreted and miscalculated. [See separate file ‘*Sense and Non-
sense of Three Days and Three Nights’ in the Collection].

We will see the timeline of the Passion Week involves three days in the last period from
the crucifixion to the resurrection. (of Abib 14, 15, 16 in the biblical lunar calendar).

[See below in <Time-markers in the Biblical Passages> for ‘on the third day’
‘after three days’ ‘three days later’, ‘in three days’, etc.
The following is different ways to tell the same period:
When reckoned with the biblical lunar calendar, the period from the Crucifixion to the
Resurrection covers three days in Abib:
Abib 12 = the Last Supper ("at the beginning for having the unleavened bread" Mt 26:17)
Abib 14 = Day 1 (Passover day) [Crucifixion - from 3rd to 9th hour]
= Passover memorial meal in the evening of Abib 14 (Nisan 15)
Abib 15 = Day 2 (High Sabbath Jn 19:31 of Festival of the Matzah (from Abib 15-21)
Abib 16 = Day 3 (Day of First-fruits) [Resurrection on ‘third day’ in the dawn of 1st day of the
lunar week (not 'Sunday') Mk 16:9.)]

[The women group set out to the tomb in the dawn (Mt 28:1; Mk 16:2; Lk 24:1; Jn 20:1).]
[‘dawn’ = morning twilight. A calendar ‘day’ in the Bible begins at dawn.] When the time period is
reckoned not by the Scriptural calendar but by the Hebrew calendar it involves four calendar
days in Nisan (from Nisan 14 to Nisan 17) as its calendar day is 12 hours ahead of the
Biblical calendar by reckoning a day to start at sunset.
Counting dates in a non-biblical Wednesday scenario (w/ Sat. afternoon resurrection):
– three calendar days (Abib 14, 15, and 16)
– four calendar days (Nisan 14, 15, 16 and 17)
– four planetary days (Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat)

Counting days in Gregorian vocabulary (with a calendar day from 12 a.m. to 12 a.m.)
in Thursday scenario – four planetary days (Thu, Fri, Sat, and Sun)
in a Wednesday scenario – four planetary days (Wed, Thu, Fri, and Sat).
in Friday scenario – three planetary days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).

Controversy, confusion, and contradiction in the various scenarios are because their
understanding and interpretation of the Gospel Passion Narrative is due to non-biblical
calendar system applied to biblical timeline. It is with anachronistic conflation of Easter
liturgy of Constantine Catholic Church tradition. Again, one should not forget that there
were no such days called or known as Sunday, Saturday, and Friday in the time of Yeshua.
Sabbath day has nothing to do with Saturday as such – the real culprit and seed of all the
confusion and contradiction in the Biblical chronology, esp. of the Passion-Passover Week
timeline. The history must be read with the calendar system of that time. The traditional
Holy Week is a liturgical invention, being disconnected from the historical Passion-Passover
Week.
<[the] first [day] of the week> all with 'mia' [S1520 heis] except once prōtē [S4413 prōtos]

Mt 28:1a There, after the week having passed, [Opse de sabbatōn] now at the dawning
[tē epiphōskousē] of the first day of the week [eis mian sabbatōn] Mariam the Magdalene
and the other Mariam went out to see the tomb.
Mk 16:2 And very early [lian prōi] on the first day of the week [tē mia tōn sabbatōn],
the women are coming to the tomb with the sun about to rise [anateilantos tou hēliou].
Lk 24:1 On the first day of the week [tē de mia tōn sabbatōn] very early in the
morning [orthrou batheōs], these women went out to the tomb
Jn 20:1 Now, on the first day of the week [tē de mia tōn sabbatōn] Mariam the
Magdalene is coming to the tomb early morning [prōi] while it’s still dark [skotias eti
ousēs].
Jn 20:19 It was, thereafter [Ousēs oun], evening on that day [opsia tē hēmera ekeinē]
the first day of the week [tē de mia tōn sabbatōn],
Act 20:7 On the first day of the week [en de tē mia tōn sabbatōn] we came together to
break bread.
Mk 16:9 Now, having risen [Anastas de] early [prōi] in the first day of the week
[prōtē sabbatou] Yeshua showed himself first to Mariam the Magdalene,
1Co 16:2 On the first day of every week, [kata mian sabbatou],
'days and nights' till the Resurrection:

Passover High Sabbath

† † B M 
Wed-Day (Night 1) Thu-Day (Night 2) Fri-Day (Night 3) Sat-Day
Apr 5 Apr 6 Apr 7 Apr 8
6th day of the week 7th day of the week 1st day of the week 2nd day
Abib 14 Abib 15 Abib 16 Abib 17
Nisan 14 Nisan 15 Nisan 16 Nisan 17
1. †…†– Crucifixion to Death (mid-afternoon) on Passover – Abib 14 = sabbath eve.
2. B <Burial by entombment + the Passover meal (evening) for Yehudim>;
3. resurrection in the dawn  (Mk 16:9) (  in Wed. scenario)
women group to the tomb (Mt 28:1; Mk 16:2; Lk 24:1; Jn 20:1)
4. the risen Master to the disciples;
[Note: 'Passover preparation' (= Passover eve) Jn 19:14 is on Abib 13 = day of Pi-
latos' sentencing.
Cf. 'preparation' (= eve) is mostly that of sabbath, i.e. sabbath eve. (Mt 27:62; Jn
19:31, 42). The Gk. does not mean Friday, nor it has anything to with it.]
[The time period from the crucifixion to the resurrection = ≈ 40 hours]

The biblical narrative shows that the time period from His crucifixion to His resurrection
covers from Abib 14 (≈ 3 p.m.) to Abib 16 (dawn). It is a little over 1/4 calendar day (Wed
afternoon – to midnight) + 1 full calendar day (Thu 12 a.m. to midnight) + 1/4 calendar day
(Fri. 12 a.m. to dawn) to make a total of 1 and a little over 1/2 calendar days (≈ 39 hours),
i.e. 2 night-periods and 1 day-time period. [Note: This duration of about 39 hours corre-
sponds to the traditional scenario of Friday crucifixion and Sunday resurrection.]

Note: In Gregorian calendar the day (i.e. calendar day) is reckoned to start at 12 a.m.; it ends at
‘midnight’, which is 12 a.m. of next day.

It is far from the fancied time period of 3 full days (≈ 72 hours) trumpeted by the Wednes-
day crucifixion – to Saturday evening scenario.
An exercise: constructing the timeline diagram
– from the Crucifixion to the Resurrection

Though it is simply and easy to understand the diagram, a better way is to

draw up a table with hand and pencil to find days/dates for the events – the re-
sult is, the whole thing will get impressed on your mind.
Note: A calendar ‘day' in the bible begins at dawn [= morning twilight]. not at
sunrise.
1. First, take a rectangular box divide vertical lines:
Two columns to represent a day (daytime + nighttime = 24-hour period).

˅ ˅ ˅
DAYTIME NIGHT-TIME
˄ ˄

2. Make a table with three such columns:

The shaded represent the night period; unshaded is for the daytime period.
The dividers are at (1) sunrise ˅; (2) midday ˄; (3) sunset ˅; (4) midnight ˄.
Sun Sun Sun
Rise Set Rise
˅ ˅ ˅
DAYTIME NIGHT-TIME
˄ ˄
Midday Midnight
3. Make a table with three such columns:
This covers 3 days (of D & N). Write in three dates 14, 15, and 16 – these are
Abib dates. (Shaded box – for Night Period)
Abib 14 15 16

4. Extend vertical diving lines at sunset for one row:

Write down 14, 15, and 16 – these are dates in Nisan (after Jewish reckoning)
– It is 12 hours’ head start.
Abib 14 15 16

Nisan 14 15 16

5. Extend vertical diving lines only at midnight for another row:

On 1st day On 2nd day On third day

Abib 14 15 16

* Nisan 14 15 16 17
Gregor. Day L Day M Day N

Notice that day time events belong same date; events in the night will be in a
different date.

6. Now enter the three crucial events:

 carrying His stake; † † Crucifixion;

 Resurrection;  on a Wednesday crucifixion scenario.
According to the biblical narrative timeline follow with the biblical lunar calen-
dar:
See how each event is being found in their right place.
˅ ˅
˄ ˄
On 1st day On 2nd day On third day
Abib 14 15 16
† †  

* Nisan 14 15 16 17
Grego Day L Day M Day N Day O

“on the third day”

Note that this phrase is possible only when reckoning dates in Abib,
not in Nisan. Note that this has nothing to do with Gregorian days
(midnight to midnight) of the planetary week.

7. Only then, you may want to bring Gregorian named days of the plan-
etary week. (e.g. Sun, Mon, etc.) for referencing:
Replacing Day J, K, L with actual Gregorian date will give you a picture of dif-
ferent Crucifixion scenarios in terms of day.
Table: Last three days from the Crucifixion to the Resurrection

- the date in Abib for night period events is one day earlier in Nisan
- a calendar 'day' in the Biblical calendar begins at dawn (= morning twilight).

1st, 2nd, 3rd hours ≈ 6 – 9 am

(Day) (Day) †
Abib 14 Nisan 14 4th, 5th, 6th hour ≈ 9 am – ‘noon’
Prep. day 7th, 8th, 9th hour ‘noon’ – ≈ 3 pm †
W
10th, 11th, 12th hour ≈ 3 – 6 pm
E
1st watch (evening) ≈ 6 – 9 pm D
(Night) (Night) 2nd watch (midnight) ≈ 6 – 9 pm
Abib 14 Nisan 15
3rd watch (rooster-crow watch) ≈ 12 pm– 3 am

4th watch (dawn-watch?) ≈ 3 – 6 am T

1st, 2nd, 3rd hours ≈ 6 – 9 am
(Day) (Day) H
4th, 5th, 6th hour ≈ 9 am – ‘noon’
Abib 15 Nisan
15 7th, 8th, 9th hour ‘noon’ – ≈ 3 pm
(7th Day) U
sabbath 10th, 11th, 12th hour ≈ 3 – 6 pm

1st watch ≈ 6 – 9 pm
(Night) (Night) 2nd watch ≈ 6 – 9 pm
Abib 15 Nisan 16
3rd watch ≈ 12 pm– 3 am

4th watch ≈ 3 – 6 am F

1st, 2nd, 3rd hours ≈ 6 – 9 am
R
(Day) (Day) 4th, 5th, 6th hour ≈ 9 am – ‘noon’
Abib 16 Nisan 16 7th, 8th, 9th hour ‘noon’ – ≈ 3 pm I
(1st Day)
10th, 11th, 12th hour ≈ 3 – 6 pm
1st watch ≈ 6 – 9 pm
(Night) (Night) 2nd watch ≈ 6 – 9 pm
Abib 16 Nisan 17
3rd watch ≈ 12 pm– 3 am
4th watch ≈ 3 – 6 am

14 16 -- dates for Crucifixion and Resurrection. † - † crucifixion;  - resurrection

Midday/Noon is not same as 12 p.m.;

Note: Exactly when the resurrection did occur is silent in the Gospels. The expression '*
First day of the week' which appears in the Gospels as related to the resurrection always
tied to the women's visit to the tomb. The time for them to set to the tomb and to find the
tomb empty is early in the morning of the first day of the lunar week, which is not same as
'Sunday' in the planetary week of the Gregorian calendar. The resurrection cannot be after
sunrise. As it dawns, light shows up the sky for morning twilight with sunrise shortly to fol-
low.
 6. Biblical Lunar Calendar for the Passion Week
Ref. www.observadores-cometas.com/cometas/Star/Passover.html <date of Passover
11 BC – 10 AD>

QQ: information from http://www.uwm.edu/cgi-bin/corre/calendar - inaccessible. A

question submitted Feb. 1, 2023 to
https://uwm.libanswers.com/form?queue_id=458 for data on Passover 30 to 33 CE.
Data on ‘Passover’ day in 30 to 33 CE

Year (CE) → 30 31 33
↓ http://jesus-messiah.com/html/passover-dates-26-34ad.html
His 'Abib' date is actually Nisan date (sunset-to-sunset)
Full Moon Abib 15 Apr-6 Mar-27 Apr-3
Julian date to midnight Thu Mon Fri
Time of full moon 22:00 13:00 17:00
 /x: Last Supper was on Wednesday after sundown on Abib 15 which began Thursday.
 /x: Passover [on 1st day of the unleavened bread] began Wednesday at sundown at which
Abib 15 begins. [Confused Passover day and Passover Festival.]
 /x: Thursday crucifixion scenario – Apr. 6, CE 30.

↓ www.judaismvschristianity.com/Passover_dates.htm
<Passover dates 26-34 CE>
Mar-22 Wed Mar-23 Fri. Mar-22 Sun.
Vernal Equinox
00:00* ?? 05:00 17:00
Conjunction (Dark moon) Mar-22 Wed. Apr-10 Tue Mar-20 Fri 09:00
(Near or first after vernal Equinox)?? 20:00 14:00 Apr-17 Fri 21:00**
First evening of Mar-21 Sat.
Mar- 24 Fri Apr-11 Wed
visible crescent Apr-19 Sun.
Mar-22 Sun.
1st day of Nisan Mar-25 Sat Apr-12 Thu
Apr-20 Mon.
Apr-7 Fri. Apr-4 Sat.
14th day of Nisan@ (Passover) Apr-25 Wed.
May-3 Sun.
First evening of visible crescent: Gregorian: Midnight to midnight
@
Nisan date: Beginning at sundown the evening before
* Midnight at the end of the given day

The first three columns were obtained from the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical
Applications Department. The pertinent file may be accessed on the Internet at
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/SpringPhenom.php (Julian data; time in GMT for Vernal
equinox; full moon; new moon (on or before vs. after equinox)

Data on CE 30 Israel
[Israel Time IST = UTC +2] [cf. IDT (daylight saving time).]
[Annoying problem: data on the online sources show minor variation (less than a few
hours), understandably derived from different algorithms. One exceptional case - the
day of Vernal equinox 30 CE was shown as Mar 20 (17:47 GMT)!!
https://sites.google.com/site/calendarstudies/bible-studies/bible_study_year_of_crucifi
xion ]

Vernal equinox = Mar 22 Wed ≈ @19:30

Conjunction = Mar 22 Wed ≈ @20:00 [Needs a reference for this info.]
Abib 1 = Mar-23-Thu.
Abib 14 = Apr-5-Wed
full moon = Apr 6 Thu 8.pm
https://data.giss.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/ar5/srevents.cgi Full Moon@
Vernal Equinox
Year date time Date Time
1 3/20 13:19
2 3/20 19:08
3 3/21 0:58
29 3/20 8:17 Apr 17 Sun 5 a.m. /Nisan 15
30 3/20 14:06 Apr 6 Thu 10 p.m. /Nisan 15
31 3/20 19:55 Mar 27 Tue 1 p.m. /Nisan 15
33 3/20 7:34 Apr 3 Fri 5 p.m. /Nisan 15
@ US Navy Astronomical Department calculations ?
(cited in http://jesus-messiah.com/html/passover-dates-26-34ad.html w/ Thu crucifixion
scenario)

Vernal Equinox: (Ref. Time and Date of Vernal Equinox calculator)

https://data.giss.nasa.gov/modelE/ar5plots/srvernal.html

CE Mar Time Day of the Week

Dark Moon; - web url ?

Full moon

New Moon

Note. The times of day given in the second and third columns have been adjusted UT +2 for
Jerusalem time.

https://keisan.casio.com/exec/system/1247132711 <"day of the week" finder>

CE 30, Apr 5, Wed.

https://www.moongiant.com/calendar/ (recent years)

Abib 14th in 30 CE: Apr-5 Wed or Apr-6 Thu?

We have accurate data on astronomical new moon (= ‘dark moon’ at ‘luni-solar

conjunction’) available online. What we need is:

1. How differently was the New-Moon Day, the first day of the lunar month of
the biblical calendar – astronomical or visible crescent?
2. Data on conjunction date and time; sunrise time.

How to find Abib 1 on the proleptic Gregorian calendar:

- See on a separate paper <Calendation Practicum> in <IRENT Vol. III – Supplement> as
well as the file <Walk through the Scripture #5 - Time, Calendar and Chronology>
30 CE – Calendar for March & April – Israel

www.timeanddate.com/calendar/monthly.html?year=30&month=4&country=34
Moon Phase Data – 30, 31, 33; 2022, 2023 CE

(#3) www.timeanddate.com/calendar/monthly.html?year=30&month=4&country=34 (w/ incorrect Full Moon

date of Apr-7)
https://torahcalc.com/input/?i=Calculate%20the%20molados%20of%203790 'new moon dates' molad

astropixels.com/ephemeris/phasescat/phases0001.html -- Year 30 CE [UT]

lunar eclipse: t - Total (Umbral); p - Partial (Umbral); n – penumbral

http://web.archive.org/web/20140909184037/http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/phase/phases0001.html

astropixels.com/ephemeris/phasescat/phases0001.html -- [UT] Year 31 CE

astropixels.com/ephemeris/phasescat/phases0001.html [UT] Year 33 CE

astropixels.com/ephemeris/phasescat/phases2001.html -- [UT]
https://torahcalc.com/input/?i=Calculate%20the%20molados%20of%203790

Dates of new moon (molad)

30 CE – Conjunction date and time; sunrise time

Jerusalem 30 CE
(UT+2) Vernal Equinox Mar 23
Mar-22-Wed ⓿ (Dark Moon 19:46) Date in Jewish
(#1) (#2) Calendar (#3)
Mar-23-Thu Abib 1* Nisan 1
Mar-24-Fri Abib 2 Abib 1*
Mar-25-Sat Abib 3 Abib 2 @

Mar-30-Thu Abib 8 Abib 7

Mar-31-Fri Abib 9 Abib 8
Apr-1-Sat Abib-10 Abib 9

Apr-4-Tue Abib-13 Abib-12

Apr-5-Wed Abib-14 Abib-13
Apr-6-Thu  Abib-15 Abib-14 Nisan 15
Apr-7-Fri Abib-16 Abib-15
Apr-8-Sat Abib-17 Abib-16#
Apr-9-Sun Abib-18 Abib-17

Abib – 6 hours behind Julian date. Nisan – 6 hours ahead of Julian date.

 Full Moon on Apr-6 at 21:42 at Jerusalem 30 CE]

Ref: (#1) New-Moon Day – dawn after the conjunction.

www.worldslastchance.com/yahuwahs-calendar/new-moon-day-the-dawn-after-
conjunction.html New-Moon Day: The Dawn After Conjunction

Ref: (#2) (as in ‘Thursday crucifixion scenario) is following the inaccurate “first visible
crescent” method.e.g.www.triumphpro.com/jesus-in-grave-new-truth.htm

[www.triumphpro.com/jesus-in-grave-new-truth.htm A typical Thursday crucifixion scenario -

reading astronomical data and applying the inaccurate visible crescent method to determine
the New-Moon Day, for which they do not give the proof of its validity. – ARJ]

"Witness #1
In AD 30, for the month of March, the conjunction [cf. molad – new moon] occurred
on Wednesday, March 22. The crescent New Moon was seen in the evening of
Thursday, March 23, making Abib 1 Friday, March 24. Therefore, in AD 30, the 15th
day of Abib – the First Day of Matzah Festival – was Friday, April 7! This means that
in 30 AD the day of the Passover [lamb killed], Abib 14, was NOT ON
WEDNESDAY, BUT RATHER ON THURSDAY, April 6!! In other words, the date
of the crucifixion was THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 30 AD!

" … Witness #3:

There is a website devoted to the Phases of the Moon, called Obliquity. You can go
on their website and obtain the New Moon conjunction data – time and date for the
New Moons for the year 30 A.D., especially March (which New Moon would
correspond with the Hebrew month Nisan or Abib). Here, a clip from
www.obliquity.com/cgi-bin/lunar.cgi?Year=30&Month=3 . <Phases of the Moon for
March CE 30>
You will find that the conjunction (→ dark moon; astronomical new moon) of the Nisan
was on March 22, at 17:29 GMT. This would have been 19:29 Jerusalem time (two hours
ahead of GMT). 19:29 would have been 7:29 PM, Wednesday evening.

Since Hebrew days begin at sunset, this would have been the beginning of the next day by
Hebrew reckoning. Thus, the first sighting of the new crescent would have most likely
been Thursday evening, around sunset, about 22 ½ hours later. Thus, would mean that
Friday, March 24th (beginning Thursday evening) would have been the first day of the
New Moon/Month of Nisan/Abib. This means the 14th day of the month – the day the
Passover was killed – would have been Thursday, April 6th, and Friday, April 7th was the
annual holy day (First Day of Unleavened Bread).
 [Jerusalem time = UT+2]
Year New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter
30 Mar-22 19:46 Mar-31 00:18 Apr-6 21:42 Apr-13 13:34
31 Mar-12 00:19 Mar-19 23:41 Mar-27 12:55 Apr-3 06:30
33 Mar-19 12:38 Mar-26 12:33 Apr-3 16:51 Apr-11 05:45
[The data are extracted (for the relevant portion) from (UT used)
http://web.archive.org/web/20090301015349/http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/phase/phases0001.html

[Jerusalem time = UT+2]

Year New Moon Full Moon
30 Mar-22 19:59 Apr-6-Thu 21:47
Mar-12 00:29 Mar-27-Tue 13:01
31
Apr-10 11:32 Apr-25-Wed 19:59
33 Mar-19 12:41 Apr-3-Fri 17:02
Goldstine, Herman H. (1973), New and Full Moons: 1001 B.C. to A.D. 1651@
Table of Julian dates and time – (it was in UT+3 Bagdad)
@ https://books.google.com/books?
id=lgsNAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Finding day of the week – other online programs are inaccurate.

www.timeanddate.com/date/weekday.html?year=30&month=4&day=7

CE 31 – Apr 25 – Wed – Full moon [Claimed to be the Crucifixion date – year and
day]
QQ What day and what month in the Biblical calendar? of the lunar month?
How about a month earlier – Mar 27 – Tue – Full moon – which comes 5 days af-
ter Equinox.

30 CE Dark Moon Full Moon

Jerusalem Mar-22 (Adar 29) Apr-6 (Nisan 15)
Chicago Mar-21 Apr-6
31 CE Dark Moon Full Moon
Jerusalem Mar-12 (Adar 29) Mar-27 (Nisan 15)
Chicago Mar-11 Mar-27
www.fullmoon.info/en/fullmoon-calendar_1900-2050.html

Roger Rusk, “The Day He Died – Jesus died during a Passover Festival in the
early part of the first century. Which Passover? Which year?” Christianity
Today, March 29, 1974. [A copy in IRENT Vol. III Supplement (Collection) #6B]
[Thu Apr 6, AD 30.]

https://web.archive.org/web/20110709062802/http://user.txcyber.com/~wd5iqr/tcl/dayhedie.htm

[Note: His article is often cited for a Thursday crucifixion scenario. However, he
uses data from Goldstine, Herman H. (1973). New and Full Moons: 1001 B.C. to
A.D. 1651. As shown in the table below is nothing more that time and date of the
four moon phases. It does not provide how to arrive at the New-Moon Day from
the astronomical data. This is the serious and fatal problem to be found the
proponents of the Thursday crucifixion day scenario.]
[The Conjunction and Full Moon Day – date is location-dependent. Only different one
shown in red for USA.]

Year Dark Moon Full Moon

CE
Israel USA Jerusalem USA
2017 Mar-28 Mar-27 Apr-11 -
(Nisan 1) (Nisan 15)
2016 Apr-7 - Apr-22 -
(Adar II 28) (Nisan 14)
2015 Mar-20 - Apr-4 -
(Adar 29) (Nisan 15)
2014 Mar-30 - Apr-15 -
(Adar II 28) (Nisan 15)
2013 Mar-11 - Mar-27 -
(Adar 29 (Nisan 16)
2012 Mar-22 - Apr-6 -
(Adar 28) (Nisan 14)
2011 Apr-3 - Apr-18 Apr-17
(Adar II 28) (Nisan 14)
2010 Mar-15 - Mar-30 Mar-29
(Adar 29) (Nisan 15)
2009 Mar-26 - Apr-9 -
(Nisan 1) (Nisan 15)

In conclusion: This study should challenge and help find the day and date locatable
in the proleptic Gregorian calendar for the Crucifixion. That some actual date we
may find as the correct one (for the calendation we choose to use) is not a weighty is-
sue in our correctly following the Passion narrative timeline. Let it be just a matter
concerning with the religious liturgical tradition in their keeping the ecclesial Holy
Week, instead of the Biblical Passion Week.
The Crucifixion day scenario based on the Biblical Lunar Calendar:
[with minor editing - ARJ]

“The Year in the Hebrew calendar (not in the Biblical Lunar Calendar) begins at
the moment of sunset at Jerusalem, on the evening of the first "potentially" visible
crescent moon, to begin Day 1 of Month 1.

The vernal equinox governs the start of a new year according to Exo 12:1-2. The
equinox is the demarcation point governing the solar cycle. A Year can begin
before or after the vernal equinox. The rule of the equinox always places 15th
day of Month 1 (first day of the Matzah Festival) [High Sabbath Jn 19:31] on or
after the vernal equinox day.

A biblical Year has 12 lunar Months in a regular year or 13 Months in a leap year.
The Year begins on Day 1 of Month 1 based on the rule of the equinox. [Cf. the
typical Civil Year begins on Day 1 of Month 7]. It ensures that Unleavened
Bread festival will always be kept in its season from year to year as Exodus
13:10 instructs.” The Passover [Day] cannot occur before the vernal equinox.

When the end of Month 12 comes with the dark moon: If, there are 15 Days or
less until the vernal equinox, then Month 1 is declared. If there are 16 Days or
more until the vernal equinox, then Month 13 is declared. The vernal equinox will
always occur on or between Day 16th of Month 12 in a Regular Year, and Day
15th of Month 1 in the year following. The vernal equinox will always occur on
or between Day 16th of Month 13 in a Leap Year, and Day 15th of Month 1 in the
year following. [intercalation]

… The Creation Calendar only intercalates, or inserts an extra month, at the end
of Month 12. The intercalary month is called Month 13.”

www.torahcalendar.com/ORBITS.asp?HebrewDay=2&HebrewMonth=2&Year=2015

How do we find one among various scenarios on the proposed day/date for His
crucifixion and resurrection, based on the Biblical Lunar calendar (as shown
above) in order to follow the biblical Passion week, which is not same as the
church liturgical Holy Week?

1. To determine the year His crucifixion was - which year, CE 30, 31, 33 on what
basis?

(1) An interpretation of *70-week prophecy of Daniel [See in the Appendix]

simply cannot be the proof for the year of His death. (Some finds CE 31 to fit
the prophecy as they interpreted it. Cf. Abib 14th to fall on Mon, not Wed. For
some it is for CE 33, all in manner of circular reasoning.). Daniel’s prophecy
as in various interpretations are of course different from Jewish exegesis for
the Hebrew Scripture. Thus, it cannot be used to arrive at the year of His
crucifixion, or even of His birth.

(2) Many look for the year CE 33 as the year, arguing that it is the year in
which Nisan 14th falls on Friday. The word or the notion of 'Friday' is not in
the biblical. Its sole aim is to support the traditional ecclesiastical Holy Week
 which is based on erroneous understanding of Gregorian Saturday = 7th day
sabbath in the Judaism.

[Note: with the Friday crucifixion scenario, the resurrection should fall on
Monday if read the phrase – 'on the third day' for the resurrection after the
crucifixion.]
[Note: OT text Joel 2:28-32a LXX mentions solar and lunar eclipses. It is quoted in
the Peter's address (Act 2:16-1) which and has nothing to do with the crucifixion.
Sadly, some takes it as a nice proof-text to fix the Crucifixion on a wrong year of 33
CE (Apr. 3 Fri) which is not supported by any. Act 2:20 " … the sun shall be
turned dark and the moon red as blood …"

2. With the astronomical data on the date and time of ‘dark moon’. [Dark Moon
at luni-solar conjunction is a term less confusing and less misleading than
‘astronomical new moon’, as the moon itself is not visible from the earth.] To
determine the biblical New-Moon Day of the 1st month (Abib) (‘crescent new
moon’) around the time of vernal equinox and ensure the Passover to fall in the
barley harvest season – late March to April in the solar year, not rainy season of
early March. This process of finding the first month is unrelated to Gregorian
calendar and is independent of the Hebrew calendar systems, both of which were
not used or existed in the time of Yeshua’s time.

3. Abib 14th is the Passover day with the Passover full moon. The date of the full
moon is variable with Nisan (14th to 16th) in the Hebrew calendar.
Calendar tables
One calendar for all the months in the true Biblical Calendar
[<a graphic image> from Calendation Practicum. See Supplement III Walk through the
Scripture #5 - Time, Calendar and Chronology –]
You have to draw a different calendar monthly by superimposing Gregorian dates. Abib
month calendar will be different every year as related the Gregorian dates.

New- Work Days Weekly

Moon sabbath @
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 ☼
15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 (30)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 (new-moon); @ 30 (transitional day); ☼

(full moon)
One and only calendar table for Biblical Lunar calendar

www.worldslastchance.com/luni-solar-calendar-with-feasts-days.html
Calendar of 2017 Abib
[image copied from WB #5]
[Gregorian days and dates in Green – overlaid on the Biblical Calendar]
Grayed area for dates – for the following month.
Calendar of 2018 Abib

[Gregorian days and dates in Green – overlaid on the Biblical Calendar]

Grayed area for dates – for the following month.

[image copied from WB #5]

 Day of Week
(lunar) 5 † † 6 7  1  2
$Preparation High Sabbath Wave Sheaf

13 14 15 16 17
Abib
Passover eve Passover Matzah I Matzah II Matzah III
13 14 15 16 17 18
Nisan
Erev Pesach Pesach I Pesach II Pesach III Pesach IV

2017 Apr 10 Mon 11 Tue 12 Wed 13 Thu

2018 Mar 30 Fri 31 Sat Apr 1 Sun 2 Mon

30 Apr 5 Wed  6 Thu 7 Fri 8 Sat

[$ preparation day ≡ sabbath eve;  full moon]

[@ Israel ST = UTC +2] 2017 2018

Vernal Equinox Mar 20 @12:28 Mar 20 @ 18:14
Dark moon Mar 28 @05:57 Mar 17 @15:11
Sunrise Mar 28 @06:32 Mar 18 @05:45
Abib 1 Mar 29 Mar 18
Full moon Apr 11 @16:53 Mar 31 @15:36 (super blue moon)
Passover (Abib 14) Apr 10 Mon Mar 30 Fri
Jewish Pesach I (Nisan 15) Apr 10 Mon sunset Mar 30 Fri sunset
to Apr 11 Tue sunset to Apr 1 Sat sunset
Church Easter Sunday Apr 16 Apr 1 (Apr 18 – Orthodox Church)

March
Moon Phase
April

Note: Biblical Passover day (Abib 14) vs. Jewish Erev Pesach (with Nisan date 12 hours ahead Abib date).
Note: Jewish Pesach festival is the biblical Matzah festival.
Note: Affected by DST.
Note: Blue moon – once every 2.7 years (2018 – Jan 31 and Mar 31)

Troy Miller www.CreationCalendar.com

The 15th day (4-11-2017) is the Second Sabbath of the Lunar Month: The Full Moon can be seen
rising in the eastern sky about the time the sun sets in the west on the 14th day of the lunar month (4-10-
2017)!! This full moon announces the 15th day of the lunar month as the Sabbath. [See the data on
QuickPhase Pro program www.quickphase.com/ ]
 Different data on CE 30 [@ Israel ST]

www.timeanddate.com/calendar/monthly.html?year=30&month=4&country=34

March
Moon Phase
April (full moon – on 7th ?!)

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/SpringPhenom.php

Dark moon Wed Mar 22 @20:00

Full moon Thu Apr 6 @22:00

Vernal Equinox Wed Mar 22 @00:00 (mid-night)

www.judaismvschristianity.com/passover_dates.htm
*Date of Nisan (begnning at sundown the evening before …) (sunset-to-sunset day)

* Nisan 1 $ * Nisan 14 Fri Apr 7

$ three days after Dark Moon ‽

→ to be compared with the Biblical Lunar Calendar reckoning

(a calendar day begins at dawn = morning twilight)

Abib 1 Thu Mar 23 Abib 14 Wed Apr 5

Note: How to determine the *New-Moon Day (1st day of the lunar month) – See the companion article <Walk
through the Scripture 5 – Time and Calendars> and <Appendix WB#5 Calendation and Chronology>.
30 CE Abib calendar (Abib 14 = Apr-5)

(as in a Wednesday Crucifixion scenario)

Abib 14 = Apr-5 (Wednesday)

[4 Sabbath days in a month = on day 7 of the lunary week, non-cyclic]
[Vernal equinox – Mar 22 (19:28); Dark Moon – Mar 22 (22:40) Wed → Abib 1 on
Mar 23 Thu.]
30 CE Abib Calendar (Abib 14 = Apr-6) for comparison

Note: Given the accurate data on the conjuction date/time Mar-22-Wed 30 CE at 17:32
UTC (www.triumphpro.com/jesus-in-grave-new-truth.htm), if the New-Moon Day is deter-
mined by other methods, such as sighting of the first visible crescent, it brings Nisan 1st
and Nisan 15th a day later than in the Wednesday scenario – i.e. a Thursday scenario.
For comparison: 2016 CE Lunar 1st month calendar:
[Cf. Vernal equinox Mar-20. Note. Nisan 15th of Jewish Passover on their calendar is on Apr. 23]
[Passover (sacrifice) is on Abib 14. In 2016, it is on Mar-22.]
[14 days after a “New-Moon” will always be a Full Moon???]

Note: If the New-Moon Day is determined differently, it is possible to construct another

calendar to see Mar-8-Tue as New-Moon Day; Mar-21-Mon as Abib 14.
Note: in Hebrew calendar, in AM 5776 (for CE 2015/2016) [in the year 19 of the
Metonic cycle], there is a leap month before Nisan; thus, Nisan 15th of Jewish Passover
is a month later – on Apr-23-Sat (it is from the sunset of Apr-22). Thus in this year the
(Jewish) Passover is during the 2nd Full Moon of vernal equinox. Some who follow Ju-
daic customs keep it in March, on the date closely connected to the Easter date.
For comparison Calendar – Israel: 30, 31, 32, 33 CE – March-April
www.timeanddate.com/calendar/monthly.html?year=33&month=3&country=34 etc.
Cf. AD 33 Crucifixion scenario – Friday Apr 3. Nisan 14 (Erev Pesach in Jewish calendar)
 7. Basic Vocabulary and Terminology

A. Basic Vocabulary

[See the detail cover in the IRENT Vol. III Supplement, the file <Walk through
the Scripture 5– Time and Calendars> and <WB#5 Appendix: Calendation and
Chronology>.]

Calendar, Calendar system, calendation

Three different calendar systems –

(1) Gregorian – revised CE 1582 from Julian calendar (aka Roman Calendar). More
appropriate and neutral term without connection the Catholic Church history for the
internationally accepted civil calendar for our generations is the 'Common Era
Calendar' (CEC).
(2) Hebrew – based on calendation by Hillel II (358/359 CE). It cannot be applied
proleptically to the biblical events.
(3) true biblical lunar calendar – [not all biblical calendars are same].

Astronomical data for

Vernal equinox – this term is preferred to 'spring equinox', which would be applicable
only in the Northern Hemisphere.

'Dark moon' = 'astronomical new moon' = moon at luni-solar conjunction: Cf. the
'New-Moon Day' of the biblical calendar.

“New Moon” chodesh (H2320 month; new moon); neomēnia (S3561 'new moon')
1. = Astronomical new moon = dark moon = moon at conjunction. The first
phase of the moon
2. New-Moon Day = the first day of the new [lunar] month with the visible
crescent of the moon after the conjunction.
3. New Moon feast [x: ~ festival] – Col 2:16
4. A (lunar) month
Dawn and morning

These are on the same day in reference to the planetary week and Nisan date,
but they are of different Abib dates.

Midnight events cross over 2 dates in Gregorian. Events around the sunset
cross over 2 dates in Nisan. Evens before and after dawn cross over 2 days in
Biblical dates.

‘dawn’ [= morning twilight] to be followed by sunrise to bring in morning.

Counting days and dates of the interval; inclusive and exclusive

interval

Inclusive interval – including the end points, initial and terminal.

Exclusive interval – excluding the endpoints

See a collection on 'Counting - Inclusive, Exclusive, Interval'

B. Terminology: Biblical special terms

Biblical special terms:

‘sabbath’ (shabbat); ‘7th day of the week’; ‘preparation’; ‘festival’ vs. ‘feast’;
unleavened bread’; ‘Festival of the Matzah’ (‘Festival of the Unleavened
Bread’); 'Passover' (Pesach), ‘Passover Festival’; ‘

‘Sabbath’; ‘High Sabbath’

Sabbath – [Heb. shabbat. Sabbath-keeping from the Mosaic covenant],

In the Bible it is a ‘lunar sabbath’ on the 7th day of the biblical lunar week, 4
times a month on the same date in each lunar month. Sabbath-rest is only for
daytime is only for the daytime period of 12 hours as the night itself is for resting
from labor. It is not 24 hours as for Jewish solar sabbath starting from evening the
day before.

It should not be confused with solar sabbath – which is on Saturday in the

Judaism (24 hours from Friday sunset) and other Sabbatarian practice. It may
coincidently fall on Saturday; however, it is not equivalent to Saturday itself,
which is 7th day of the planetary week of the Gregorian calendar.

There is only one sabbath in a lunar week of the Scripture. As the first day of
several 7-day long Festival is always on the weekly sabbath day, it is called High
Sabbath [Jn 19:31. Heb. Sabbath ha-Gadol, ‘great sabbath’]. a)

We have one weekly sabbath day before the beginning of the Passover week (Abib
9) and one High Sabbath (Abib 15).

This should not be confused with nonbiblical solar Sabbath of Saturday (of Jewish
and other Sabbatarians).

 Solar sabbath (Jewish) – Saturday (from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset).

 Lunar sabbath – daytime of Abib 8. ‘sabbath’ in the biblical lunar calendar is
unrelated to and does not corresponds to ‘Saturday’
 High Sabbath (the 7th day of the lunar week is the first day of a 7-day long festival
in the Biblical calendar) – e.g. Abib 15.
 Cf. special annual sabbath-rest on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). See <WB# 7
Time, & Calendar>.

a
That there is one which is weekly and another one which is annual in the Passsion week is
simply from ignorance on the biblical calendar; it was used to explain away the problem on
timeline on the Passion week for various Crucifixion scenarios. (Cf.
www.triumphpro.com/jesus-in-grave-new-truth.htm )
A Myth of two Sabbaths in a week

The Wednesday proponents (with Saturday afternoon Resurrection) resort to the

idea of ‘two consecutive Sabbaths’ in the festival week in order to explain away
the problem in the time-frame in their scenario. The rebuttal by the Friday
scenario is the doubled-up Sabbaths [i.e. two different Sabbaths falling on the
same date]. [Cf. In that sense, the day of sabbath-rest should be distinguished
when it comes not on every 7th day of the lunar week, but on the particular day –
the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:29-31, 23:27), once a year, 7th month, 10th day.

It is actually a byproduct of using Hebrew calendar and modern Gregorian planetary

week. If the idea of two consecutive Sabbaths were ever possible and they suppose Nisan
15th happened to be Friday, then they have a ‘festival’ sabbath on 15th, and Saturday
sabbath on 16th; and then another festival sabbath on the last day of the festival Nisan
21 (which would be Thursday).
Thus, they have Saturday Sabbaths on Nisan 16th, 23rd and 30th in 7-day weeks, plus
preceding Saturday Sabbaths on Nisan 2nd and Nisan 9th. They have total three
Sabbaths in that week, not two!!
And they have total Seven Sabbaths in a month!! – (5 Saturday Sabbaths and 2 festival
Sabbaths). Such a grotesque result from their thinking!

Hebrew calendar
an example of Nisan month
(7th month of the Jewish year) (30 days)
Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
1
2 2 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 @
22
23 24 25 26 27 27 29
30 1 2 3 4 5 6

Blue –Saturday sabbath;

green – Festival Sabbath;
Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri - (of Gregorian planetary week)

For Nisan: @ Red – last day of Festival (Nisan 21) as Sabbath, which is
the 7th day of the week-long Festival. (Lev 23:8 //Exo 13:6)

We have an absurd illogical picture of total 7 Sabbaths in this month! according

to Hebrew calendar which with the planetary week (as in Gregorian), not lunar
as it should be in the Bible.
Compare with the monthly Biblical Lunar Calendar, here the month of Abib.

Biblical Lunar calendar

Abib (1st month of the biblical year) (30 days)
D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 @ 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

 D 1 to D 7 (numbered days of the lunar week)

 Red – Day 7 of the full lunar week = sabbath.
 7 named days (Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri) – no applicable here.

There are only 4 Sabbaths in any month, (whether it is 29- or 30-day

long.) Abib (Nisan) is 30-day long

Biblical (weekly) sabbath is fixed on 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th day of a
lunar month. www.worldslastchance.com/wlc-challenge.html
[No additional sabbaths! Yom Kippur is the special sabbath-rest with fasting, not the 7th-
day Sabbath. Sabbath-rest is from the evening till the next evening = a daytime rest +
special rest for a night period. Lev 23:32 for the day of Atonement]
]
Cf. Lev 23:36 for the 7-day Festival of Booths – ‘on the 8th day’ is the day
one of the lunar week after completion of 7-day long festival.

In the month Abib:

Festival of the Matzah = Abib 15-21
Abib 15 – High Sabbath (Jn 19:31)
@ Abib 21 = last (7th) day of the Matzah Festival
‘7th day of the week’ vs. ‘Saturday'

The Julian week at the time of the Crucifixion was an eight-day week system (‘nundinal
cycle’) and cannot be equated with the Biblical week and the modern week.
What is called Saturday Sabbath (7th day of the planetary week) has nothing to do with
the biblical seventh-day Sabbath (day 7 of the lunar week). This fundamentally faulty un-
derstanding to take the sixth day of the Biblical week identical to Friday is one of several
fatal causes of chronological confusion. This idea gets reinforced by looking for some text
verses which can be used to support their position.

As to the 14th of lunar months in the Scripture is always the sixth day of the lunar week,
which is the preparation day for sabbath which is on Day 7 – for every month in the bibli -
cal lunar calendar.
*preparation (Gk. *paraskeuē); 'eve'
[the image copied from WB #5]

'preparation' – S3904 paraskeuēa ('preparing'; 'making ready') 6x in NT all in the

Passion narratives in the Gospels. They are all used as 'preparing' of a day – metonymic
for ‘preparation day’ which refers to a day before a special day. The English word for
‘day before’ is ‘eve’b. IRENT renders the Greek consistently as 'eve', not 'the
Preparation'c as most Bibles do. The context tells of which day the eve is.

(A) In most places, it is metonymic for eve of sabbathd [The word ‘sabbath’ itself does
not appear] It is Day 6 of the lunar week) (→ Heb. Ereb shabbat = S4513 prosabbaton)
on Abib 14.
 Mk 15:42 epei hēn paraskeuē ho estin prosabbaton
Because it was <eve>, that is sabbath-eve – [death of Yeshua]
 Lk 23:54 hēmera ēn paraskeuēs, kai sabbaton epephōsken
day was <eve>, and sabbath was-coming – [entombment]
 Jn 19:31 epei paraskeuē hēn
because it was <eve> (of sabbath) – [death of Yeshua]
 Jn 19:42 dia tēn paraskeuēn tōn ioudaiōn
because of the <eve> (of sabbath) of the Yehudim – [entombment]
The day after this – [Abib 15]
 Mt 27:62 tē de epaurion hētis estin meta tēn paraskeuēn
Now on-the next-day which is after the <eve> (of sabbath) – [to request for
Roman guard]

(B) in one place as eve of the Passover [memorial] day (i.e. Abib 13) with the word 'the
Passover' explicitly shown. This should not be confused with ‘eve of sabbath’ (which is
the Passover day = Abib 14).
 Jn 19:14 ēn de paraskeuē tou pascha, hōra ēn ōs hektē
“it was <eve> of the Passover [day], about sixth hour”
See below <* Significance of Jn 19:14>

Danker p. 269 paraskeuazō – [par, skeuazō ‘fit out, prepare’] prepare – a. act Act 10:10; 1Pt 2:8 v.l. –
b. mid. of being ready, for war 1Co 14:8; for carrying out a collection 2Co 9:2f.] παρασκευή [formed
in association w. paraskeuazō] in NT only a period of preparation for a festival: day of preparation Mt
27:62 (the ~); Mk 15:42 (anarthrous); Lk 23:54 (anarthrous); Jn 19:14 (anarthrous), 31 (anarthrous),
42. (the preparation)

b
[Note: 'eve' in IRENT is in the sense of 'the day before', not in the sense of 'evening'.] [ Cf. 'Christmas
eve']
c
The Gk. word became mistaken as the name of the day of the week for our ‘Friday’ before the Saturday
Sabbath. It is a name in the planetary week (in Gregorian calendar, also in the Hebrew calendar after
Hillel II) and unconnected to eve of the lunar sabbath in the biblical calendar. Modern Greek Paraskevi
for Friday originates from this practice.
d
In the Passover week sabbath is 'high sabbath' as the weekly sabbath falling on the first day of 7-day
long festivals was called. [Jn 19*]
The sabbath eve in the Bible does not correspond to our 'Friday' in the Gregorian as
well as the Hebrew calendar (taking Friday evening to Saturday even as their
Sabbath). Likewise, the first day in the lunar week in the Bible does not correspond to
'Sunday', which is sometimes referred as ‘the eighth day’ Such calendation difference
is one of a few main causes of contention, conflict, and contradiction in the Passion
Week chronology.

Cassirer (1989) God's New Covenant – A New Testament Translation. has it only in
G-Jn 3x Jn 19:14, 31 'the eve of the Passover'; 19:42 'the eve of the Sabbath'.
Jn 19:31 – 'sabbath eve' ('the Preparation' – most); [Curiously, Cassirer mistranslates as 'the eve of the
Passover']

FF Bruce uses the term 'eve' in his The Gospel & Epistle of John (1983).
Cf. The Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels (2011) renders the word paraskeuē (5x) as Erev
Pesach -an explanatory term. It does same with the phrase paraskeuē tou pascha (Jn
19:14) which is problematic.
*feast or *festival

Vocabulary:

 Festival, Feast, Season, 'appointed-time'/'set-time',

 'festivity'; 'festive'; 'festive meal'; the Passover meal /Seder
 'celebrate', 'hold', 'keep', vs. 'observe'.

[from <Walk through the Scripture #5B – Festival, Feast, Sabbath and Passover>]

**Passover; Pesach
See on the subject '*Pesach or Passover' in the file <Walk through the Scripture #7 – Time
and Calendar>.

The word 'Passover' in the Bible is not same as ‘Jewish Passover’ and should not be
confused with the Festival of Passover itself. In reference to the Passion Week timeline
it should be carefully distinguished to see whether the context tells about the day of the
Passover or of the Passover Festival.
(a) Passover is to keep a memorial (not ‘feast’) to YHWH with Passover lambs be
killed for the Passover meal (on Abib 14 evening);
(b) the Passover Festival = the Festival of the Matzaha = Passover Week of 7
days (Abib 15b to 21)
(c) as metonym for Passover lamb [to be killed] – 3x Mk 14:12; Lk 22:7; 1Co 5:7.
'the Festival of the Passover' ░ (hē erotē tou Pascha) in NT
 The exact phrase related to the Passion Week occurs only 2x in Lk 2:41; Jn 13:1.
 Simply as 'the festival' – Mt 26:5; 27:15; Mk 14:2; 15:6; Lk 23:17 v.l.; Jn 11:56,
12:12, 20; 13:29.
 Outside the Passion week: ‘in the Passover, in the Festival’ (Jn 2:23); the festival
(Jn 4:45; 6:4); 'at the Festival of Passover' (Lk 2:41).
‘the Festival of the Matzah, the so-called Passover Festival’ ░ Lk 22:1 [Cf. Mk 14:1
– Matzah Festival.]
The expression 'Passover (festival)' would cover both, the entire 8-day period with
eating unleavened bread., including a day for removing leaven (Abib 14).
The Passover festival in the Hebrew calendar is from Nisan 15th to 21th (called Pesach
I to Pesach VI). For Diaspora Jews, 8 days to 22nd.

As a word is used often in different senses, it is easy to get confused in reading the
biblical narrative, but also to misinterpret without adequately considering the context.
E.g. The question on whether the Lord’s Last Supper was "the Passover meal" and
apparent contradiction between G-John and the Synoptic Gospels. [Properly
understood, read and interpreted, it was not the Passover meal; there is no contradiction
between the two.]

a
Matzah – H4682 matstsah (53x) 'unleavened bread' (not 'cake'). Mostly related to the Passover, Exo 12:8, etc.;
outside the Passover – Gen 19:3; Exo 29:2, 23; Lev 2:4, etc.]
b
Abib 15th is High Sabbath because it is the weekly sabbath which falls on first day of 7-day long festivals.
The Passover in the Passion Week: Chronology

 CE 30
 Dark moon on Mar 22, Wed. @17:32 UTC
(astronomical new moon; @ lunar conjunction)
 Abib 1 [New-Moon Day] = Mar 23, Thu
 Abib 8 [Arrival to Bethany]a = Mar 23, Thu
 Abib 13 [Passover eve] = Apr 3, Tue
 Abib 14 [Passover Day]b = Apr 4, Wed

Jn 18:28 ‘might eat for the Passover festival' by the Yehudim [>> 'eat the passover']

Thus, in this setting of G-Jn Abib 13 in the narrative of the Pilatos' sentencing,
which was a day before Crucifixion and the Passover Memorial Day itself on
Abib 14 to come, the Yehudim of the ruling authority referred to a festive meal.
Jn 18:28 “They led Yeshua from Kayafa to the Governor's Praetorium. By now it was early
in the day. They themselves did not enter the Praetorium to keep themselves undefiled so
that they might eat for the Passover festival.”

Note:
(1) Here, "phagōsin to Pascha" 'might eat' is in subjunctive mood.
(2) Most translates phagō to Pascha as 'eat the Passover' ('eat the passover' - KJV), assuming
that 'Passover' means 'Passover meal'. It should be understood that Passover refers to Passover
festival, hence the phrase is in the sense of 'eat meals for the Passover festival season'. They
do not mean here about how they could eat the Passover meal (precursor of the Jewish ritual
Seder) on that day, evening coming.

Entering the Governor’s Praetorium which was off limits to Yehudim. The
Yehudim of the ruling authority wanted to avoid getting ritually defiled by
entering the Gentile’s place, especially so during the Festival season. However, if
they follow the Hebrew calendar, they would be purified at the end of the day (at
sunset!) and would have no problem of eating festive meal afterwards in the
evening! So, they would not have a problem of eating their Passover memorial
meal itself.

Also seeing the properly constructed Passion Week timeline, their festive meal
on that day in the text of G-John cannot be on the Passover day!

For those who see that the Last Supper in the Synoptics was the ‘Passover meal’ itself
that had already are unable to explain this v. 28b at all and leave it stand contradict each
other.

[In terms of the Passion narrative timeline, this verse by itself would not give something
definite about the nature of the Last Supper, other than that it could not be the Passover
meal. Nor does it offer more information about the date and time of the Trial and the

a
“6 days before Passover Festival” – Jn 12:1.
b
Passover day in the biblical calendar = 'ereb Pesach' (eve of the Festival) in the Hebrew calendar.
Crucifixion (Abib 14th vs. Nisan 14th vs. Nisan 15th), whenever it was the time
Yehudim of the ruling authority had faced Pilatos early in the morning – of Abib 13th or
14th, or Nisan 15th. However, when read in the context it does help clarify the timeline
of the Passion week narratives.]

Mt 26:2; //Mk 14:1 ‘two days later Passover to come’

Here in G-Mt //G-Mk, ‘Passover’ refers to Abib 14 of ‘Passover day’ [for

Passover lamb to kill in the afternoon and for the Passover Memorial Meal in the
evening], not Abib 15th (the first day of Festival of the Matzah).].

Mt 26:2 \meta duo hēmeras to pascha ginetai; comes after two days the Passover
//Mk 14:1 \to pascha kai ta azuma ‘after two days Passover and the Festival of the
Matzah’ (Greek word kai - ‘and then’, not ‘that is’.);

It is in contrast to G-Lk where the term ‘Passover’ (as festival season) is described as
synonymous with Festival of the Matzah.
//Lk 22:1 hē heortē tōn aumōv hē legomenē pascha. ‘getting near was the Festival of
the Matzah, the so-called Passover [festival].’

1 (the word ‘festival’ does not appear in KJV) ;/the feast of the passover – KJV /the
Passover Feast – NIrV! (- actually meaning ‘festival’), (Bishops); /the feast of the
Passover – Cass, (Bishops); /(there are another two days and) the Pesach is coming –
Delitzsch;
2 /xxx: the Passover Festival – GNB, AUV, GSNT; /xxx: the Festival of the Passover –
TCNT; /xx: the Passover Festival ~~~ [Note: This was the annual Jewish festival
commemorating Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage under Moses’ leadership] ,
AUV; /

Note: The time setting: This day is same as the day of the Upper Room
preparation (Mt 26:17 – 'at the beginning for having the unleavened bread'.
//Mk +14:12 – 'at the beginning day for having the unleavened bread'. //Lk
22:7 – ‘coming was the day for having the unleavened bread’) Here 'for the
unleavened bread' does not refer to the Festival itself, which IRENT renders as
‘Festival of the Matzah’ to show different nuance.
‘the Last Supper' vs. 'the Passover meal’ vs. festive meals for the
Passover season:
(Mt 26:26-29; //Mk 14:22-25; //Lk 22:17-20; Cf. Jn 13:1-20)

This is one of a few important topics in clarifying the Passion-Passover Week timeline.
Once it is settled with its proof; it is easier to put a stop on a fruitless exchange of arguments
and counterarguments for one scenario to another crucifixion. www.triumphpro.com/john-
19-sixth-hour.htm

The Last Supper was not the Passover meal, the memorial meal, which was to be on Abib 14
(precursor of Jewish Seder). It was a very special occasion in the Passion narrative where He
was going to use the common bread and the fruit of vineyard (‘wine’) to explain the signifi-
cance of what he was about to accomplish on the cross – on the appointed time of the death
of the Mashiah, on the Passover day. His death on any day other than the Passover day is
biblically impossible and meaningless. However, absence essential components of the
Passover memorial meal, such as unleavened bread (matzah), bitter herbs (maror), and lamb
roasted whole (with none of its bones unbroken) tell us simply and plainly that the Last Sup-
per was not and was not meant to be the Passover memorial meal.

 Jn 19:14 Pilatos' sentencing was about sixth hour on the ‘eve of the Passover day (not
"eve of the Passover (Festival)"a.
 Jn 13:1 A supper [= 'the Last Supper' as in the Synoptics] before [coming of] the
‘Festival of the Passover’ (= 8-days)
 Jn 18:28 ‘Early in the morning ~ wanted to avoid getting defiled for them so that they
might eat for the Passover festival’. Not referring to the Passover Memorial Meal itself.
With Jewish calendar of sunrise-to-sunrise day, any defilement would be done with
upon sunset by purification.
 Bread - Mt 26:26; //Mk 14:22; //Lk 17:19 – a loaf of (ordinary leavened) bread (Gk.
artos), (Gk. [artos] azumos) (also in 1Co 11:23, 26); not matzah/matzo; no lamb
(roasted whole) which is essential for the Passover meal. As to Passover memorial meal
it was the occasion for each family.

To resolve apparent conflict between G-Jn and Synoptics concerting the nature of
the Last Supper, a few proposed an absurd mind-boggling "two-calendar theory",
that there were different calendars [one with sunrise-to-sunrise day and another with
sunset-to-sunset day reckoning] kept by two different group of people, thus keeping
kept the Jewish Passover on different days one day after another, one in Galilee and
one in Judea!! [See in the reference for Hoehner’s.]

This is a problem which is not possible to solve in the Friday Crucifixion Scenario
with Nisan (not Abib) dating of Synoptic reckoning.

To harmonize both the Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John over the issue of the
Last Supper vs. the Passover meal, Hoehner wrote,

“…. it was felt that the most tenable solution is to recognize that the

a
"eve of the Passover Festival" in the Biblical calendar = "ereb Pesach" as used in the
rabbinic Jewish calendar for Nisan 14 with the word "Pesach" referring to the 7 to 8-day
Festival, with Pesach I, II, etc.
 Galileans [and Pharisees], and with them Jesus and His disciples, [as in
the Synoptic reckoning] reckoned from sunrise-to-sunrise while the
Judeans and Sadducees [as in the Johannine reckoning] reckoned from
sunset to sunset.” [See Hoehner (1978), p. 90, bold is not in the original].

The alignment of calendar dates in his book shown in the chart ‘the Reckoning of the
Passover’ does not make sense and impossible to accept, because, by some the day
was Nisan 14, but by others the same was Nisan 15! Moreover, one group had Pasch
day one day and the other group on the next day! Just mumbo-jumbo all gobbledy-
gook of theology out of fertile human minds! The date Nisan 15th for the Galilean
Method should have been Nisan 14th, as the Crucifixion is to be on no other day than
Nisan/Abib 14, the day of Passover (which is the day the Passover lamb (/x: sacrifice)
is killed (/> slaughtered) and the Passover meal is to be eaten) – regardless of reckon-
ing methods. Significance of recognition of a day beginning at sunrise eluded him and
a possibility of Biblical Lunar calendar did not come to their mind, which has the key
to understand the Passion narrative timeline. There are no other verifiable sources in-
cluding Biblical texts (to fit Hoehner’s modification) to claim that ‘Passover’ – how-
soever they may have understood the sense of the word is used – is on Nisan 15, in
which lambs were slaughtered and the meal was eaten.

Thematically and theological it cannot be the Passover memorial. Yeshua here was
not the one who had to eat it. Why, He himself is our Passover [lamb]! (See 1Co5:7;
Cf. Jn 1:29 ‘the Lamb of the Elohim’). That He might have died after having taken
the Passover memorial meal would negate all the reason for His suffering and Cruci-
fixion to death to be in the very week of the Passover. He could have died any day of
the year! It would abolish raison d'être of the biblical Passion narrative. The profound
symbolism, typology, and motive rooted in the Exodus event is at the core of the Pas-
sion narrative in the setting of the Passover week.
Each people group using their own calendar systems should not prevent people to
look into the biblical calendar to follow correct timeline.

Joseph Shulam has suggested that it may not have been the Seder but a se'udat-mitz-
vah, the celebratory “banquet accompanying performance of a commandment” such
as a wedding or b'rit-milah. [fr. David H. Stern, the Jewish New Testament Commen-
tary] (p. 77) http://kifa.kz/eng/bible/stern/stern_matfey_26.php
Compare with the table below (after the Passion week with the biblical calendar):

EVENTS Date (N & D)

Last Supper Abib 12 N Nisan 13 N
Yeshua arrest Abib 12 N Nisan 13 N
Pilatos sentencing
Abib 13 D Nisan 13 D
(6th hour; Jn 19:14)

Abib 13 N Nisan 14 N
Crucifixion 3rd hr. Abib 14 D
Darkness 6th hr. Nisan 14 D
death 9th hr. Lamb slain

Entombed ‘Passover Meal’

Abib 14 N Nisan 15 N

Abib 15 D Nisan 15 D
High Sabbath

Abib 15 N Nisan 16 N

Resurrection
Abib 16 D Nisan 16 D

Abib 16 N Nisan 17 N

Quoting from David H. Stern:

"The Last Supper is considered by most scholars to have been a Passover meal or Seder.
Many Passover themes are deepened, reinforced and given new levels of meaning by events
in the life of Yeshua the Mashiah and by his words on this night. However, Joseph Shulam
has suggested that it may not have been the Seder but a se'udat-mitzvah, the
CELEBRATORY 'BANQUET accompanying performance of a commandment' such as a
wedding or b'rit-milah.

"Here is the background for his argument. When a rabbi and his students finish studying a
tractate of the Talmud, they celebrate with a se'udat-mitzvah (also called a se'udat-siyum,
‘banquet of completion’, i.e., graduation). The Fast of the Firstborn, expressing gratitude for
the saving of Israel's firstborn sons from the tenth plague, has been prescribed for the day
before Passover, Nisan 14, at least since Mishnaic times. When it is necessary to eat a
se'udat-mitzvah, this takes precedence over a fast. …

"… But, Shulam reasons, … and if the si'udat siyum custom applied in the first century to the
completing of any course of study, then Yeshua might have arranged to have himself and his
talmidim [students, disciples] finish reading a book of the Tanakh on Nisan 14. Or, since
Yeshua knew he was going to die, he may have regarded it as appropriate to complete his
 disciples earthly ‘course of study’ with a BANQUET. This solution would also resolve the
perceived conflict between Yochanan [John] and the Synoptic Gospels over the timing of the
Last Supper" JNT, p.77).

[Note: his translation in The Jewish New Testament has made a serious error by
rendering as ‘matzah’ for what should have been ‘bread’ (common bread, not
unleavened bread), even Mt 26:23, in the occurrence in the context of the Lord’s Last
Supper.]

A. T. Robertson (1922) [Southern Baptist scholar; not ‘John Arthur T. Robertson’,

Anglican Bishop], A Harmony of the Gospels

p. 393 – Gutenberg online Ed

p. 279 – print edition

[[Note: Cross-out for a wrong info; editorial notes in purple. Like most topics he covered
on the Passion Week chronology, he begins his assumption and his arguments and
conclusions are rehash of the traditional understanding/misunderstanding. A par
excellence example of why we should not trust anything written and argued, especially a
century old like this on the subject involving chronology and archeology. A copy
<Robertson - A HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS - Explanatory Notes - Chronology.pdf>
in the Collection <IRENT Vol. III - Supplement (Collections #6A - Passover & Passion
Week Chronology)> – ARJ]]

11. Did Christ eat the Passover meal?

(3). Testimony of John
(d) John 19:14, "Now it was the Preparation of the Passover." This is claimed to mean the
day preceding the Passover Festival. Hence Christ was crucified on the 14th Nisan, in
opposition to the Synoptics (- what do they say?). The afternoon before the Passover was
used as a preparation, but it was not technically so called. This phrase "Preparation" was
really the name of a day in the week, the day before the Sabbath, our Friday. We are not
left to conjecture about this question. [Completely misguided!]
The Evangelists all use it in this sense alone. Matthew uses it for Friday (Mt 27:62), Mark
expressly says that the Preparation was the day before the Sabbath (Mk 15:42), Luke says
that it was the day of the Preparation and the Sabbath drew on (Lk 23:54), and John
himself so uses the word in two other passages (19:31, 42), in both of which haste is
exercised on the Preparation, because the Sabbath was at hand. The New Testament usage
is conclusive, therefore, on this point. This, then, was the Friday of Passover week [this
Church vocabulary doesn’t mean anything.] And this agrees with the Synoptics. Besides,
the term "Preparation" has long been the regular name for Friday in the Greek language,
caused by the New Testament usage. [it is caused by the church adopting Jewish calendar
practice; not by the N.T. usage] It is so in the Modern Greek today. It was the Sabbath
eve, just as the Germans have Sonnabend for Sunday eve, i.e., Saturday afternoon.
[Etymologically derived from the wrong understanding of the Bible word and
expressions.] So, this passage also becomes a positive argument for the agreement
between John and the Synoptics [on what point? How so?]. – [folk etymology;
anachronism]
Nisan 14th or 15th day for the Passover?

The Passover is on Abib 14tha – a Memorial Day – the fundamental starting

point in the Passion Week timeline issue.

However, without using the biblical lunar calendar with dates in Abib (with sun-
rise-to-sunrise day reckoning), those using the Hebrew calendar have a great
confusion regarding which date is for the Passover — Nisan 14th or 15th (with
sunset-to-sunset day reckoning). This also contributed unnecessary confusion
not only on the date of the Last Supper but also on the nature of it – many mis-
interpret it as the Passover memorial meal. On top of it, even the date of Cruci-
fixion gets mixed up (Nisan 14th vs. 15th) because of this.

All these problems are confounded by the use of an unbiblical tradition of the
Hebrew calendar which reckons a day to start at sunset; though their calendar is
a luni-solar calendar, it has planetary weeks, as in the Gregorian solar calendar
system, thus confusing itself about which date is which.

John Meier (1991), A Marginal Jews p. 389.

“… the day for the Passover meal was held in the evening after
sundown (of the Nisan 14). The sabbath which followed was the
16th of Nisan. … In John’s reckoning, therefore, Thursday as the
13th of Nisan up until sunset; the Last Supper was held as the 14th
of Nisan began and so was not a Passover meal; Jesus was
crucified, died, and was buried on a Friday that was the 14th of the
Nisan up until sunset; and Passover Day began with the Passover
meal at sunset on Friday, as the 15th of Nisan began.”

Here in this typical confusing argument on the Nisan 14th vs. 15th, the
author unfortunately labelled Nisan 15th as ‘Passover Day proper’, which
by itself is a confusing inappropriate term. All such confused ideas of
Jewish Nisan 14th vs. 15th is fundamentally caused by the Hebrew
calendation with a sunset-to-sunset day.

It is an inherent problem when the Hebrew calendar is used. OT text says

Passover lamb to be killed Abib 14 ‘between the two setting-times’ b [≈ in the
afternoon] (ben haArbayim); with the Passover memorial meal in the ensuing
evening (of the same Abib date). As the Jewish Nisan date changes at sunset it
would be Nisan 15 evening whereas it is evening of Abib 14 the Passover
[Memorial] day. [“In the first month, on the fourteenth day, 'between the two
setting-times', is the Passover to YHWH.” (Lev 23:5)]

a
Abib 14 in the Bible = is Nisan 14 for the daytime event; Nisan 15 for the night period event, in
the Hebrew calendar with sunset-to-sunset day reckoning.
b
‘between the two setting-times’ as rendered by Fox. The English word ‘evening’ does not fit here
to describe the sun’s declining from high-noon to come up with a strange expression ‘between two
evenings’ – confusing with a picture of two days involved.
 An example of confused statement and argument is seen in Doig, New Testa-
ment Chronology - The 30 CE Crucifixion www.nowoezone.com/NTC24.htm
[A copy in IRENT Vol. III Supplement (Collections #6A)]

Chart XXIX
Possible Astronomical Date of the Crucifixion
Day Day Jewish Day Calendar
30 CE, Apr 6 Thu Nisan 14 Sunrise*
30 CE, Apr 7 Fri Nisan 14 Sunset
30 CE, Apr 7 Fri Nisan 15 Sunrise*
31 CE, Mar 28 Wed Nisan 15 Sunset
33 CE, Apr 3 Fri Nisan 14 Sunrise*
33 CE, Apr 3 Fri Nisan 14 Sunset

“The Passover supper is eaten in the evening of Nisan 14 according to the sun-
rise calendar (i.e. Abib 14 in the biblical calendar*), and on Nisan 15th accord-
ing to the sunset calendar (i.e. in the Hebrew calendar, 12 hours ahead of Abib
date).

Note that the alignment of the sunset and sunrise calendars on April 7, 30 CE al-
lows both Nisan 14th and Nisan 15th to fall on the same Friday. This alignment
is not possible for the other dates considered. [What does it mean at all?? –
ARJ] This consideration is critical to the possibility of their having two
Passovers observed, [as he discusses].

“In 30 or 31 CE, the sunrise month began first, and it is possible for Passover to
fall on two succeeding evenings, depending on the calendar used. [He offers a
usual unbiblical two-calendar and two-Passover theory.]a

“In 30 CE, the Last Supper fell on the first Passover, and John's words are ful-
filled by there being a Passover Seder after Jesus' crucifixion. But, in 31 CE the
Last Supper would have to be the second Passover, and John's words must be
explained away. In 33 CE, the sunset month began first and Passover could only
occur on the same evening, by either sunrise or sunset reckoning. If one accepts
Jesus' words that the Last Supper was a Passover supper, and John's words that
another Passover meal followed the crucifixion, then the year must be 30 CE.

“Considering calendar arrangement, what are the choices? Friday, April 7, 30

CE uses two possible Passovers, and Jesus was crucified on both Nisan 14th
(sunset reckoning) and Nisan 15th (sunrise reckoning).

“A crucifixion on Thursday, April 6, 30 CE and Friday, April 3, 33 CE share a

common problem. They can be satisfied only by the death of Jesus having oc-
curred on Nisan 14. Then it must be demonstrated that the Last Supper was not
a Passover meal. Such a proof has been repeatedly, and unsuccessfully, at-
tempted over the years. Such remains a major weakness of these dates.”

“Only with the crucifixion on Good Friday, Nisan 15, according to sunrise reck-
oning, does the preceding Nisan 10 fall on Palm Sunday (See Chart XXVI).
Only the April 7, 30 CE date fully supports such a [Palm Sunday] tradition.
a
. Hoehner (pp. 84, 90-91) describes fanciful theory by Billerbeck that the Galileans (incl. Jesus
and His disciples) reckoned a day of sunrise-to-sunrise while the Judean reckoned sunset-to
sunset. Both calendars were used at the same time, so that there were two consecutive days for
Passover observed by two different people groups!! A hogwash!
Although the crucifixion on Thursday, Nisan 14, would have Palm Sunday on
Nisan 10, the crucifixion is not on Good Friday and the resurrection not on Sun -
day. With a crucifixion on Nisan 14 in 33 CE, Nisan 10 must be renamed Palm
Monday. The Wednesday crucifixion has the preceding Nisan 10 on Friday.
These dates must all be rejected, or the traditional Palm Sunday must be re-
jected.
A fanciful theory of 'Two calendar-systems and two Passovers'

Some proposed in a futile ingenious and ingenuous attempt to explain away the non-
exiting problem of the Passover on both 14 and 15.
A comparison table [Cf. Hoehner p. 89.]
Nisan-G -S Abib
12
13 <Upper Room Prep>
12 <Olivet Discourse>
<Last Supper><Gethsemane>;
<Arrest>;
13 <Pilatos> 6th hour.
<Upper Room Prep>
14 13 <Last Supper><Gethsemane>;
<Arrest>;
<Pilatos> 6 A.M.
14 <Crucifixion> – 9 AM
<Death> – 3 PM
15 14 <Entombed>
15
[High Sabbath - daytime]
16 15
16

‘Nisan-S’ after Sadducean calendar with a day of sunset to sunset; 12

hours ahead of Abib.
‘Nisan-G’ after Galilean calendar with a day of sunrise-to-sunrise, but, it is
one whole day ahead of Abib date in the Biblical calendar. The Crucifixion
was groundlessly put on Nisan 15th in this two-calendar theory advocated
in Hoehner. As attempt to explain away the dilemma of the Passover on
Nisan 15, it is one thing that the same event is on different dates in the
different calendar. It is even unthinkable to entertain the idea that two
different groups were keeping the Passover on different days, back-to-back!

Ref.:
Hoehner (1977) Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ
https://books.google.com/books?id=fS28b9GC1dcC
Doig (1990), New Testament Chronology - Exact Dating of the Birth and Crucifixion of Jesus,
http://nowoezone.com/NTC21.htm Ch. 21. THE TWO PASSOVERS

http://nowoezone.com/NTC17.htm Ch. 17 Astronomical Determination of the New Moon.

“Jesus' crucifixion was on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, and that day was either
Nisan 14 or Nisan 15. The day began at either sunrise or sunset. No other combination of
days of the week and month seems possible.”
Two calendars and two Passovers? Reckoning of Passover (*Hoehner p. 90)

Note: Doig (1990), “…This chart is in error for two reasons. First, it reverses the
reckoning of the Sadducees and Pharisees [as differently from the Hoehner’s text p. 91
“… that the Galileans, and with them Jesus and His disciples, reckoned from sunrise-
to-sunrise while the Judeans reckoned from sunset-to-sunset” - ARJ], with the latter
supposedly using sunrise reckoning. Second, in 33 CE the Passover was on the same
evening by sunrise or sunset reckoning, with no offset; the offset of Passovers did occur
in 30 CE.” [from New Testament Chronology, Ch. 21. THE TWO PASSOVERS]

Nisan date with sunrise-to-sunrise is comparable to Abib dates of the true biblical
calendar. – the Passover meal (< Passover memorial meal) to be on 15th. Note the
unthinkable idea that there Passover were kept by the different people group in
different days – by simply aligning by reading the timeline in the narrative with the
unbiblical Gregorian calendar! [p. 87 “Thus, in the year Christ died, there were two
consecutive days for Passover.”]
The chart from www.morethancake.org/archives/35941 - similar to Hoehner's.
*Jn 19:14 ‘eve of the Passover’
This chronologically important verse tells about the date and time of Pilatos' sentencing
in relation to that of the Crucifixion. [See above for the term ‘preparation’]

Jn 19:14a
Now it was eve of the Passover [day]; it was around the sixth hour.
[ēn de paraskeuē tou pascha; hōra ēn hōs hektē.]
 Eve of the Passover day; not of the Passover Festivala
 ‘sixth hour as on a sundial’; not ‘six on the clock’.
 'around or sometime in sixth hour’, not ‘about sixth hour’ as if somewhere
imprecisely btw 5th to 7th hour.

Here Passover in this text is Passover day.

 The day of Passover memorial.
 It is NOT the Passover Festival (=Matzah Festival);
 ‘eve of the Passover Festival’ is the Passover day It is not ‘eve of the Passover Week.
 ‘Passover’ is used mostly metonymic for ‘Passover festival’ (i.e. ‘the Festival of the
Matzah’ in Synoptic Gospels’) except 2 places – Here Jn 19:14 & Mk 14:

Most translates simply as 'the day of preparation of the Passover'. However, this
can easily be misinterpreted as 'the day of preparation of the Passover Festival' or
'the day of preparation of the sabbath in the Passover'.

In order to avoid confusion and misinterpretation IRENT render it "Now it was eve
of the Passover day". The verse in the text needs to be read together with the
subsequent narrative (– the Crucifixion was on 'preparation' of the High Sabbath Jn
19:31) to see that 'preparation' here in Jn 19:14 is not preparation for sabbath day
in the Passover (i.e. the Passover day itself), but preparation for the day of the
Passover memorial.

Gk. paraskeuē (‘preparation’) is used as metonymic of ‘day of preparation’. The

day of preparation is ‘eve’ or ‘the day before’ a certain day. In majority cases in the
Gospels it is preparation for sabbath. That is, 'preparation/ of the sabbath' = ‘the day
before sabbath’ = 'eve of Sabbath'

Instead of the word ‘preparation’ as to a day of preparation, IRENT renders it as

‘eve’ (e.g. eve of the Passover; sabbath eve). In this simple way, the meaning of the
phrase comes clear; and the readers can avoid automatic association of the word
‘preparation’ with ‘preparation for sabbath’b.]
Examples of English translations:
1 /preparation for the Passover;
2 /the day before the Passover – GNB; /the day before Passover – CEV;
3 /the day of the Preparation of the Passover – NIV2011, TNIV;
4 /xx: Day of Preparation of the Passover Festival – AUV
5 /xx: Preparation day in Passover Week – NIrV; /xx: Preparation day of Passover week –
ERV; /xx: the day of Preparation of Passover week – NIV-old;

a
'Passover Festival' - [See how English words ‘festival' and feast’ are to be used for the same word in Greek as
well as Hebrew word in WB #5 Time, Calendar, and Chronology and in WB #1 Words, Words, and Words of
IRENT Vol. III Supplement.]
b
'preparation day of sabbath' is of course equated to 'Friday' in the Holy Week of the Church tradition.
 This verse is very important. It tells that Pilatos' sentencing was on the eve of the
Passover, with the Crucifixion itself coming next day.

Thus, it flatly tells that the Lord’s Last Supper could not be the Passover memorial
meal. Compare Jn 13:1 ‘(Last Supper) before the Festival of the Passover’.

The sentencing "was around the sixth hour", i.e. around midday. It was not 6 a.m. as
interpreted by taking it as an alleged Roman reckoning or taking a variant text . c It was
simply in attempt to harmonize the Johannine and the Synoptic dating of the
Crucifixion to remove non-existing contradiction between them when they read the
Passion Week timeline which puts His trial and His Crucifixion on the same day all
in the morning!

Cf. In the Jewish tradition, Heb. Erev Pesach is 'preparation of the Passover
Festival (Pesach I to VII), not of the Passover day. Pesach = Pesach Festival. With
them the Passover Seder is on Nisan 15th (Pesach I).

c
A text variant reads 'third hour'.
‘*Festival of the Matzah’ and *unleavened bread
Scanned image from WB #1
‘at the beginning [day] for the unleavened bread', not ‘on the *first day of
the festival of unleavened bread’

(A) Mk 14:1 = Mt 26:2 = Lk 22:1

(B) Mk 14:12 = Mt 26:17 = Lk 22:7a
(B-a) Mk 14:12 = Mt Ø = Lk 22:7b

Note: the setting of the narrative in the Synoptic Gospels shows paired parallel
time-markers. Group A and B are on the same day ‘two days later Passover to
come’ as in Mt 26:2; //Mk 14:1

[Cf. Parallel in G-Lk is in the same narrative setting but with different wording.]

(A) Mk 14:1
ēn de to pascha kai ta azuma meta duo hēmeras
was the Passover [day] and the [Festival of] Matzah after 2 days
(B) Mk 14:12a
kai tē prōtē hēmera tōn azumōn
at the beginning day for the unleavened bread
(B-a) Mk 14:12b
hote to pascha ethuon
('when' < 'on which occasion', the Passover lamb would be killed).

(A) Mt 26:2
meta duo hēmeras to pascha ginetai
after 2 days was the Passover [day].
(B) Mt 26:17
tē de prōtē tōn azumōn,
at the now beginning for having the unleavened breada
(B-a) Mt Ø

(A) Lk 22:1
ēggizen de hē heortē tōn azumōn hē legomenē pascha
approaching was the Festival of the Matzah, which is called ‘Passover [festival]’.
(B) Lk 22:7a
hēlthen de hē hēmera tōn azumōn
coming* now the day for having the unleavened bread
(B-a) Lk 22:7b
hē edei thuesthai to pascha
‘when it was necessary to kill the Passover lamb).

For the group (B), the verb in aorist is used in Lk 22:7a; while Mk 14:12 = Mt 26:17 have it
in dative adverbial noun phrase.

The group (B-a) clearly tells us that it cannot refer to ‘the first day of the Festival
of the Matzah, the very day to be come after the Passover day itself.

a
[The word ‘festival’ is not in the text and should not be in translation here. Rendered as ‘unleavened bread’
(uncapitalized) instead of the Matzah which is reserved for the name of the festival.
Most have been baffled by these verses when read in the usual translation which itself was
from misinterpretation. This is a crux interpretum; those have failed to understand the plain
sense of the text simply because they were not equipped with adequate knowledge of the
biblical calendar and understanding of the Passover-Passion week timeline.

Typically, by most, the text group (B) [Mk 14:12 = Mt 26:17 = Lk 22:7a] is translated,
(actually in paraphrase), as ‘on the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread’a. The
phrase 'on the first' is an incorrect translation of tē prōtē [← S4413 prōtos]. Such
mistranslation creates a contradiction in the timeline of the Scriptural narrative, driving
commentators befuddled to glib answers. The fact is, the Greek text does not have the
word 'festival'. Even the word 'day' is only in G-Mt.

The IRENT renders it as ‘at the beginning [day] for having the unleavened bread’ which
should help to remove confusion and contradiction from misreading the text.

The day of Abib 15 (= high sabbath Jn 19:31 of the festival of the Passover week) is 'the first
day of the Festival', but such expression 'the first day of the Festival' by itself does not occur
in the NT, unlike 'first day of the week'. Moreover, ‘the first day' in Deu 16:4b refers to Abib
14 when no leaven should be found in the house.

Without having placed the events in their correct places on the timeline, c these verses caused
the scholars erroneously conclude that the Last Supper in the Synoptics was the Passover
meal itself. They let it stand contradictory in the Passion week timeline to the Johannine text
Jn 13:1-2 which clearly indicates that it was ‘before [S4253 pro] coming of the Passover’d.
They have made the event of preparing the Upper Room occur even before the Passover was
already over!

a
(with or without capitalization) [Cf. In case of Mk 14:12 the literal translation of KJV is quite accurate – ‘the
first day of unleavened bread’.]
b
Any leaven in the house is to be removed in Abib 14 and then 7 more days of the Festival (Abib 15-21) to eat
unleavened bread. Deu 16:4 "No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days, nor shall any
of the flesh that you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain all night until morning."
c
It is possible only when followed by the biblical lunar calendar.
d
'before the Passover', not ‘on the day before’, regardless ‘Passover’ was either as Abib 14 or the Matzah
Festival.
Cf. Though some have pointed out the problem with the traditional translations read-
ing the text wrongly as 'first day' and 'Festival of the Unleavened Bread', their way of
solving the difficulty by translating the phrase tē prōtē in G-Mt & G-Mk simply as
'before' may be any problem. Their translation may seem smooth as "Now before the
unleavened bread …". However, it is an eisegesis, going beyond the basic grammar
and syntax.

www.worldslastchance.com/YHWHs-calendar/the-Passover-puzzle.html

… In the text from Matthew, the word "first" comes from the word πρώτος
(prōtŏs) which means "foremost (in time, place, order or importance)." [#4413,
The New Strong's Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words]. It can mean "beginning"
and "best" but it can also be correctly translated as "before". When πρώτος
(prōtŏs) is translated as "before" Matthew 26:17 states: "Now before the unleav-
ened bread the disciples came. . . ." This agrees with John 13:1: "Now before the
festival feast of the passover. …
[Jn 13:1 Pro [H4253] de tēs heortēs tou pascha …]

http://truthsearch.org/knowpassover17.html =
www.truthsearch.org/ContentsFirstDayofUnleavenedBread.html!! –

<THE “FIRST DAY” OF UNLEAVENED BREAD> (Juan R. Rains)

See its copy <The 'First Day' of Unleavened Bread - Gk. protos.pdf> in the folder
<Leavening, unleavened bread, Matzah Festival> in IRENT Vol. III -
Supplement (Collections #6A - Passion Week Chronology).

He renders Lk 22:7 "Then came the season of unleavened bread, when the
Passover must be killed."

[Check for a similar misunderstanding with the Gk. word prōtē in Lk 2:4 -- for the
first census registration, not 'before Quirinius was administering over Suria …']
Note: the setting of the narrative in G-Mt and G-Mk, which is shown prior this problematic
time-marker, is on the same day as in Mt 26:2; //Mk 14:1 ‘two days later Passover to come’.
[Cf. //Lk 22:1 is in the same narrative setting but with different wording.]

The opening timeline marker begins –

Mt 26:2
meta duo hēmeras to pascha ginetai
after 2 days was the Passover [day].
Mk 14:1
ēn de to pascha kai ta azuma meta duo hēmeras
after 2 days was the Passover [day] and the [Festival of] the Matzah [to follow].
Lk 22:1
ēggizen de hē heortē tōn azumōn hē legomenē pascha
approaching was the Festival of the Matzah, which is called ‘Passover [festival]’.

Here, the flow of timeline: the time-marker verse (“2 days before the Passover
[day]” – Mt 26:2; Mk 14:1; Lk 22:1) introduces the <Readying the Upper Room>
(Mt 26:17 //Mk 14:12 and Lk 22:7). It is continued from the <Olive Discourse>. [It
is important to see that all these events are in the same date of Abib 12, which is the
date for <the Last Supper> <Arrest> and <Sanhedrin I>. The same date goes as far
back as Mk 11:27; Mt 21:23; Lk 20:1 for <Confrontation & Teaching>.
When this opening text for <Readying the Upper Room> (Mt 26:17 //Mk 14:12 and
Lk 22:7) was inaccurately translated as 'on the first [day'], it misled it as 'the first day
of the Festival (i.e. Abib 14). Such a translation has made an event belonging to Abib
15 happened a few days before the Passover of Abib 14!!

http://www.nazarene-friends.org/nazcomm/40/026.php

The first day of the unfermented cakes: There is no universal agreement on this phrase. The
Greek PROTE may infer, “the day before,” meaning Nisan 13. Compare Exo 12:18; Exo 23:15.
Mk 14:12 adds, “… when they customarily sacrificed the Passover.” (Lk 22:7) Nisan 14 would
begin at sundown. The Jews had to clear all leaven out of their homes and prepare the sacrifi-
cial meal of lamb. In the case of the collection of manna it was to be done the day before Sab-
bath when they would get a double portion (Exo 16:5, 22-27; Exo 20:10). In time “the day be-
fore the sabbath” came to be termed “Preparation,” as Mark explained (Mk 15:42). “(The Jews)
need not give bond (to appear in court) on the Sabbath or on the day of preparation for it (Sab-
bath Eve) after the ninth hour (3 PM).” The Jews thus began to prepare for the Sabbath on Fri-
day afternoon, or on those occasions where a special Sabbath fell on another day, the afternoon
before [Jewish Antiquities, XVI, 163 (vi, 2)]. Nisan 14 was also a Sabbath day no matter what
day it fell on. Friday evening at sundown would begin a high holy day with a double Sabbath
(Jn 19:31, 42; Mk 15:42, 43; Lk 23:54). There is disagreement on these dating of matters.
Jn 19:31 ‘High Sabbath’
ēn gar megalē hē hēmera ekeinou tou sabbatou “the day of that sabbath was high
[sabbath]”
First [and last?] days of a week-long festival are special (‘high’, ‘great’, ‘important’).
The first day of a week-long festival is called as ‘high sabbath’ [‘Sabbath haGadol’ in
Heb.], since it is on weekly sabbath (day 7 of the lunar week).

[Not because it was a 'doubled-up sabbath' (sabbath happened to fall on the first day of
the Festival at that time), nor sabbath was the one falling in the middle of the festival,
but because the first day of the festival is set in the biblical calendar on the 15th, which
is always day 7 of the lunar week, i.e. sabbath. Note that the numbered days of the
lunar week (in the Scripture) does not correspond to the named days of the planetary
week (as in Gregorian, and even Hebrew calendars). In short, Day 7 of the lunar week
is unrelated to ‘Saturday’.

‘seasons’

Hebrew word moed means ‘appointed (times)’ – often translated as ‘seasons’ ‘festivals’ (/x:
feast – KJV). It is governed by the sun, not by the moon [Gen 1.5ff]
Cf. Heb. Chag – festival/feast

‘evening’
N.T. – ‘evening’
The word ‘evening’ in English is used in different sense (Cf. check for validity
of listing on a dictionary as ‘afternoon’ in Southern American dialect). A
common Gk. word opsios in GNT is translated as ‘evening’ (but in NWT ‘late in
the afternoon’ Mt 27:57; //Mk 15:42). (Related to opse Mk 11:19; 13:35; Mt 28:1). Cf.
hespera (Lk 24:29; Act 4:3; 28:23)

O.T. – *ereb; ‘*evening’; ‘in the evening’; ‘*between the two setting-
times’ (/x: ‘between the two evenings’);

Heb. 'ereb' is used (1) for 'evening' and (2) for 'eve' (i.e. 'the day before') in modern Hebrew but
not in O.T.
Note: QQ Different Hebrew phrases (1) 'by the evening' [bā·‘ā·reḇ Deu 16:6] (i.e. with an event
in the afternoon)and 'in the evening' [bā·‘e·reḇ Deu 16:4].

Jdg 19:8b So they waited until day began to decline and both of them had a meal together.

H5704 ad + H5186 natah + H3117 yom

(the day stretched out – or – the day began to decline), /until late that afternoon – ISV; /till
afternoon – NIV; /until afternoon – KJV, NASB; /until late afternoon – HCSB; /until later in
the day – NET; GNB; /
H5186 natah (to stretch out; to spread, to pitch, to turn, to incline, to bend)

Check for various preposition idioms with ereb – e.g. 'in the evening' vs. 'by the evening' (i.e.
for an event in the afternoon = 'between the two setting-times'.
 See confused and confusing statements in
https://torahcalendar.com/SUNSET.asp

A Hebrew Day begins at sunset and .... The first half of a Hebrew Day lasts from the moment of
sunset to the moment of sunrise. [ - night period!]
…
The second half of a Hebrew Day lasts from … sunrise to … sunset. [i.e. daytime period] The
period between sunset and night is defined by the Hebrew phrase ‫ – בין הערבים‬between the
evenings. This is the time of evening twilight. This phrase has been mistranslated in the Tanach
as afternoon. It appears in the Torah as the time when the Israelites would eat quail (Exo 16:12),
as the time when the Menorah was to be lit (Exo 30:8), as the time when the evening sacrifice
was to be offered (Exo 29:38-41), and as the time when the Passover was to be slain (Exo 12:6).

It is the whole counsel of Scripture on the Passover which proves that the Hebrew phrase ‫בין‬
‫ – הערבים‬between the evenings – refers to the time of evening twilight.

‫ יהוה‬said that all of the ceremonies of the Passover occur on Day 14 of Month 1 (Num 9:3). In
the Passover of the Exodus, a lamb was slain after sunset, the death angel passed over at
midnight, and the leftovers were burnt before morning on Day 14 of Month 1 (Exo 12:3-29).
The Scriptures clearly distinguish between the Passover on Day 14 of Month 1 and the seven
days of Unleavened Bread which begin on Day 15 of Month 1 (Lev 23:5-6).

These facts have caused scholars to conclude that the Hebrew phrase ‫ – בין הערבים‬between the
evenings – refers to the period between sunset and night (evening twilight).

http://themessianicfeast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/TMF_Between-the-Evenings.pdf [also
http://themessianicfeast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ - list of downloadable]
[a copy in the IRENT Vol. III – Supplement (Collection #5D)]]
vocabulary related to 'death' 'burial'

*tomb, grave, memorial-tomb, burial cave [see in the file <Walk through the Scripture #1 –
Words, Words and Words>]

*Entombment; burial; anointing; ['embalming' is an Egyptian, not Hebrew custom];

'mourning' [H4798] 'lament' H5597; 'bemoan' 'sitting shiva' (Jn 11:20); 'mourning H60 = ?
'funeral' in the Bible text?
S2870 'lamentation' kopetos Act 8:2; Cf. sing a dirge' S2354 thrēneō Mt 11:17.

*secondary burial in ossuaries: This practice involved collecting the deceased’s bones and
placing them inside an ossuary after the flesh had been left to decompose and desiccate. The
ossuary was then placed into a loculus.
www.jesusfamilytomb.com/back_to_basics/burial_practices/jewish_law.html

* burial clothes; cf. religious jargon 'shroud' as of 'Shroud of Turin'

http://greatshroudofturinfaq.com/History/Greek-Byzantine/Pre-944AD/bible-references.html
[x 14 – as to Yeshua's burial; x4 – other cases in NT.]
 sindon (singular) S4616 x6 'linen cloth' (Mt 27:59; Mk 15:46 x2, 15: 51, 54; Lk
23:53).
 othonia (plural) S3638 x5 Jn 19:40 linen cloths (binding hands and feet); Jn 20:5, 6, 7.
Cf. Lk 24:12 v.l.
 keirias 'linen strips' S2750 Jn 11:44 (x: bandages – RSV)
 sudarion S4676 Jn 11:44; 20:7; /face-cloth; /handkerchief; /napkin.
[Unrelated to burial clothes - Lk 19:20 – a piece of cloth; Mk 14:51, 52 – refers to an
outer garment of Mark; Act 19:12 Peter's handkerchief;]

In an anecdote unique to describe the linen cloth left by an unnamed young man when he
fled naked from the Garden of Gethsemane.
 8. Time-markers in the Biblical passages

Listed below are some verses in the Gospels which deserve further scrutiny for
they serve as important time indicators in the Passion narrative.

 ‘Last Supper’ vs. ‘Passover memorial meal’ vs. ‘Lord’s meal’

 Mt 26:17; //Mk 14:12; //Lk 22:7
 Mt 27:1 ‘morning came’
 Mk 15:1a ‘early in the morning’ [cf. ‘in the early morning’]
 Mt 28:1 ‘sabbaths’ (pl.)
 Mt 28:1 ‘at the dawning in the first day of the week’
 Mt 26:2; //Mk 14:1 ‘two days later Passover day to come’
 Mt 26:17 (‘at the beginning day for having the unleavened bread’) //Mk
14:12; (‘at the beginning for having the unleavened bread’) //Lk 22:7
('coming close was the day for having the unleavened bread)
 Lk 22:1 //Mk 14:1 ‘Festival of the Matzah (Abib 15-21) (the so-called
‘Passover festival [season] together with Passover day itself on Abib 14).
Also, ‘Matzah Festival = Passover Festival’.
 Mk 14:14; //Lk 22:8 – ‘eat the passover' (KJV) (< ‘eat for the Passover
festival’; [also Jn 18:28 – for the Yehudim]
 Mk ‘sixth hour’ ‘third hour’ ‘ninth hour’
 Mk 16:1 ‘after this sabbath had past’
 Mk 16:2 ‘with the sun about to rise’
 Mk 16:9 ‘after having risen’
 Mt 27:57‘Now evening having come’
 Jn 12:1 ‘Six days before the Passover’
 Jn 13:1 ‘before the festival of the Passover’
 Jn 19:14 ‘eve of the Passover memorial day
 Jn 19:14 ‘sixth hour’
 Jn 19:31 ‘High Sabbath’
 Jn 19:42 ‘eve of sabbath’ (‘sabbath eve’ Mk 15:42)
 Jn 20:19 ‘evening of that first day of the lunar week’
 Cf. Mt 12:40 ‘three days and three nights’; ‘Jonah′s sign’ (Yonah's sign) –
Pericope unrelated to the Passion narrative.
Time-related terms:
‘day’; ‘date’; ‘dawn’; ‘twilights – morning and evening’; ‘midnight’ and
‘midday’; ‘hour-period’ vs. ‘hour’; ‘week’; ‘month’.

The common time-related terms used in the Scripture have different English
meanings and usages, just as any other terms.

(1) Day or calendar day? A ‘day’ begins with sunrise (of a 12-hour or 24-
hour duration). A calendar day in the Bible is reckoned to start at dawn,
not at sunset. Cf. ‘daylight period’ or ‘daytime’ (Ko. 낮). [between sunrise and
sunset; after ‘dawn’ to before ‘dusk’]. [E.g. ‘Jn 11:19 ‘twelve hours in the
day’.] [‘dawn’ = morning twilight].

The context usually is clear when it is meant for a calendar day. (as of a
date on a calendar with a day + a night)a (Ko. 하루).

It is in contrast to ‘night’ which begins at sunset with coming of evening

(Gk. opsias; Heb. ereb).] [Gen 1:5a <Elohim called the light-period ‘day’
and the darkness-period ‘night’.>;

‘dawn’ vs. ‘dusk’:

dawn (‘morning twilight’) → sunrise → morning → day
→ sunset → dusk (evening twilight) → evening → night
www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-dusk-and-vs-dawn;

Cf. various English expressions of different meaning - ‘morning breaking’ ‘at dawn
break’ ‘day is dawning’. Cf. 'at dawn' 'at dawning' ‘'in the dawn' (= in the morning
twilight).

‘early morning’ should be located in the first half of the period from sunrise to noon
(about 6 to 9 a.m.); vs. ‘late morning’ (Cf. ‘forenoon’)

vs. ‘early in the morning’ - a short period after the end of the fourth watch of the
night – morning twilight –

a
Day as 24-hour day, which does not exist in the biblical world, is a term for unit of time in physics,
corresponding to a rotation of the earth on its axis (‘solar day’). Cf. ‘civil day’. Note: 12 a.m. is not same as
‘midnight’. 12 p.m. is not identical to ‘midday’ (‘noon’) which is the mid-point of daytime when the sun is
at highest point.
 (2) Hour: The word ‘hour’ [hora] in the Bible is for a duration of ‘*hour-
period’ by the sundial, not 'hour on the clock' which is for specifying the
point of time. A day in the Bible is divided by 12 hour-periods (Jn 11:9).a

A 24-hour day may be reckoned to start at various time point. The present
universal Gregorian calendar reckons to start at 12 A.M. b which is not same as
‘midnight’ which is at midpoint between the sunset to sunrise. Reckoning events
occurring in the night is confusing because the date changes past 12 p.m.

In the Hebrew calendar (since 4th c. CE) it is reckoned to start at sunset – with a
careless reading of Gen 1:3-5 which serves as proof-text. Such erroneous idea
has a serious biblical and practical implication, including confusion when
following timelines in the Biblical narratives found. c The Hebrew calendar has
caused much confusion because of its reckoning of sunset-to-sunset day.

In the Bible, hour is not hour on the clock, but an hour-period by the sundial,
which is 1/12 of a day (or a night). Its duration varies according to the latitude
and season. It is not used as a unit of time duration of 60 minutes.

[E.g. Sixth hour on a sundial is an hour period before midday (noon; not 12 p.m.).
Third hour is an hour-period on a sundial. Its ending ≈ 9 a.m. It does not mean 9
on the clock.] [The actual length of 'hour' in the bible, that is the duration of an
hour-period, is dependent on latitude and season, as the duration of a daytime
period itself does.] d
[Cf. four night-watches; Roman 12 hour-divisions of a nighttime also.]

a
E.g. sixth hour is an hour-period before noon. Its end ≈ noon, however the time
varies depending on the season as daylight length varies between 10 to 14 60-min
hours in Israel.
b
[Cf. Local time zone vis-à-vis UTC. The problem with a single time zone for a large country like China; in
contrast to the problem with multiple time zones for a large country like USA.]
c
Note that the difference between Abib and Nisan date is not just 12 hours, but date for the daylight period may
not same, since the first date of the Abib (1 st month of the biblical year) and of Nisan (7 th month of the Jewish
year) are determined differently.
d
One special example: in Jn 19:14 ‘sixth hour’ is counted from sunrise {≈ midday}. It is not 6 a.m.
Even in the early Roman calendar whether a day was reckoned to start at mid-night or sunrise, the
hour was counted from sunrise and sunset. [The date cannot be on the day of the Crucifixion to
contradict – Mk 15:25 (‘it was then the third hour-period and they crucified him.’) Mk 15:33 (‘And
when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness …’)] [Cf. for night period – divided by 12; also
by four watches – is by means of a 'Water clock' or clepsydra.
 (3) Lunar vs. planetary week; Lunar vs. solar sabbath: The word ‘week’ in the
bible is of lunar week, which is non-cyclic non-continuous. In the bible there is no
such a vocabulary of the 7 named days of the week, Sunday to Monday’, which are
of the planetary week. E.g. The 7th day of the week (for Sabbath – biblical lunar
sabbath, not religious solar sabbath) is unrelated to Saturday.

A biblical ‘week’ is lunar week, which is discontinuous and non-cyclic. On the other
hand, both Gregorian and Hebrew calendars are of planetary week, which is cyclic
continuous planetary weeks. The 7-numbered days of the lunar week are independent
of the 7-named days of the Gregorian week. a Note: a week in early Julian calendar used
8 days (labeled A to H), not 7days.

Thus, a biblical lunar month has 4 full 7-day weeks: 1st week (2nd to 8th day); 2nd week (9th to
15th); 3rd week (16th to 22nd); 4st week (23rd to 29th). 1st day (of New Moon Day) and 30th
day (a transitional day) of a month are not sabbath days, nor week days. sabbath days are fixed
on 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th day of each month.

7th day of the lunar week in the Bible does not correspond to 'Sat'.
1st day of the lunar week does not correspond to 'Sun'.b

(4) Month

‘Month’ in the Scripture is lunar month (29 or 30 days); with its first day called 'New-
Moon Day'. Year in the Bible is solar (as in Roman calendar). Hence, luni-solar
calendar (similar to the Hebrew calendar).

After ‘dark moon’ (= 'astronomical new moon'; syn. 'new moon'. Not to be confused
with biblical 'New-Moon' of the 1st day of the lunar month) which occurs at lunar
conjunction and can be precisely determined by astronomical calculation. The crescent
of the rebuilding (‘waxing’) moon then becomes visible [how many hours later?].
Thus, full moon is on 14th of the lunar month Abib. [Cf. the date in Nisan for full moon
varies from 14 to 16]. [See <Walk through the Scripture #5 Time, Calendar and
Chronology> on the topic of how the biblical New-Moon Day (1st day of a month) is
determined with astronomical data on Vernal Equinox and Moon conjunction closest to
Equinox.] [See References on Moon Phase].

a
Moreover, some countries have other than Sunday as the first day of their week – e.g. Saturday in
Arabic usage; Monday in Eastern Asia and European countries.
[ www.cjvlang.com/Dow/SunMon.html]
b
“Which day is the first day of a week in a calendar?” Despite of Sunday being included in the
notion of ‘weekend’ in English, most of us takes Sunday itself as the first day in the calendar,
whereas in some cultures Monday is the first day of the week.
*Diagram of 'day' (daylight period+ night period)

[There should be no ‘zero hour’. ‘hour’ is ‘hour period’ (by arrows) on a sundial.
Expressed in ordinal numerals 'hour' points the end of an hour-period.

Edited on the diagram from www.thecreatorscalendar.com/day-genesis-genesis-1-1-5/

 Note: Shown correctly in the diagram, 'hour' in the Bible is 'hour-period', a duration
on a sundial, not a point of time on the clock (i.e. o'clock).

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/
Ancient_Roman_time_keeping_hora_vigilia_equinox_solstice.svg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_timekeeping#cite_note-5

Sunrise, morning, sunset, evening; dusk and dawn; forenoon and afternoon; midday; and
midnight. [‘dawn’ (= morning twilight) vs. ‘dusk’ (= evening twilight)].
[Cf. ‘*evening’ = Heb. ereb and Gk. opsias (Mk 15:42 etc.); opse. A few examples of hesperan (Lk
24:29; Act 4:3; 28:23)]
[cf. midday ≈ ‘noon’, ‘high noon’. Cf. noon time (or noon hour) = 12 P.M.]
*third day; *three days

*third day; ‘on the third day’; ‘to third day’;

‘after three days’; ‘three days later’ ‘*in three days’

The expression 'on the third day' is by reckoning days after death on the cross,
counting-off dates within the context of the Passion week narrative. It is in contrast to the
expression, ‘after three days’ (or ‘three days later’), is about the duration with its initial and
terminal points to be found in the broad context.

'On the third day' be raised (/xx: raised again; /xx: rise again)
It requires the properly constructed timeline to follow the Passion Week narrative. For such a
timeline, it is essential to use Abib dates (with sunrise-to-sunrise day reckoning from 1st day
to 7th day in the lunar week), not Nisan dates (with sunset-to-sunset day in the rabbinic Jewish
calendar in the planetary week), nor Gregorian calendar dates (with a day of 12 a.m. to 12 a.m.
day). The rabbinic Jewish calendar corresponds to Gregorian calendar with seven named days
of the planetary week (from Sunday to Saturday).

“[on] the third day” (x 12) ['since his death' > after his death']
→ 'two days later' (as in WNT) in English idiom. See next for 'three days later'.
tē tritē hēmera 'on the third day I shall rise (/be raised) up'
Mt 16:21 = Lk 9:22. [Cf. Mk 8:31 'meta treis hēmeras' (after three days later)]
Mt 20:19 = Lk 18:33 = Mk 10:34 {/mss– meta treis hēmeras also in 9:31}
Mt 17:23 = Mk 9:31
Lk 24:7, 21, 46
en hē tritē hēmera Act 10:40 'the Elohim raised him on the third day'
tē hēmera tē tritē 1Co 15:4 'Mashiah was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scripture'

Cf. Lk 13:32 tē tritē – 'on the third day I'm to complete' – figuratively for his ministry of three
years?

Cf. Hos 6:2 'on third day' – not about 'resurrection' or about Mashiah, but Ten Northern Tribes
of Israel.]
Hos 6:2 <YHWH will revive us after two days;
on the third day he will raise us up
that we may live in his presence.>
 ‘three days later’ meta treis hēmeras (/x: 'after three days').
– which denotes ‘three days passing’ (by inclusive counting) rather than ‘after three
days’ which denotes ‘after three days are past’ (by exclusive counting).

(1) Odd erroneous occurrence of this phrase is only in G-Mk – Mk 8:31. Also as mss
variant in {Mk 9:31}; {Mk 10:34}
/after two days – WNT; /xx: after three days – KJV, NKJV, NASB NET, NIV, HCSB;
/xxx: three days later – NLT, CEV, GNT;

RENT emends it to take it equivalent to tē tritē hēmera to match with all others in G-
Mk as well as in G-Mt & G-Lk.

(2) Mt 27:63 “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said,
‘Three days later I will be raised up.’ Therefore, command that the tomb be made
secure until the third day [from his death].” – What is the source of this quotation? [? ← Jn
2:19-22]

(meta treis hēmeras – same phrase in Mk 8:31 erroneously using in place of tē tritē hēmera as in //Mt
16:21 //Lk 9:22) [Here it was not from what he said, but what they were quoting. Elsewhere in the Passion
narrative it is 'on the third day' as Yeshua himself said 11x]; – GNT; /x: after three days – most; /> after
two days – WNT;

Note: WNT (Weymouth)

Mt 27:63; Mk 8:31 ‘after two days’ for ‘meta treis emeras’
Act 9:9 (was) for three days ░ [(ēn) hēmeras treis] /x: for two days – WNT [fn. literally 'for three
days'. The blindness lasted the latter part of the first day, the whole of the second, and the morning of
the third.]

'in three days' 'by three days' in the Temple incident which is in the setting of
His ministry to begin in G-Jn whereas it is in the Passion Week in the Synoptics.

The expression with 'three days' occurs in a specific context of the motive of
rebuilding the Temple:a Is it in reference to His death and resurrection or to his
three-year period of His ministry? [Cf. Hebrew expression, 'a day for a year',
e.g., Ezk 4:4-6]
[Yeshua's saying]
(en trisin hēmerais) Jn 2:19 'in three days I'll have it raised up'
-- 'taking three days'
[quoting Yeshua's saying]
(en trisin hēmerais) Jn 2:20 'you raise it up in three days'
(en trisin hēmerais) Mt 27:40 = Mk 15:29; 'you build it in three days'
(dia triōn hēmerōn) Mt 26:61; Mk 14:58 'He said -~~ by three days I'll build']

cf. 'within three days'

This is in contrast to different expressions, such as tē tritē hēmera 'on the third
day' (Mt 16:21, etc.) in the context alluding specifically to His
death/resurrection.

a
Some claims that the English phrase ‘in three days’ is ambiguous and does not have same sense as the
translated phrase in the biblical narrative. Here, this text is apparently read as related to the Passion
week and sees a nonexistent conflict between two phrases ‘on the third day’ and ‘in three days’ – Cf.
http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/95697/within-and-in-when-referring-to-time
‘to third day’’
Lk 24:21b
tritēn autēn hmeran agei {sēmeron}
third to-this day it-is-leading {today}
“it brings to third day’ {as of today} since these things happened”
→ ‘these’ refers to v. 20, to the crucifixion (9 AM on), death (Abib 14, 3 PM) – all in
Abib 14.

‘eight days later’

Jn 20:26
meth' hēmeras oktō
eight days later – ESV, NET, NWT (inclusive counting
/xx: after eight days – NASB, KJV, NKJV, HCSB; /xx: at the end of eight days – Delitz;
/x: a week later – NIV, WNT, SENT (exclusive counting);

[Cf. 'on the eighth day' → Gk. tē hēmera ogdoē – Act 7:8

'five days later'; 'fourth day ago'

Cf. Act 24:1 five days later ░ \meta pente hēmeras; - NWT, NIV, NLT, ISV, GW; /after
five days – KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV, NET, YLT; /five days after this – WNT [fn. 'five
days' – 'four days' according to our mode of reckoning]; [no context on how five days
were counted]

Cf. Act 10:30 from fourth day ago until this very hour ░ \apo tetartēs hēmeras mechri
tautēs tēs horas (ēmēn tēn enatēn proseuchomenos); /= three days ago – NIV, GNT, WNT
[fn. 'three days' – Lit. 'four days']; /x: four days ago – most;

Three days ago – Weymouth fn: Three days. Lit. 'four days.' The details given in this
chapter show that the interval, when stated in idiomatic English, was three days.

Supposing (in order to make this clear) that the angel appeared to Cornelius on the Sabbath
(Saturday), the messengers, starting the same evening and doubtless sympathizing with
their master's eager haste, completed their forced march of 34 miles by about 1 p.m. on the
Sunday (v. 9). The remainder of that day, and the night following, they rested and enjoyed
Peter's hospitality (v. 23). With him and six other Christian Jews in their company, they set
out on the Monday, probably early in the morning, on their return journey (v. 23); and on
the Tuesday (v. 24), about 3 or 4 p.m., the party reached the Centurion's quarters. This
interval from Saturday evening to Tuesday afternoon, according to the Greek, Roman and
Hebrew mode of reckoning, is four days, both the first and the last of the days being
included. We English are mathematically more correct in calling it three days. So, what the
French call fifteen days (quinze jours) we more accurately name a fortnight (fourteen-
nights). Cp. Luke ii. 46, n.
[See in the file <What is 'day' and how days are counted in the Bible> in IRENT Vol. III –
Supplement]
The phrases in OT:
[For the examples of correspondence of two expressions, ‘third day’ and ‘three days’ in OT
and NT, see in <IRENT Vol. III - Supplement (Collections #D - Passover & Passion Week
Chronology – Part 2)> for a copy of the file <Did Jesus Rise “On” or “After” the Third Day?>
Eric Lyons www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?
category=10&article=756&topic=139]
[H7969 shalosh 'three'; H7992 shelishi 'third']
Gen 42:17 held them ‘for three days’ → 42:18 release them ‘on the third day’.
Est 4:16 ‘for three days, night or day’ vs. 5:1 on the third day.
2Ch 10:5 ‘come ~ in three days’a vs. 10:12 ‘come ~ on the third day’. b
Hos 6:2 ‘after two day ~~ on the third day’.c

‘*first day of the week’

Mk 16:2; //Lk 24:1; //Jn 20:1 tē mia tōn sabbatōn ‘on first day of the week’
//Mt 28:1; tē epiphōskousē eis mian sabbatōn ‘at the dawning of first day of the week’
The phrase with ‘the first day of the (lunar) week’ always tied with the women's visit to the tomb
after sabbath was over in the Passion narrative.
As the Resurrection day it was when the Risen Master showed Himself to the disciples, incl. the two
on the Emmaus road. Note G-Mk, G-Lk, Jn have it modified with adverbial phrase; whereas G-Mt
has a verbal phrase. [See below for <Mt 28:1 ‘at the dawning of the first day’> and also for
Appendix on Mt 28:1.]
Mk 16:2 lian prōi tē mia tōn sabbatōn
very early to-the [day] one of the week
Lk 24:1 tē de mia tōn sabbatōn orthrou batheōs
to-the [day] one of-the week of-dawn deep
Jn 20:1 tē de mia tōn sabbatōn prōi skotias eti ousēs
to-the [day] one of the week early of-darkness still being
Mt 28:1 tē epiphōskousē eis mia sabbatōn,
to-the lighting-up (at the dawning) into [day] one of-week,
Cf. Mk 16:9 Anastas de prōi prōtē sabbatou
having-risen early to-first [day] after-Sabbath

the Resurrection – in the dawn of Abib 16 = 1st day of the lunar week = ‘on the
third day’ after the Crucifixion on Abib 14.

a
2Ch 10:5 in three days ░ [owd selolet yamim] – NIV; NLT, ESV, HCSB, NASB; /after three days – KJV,
NKJV, JPS, NWT; /the day after tomorrow – GW; /xxx: Yet three days – then – LSV;
b
2Ch 10:12 on the third day ░ [bay-yom hasselisi] - KJV, NKJV, NASB, HCSB, NET, LSV, NWT; /in three
days – NIV; /the third day – ESV, JPS; /three days later – NLT; /three days later – GNT; /two days later – GW;/
c

Hos 6:2 He [YHWH] will revive us [xx: heal us – NET]

after two days; [xxx: in a short time – NET]
on the third day [xxx: in a little while – NET;]
He will raise us up that we may live in His presence.
Cf. HosTg 6:2 in Aramaic Targum: "on the day of the resurrection of the
dead" (‫ יום אחיות מיתיא‬yom ahayut mitaya).
‘early’ Gk. prōi
Not in the sense of ‘early in the morning’

Mk 13:35; Cf. 4th watch of the night Mk 6:48

Mk 15:1 prōi ('in the dawn’)
//Jn 18:28 (ēn prōi)
//Mt 27:1 (prōias genomēs ‘morning came’);
//Lk 22:66 (egeneto hēmera ‘day came’);
Cf. Abib 16 is 'the Resurrection day'. Exactly when the Resurrection was is not specifically men-
tioned in the Gospel, but the narrative context with the women set out to visit the empty tomb
tells that it was in the dawn (of Abib 1) sometime before sunrise.

Mt 28:1 ‘at the dawning of the first day of the week’

[See a separate file for G-Mt – Appendix Mt 28.1]

Mt 28:1 ‘at the dawning of the first day of the (lunar) week’ (IRENT)
epiphōskō – 2 x (Mt 28:1 and Lk 23:54)

KJV, NASB “as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week”.
NLT “Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning”;
ISR ‘toward dawn on the first day of the week’ - ISR.
NET, ESV /- at dawn on ~’
…

Cf. ‘in the dawn’ (= ‘in the morning twilight’) ≈ ‘early in the morning’. [not ‘in the early
morning’]

Mt 28:1 ‘after Sabbaths’ (pl.) vs. ‘after Sabbath’

[/after the week; /after the sabbath was over; /after Sabbaths were over; /late on the sabbath;
/late on the week. IRENT – ‘after Sabbath’]

The Greek phrase (opse de sabbattōn) – only once here in Mt 28:1 (not shown in the
parallel pericope of the Empty Tomb in other three Gospels), but seems to correspond
to the statement in Mk 16:1 ‘when the Sabbath was over’.

The anarthrous plural Gk. word does not refer to the two sabbaths. Plural ‘sabbaths’ is
also used in the sense of ‘week’, as in ‘the day one of the week’.

The word in the text is usually treated as a singular and renders as ‘after the Sabbath’ as many
translation render (NKJV, NET, HCSB, ESV, NRSV, NIV trio, NASB); ‘after the sabbath’
(RSV, NRSV, NWT). Same is said of rendering such as ‘the sabbath having passed’ (Wuest),
‘the Sabbath day was now over’ (NIrV), ‘the Sabbath was over’ (CEV), ‘when the Sabbath was
over’ (PNT), ‘the day after the Sabbath day was ~’ (ERV), ‘at the close of the sabbath’ (Mft),
and ‘as the Sabbath day ended (AUV). [For the examples of Sabbath in plural vs. singular, see
Mt 12:1-2, 5.]

The Greek conjunction tells that this phrase begins a new topic, that is, it does not belong to the
end of the last verse of the preceding chapter (27:66) as some tries to read.
Nor the Gk. phrase means, as some wrongly translate, ‘late on the sabbath day’
(ASV); ‘late on the Sabbath day’ (UPDV); ‘late on the Sabbath’ (BBE, MRC); ‘late on
sabbath’ (Darby), ‘late in the sabbaths’ (LITV); or ‘late in the week’ (MKJV), ‘in the
end of the sabbath’ (Geneva), ‘in the later ende of the Sabboth day (sic Bishops).

Other wrong rendering – ‘at the end of sabbath’ (KJV), ‘on the eve of the sabbaths’
(YLT)’ and ‘it is the evening of the sabbaths’ (CLV). There are also frivolous
renderings – ‘after the day of worship’ (GW) and ‘Early on Sunday morning (NLT).
Some takes these translations to claim that ‘But before Saturday night (the weekly
sabbath) was complete, HE ROSE ON THE SABBATH’! (with a Wednesday
crucifixion scenario).
Nor can it mean ‘after two sabbaths’ (an eisegesis to prove their faulty interpretation)
as if there can be more than one Sabbath day in a week. This is what the Wednesday
crucifixion scenario had to fall back, to justify the timeline they have come up. [ Neither
the idea of ‘double sabbath’ in the Passion week that two Sabbaths happened to fall on the same
day on that year – a claim by the traditional Friday proponents.]

Such a wrong idea of ‘two Sabbaths [consecutive] in the Passion week came up
to serve their ignorance on chronology and calendars. They claim that there are two
Sabbaths of different kind in the week-long festivals —
(1) annual festival Sabbath for Nisan 15th Exo 12:16; Lev 23:7; Num 28:16-18
– 15th of Nisan; in CE 30), and
(2) weekly Sabbath (Nisan 16).
Another idea entertains two sabbaths being doubled up on a same day – less ridicu-
lous.
Mt 27:62 “the next day (i.e. the day after the crucifixion) which was after the
Preparation” – in other words, the crucifixion was on the preparation day. Here
‘preparation’ means ‘sabbath preparation’ (that is, sabbath eve), not preparation of
the Festival per se; nor preparation of the Passover (with sacrifice and meal). Cf.
‘eve of the Passover’ in Jn 19:14). And the First day of the Festival of the Matzah
falls always on the Day 7 of the lunar week. Simply, day 8, 15, 22 and 29 of every
(lunar) month are sabbath days in the Biblical calendar.
Again, it should be emphasized that there is only one kind of Sabbath day – on the
day 7 of the lunar week – one Sabbath day in a week. The 7-day long festivals
have its first day set on the day 7, hence called High Sabbath Jn 19:31 – one and
same Sabbath, not another Sabbath in that week.
The term 'annual sabbath' may be applied to the special sabbath-rest on the Day of
Atonement; unrelated to weekly sabbath on 7th day of the lunar week (Lev 16:29-
31, 23:27) and Day of Shofar blowing [1st day of 7th month for sabbath – New-moon day
– Lev 23:24-25 (Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year].

The 'High Sabbath' (Jn 19:31) is another source of confusion. It is a weekly sabbath
on which 1st day of a 7-day long festival falls → Abib 15, first day of the Festival
of Passover (= 'the Festival of the Unleavened-breads Lk 21:1). Sabbath is one day
in a week; there is no another sabbath in a week.
Mk 16:1 ‘after this sabbath had past’

The women group bought spices – not just ‘after the sabbath’ or ‘after the
sabbath was over’ which was for the daytime period, now evening has come.

Reading with the Biblical Lunar calendar, it was ‘after this sabbath had past’,
referring to the day 7 as High Sabbath ( Jn 19:31) And now it was on the day one
of the lunar week. It was only after daytime, evening, early night and late night
had past, they set out to the tomb in the dawn (= in the morning twilight).

Mk 16:2 ‘with the sun about to rise’;

‘anateilantos tou hēliou’ ‘with the sun about to rise’ /x: at sun’s rising;
with the sun about to rise ░ \anateilantos tou hēliou; (>VPAA-GMS >anatellō) (? Absolute
genitive like Jn 13:2) The exact same phrase is seen in Mt 13:6 (hēliou de anateilantos
ekaumatisthē ‘of sun’s rising it was scorched’ cf. //Mk 4:6 hote aneteilen ho hēlios ekaumatisthē
when the sun rose up, it was scorched.);

[It is a timeline marker of their arrival at the tomb – that is, in the dawn (in the morning twilight).
Cf. Jn 20:1c ‘Mariam the Magdalene is coming early, still dark,’] (/x: ‘of sun’s rising/having
risen’; x: having risen up – giving a wrong picture of the sun ‘high up’); (Cf. Lk 24:1b; Jn
20:1c);

[all these timeline markers in the Gospels do not tell what time the resurrection itself was, which
was not eye-witnessed by any human. It should be close to the time the women set out to go back
to the tomb – early in the morning. Cf. Wednesday crucifixion scenario has an unbiblical idea of
placing the resurrection in the late afternoon or evening (on Saturday). They never commented on
what would the risen Master be doing until He showed himself to the women.] /as the sun was
about to rise – ARJ; /x: at the rising of the sun – KJV+;

Mk 16:9 ‘after having risen’

Syntax issue “anastas de prōi prōtē sabbatou ephanē prōton Maria tē
Magdalēnē”
16:9
Now after having risen early morning on the first day of the week,
Yeshua appeared first to Mariam the Magdalene,

Understanding the syntax of the verse (9a & 9b) is needed to see how it affects
translation and interpretation on the time of His crucifixion confusingly so when the
narrative is followed with Gregorian calendar, instead of Biblical Lunar calendar.
[Note: This is an example of punctuation problem – where to put a comma.]

AT Robertson in ‘Word Pictures’ argued that the phrase prōi prōtē sabbatou could
conceivably be construed with ephanē.]
1 (resurrection early morning of Sunday): (Cf. 1st day of the lunar week in the
Biblical Lunar Calendar.)
/Now when He rose early on the first day of the week,
He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, - most;
2 (resurrection time is left undetermined but leaves room to much earlier time
— the Wednesday proponents have it in late afternoon or evening!!)
/After having risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
early (in the morning) on the first day of the week.
 /After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared early on Sunday morning to
Mary Magdalene – MSG
/>Early on the first day of the week, after he arose, he appeared first to
Mary Magdalene – NET
Compare the syntax in Mt 28:1
Mt 28:1 Ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων,
After but of-Sabbaths [pl.],
τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων,
to-the-[day] lighting-up into one of-Sabbaths,
ἦλθεν Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία
came Mary the Magdalene and the other Mary

Here the phrase opse de sabbatōn stands by itself in the beginning, but it is a prepo-
sitional phrase with a conjunctional de in the middle. In contrast, anastas de in Mk
16:9 is a clause - a dative verbal participial clause. [Cf. the syntax of 1Co 11:32 for
the expression ‘chrinomenoi de hupo tou kuriou’ ‘being judged by the Lord’]

Most confusion is the result of misunderstanding the expression ‘day one of the
week’ as Sunday. The resurrection was in the dawn Abib 16 which was 1st day of
the lunar week.

Taking this phrase connected to v. 9c, a Wednesday crucifixion and Saturday

evening resurrection scenario insists that ‘early’ means right after sunset at the be-
ginning of a new day by Hebrew calendar reckoning – which was not present in the
first century CE.

[Note:]
1. The verse Mk 16:2 tells about the women’s visit to the empty tomb
already. It was ‘early morning’ when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and
encounters Yeshua already risen, also in Jn 20:1ff.
2. The phrase ‘having risen to Life’ occurs only here in Mk 16:9 of the
Mark’s long ending; no other parallel in the Gospels. Some take Gk.
participle anastas as an independent time clause in itself and disconnects it
from the subsequent time phrase.
3. Nowhere else the time of His resurrection itself has been stated; it reflects
the reality that the resurrection per se was not eye-witnessed. Only the
empty tomb was. (Is there any extra biblical source or extracanonical source
to tell what time the resurrection itself was and to claim its truth??)
4. Placement of a comma either before or after the phrase ‘early on first day
of the week’ is simply a translator’s idea and by itself cannot give a clue
about what day and what time the crucifixion should have been – on
Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday – in the evening or in the dawn. As to the
exact time He appeared to Mary (other than early in the day one of the
week) is not specified here; it just says (in G-John) that He appeared first to
Mary. However, the fact that His resurrection itself was none other than in
the dawn (beginning of Abib 16) is well evidenced through the rest of the
narratives in all Gospels, with the disciples encountering Him in the
morning.

[Note: the Wednesday crucifixion scenario with the resurrection in the late
afternoon is a result of their wrong interpretation of the Matthean unique
expression in Mt 12:40 (see elsewhere here dealt in detail) ‘in the heart of the earth
three days and three nights’, which was read as ‘being buried in a grave’ for full 72
hours. If he was risen in the late afternoon, where would He be waiting out until
He make Himself to show in the morning to the disciples?!

Mt 27:1; Mk 15:1a, Lk 22:6 ‘in the morning’ ‘day came’

The time for the final Sanhedrin v. Yeshua is clearly stated in these texts to be in the morning, after
which Yeshua was brought to Pilatos. Most commentators simply ignore the plain biblical
statement.
The Trial and the Crucifixion cannot be on the same date. [See ‘More than one day’ chronology
after Eugen Ruckstuhl.]

In the flow of the events in the timeline, Mt 26:5-67 and Mk 14:53-65 ‘Sanhedrin v. Yeshua’
should belong to Mt 27:1 and Mk 15:1, respectively, keeping them in harmony with Lk 22:66-71.

Mt 27:57 ‘Now evening having come’

Mt 27:57 Now evening having come ░ /~ having arrived; \opsias (de) genomenēs (also in
8:16; 14:15; 14:23; 16:2; 20:8; 26:20) [that is, the sun has set. Still Abib 14.] [cf. Nisan 15,
the new day (High Sabbath Jn 19:31) begun as in Jewish reckoning. the High Sabbath yet
to come next morning. See Jn 19:38 for exegesis of Deu 21:23]

It is not ‘evening was approaching’, or ‘evening approached’ (NIV trio), not ‘late in the
afternoon’ (NWT).

Not to be confused Hebrew expression ‘between the two setting-times’ (commonly

translated as ‘between the evenings’ or ‘between two evening’s).
Lk 22:14 ‘had desired to eat this Passover festival
“Much I had desired to eat with yoů this Passover”

Most take '* eat the passover' (KJV) as in reference the Passover meal, equating the Last
Supper with the latter, creating Synoptic-Johannine contradiction in Passover timeline.
Note: IRENT renders the expression as ‘* eat for the Passover festival’ with the word
Passover used in metonymic for the Passover festival (/xx: feast), not for the Memorial.

Jn 12:1 ‘Six days before the Passover’

Jn 12:1 six days before the Passover Festival ░

ho oun Iēsous pro hex hēmerōn tou Pascha …
Yeshua, then, six days before the Passover [Festival], ...
This verse opens the beginning of the Passion narrative proper. This is the third and
last Passover in Yeshua’s public ministry of two and half years. [Total of *three
Passovers in Yeshua's ministry (1) Jn 2:23 (28 CE); (2) Jn 6:4 (29 CE); (3) Jn
11:55; 12:1 (30 CE).]

Since Abib 8th was Day 7 of the lunar week, the journey back to Bethany could not
occur on that lunar sabbath day. For Yeshua to arrive at Abib 9th at Bethany, it is
necessary to count back from Abib 15th (the day before sabbath) in the Passover
Festival [season], not the Passover Day (of Abib 14th).

Some (using a Hebrew calendar with solar sabbath = Saturday) propose to count
back from Passover ‘Day’ (Nisan 14th), thus to arrive at Nisan 8th, which then
results in different timelines of events leading to the Crucifixion.
Jn 13:1 ‘before [coming of] the Festival of the Passover
This verse opens the Johannine account of the Lord’s Last Meal:

Jn 13:1 pro de tēs heortēs tou pascha eidōs … …

— Then, before the Festival of the Passover, … …
The phrase ‘before the Festival’ simply means ‘before coming of the Festival’. It does not
mean ‘on the day before the Festival (which puts it on the day of Passover memorial).

The actual date setting this refers is the day (Abib 12th) before Abib 13th of the Trial and
Pilatos' sentencing Jn 19:14) [which is ‘eve’ of Abib 14th (eve of the Passover day).]

[This verse unambiguously tells that the Lord’s Last Supper (which is narrated from 13:2 on)
cannot be the Passover memorial meal as such. That was to be taken in 2 days on Abib 14th
/Nisan 15th evening (= the precursor of Seder ritual of the Judaism) by Yehudim, when
Yeshua died as the Passover lamb on the Cross. Note also that the nature of meal is
incompatible with the Passover memorial meal - the text does use of the word artos (common
bread), not azuma (unleavened bread), in the Synoptic accounts of the Last Supper. In
addition, the absence of lamb to be eaten on the table is significant as Yeshua Himself was our
Passover lamb. It is the reason why Yeshua could not have died other than on Passover day.];
/the Festival of the Passover – NRSV; /> the feast of the Passover – KJV; /the
Feast of the Passover – NKJV;
[Note: The use of ‘wafer’ of unleavened bread used in Eucharist for church liturgy as practiced
in Christian religions is a result from conflation of the Last Supper with eating unleavened
bread (for the Festival of the Matzah).]

Jn 19:42 ‘sabbath-preparation day’ = eve of sabbath

since it was the sabbath-preparation day of the Yehudim (/x: ‘Judeans’, />> ‘Jews’) ░ \
ἐκεῖ οὖν διὰ τὴν παρασκευὴν τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων; [The time is late evening of Abib 14; (not
late afternoon, since it was already evening for them to have approached Pilatos - Mt
27:57; //Mk 15:42). The High Sabbath (Jn 19:31) of next day Abib 15th was to come at
sunrise.]

[The word ‘preparation (day)’ is usually (day of) preparation for sabbath, that is, day 6 of the
lunar week. The Passover day (Abib 14) is the preparation day for the (High) sabbath of
Abib 15. Cf. ‘Eve’ of the Passover – Jn 19:14]

Jn 20:19 ‘evening on that first day of the week’

Jn 20:19 evening that first day of the lunar week ░ /ousēs (oun) opsias tē hēmera
ekeinē tē mia [tōn] sabbatōn; evening of Abib 16
*Significance of Jn 19:14 ‘*sixth hour’
[See a zip file on this topic, which is included in IRENT Vol. III - Supplement (Collections #6B
- Trial - Time & Duration).]

Jn 19:14 ēn de paraskeuē tou pascha, hōra ēn ōs hektē

"it was <eve> of the Passover [day]"

Here, ‘eve of Passover day’ was Abib 13 the day of Pilatos' sentencing. It was in the
midday. Notice that it was the day before the Crucifixion (on Passover day Abib 14),
not the same day.

When it is usually translated as ‘the preparation of the passover’ (KJV), this is then un-
derstood by most as ‘the preparation of the Passover Festival’, that is, ‘the of the Passover
Festival’. Such a misreading completely covers up significance of this important time-
marker in the Passion Week narrative which should resolve the timeline conflict in be-
tween G-John and the Synoptic Gospels (Mt 27:45; //Mk 15:33; //Lk 23:44). It became
dependent on the Friday crucifixion scenario with Sanhedrin trial and Pilatos’ sentencing
on the same day, basically keeping the biblical texts contradictory.

Jn 19:14 hōra ēn hōs hektē

'it was about sixth hour'

The expression ‘sixth hour’a in Jn 19:14 of Pilatos' sentencing is one of a few crucial
timeline markers for the Passion Week timeline. 'Midday', not early in the morning [as in
corrupt Gk. text mss. {xxx /mss ‘third hour’].

This verse in G-Jn should be read in harmony with the timeline marker (‘time indicator’) in Mk
15:25 of the Crucifixion beginning about 3rd hour (≈ 8 to 9 a.m.).

[Cf. Mt 27:19 ‘Pilatos' wife’s dream of 'last-night' cannot be said to have been brought to him in the
wee hours of 'the sentencing = the crucifixion day' of one-day Passion chronology scenario.]

As long as these two timeline-markers are interpreted to belong to same day as on His crucifixion,
the Synoptic timeline markers would be contradictory to the Johannine timeline marker of Pilatos'
sentencing at sixth hour

In other words, with an internal timeline marker of ‘sixth hour’ (≈ noon) in Jn 19:14, the Pilatos'
trial cannot be placed on the same day of the crucifixion (Abib/Nisan 14). b It has to be located on
the day before, that is, on Abib 13.

Along this line, the text of Jn 19:14 should read as ‘it was eve of the Passover day, not as
‘preparation (= eve) of sabbath of the Passover Festival, as the text plainly brings us to the correct
understanding of the timeline here.

a
= an hour period before midday on a sundial. Daylight length varies btw 10 to 14 hours in
Jerusalem CE 30.
b
Hoehner p. 89, describes someone’s proposal for co-existence two different calendars (with a
day difference) of the Galilean method for Synoptic reckoning used by Jesus, His disciples, and
Pharisees’ (with biblical reckoning of a day sunrise-to-sunrise) in contrast to the ‘Judean method
for G-John’s reckoning used by Sadducees’), thus the two were keeping two Passovers, each a
day apart, in the same place Jerusalem!!]
[Note: The Festival of the Passover = the Festival of the Matzah (Unleavened Bread). Not to be
confused with the terminology used in the rabbinic Jewish calendar: Erev Pesach (the day before
'Passover' in Jewish calendar) is on Nisan 14. Nisan 15 is Pesach I, First day of Passover Festival (= 7
to 8-day Festival of the Matzah).]

Several conflicting and contradictory interpretations have appeared. a In order to resolve

apparent contradiction between the Johannine and the Synoptics, a commonly devised
interpretation takes this as 6 a.m. b along with the Friday crucifixion scenario. They see it by
counting hours from midnight (as is the case in the Gregorian calendar we use). However, all
the time-makers in G-Jn for counting the hour-period in the day time-period is from the
sunrise – no calendar at that time reckons a day to start from mid-night, both in the early
Julian Roman as well as Jewish convention.

The events of Yeshua vs. Sanhedrin (Lk 22:66) and Yeshua vs. Pilatos, then, belong to the
period from morning to midday of Abib/Nisan 13, the day before the Crucifixion. This
makes the Last Supper to be located on the previous day - Abib 12 evening [which
confusingly corresponds to Jewish Nisan 13 evening]. Yeshua’s Arrest around midnight was
followed by Yehudim authority vs. Yeshua + Peter’s denial through the night (cock-crow
watch) to the early morning.

[Humphreys (2011), The Mystery of the Last Supper (download) [Ch. 12 From the last supper to the
crucifixion p. 169ff], has one observation correctly – that is, the Last Supper cannot be the night
before the Crucifixion, but a day earlier. That way, he allocates to the Trial a little more than one
day’s span (from midnight arrest till the morning Crucifixion) – that is, from Wednesday Last Supper
→ Thursday Trial → Friday Crucifixion (p.172) in the scheme of the traditional Friday Crucifixion
scenario.

This may be compared with the Biblical crucifixion scenario presented here in Passion Week
Chronology study in which the timeline is:

→ Abib 12 Last Supper

→ Abib 13 Trial
→ Abib 14 Crucifixion
→ Abib 15 High Sabbath (Jn 19:31)
→ Abib 16 Resurrection (in the dawn). c

If we were to follow any scenario having the Last Supper the day before the Crucifixion, these seven
events from <His Arrest> to <Trial with Pilatos> are cramped in a period of about 6 hours during
night, while a whole daytime before the Last Supper has nothing allocated other than the ‘preparing an
upper room’! Whether in the Friday scenario (e.g. Hoehner, Chronological Aspects p. 92, and in the
Thursday scenario (e.g. Boice, Gospel of John pp. 929-32.)

The fact is that it is simply impossible to compress these events and activities within such a limited
time-period, expecting a large number of people bearing a schedule which is physically demanding
a
Cf. the Lord’s Last Supper (a farewell meal of fellowship) which took place before Passover day
(Jn 13:1; 18:28).
b
Someone proposes in his ignorance that John must be using the counting hours from midnight
here after Roman reckoning, seeing that on the use of litra by John (as a unit of weight measure in
Jn 12:3 and Jn 19:39). However, in early Julian calendar, though reckoning a day from midnight
became fixed later, the counting hours is from sunrise for daytime period and sunset for night
period. It is same way in Jewish reckoning. [This contrasts Gregorian calendar: a 12-hour period
from midnight to noon and another 12-hour period from noon to midnight.]
c
With a biblical Wednesday crucifixion scenario:
Mon Last Supper → Tue Trial → Wed Crucifixion → Fri Resurrection (in the dawn)
With a non-biblical Wednesday crucifixion scenario:
Mon Last Supper → Tue Trial → Wed Crucifixion → Sat Resurrection (afternoon).
With a biblical Thursday crucifixion scenario:
Tue Last Supper → Wed Trial → Thu Crucifixion → Sun Resurrection.]
impossibility. (Torrey, Difficulties p. 158).

Once we give up the traditional interpretation of 6th hour-period (during Pilatos' trial before
sentencing) as 6 a.m., but read it just as it says (something similar to the Roman time of 12 o’clock a),
then the narrative can be read smoothly and unencumbered with presupposition, we can get out of our
exegetical dilemma – with confusion, controversy, contradiction, conflicts and contention from
conjectures and circular logic, with claims and counter-claims.

The one thing we cannot allow is to end up with having Pilatos' sentencing on in the middle of the
Crucifixion on the same day (Abib 14). When we have Pilatos' trial-and-sentencing completed the day
before the crucifixion, it allows enough time in Abib 13 morning allocated for Sanhedrin activity with
only brief accounts taken place during night time after His arrest at the same time for Peter’s denials
with formal and final Sanhedrin decision early in the morning before bringing to Pilatos.

Copied from EE Jn 19:14 it was about sixth hour {/mss} ░

[ noon Abib 13] [Gk. ‘sixth hour’ (so renders KJV) usually rendered as ‘noon’.]

[This cannot possibly be on Abib 14, the very day of His crucifixion as most commentaries
take it – rendering the Scriptural witness contradictory to each other when read timeline
markers shown on the Crucifixion day the Synoptic accounts.] [… different interpretations
in support of various Crucifixion-Resurrection dates scenarios – twelve o’clock midnight (of
Nisan 13); 6 a.m. (of Nisan 14); 6 p.m.; or taking v.l. of ‘third hour-period’, etc.)
1 /the sixth hour – LITV, MKJV; /the sixth hour – LITV, Murdock, NIV, BBE, ESV (w/
fn. 'noon'), KJV++; /As to the hour, it was about the sixth - Wuest;
2(noon – correct one, but none makes clear that it cannot be on Abib/Nisan 14, the same day
of the crucifixion): /noon – NET, JNT, CEV, GNB, ERV, AMP mg, NLT, ISV, NIrV, NRSV,
TNIV, TCNT, GSNT, MSG; /the sixth hour (twelve o'clock noon) – AMP; /midday – Cass,
SourceNT; /it was now getting on towards midday – PNT; /
3(x: 6 a.m.by a mistaken Roman reckoning): /six in the morning –, HCSB, /six o'clock in
the morning – WNT, GW; /six o’clock in the morning [Note: This was according to
Roman time, but if Jewish time were meant, it would have been 12 noon] - AUV; /
4 (/x: midnight – counting hours of night-time period from sunset. That Sanhedrin convened
in the morning as plainly stated in Lk 22:66 and the setting of the Pilatos' trial as narrated in
the Gospels, esp. in G-Jn, do not allow this to be occurring during night-time): /about sixth
hour [midnight]– ARJ;

[Note: {/mss} {/ρίτη} (third hour}; (spurious mss variant – impossible without contradicting Mk
15:34) – /third hour - CLV, Wesley. (If taken as 9 a.m., it does not solve the dilemma.
Another alternative would be suggested is 9 p.m.!);

[A wrong claim found in Companion Bible fn.

(Bullinger – www.companionbiblecondensed.com/NT/John..pdf “The hours in all the
Gospels are according to Hebrew reckoning: i.e. from sunset to sunset.)]

[Ref. Robertson, A Harmony of the Gospels (1922), pp. 284-7 <12. Hour of the Crucifixion>
in Notes on Special Notes.
www.gutenberg.org/files/36264/36264-h/36264-h.htm in Text format.]
https://ia801006.us.archive.org/1/items/harmonyofgospels00robeuoft/harmonyofgospels00robeuoft.pdf
(scanned image)
www.gospelharmony.vear.info/GospelHarmony.pdf

[This text of Jn 19:14 is very crucial in telling that the trial had to be on the day before the
crucifixion and it is impossible to be on the same day of the crucifixion in the wee hours of
the day, unless one thinks the Scripture may be contradicting itself. That also means the Last
Supper be further up in Monday evening of Abib 12 (= Nisan 13 evening). This way, it
a
It is of midday. The entire Passion narrative does not allow to entertain 12 a.m. (midnight).
allows to reconstruct the timeline of the Passion Week prior to the crucifixion without need
of juggling to bring sense out of nonsense. See two attached files on this subject.]

[On the expression ‘sixth hour’ = an hour-period before noon.a An ‘hour-period’ = a

period on a sundial with 12 hour-periods in a day (light time). /the sixth hour – KJV, and
many; /noon – some; /xxx: 6 a.m.]

Perplexed by apparent contradiction to Mk 15:25 which tells specifically the crucifixion

began at third hour-period (≈ 8 to 9 a.m.), several explanations have been proposed:

Rodney Whitacre (1999), John – IVP NT Commentary Series, p. 455

The sixth hour would be noon, which seems to conflict with Mark’s statement that
Jesus was crucified at the third hour, that is, 9 a.m. (Mk 15:25).
/x: Again there is a division of opinion, with some take the two accounts simply
contradict one another (Robinson 1985:268).
/x: Perhaps due to a corruption in the text (Alford 1980: 837-98; Barrett 1978:545)
or
/x: because both John and Mark cite an hour that has symbolic significance for them
(Barrett 1978; 545. Brown 1994; 1:847).
/x: Others think the imprecision of telling time in the ancient world accounts for the
discrepancy (Augustine In John 117.1; Morris 1971:800-801).

All four Gospels, however, add that Yeshua was brought after Sanhedrin session to Pilatos
early in the morning (Mk 15:1 //Mt 27:1; //Lk 22:66 + 23:1; //Jn 18:28) (not afternoon or
evening), telling that the trial scene cannot be placed even in the period of fourth watch of the
night before morning.

Dankenbring, 'What do you mean 'about the sixth hour?

William F. Dankenbring (http://triumphpro.info/ ) succinctly and convincingly shows in John
19:14 — What Do You Mean “About the Sixth Hour”?

http://triumphpro.com/john-19-sixth-hour.htm
1. No one can logically compress all the events of that previous night and morning – the
appearance of Christ before Annas, and Caiaphas, and in the morning the full Sanhedrin,
and then Pilatos the first time, and then Herod, and then Pilatos once again, the second
time – all of these before 6 A.M. in the MORNING! That is an utter rubbish and
preposterous nonsense!
2. According to G-Mark, “And it was the THIRD HOUR [9:00 AM], and they crucified him”
(Mark 15:25). It should be obvious that the "third hour" comes before the "sixth hour."

Since Yeshua was already nailed to the stake at the third hour, or 9:00 AM in the morning
according to G-Mk, it is obvious that He could not appear before Pilatos at the sixth hour --three
hours later – on the very same day! IMPOSSIBLE!

Judging from the crucifixion account itself, we see that the "sixth hour" clearly refers to NOON-
TIME! [It is also not possible to see the trial to have occurred night time, from evening to
midnight – ARJ] Since Christ was on the cross at the "sixth hour" on the day of His crucifixion,
therefore the "sixth hour" which He made His final appearance before Pilatos had of necessity to
be on the PREVIOUS DAY! Since He was crucified on Nisan 14, the very day the Jews were
killing their Passover lambs, and died at the very time in the afternoon when the lambs for
Passover were being killed slain, then the “sixth hour” when He appeared before Pilatos for final

a
[Cf. A single example of the night-period divided by 12 hour-periods in Roman
reckoning is in Act 23:23 (‘third hour of the night’).]
sentencing had to be the "sixth hour" of Abib 13 [= Nisan 13] – the previous day! This means
that the "Last Supper," or final meal Jesus had with His disciples, also had to be on the previous
evening.

Time in G-Jn is always by Jewish reckoning [of time], not a [modern] Roman one. [Jn 1:29, 35,
38-39; 4:3-7, 49-53. See also Mt 20:1-7.] The sixth hour was not by (modern) Roman reckoning
of a day to start at midnight. [Early Julian calendar was same as Jewish in counting hours from
sunrise to sunset which was of Greek origin. This is not to be confused with reckoning a day to
start for a calendar day.]

… The "SIXTH HOUR" when Jesus was condemned by Pontius Pilatos to be crucified, had to be
about NOON-TIME on NISAN 13, the day before the crucifixion occurred! It could not have
been NOON-TIME on Nisan 14, because Jesus was hanging on the cross from 9:00 AM until
3:00 PM on that day! Therefore, it had to be the previous day, NOON-TIME on Nisan 13!!!

… The expression "SIXTH HOUR" clearly refers to HIGH NOON! Jesus appeared before Pon-
tius Pilatos for His final sentencing about 12:00 NOON -- in the middle of the day! Therefore,
the "Last Lord's Supper" had to be the PREVIOUS DAY (day before the Trial) -- at the END
[evening] of Nisan 12 and [before] BEGINNING of Nisan 13 -- not the beginning of Nisan 14,
when He had been judged and sentenced by Pilatos, and was in the dungeon, awaiting His cruci -
fixion early the next morning! [Here, ‘beginning’ a date means ‘beginning at sunset’ as he was
following Jewish reckoning]

… in the very Mishnah that two days were required in all capital cases where a man was deter-
mined to be "guilty", for him to be sentenced. Therefore, since the Sanhedrin found Jesus guilty
early in the morning, soon after sunrise (see Mt 27:1-2, Lk 22:66), they would not have been
able to execute Him until the FOLLOWING DAY!

Therefore, if Jesus Christ was brought before the Sanhedrin on Nisan 14th, by Jewish law itself,
His crucifixion could not have occurred until Nisan 15th – the next day. But this is impossible,
since the Scripture tell us He was put to death BEFORE the high holy day – the 15th of Nisan –
arrived (see Jn 18:28; 19:14, 31). Jewish law would have required that they at least hold Him
over to the next day, following their determination of His guilt, before they could carry out the
sentence. But, since He was plainly condemned on a preparation day BEFORE the high holy
day, this requires that His final appearance before the Sanhedrin be the PREVIOUS DAY – on
Nisan 13th – and that He was condemned by Pilatos on Nisan 13th – and executed the next day,
on Nisan 14th!
Various explanations of Jn 19:14 sixth hour:
https://bible.org/article/time-jesus-death-and-inerrancy-harmonization-plausible

Events Time Indicator Passages that Support

Mt 26:74-75; Mk 14:72;
Peter’s denials the rooster-crowing
Lk 22:60-61; Jn 18:27
Sanhedrin to prōi (early in the morning) Mt 27:1; Mk 15:1; Lk 22:66;
Pilatos v. Yeshua – I Jn 18:28-29
Pilatos v. Yeshua – II
in the sixth hour Jn 19:14
sentencing

With the Sentencing toward noon (G-Jn)

Crucifixion from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (G-Mk, MK)
cannot be logically on the same Abib date;
cannot be on the same Date on Nisan and Gregorian day
unless one concludes that the texts are corrupt or inaccurate.
Crucified third hour Mk 15:25
Darkness falling sixth to ninth hour Mt 27:45; Mk 15:33;
over the land Lk 23:44 [hōsei about]
Death ninth hour M 27:46-50 [peri about]
Mk 15:34-37
Absurd claims that Roman time-reckoning was used by G-Jn:

G-Jn John does not use so-called civil Roman time-reckoning of a day from midnight
to midnight: Like all other timeline markers in G-Jn, in the case of Yeshua’s healing
episode at Jn 4:52 ‘in seventh hour’, the setting in the narrative does not allow other
than the time around noon to 1 p.m. – not 7 a.m. It needs to be read together with the
beginning v. 51 of this segment to clearly follow the narrative. Regardless when a day
is reckoned to start, Jewish or Roman (of early Julian calendar) counting hours always
start from sunrise, unlike our modern convention of counting from middle of night or
day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_timekeeping#Beginning_of_the_Roman_day

It is amazing to see how far people [e.g. Jack Finegan – books on Biblical chronology]
can be carried away with their preconceived idea: Someone finds this verse Jn 4:52 as
a proof to claim that John was using a (civil) Roman reckoning method where the ex-
pression ‘seventh hour’ uttered by a Roman centurion’s servant. Completely ignored
are other instances of timeline markers in the same G-Jn.

Here is a short quote from a web page still adhering the wrong idea – “Another thing
that makes sense in light of all this, is that in John it is mentioned the "Seventh hour"
(Jn 4:52). Unless it's mistaken, there was no "seventh hour" in New Testament Jewish
time of day, but indeed there is in Roman time of day!”
www.workmenforchrist.org/Bible/BC_Jesus_Nets.html <When was Jesus crucified?
(Mark 15:25 and John 19:14) - Explained!>

Summary on ‘sixth hour, eve of the Passover [Memorial Day]’:

[See files on the subject in IRENT Vol. III - Supplement (Collections #6B - Trial - Time &
Duration)]

The time of Pilatos was giving out sentencing, ‘sixth hour’ of Jn 19:14, could not be
logically possible to be on the day of the Crucifixion Abib 14th, since G-Mk tells Yeshua
was already on the cross from around 9 a.m. to give much confusion for the Friday
proponents. The solution for this would not be found unless one comes to grasp the correct
internal timetable in the Passion narratives; it is only possible with the biblical calendar
used in the Bible.

In order to resolve the apparent conflict (Synoptic vs. Johannine data), many opted to read
as ‘sixth hour’ = ‘6 a.m.’ – by falling back on the assumption that John was using an al -
leged Roman reckoning only for this particular place.
However, (1) by doing so they are simply ignoring all other instances of time-maker, such
as Jn 1:39; 4:6; 4:52. Nowhere G-John shows any example of such a practice. Moreover,
(2) such a method of counting hours from midnight is only in our late-Julian-Gregorian cal-
endar. In the early Julian calendar, which was at the time of the N.T., counting was from
sunrise and sunset – both Roman as well as Jewish reckoning! To their chagrin, they hope-
lessly leave the Synoptic-Johannine contradiction unresolved, taking one of them in error in
the Bible!

The sentencing around midday (not same as 12 noon) a by Pilatos cannot be other than on the
eve of the Passover, that is, Abib 13, the day before the crucifixion. That means, the Last
Supper is logically required to be a day earlier (= Abib 12 evening b; Day 4 of the week). His
arrest and confrontation to Yehudim of the ruling authority were through the night to be
followed by His trial by Pilatos.

Grasping clearly this way, it is seen that, after sentencing around the midday, Yeshua spent
the remainder of day and through the night in their custody before they finally set Him out
on the road to Golgotha morning of next day (Abib 14). There the crucifixion itself was to
begin about 3rd hour (≈ around 9 a.m.) with darkness to cover the land from sixth hour on –
Mk 15:25.
Though no obvious break in narrative timeline in the Bible text, but we have to be cautious
with the text – we know any verse, paragraph, and chapter break in the text with apparent
uninterrupted progression of events is not integral to the Greek text itself.

Year of the Crucifixion: Chronology of the Crucifixion

Ref. Paul Maier, "Sejanus, Pilate, And the Date of the Crucifixion", Church History, Vol.
37. No. 1 (Mar., 1968), pp. 3-13 [a copy in the collection]

Relevant chronological time makers in summary:

1. Birth of Yeshua – 3 BC Mar. (early Abib) as a Passover lamb.

2. Magi visit – 2 BC Dec. Hanukkah season
3.Year of death of Herod the Great – 1BC. [Filmer and Steinmann; not 4 BC as pro-
posed by Emil Schürer], preceded by a (partial) lunar eclipse and following the
Passover [Josephus]
4.Yohanan the immerser – ministry Lk 3:1-2
5. Yeshua's ministry – duration of 2 ½ years, beginning at age 30 (Lk 3:23)
6. His arrest & the Last Supper – Abib 12 [not the Passover meal]
7. Pilatos' sentencing on Him – Abib 13 [midday] – (Jn 19:14) the day before the cru-
cifixion, not on the day.
6. Crucifixion – Abib 14, 30 CE. (33-year old) Passover day = eve of the Passover
Festival (as Passover lambs were killed)

a
It is not feasible to see it as 12 at mid-night as some tried to entertain without specifying which
date. The biblical scene of trial as narrated by G-John cannot be something possible during
evening to night.
b
The same time-period of Abib 12 would be Nisan 13 evening, In Jewish reckoning, the
beginning of their day.
How to determine a new year and a new month:
[For full treatment on this subject, see the entry <Determining a New Year and a new
month for the Biblical luni-solar calendar> in IRENT Vol III Supplement :<Walk
Through the Scripture 5 – Time, Calendar and Chronology>]
1. To find the Julian calendar date of the Crucifixion in CE 30, which was the
Passover day Abib 14, we have to know how to determine the New Yea day and a
New-Moon Day.

2. We need to have accurate astronomical data needed:

• Vernal equinox date and time
• Dark moon date and time – conjunctions before and after equinox
• Sunrise time

3. Use the correct method to determine the New-Moon Day of a month, that is
'dawn after conjunction' method, not 'first visible crescent' method.

Friday scenario after Paul Finch: Apr 7 Fri CE 30 [instead of CE 33]

Ref. Paul Finch, The Passover Papers (2009, 2nd ed.) Ch. 8. The Chronology of Passion
Week, p. 94.
[His scenario explains away the ‘three days and three nights’, on the basis of id-
iomatic reckoning a portion of day as ‘one’ day, that is, taking is simply ‘three days’
(in Gregorian days of the week) and still stuck with un-biblical idea on the phrase 'in
the earth' taking it same as 'underground, buried'. The fact is, Yeshua was not buried,
but entombed in a memorial-tomb (a cave tomb).

Ch. 8: Chronology of Passion Week., pp. 93-118

Ch. 9: The day of the Week of the Crucifixion (a section “The calendar and the year of
crucifixion” pp. 149-151)]
Ch. 11: Did Jesus spend a night in jail? pp. 171-178 [Here, unfortunately the author
maintained the traditional treatment of the issue as a Friday Crucifixion scenario and
did not give carefully examining this issue for its merit and validity. He let (a) Mk
15:25 'third hour for crucifixion' and (b) Jn 19:14 'sixth hour for Pilatos'
sentencing contradictory, taking mss. variant of the latter to read as 6 a.m. ]

Note: He complies with the Hebrew calendar using the term Nisan with sunset-to-
sunset day – contrary to the Biblical Lunar calendar with sunrise-to-sunrise day and
month of Abib.

Despite having accurate astronomical data on the conjunction in CE 30 - Wed. Mar-

22, 8 p.m. (Jerusalem), he has Apr-7 Friday as Nisan 14 – simply claiming that it was
by the Jewish calendar’ – and failed to give how the New-Moon Day was determined.
However, in that year, though Apr 7 was Friday, but it was not Nisan 14. That year,
Nisan 14 is not Friday, nor Thursday, but Wednesday. [This may be in CE 33, in
which they find the Crucifixion to be on Friday.] For the treatment of the timeline in
the first part of the Passion Week traditional not different from other scenarios.

The flow of the events is basically same as in Hoehner’s modified Friday scenario
which removed the so-called Silent Wednesday in the traditional Friday scenario --
except that Finch places the segments <Arriving> and <Anointing> put together on to
 Sunday after removing the separate segment <Crowd came in> of Hoehner.

To reconstruct Chronology of Passion Week., (Ch. 8, pp. 93-118), he counts back

from the day of the crucifixion, not from the Passover (Jn 12:1), to locate the day of
Arrival at Bethany on Nisan 9 (Sun), sixth day before Nisan 14 (Friday).

He lists
<Sun. Nisan 9 (Sixth day before Nisan 14);
<Mon. Nisan 10 (Fifth day before Nisan 14);
<Tue. Nisan 11 (Fourth day before Nisan 14);
<Wed. Nisan 12 (Third day before Nisan 14);
<Thu. Nisan 13 (Second day before Nisan 14>. Nisan 13 is second day before 14”!?
why not 1st day before??
<Fri. Nisan 14 (Crucifixion and Burial). Is this then 1st day after Nisan 14???

How can 13 be second day after 14? – is it due to his arithmetical confusion on
counting (inclusive vs. exclusive)? Was he confused of which date (Nisan 14 vs. 15)
to begin counting?

Cf. www.biblestudents.co.za/docs/html/Days%20of%20Crucifixion%20and%20Resurrection
%20Finch.htm
[babbling against what Finch wrote. A copy in the collection “Days of Crucifixion and
Resurrection after Finch”.]

The Temple veil rending and 30 CE

Mt 27:51a {//Mk 15:38; //Lk 23:45b} [Cf. Heb 10:20]

░ [30 CE. www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/48/48-2/48-2-pp301-316_JETS.pdf Robert
Plummer, “Something Awry in The Temple? The Rending of the Temple Veil and Early
Jewish Sources That Report Unusual Phenomena in the Temple Around AD 30” JETS 48/2
(June 2005) 301–16] [Copy included in <IRENT Vol. III Supplement (Collection #6A).]
 9. Appendix

'Three Days and Three Nights' – Sense and nonsense

'Three days and three nights’ (Mt 12:40); ‘Jonah’s sign’

The well-known Matthean unique phrase ‘the son-of-man will be for three days and three
nights in the heart of the earth’ (Mt 12:40-41) is in the Synoptic pericope of so-called 'Sign of
Jonah' 's sign, i.e., the life of Jonah as a sign, not a sign Jonah gave.

This was set early in the Yeshua's ministry of a three-year period. It has nothing to do with the
Passion narrative. The text in the Gospels was long before the Passion week; it has no notion
of Passover, suffering, death, crucifixion, burial, or resurrection.

The phrase 'three days and three nights' in the Jonah's life represents a period of preparation of
his preaching to the people of Nineveh. Jonah was '3D and 3N' in the belly of a whale; he was
not there died! It is not 'three nights and three days', nor simply 'three days', but '3 full day-
periods and 3 full night-periods'.

'The heart of the earth' is not a figure of speech for a grave for the dead. After death the body
of Yeshua was placed in a tomb to be 'entombed', not 'buried in a grave'! The crux of
interpretation is to grasp the expression 'the heart of the earth' as a Hebrew idiom with
Jerusalem which is the heart of the earth for Israelites. This has completely escaped attention
of many who have work on interpretation of the text. [Here, earth = land]

There is no way that the expression 'the son-of-man will be in the heart of the earth' can ever
mean 'he will remain buried in the grave'! The expression 'three days and three nights' has
nothing to do with how long he would remain dead and buried! [That v. 40 is about ‘the
second public announcement of His Resurrection three days after His death’ with the first one
in Jn 2:19 (in /Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)a is simply out of ignonance.]

Thus, the saying of Yeshua in the text cannot be understood as something to do with His
Passion narrative. It is not as a period of how long his remaining dead in a grave, nor how
long his putting Himself there through His suffering in the hands of the authorities of the
Sanhedrin and the Roman power for three full days (Abib 13, 14 & 15) in the Passion week.
It can be taken only as something to do with His ministry of a three-year period [Cf. 'a day for
a year' (Num 14:34)] Thematically it is parallel to Jn 2:19 in the pericope of <Temple
Incident> which occurs at the beginning of His ministry, not within the Passion Week!

However, for some who see the text in the setting of the Passion week, it has given an
incentive to find an alternative to Friday as the traditional day for crucifixion. The have come
up with Wednesday instead; they have not shown any chronological basis for it. In addition,
their misunderstanding of the text has made for them to fix the time of resurrection in the late
afternoon as they were forced to find a particular time frame to be precisely full 72 hours
after his death to account for '3D & 3N', conflating with the expression ‘be raised on the third
day’ (e.g., Mt 16:21) – like a nail into the hand with a hammer [i.e., eisegesis]. This is simply
contrary to the what is told straightforward in all four Gospels that his resurrection was at
dawn. They would have no answer to this question: where Jesus was after 'resurrection' until
the disciples visited the empty tomb on the early morning of Abib 16.

a
download the file - www.ccel.org/ccel/j/jamieson/jfb/cache/jfb.pdf
Thus, the Matthean text served as an invitation call for people to challenge the traditional Fri -
day crucifixion scenario and come up with a corrective to search for the correct date (year,
month, day and day of the week) of the Crucifixion as well as the Resurrection. However, the
Wednesday crucifixion scenario they offer is aberrant by putting together with Saturday after-
noon resurrection. Their ingenuity is in quite contrast to the biblical Wednesday crucifixion
scenario with Friday dawn resurrection. Sabbath day in the Bible for them is Saturday and
1st day of their week is Sunday, without realizing that the Bible does not have such a
word of our modern term ‘Sunday’, but simply says 'first day of the week' (that is, of
the lunar week).

In his wrong interpretation with eisegesis and proof-texting of the Matthean phrase ‘three days
and three nights’ (Mt 12:40), Fred Coulter even claims that full three days are required for
one’s being legally dead. Hence, Jesus was being dead more than 72 hours from the death as in
Mk 15:25 to the time the later afternoon (or early evening) as the resurrection time which he
had to come up to meet this requirement. www.cbcg.org/booklets/the-day-jesus-the-christ-
died.html
Quoting from him:
“Jesus' statement that He would rise three days after He had died is acutely significant.
According to Jewish law to be declared legally dead, a person had to be dead for three full
days or more. Therefore, if Jesus had risen from the dead before 3 PM on the afternoon of
Nisan 17, a weekly Sabbath. He would not have been considered legally dead. As a result,
His return to life would not have been considered a true resurrection from the dead.
If He had been crucified on a Friday and restored to life on Sunday morning at sunrise. His
death would not have been "valid'' since only two nights and one day would have passed
between Friday sunset and Sunday morning. In order for His death to be publicly recognized
and acknowledged, it was necessary for Jesus to remain [a hellarious statement!] in the tomb
grave [what the heck is tomb grave? Tomb? Grave? A grave in tomb yard?] for three nights
and three days before He was raised from the dead.”

www.yhrim.com/Teaching_Documents/The_Third_Day_-
_After_Three_Days___Sign_of_Yonah_~_2-5996_-_may_2014.pdf ] [Note: His 'Abib' is actually
'Nisan' with sunset to sunset, not with sunrise to sunrise. http://ow.ly/xSgg30g9Ov4
https://is.gd/Y8lnr2 ]

www.thecreatorscalendar.com/three-days-three-nights/

A typical presentation of '3D and 3N' scheme [p. 620. Good New of Messiah (2022)]
 Here is a math juggling to cover the time period to fit "3D and 3N" put into the Passion week
in different Crucifixion scenarios:
 taking from death to the morning of resurrection day: [e.g. Fri afternoon to Sun morning]
Day 1, partial, + Night 1 + Day 2 + Night 2
= 1 ½ D + 2 N.
 taking from death to the morning of resurrection day: [e.g. Thu afternoon to Sun morn-
ing]
Day 1, partial, + Night 1 + Day 2 + Night 2 + D 3 + N 3
= 2 ½ D + 3 N.
With poor understand of when and how long it takes for '*burial':
 taking from the burial: [e.g., Wed afternoon to Friday dawn scenario]
Night 1 + Day 1 + Night 2 = 2 N + 1 D
 taking from the burial: [e.g., Wed afternoon to Sat afternoon scenario]
Night 1 + Day 1 + Night 2 + Day 2 + Night 3 + Day 3
= 3 N + 3 D (not 3 D and 3 N) [72 hours!]
Note that the traditional Friday crucifixion scenario provides same periods of two night-
periods and one day-period (2N + 1D Friday evening to Sunday dawn).
Note: the time period from his death in mid afternoon to the dawn of resurrection day: about
40 hours.
Note: the expression 'resurrection day' is employed here, rather than 'resurrection' itself (of
rising from the dead and coming out of tomb) which is not described in the Gospels; only
about 'the tomb found empty' is in the Passion week narrative.

Here with “Friday, Saturday, and Sunday” we have a linguistic and arithmetic confusion and
interpretative metamorphosis involving several expressions, “three days and three nights” →
“three days and nights” → “three days”.
Cf. He was not buried. It was not a burial. He was entombed – placing the body in a tomb,
washing the body and wrapping with shroud with a separate covering of the head – i.e., two
pieces (Jn 20:7), not like a single piece of the medieval artifact of the so-call Shroud of
Turin which is kept in the Roman Catholic cathedral in Turin, northern Italy since 16th c.
CE.

The text of Mt 12:40

Mt 12:40
Indeed, just as ☼Yonah was for three days and three nights
in the belly of the whale; {☼Jon 1:17}
 so shall the son-of-man be
☼
in the heart of the earth {☼Ezk 38:12; 5:5}
for three days and three nights.

Mt 12:40 in the very heart of the earth ░ \en tē kardia tē gēs

1 (heart): /at the very heart of the Land – ARJ; /[putting himself] in the very heart of the
Land [— yes, here in Yerusalem] – ARJ; /in the heart of the earth – most, PNT, Wuest; /in
corde terrae – Vulg;;
2 (xxxx: depths): /x: in the bowels of the earth – Cass; /x: in the depths of the earth – JNT,
ALT mg, GNB; /xx: deep in the earth – CEV, SourceNT; /in the depths of the earth – GNB;/x:
[fig. depths] – ALT; /in the heart of the ground – Delitzsch; /
3 (xxxx: grave, tomb): /(Something like that will happen to the Son of Man. He will spend
three days and three nights) in the grave – NIrV; /xx: (will be gone three days and nights) in
a deep grave. – MSG; /xx: in the heart of the earth [i.e., the cave-tomb] - AMP; / 地の中に
– JSS /xxx: 땅 속에 – KRV; /x: 땅의 한가운데 – AJR; /> 땅의 중심부에 – KKJV;
in the heart of the earth (the earth metonymic for 'land' as in 'the land of Israel') is a Hebrew
idiom for the city Jerusalem — the “center (navel) of the world”. There is nothing sort of
'being in the ground’ or 'being buried in a grave’.] 'Heart' – here, not metonymic for human
heart/mind

[Ezk 38:12; Judg 9:37 tabbur ha'ares – center of the land (the navel of the earth) – a Hebrew
expression used for Jerusalem (? Israel) itself.] [H2872 tabbur (2x)] [H776 erets (2503x)]
Cf. https://youtu.be/R4cAKMuRSeA <wlc.com>
Timeline of the Passover

In Biblical Chronology

Abib 13 Abib 14 Abib 15 16

Eve of Passover day Passover Day [High] Sabbath Firstfruits

[e.g., Jn 19:14
at 6th hour for Pilatos' "Preparation" 7-day Festival of Passover →
sentencing] of Sabbath & Festival
(not eve of
Passover Festival]

'high sabbath' – Jn 19:31 the weekly sabbath which falls on the first day of the 7-day long festivals.
Not an annual sabbatha

PASSOVER CALENDAR IN THE FIRST CENTURY AD, NISAN 13–16

CHRONOLOGY OF THE CRUCIFIXION by André Reis
www.academia.edu/39331184/_The_Chronology_of_the_Crucifixion_An_Updated_Adventist_View_

Nisan 13 Nisan 14 Nisan 15 Nisan 16

Erev Pesach = 'eve of Passover' Passover-Matzah Feast of Firstfruits

Leaven re- Preparation Eve of Passover 1st day of Firstfruits

moved at continues Passover be- lamb eaten Passover offered at
night for gins the Temple
Passover 7-day Exo 12:16
Passover
(Matzah)
festival be-
gins

sabbatical rest Nisan 13

This is following the rabbinic Jewish calendar; not as in the Bible.

a
the single annual sabbath is the Day of Atonement – Lev 16:2-34; 23:27-28; Num 29:7-11 – sabbath of sabbath-rest)
Abib vs. Nisan vs. Julian dates
[After <Walk Through the Bible #7 – Time and Calendar>]

Abib vs. Nisan

(begins late March - early April)

Abib Nisan
Calendar Biblical Lunar Calendar rabbinic Jewish calendar
(throughout the Bible) (only after 4th c . C E Hillel II)
Month 1st month of the year 7th month of the year
Day Sunrise to sunrise Sunset to sunset @
1st day dawn after Dark Moon. Fixed by calculation
Lunar sabbath (solar Sabbath)
Sabbath = 7th day of the lunar week 7th day of the planetary week ('Saturday')
(for daylight period) (sunset to sunset 24 hours).

[Twelve or Thirteen (in leap year) months a year. ‘Wave barley sheaf offering’ for Abib 16
needs the month to be for barley harvest.]

*Abib = the first month of the Scriptural year (8x) Exo 9:31; 13:4; 23:15; 34:18 (2x); Lev 2:14;
Deu 16:1 (2x);
*Nisan = the 7th month of the Hebrew calendar. (2x) Neh 2:1; Est 3:7 – named in the post-exilic
period.
Date for daytime corresponds same in Abib 14 = Nisan 14 daytime. Night time – Nisan date is a
day ahead.

Notable days in Abib:

 Abib 10, Day 2 of the lunar week. The day the lambs were selected for Passover– begin-
ning of preparation of the Passover festival season. [So-called ‘Palm Sunday’ in the tradi-
tional liturgical ‘Holy Week’.]
[Why did Yeshua made His anti-triumphal entry into Jerusalem in the last week of His
life?
(1) Into the world He came to die – Mt 16:21; //Mk 10:32-34; //Lk 9:22;
(2) He was to die as the Passover lamb (1Co 5:7) [Cf. 1Pe 1:19; Rev 5:6]
 Abib 14 is the Passover day – with the Passover memorial meal. /x: Passover feast;
 Abib 15, 7th day of the lunar week; day of sabbath; the first day of the Matzah festival
 Abib 16, 1st day the lunar week; the wave sheaf offering (Hebrew: ha-tenufah) [omer of-
fering (korban omer)]. [= Day of Firstfruits (Yom Bukkurim) = 'Beginning of Harvest'
(Reshit Katzir) – of barley. Day of Resurrection in the dawn.

Note: A Nisan date begins 12 hours ahead of Abib date. However, a certain event may not be as the
same date on Abib and on Nisan as they are determined by different calendation in the true biblical
calendar and the proleptic Hebrew calendar.

How is the New Year day determined in the Hebrew calendar?

www.haaretz.com/israel-news/the-history-of-rosh-hashanah-which-wasn-t-always-the-
new-year-1.5301295 "Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, the day the Jewish cal-
endar begins. But in biblical times, that period was explicitly called "the seventh
month". During the First Temple period (8th to mid-6th century BC), the year began in
the spring, on the first day of Nisan (as is called in the Jewish calendar). Also, when
listing the holidays, the Bible always starts with the spring the spring holiday of
 Passover, in the seventh month – 'Nisan'. Just because the ancient Hebraic year started
on the first of Nisan doesn’t mean that day was marked in any special way. What was
cause for celebration, the Bible tells us, was the new moon each month - that is, the
first of the month. By "celebration" we mean that more animals were sacrificed at the
Temple than usual. The new moon of Nisan was not marked differently. From what we
know about the Israelites Canaanite neighbors, they didn't pay any attention to the
"new year" either.
… ne, the names of the months that we use to this very day are the Babylonian names.
Tishrei for example is a Babylonian month whose name derives from the Akkadian
word tishritu ('beginning'). In addition, the Babylonians took their New Year's Day cel-
ebrations very seriously."

In order to clearly follow the timelines of the biblical narratives, it is not just useful,
but also essential to think of in terms of the true biblical calendar. The name of the
first month is Abib with all other months being numbered, not named. When reading
any article on the Passion Week some may use the term 'Abib' instead of 'Nisan',
make sure the biblical calendar system is used and the calendar day is sunrise-to-
sunrise, not sunset-to-sunset as is Nisan.

Note that the difference between Abib and Nisan date is not just 12 hours. Since the
first date of the Abib (1st month of the biblical year) and of Nisan (7th month of the
Jewish year) are by different calendation, a date for an event in the day time may not
be same date btw the true biblical calendar and the proleptic Hebrew calendar.

It corresponds to Nisan, 7th month, of the Hebrew calendar. It is by a different

calendation and fixed by Hillel II in 4th century. This non-biblical calendar cannot be
applied proleptically to the Biblical times. Moreover, more disturbingly, its calendar
day is reckoned to start at sunset in such a way that events occurring during night in
the narrative is difficult place in correct and clear timeline.

Likewise, it is essential to simply follow the events in Abib dates, instead of the
Gregorian named days of the week. Sunday, Saturday, Friday, etc. of the planetary
week cannot be applied to the biblical texts – meaningless and misleading. It is a
different matter of comparing a particular day on both calendars.
@ The Nisan date begins 12 hours ahead [and the Julian date is 6 hours] ahead of the Biblical
Abib date. The difference of 12 hours btw Abib date and Nisan date becomes significant for dat-
ing of night-time events which may cross two calendar dates. The date is same for daytime pe -
riod on both Abib and Nisan. As to night time events, Nisan would be one day ahead. [Note: be-
cause of difference in calendation dealing with a leap year, the month of Abib and Nisan may
not coincide in the same time of a given year.]
This is a source of much confusion, conflict and contradictions in understanding the timeline of
the Passion Week. Two calendar days are also involved for those midnight events in the Grego -
rian calendar. Checking off dates and counting days are cumbersome, as is the case with the Fri-
day crucifixion scenario.

Table: Abib vs. Nisan vs. Gregorian Date:

[With proleptic application of the Hebrew calendar, the date of a certain day as Abib and Nisan
may not coincide. Nisan date is only for comparison showing 12-hour difference.]

◙ conjunction – Mar 22 Wed. 19:32 Jerusalem time

visible crescent – probable earliest time

Abib → Abib 1 Abib 2

Mar 22 Wed Mar 23 Thu Mar 24 Fri

Nisan → 1 2 3

Passover – Abib 14 → Apr 5 Wed, CE 30.

†.. ..† M 
Abib 13 Abib 14 Abib 15 Abib 16

Apr 5 Wed Apr 6 Thu Apr 7 Fri

Nisan 14 (ereb Pesach) 15 (Pesach I) 16 (Pesach II) 17 (Pesach

III)

E.g. the Passover memorial meal M on Abib 14 evening falls on Nisan 15 evening.
Abib 14 daytime for the Crucifixion = Nisan 14 daytime ††
Abib 14 evening for the Passover memorial meal is on Nisan 15 evening.
Abib 16 in the dawn – Resurrection 
Abib 16 morning with the Risen Master to the disciples = Both Resurrection and Risen Master
appearance are same day of Nisan 17 (before and after day-break).
Cf. ereb Pesach = 'eve of the Passover festival' [not same as 'eve of the Passover day'].
www.avoiceinthewilderness.org/saccal/calbook.html
Mar – April Abib Nisana
Calendar Biblical Lunar Calendar Hebrew by Hillel II
Month 1st month of the yearb 7th month of the year

Day Sunrise to sunrise Sunset to sunsetc

1st day dawn after Dark Moon. Fixed by calculation and rules
Full moon On 14th On 15th (variable)
 Lunar sabbath  Solar sabbath
(for daylight period). (for night and day time)
Sabbath
 On day 7 (of the lunar week);  On every Saturday (of the contin-
 Always on Day 8, 15, 22, 29. uous cyclic planetary week)

 Biblical narratives cannot be clearly followed with the Hebrew calendar,

which came out in 4th century.
 It is essential to think always with Abib instead of Nisan to avoid confusion,
conflict and contradiction. Date on Nisan and Abib do not match as both are of
different calendation. A Gregorian date may fall on the different month/date on
the biblical lunar calendar and the proleptic Hebrew calendar.
 Nisan dates, 12 hours ahead of Abib dates, as shown here for discussion of the
Passion Week chronology in IRENT, are for comparison purpose only and may or
may not be actual dates.

A calendar date
Month of
A day of date Difference Half-day point
@
Nisan is reckoned from sunset 6 hrs ahead at sunrise
March – April$ is reckoned from 12 a.m. – at 12 p.m. d
Abib begins at dawn 6 hrs behind at sunset
@
A Nisan date is 12 hours ahead of the corresponding an Abib date. For daytime it is same
date in both Abib and Nisan; for night-time, Nisan is one day ahead. E.g.
Abib 14th daytime for the Crucifixion = Nisan 14th daytime
Abib 14th evening for the Passover memorial meal = Nisan 15th evening for Seder.
Abib 16th in the dawn = Resurrection = the Risen Master to the disciples in the morning
$ of Gregorian calendar [ = ‘Common Era Calendar’ with a day of 12 a.m. to 12 a.m.]

a
All Nisan dates are for comparison purpose only.
b
See Appendix ‘how does the first month begin’
c
See Appendix ‘When does a day begin’. A day-long activity was described in O.T. to have begun
at sunset. That should not make believe that a day was then being reckoned sunset to
sunset! (E.g. Lev 23:32). Regrettably and confusingly, this sunset-to-sunset day reckoning remains
even in the otherwise true biblical luni-solar calendar (e.g. in www.yhrim.com )
d
12 p.m. is not identical to ‘midday’ (‘noon’) which is the mid-point of daytime when the sun is at high-
est point. Nor the midnight is 12 a.m. Reckoning events in the night gets easily confused because the
date changes past 12 p.m.
‘Last Supper’ vs. ‘Passover Meal’

[Note: The phrase ‘Lord's Last meal’ should be avoided as it gives a wrong picture
associated with the word ‘meal’ which is to get confused with the ‘Passover meal’.
Actually, ‘Passover meal’ as such does not have the corresponding Greek or
Hebrew phrase in the Bible. Cf. the ritual Seder in Judaism on the evening of
Nisan 15, the first day of the Passover Festival (= Matzah Festival)]

The *Last Supper (‘Lord’s Last Supper’) was not the Passover meal (the memorial
meal on the Passover evening Abib 14), though many wrongly interpret it that
way, and the sad unnecessary result is the Johannine testimony and the Synoptic
narrative are left contradictory as to the nature of the Last Supper. The Passover
meal is the memorial meal on the Passover evening Abib 14 (→ which was later
developed as the ritual Seder in the Judaism on the evening of Nisan 15, the 1 st day
of the Festival of the Matzah).

<The Last Supper> ░ {Mt 26:20-29 //Mk +14:17-25 //Lk +22:14-20} (//1Co 11:23-25)
[Abib 12 evening] [Jn 13:1, 29; 18:28 tell this was NOT the Passover meal which requires
matzah and lamb] [His trial on the following daytime (Abib 13) and the Crucifixion on the
day after the Trial – as the Passover sacrifice on Abib 14 with the Passover meal on the
evening for the Yehudim – the precursor of rabbinic ritual Seder.] [Note: The pericopes
<Bread & Body> and <Blood & Fruit of the Vine> in G-Lk are in different place in
relation to <Foretelling the Betrayal> in G-Mt & Mk.] [The phrase 'Last Supper' itself is
not in the Bible; it refers to the event narrated in the Gospels in the Passion week.] [It is
remotely connected to 'Lord's Supper' (1Co 10:16, 21) in which 'Eucharist' (a church
sacrament) finds its root.]

G-Mt G-Mk G-Lk G-Jn

Upper Room
26:17-19 //14:12-16 //22:7-13
to be ready
26:20-29 //14:17-25 //22:14-23 //13:1-3;
Supper
– – – 13:4-17
Lukan 20:25-28 10:42-45 22:24-30
translocation 26:33-35 14:29-31 22:31-34 –
– – 22:35-38
Johannine – – – 13:1-38;6
To the Mount
26:30 //14:26 //22:39 //14:31b; 18:1
Olive-grove
[Most has mistaken the Last Supper as the Passover meal by interpreting the texts
for the upper room to be ready in reference to the phrase ‘eat for the Passover
festival’ as ‘eat the Passover meal’. This has created the non-existent Synoptic-
Johannine contradiction. Here ‘Passover’ is metonymic for Passover [Memorial]
meal.
Note: ‘Passover’ which is on Abib 14 is a memorial, not a feast. It is often
confused with 'Passover Festival' esp. in the Judaism in which the word Pesach is
use as a festival corresponding to 'the Festival of the unleavened-breads' in NT.
The Passover meal is the precursor of Jewish seder in the rabbinic Judaism. Lamb was
killed for a meal, not for a sacrificial offering to God. The meal is by most misunderstood
as of a sacrificial nature; E.g., www.baslibrary.org/bible-review/3/2/6 <Baruch M. Bokser
"Was the Last Supper a Passover Seder?" BAR 3:2, Summer 1987>

The Last Supper is not to be confused with the Lord's Supper ['Holy Communion' or 'Eu-
charist' a] – a traditional Church rite – remotely with reference with 'Communion' S2842
koinonia 19x ('sharing', 'participation', 'fellowship') and the Lord's cup and table (1Co
10:16, 21).

www.baslibrary.org/biblical-archaeology-review/43/2/8
Biblical Archaeology Review 43:2, March/April 2017
Steven Shisley, 'Biblical Views: From Supper to Sacrament: How the Last Supper
Evolved'

www.baslibrary.org/bible-review/10/6/13
Bruce Chilton "The Eucharist—Exploring Its Origins" BAR 10:6, Dec 1994

[For the Setting of the Last Supper, see

www.redeemerofisrael.org/2012/04/setting-of-last-supper-triclinium.html
(https://youtu.be/IL29tfxfzl0 ) A /Triclinium ]
A schematic drawing of the arrangement in ‘the Upper Room’.
https://upperroommedia.org/blog/2019/07/16/the-significance-of-the-upper-room-to-the-early-
church
[‘upper room’ S508 anogeōn (2x) Mk 14:15; Lk 22:12; /x: room upstairs – NIV, HCSB,
ISV, GNT, NET; /x: upstairs room - NASB] - built on the flat roof top, not 2nd story]
Three couches (divans) – for people to lie down (‘recline’) on for a meal; not sitting on
the chairs.

http://vroma.org/vromans/bmcmanus/triclinium.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclinium
from https://quemdixerechaos.com/pompeii/roman-mealtime/

a
Cf. 'Transubstantiation' per Roman Catholic; 'Consubstantiation' – per Martin Luther; View:
A Memorial – per Zwingli; Spiritual Presence – per John Calvin;
https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/transubstantiation-consubstantiation-catholic-protestant
AT Robertson (1922, 1950), A Harmony of the Gospels:

EXPLANATORY NOTES ON POINTS OF SPECIAL DIFFICULTY IN THE HARMONY

11. Did Christ eat the Passover?
3. The testimony of John (p. 281)
…
(a) ‘Jn 13:1 f., “Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing, etc.” Here, it is alleged, a
distinct statement is made that this supper was made before the passover, consequently twenty-
four hours before. But a several things are taken for granted in this inference. One is that the
phrase “feast of Passover” is to be confined it this particular meal, and is not include the entire
festival for unleavened beard (Cf. Lk 22:1). Often by a metonymy of speech the name of a part is
given to the whole. Besides, it is not certain that verse 1 is to be connected with v. 2.

The best exegetes agree that a complete idea may be presented therein, either a general statement
that Jesus loved his own before the Passover and until the end, or that he came into special
consciousness of this love just before the Passover. And if the more natural interpretation be
taken and the application of this love be made in verse 2, it is not necessary that the "before" be
as much as twenty-four hours.

Observe also the text adopted in the Revised Version in verse 2, not "supper being ended," but
"during supper." With this reading agree the other references in 13:4 ("riseth from supper"),
13:12 ("sat down again"), 13:23 ("there was at the table reclining in Jesus' bosom"). So, the
natural meaning is that just before the meal began, Jesus purposed to show his love for his own
by a practical illustration. So, after they had all reclined at the table according to custom, Jesus
arose and passed around the tables, washing their feet; then he reclined again and proceeded with
the meal. So, nothing at all can be made out of this passage against the view that this was the
regular Passover; but, on the other hand, the most natural meaning is that John is here describing
what took place at this Passover meal. Else, why should he mention the Passover at all?

Jn 13:1 the Festival of the Passover EE ░ [Some takes this as the ‘Feast with the meal on Abib
14 /Nisan 15’ (meaning the Passover memorial meal) and makes counting back 6 days to the date
of Yeshua’s retuning to Bethany.]
[The word ‘Passover’ S3957 pascha 12:1 itself is used in metonymic for the Passover Festival
elsewhere in 2:13; 6:4; 11:55. The exact phrase of ‘the Festival of the Passover’ in NT occurs
only here and one other place in Lk 2:41. It corresponds to the Synoptic phrase “Festival of the
Matzah” (of a 7-day long period of Abib 15 to 21) (Mk 14:1; //Lk 22:1 'the Festival of the
Matzah, the so-called Passover festival'). Cf. an entire 8-day period (Passover day + Matzah
Festival days) → 'Passover festival season']
**Easter’ vs. ‘Passover' (vs. 'Pesach') vs. 'Pascha
 Jewish 'Pesach' – is on Nisan 15 (first day of 7-day festival; 8-day in
Diaspora) with the ritual Seder on 15th evening (after the new Jewish day set
in). It is not same as the biblical 'Passover' (Pesach) with the Passover meal on
Abib 14 evening.]
 'Easter Sunday' in the Church Liturgical Holy Week: Gregorian Easter vs.
Julian 'Pascha' (of the Eastern Orthodox Church).
 If the resurrection day in the Biblical Passion week was on Sunday, the
Crucifixion was on Thursday, not Friday.
 When the day of Crucifixion (Abib 14 in 30 CE) falls on Wednesday in the
proleptic Roman calendar (Julian), the resurrection is Abib 16 Friday in the
dawn. The disciples encounter the Risen Master in the tomb area in the
morning.


Easter.

The word first appeared in the work of the Venerable Bede (725 CE), The Reckoning of Time
[Bede: The reckoning of time, translated by Faith Wallis (1999) "The Sunday following the full
Moon which falls on or after the equinox will give the lawful Easter."Ch.62, p. 148.] This shows
the English word in use from before his time and in the sense of celebration of resurrection.

Bede also wrote in De temporum ratione stating during Ēosturmōnaþ (the equivalent to the month
of April; named after this goddess) feasts were held in Eostre's honor among the pagan Anglo-
Saxons. Some claims that this by itself is from the name of a pagan fertility goddess Eostre. They
claim that the Easter is of pagan origin in the spring festival of Eostre. All these words may be
related to the older word for ‘to shine’ and ‘to dawn’. [Cf. Gk. anatolē ex hupsous Lk 1:78
‘sunrise (x: dawn) from High’] It is baseless to claim that the word ‘Easter’ is ‘Eostre’ in disguise.
Such is a typical etymological fallacy, being agenda-driven. [Ref. A booklet by Alexander
Hishop, The Two Babylons (Ch. III Festivals, Section II. Easter) and Woodrow, Ralph BOOK
REVIEW - The Two Babylons: A Case Study in Poor Methodology]

[In the Bible, the non-biblical word ‘Easter’, a church liturgical vocabulary, appears
once in KJV in Act 12:4 is a single leftover from Tyndale (‘ester’), Coverdale
translations, in which it was a translation word of ‘Passover’. Bishops translation has in
addition also in Jn 11:55 (2x).]

[Tyndale - 'esterlambe' (Mt 26:19) for 'Passover'. Cf. ‘to eat paschall lambe’ Mt 26:17;
Jn 18:28; cf. ‘eat ester lambe’ Mk 14:14; Lk 22:8] [Cf. 'paske' in Wycliffe.]

All other languages are believed to use the expression ‘resurrection festival’ which are free of
unscriptural idea or expression associated with ‘Easter’.] [So-called ‘Christian Passover’ is a non-
biblical rhetorical church jargon]

Certain European languages for their Easter is derived from Hebrew Pesach. E.g. Pasha (in
Spanish), Pashka (in Russian), Paque (in French), Pasqua (in Italian), etc. The word *Pascha,
which is from Greek and Latin (‘Paschal’ – adjective), is being used by Orthodox Churches to
refer to Easter. Not to be confused with 'Pesach' (Heb.) or 'Passover' (English).

The word for Passover was first translated into English language as ‘ester’ in William Tyndale,
before the English word ‘Passover’ began to appear in other translations. Its remnant is seen in
KJV (a single instance of Act 12:4 ‘Easter’) and in Bishops’ Bible (two places, Act 12:4 and Jn
11:55).

Confusingly, the word *Pascha (or Pasch by some) which is from Greek Πάσχα and Latin (‘Paschal’
– adjective), is being used by Orthodox Churches to refer to Easter. Not to be confused with
'Pesach' (Heb.) or 'Passover' (English).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%92ostre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%92ostre#cite_note-WALLIS54-6
Easter (www.worldslastchance.com/yahuwahs-calendar/easter-pagan-passover.html )

In chapter 15 (De mensibus Anglorum, "The English months") of his 8th-century work De
temporum ratione ("The Reckoning of Time"), Bede describes the indigenous month names of
the English people. After describing the worship of the goddess Rheda during the Anglo-Saxon
month of Hrēþ-mōnaþ, Bede writes about Ēosturmōnaþ, the month of the goddess Ēostre:

"Eosturmonath has a name which is now translated "Paschal month", and which was once
called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honor feasts were celebrated in
that month. Now they designate that Paschal season by her name, calling the joys of the
new rite by the time-honored name of the old observance." Wallis (1999). p. 54 Bede:
The Reckoning of Time..

In 725, Bede wrote, "The Sunday following the full Moon which falls on or after the equinox
will give the lawful Easter." (p. 148).

Church Holy Week is the week before Easter Sunday, beginning with Palm Sunday. It ends
with Holy Saturday. Easter is not part of Holy Week, but rather the beginning of the Easter
season of the Liturgical year.

Catholic Easter Triduum of the Holy Week – 3 days before Easter

Sunday – Holy Thursday (Last Supper), Good Friday (Crucifixion) and
Holy Saturday (vigil).

www.assa.org.au/resources/more-articles/easter-dating-method/#Method

How is Easter Sunday Date Determined?

Easter Sunday is the Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon (PFM) date for the
year.

In June 325 CE astronomers approximated astronomical full moon dates for the
Christian church, calling them Ecclesiastical Full Moon (EFM) dates.

From 326 CE the PFM date has always been the EFM date after March 20 (which
was the equinox date in 325 CE).

From 1583, each PFM date differs from an Astronomical Full Moon (AFM) date
usually by no more than 1 date, and never by more than 3 dates.

(Each AFM is a two-dates event due to world time zones. Each PFM is a one-date
event world-wide).

HISTORY

… The aim of the Easter Dating Method is to maintain, for each Easter Sunday,
the same season of the year and the same relationship to the preceding
astronomical full moon that occurred at the time of his resurrection in 30 CE.
This was achieved in 1583 CE using skill and common-sense by Pope Gregory the
13th, and his astronomers and mathematicians, predominantly Lilius and Clavius,
by introducing their new larger (revised) PFM Gregorian dates table. This
replaced the (original) 326 CE. "19 PFM dates" table in the Julian calendar.

Easter Sunday, from 326 CE, is always one of the 35 dates March 22 to April 25.

From 31 CE to 325 CE Easter Day was celebrated either:

(a) on or just after the first day of the Jewish Passover (no matter on which day
of the week that Easter Day occurred), or
(b) on a Sunday close to or on the first Passover Day.
Both of these methods existed continuously throughout this period.

From 326 CE to 1582 CE Easter Sunday date was based on the Julian calendar in
use at that time. It became defined as the Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon
date for the year, using a simple "19 PFM dates" table. Precise information on
this subject can be found on pages 415 to 425 of the Explanatory Supplement to
the 1961 Astronomical Ephemeris.

The Julian calendar was replaced by the Gregorian calendar in October 1582 to re-
align March 20 (and therefore Easter) with the seasons by removing 10 dates
October 5 to 14, 1582. This replacement did not occur until later in many
countries e.g. in September 1752 in England. See GM Arts Easter Date
Calculations for more information. ENGLISH Easter Sunday dates for 1583 to
1752 can be calculated using information near the end of this Easter Dating
Method document.

The Gregorian calendar very closely maintains the alignment of seasons and
calendar dates by having leap years in only 1 of every 4 century years, namely,
those divisible exactly by 400. One additional February 29 date will need to be
removed in about 4140 CE; therefore, Easter calculations will need to use the
changed Days of Week of PFM dates when the exact year for this removal is
decided.

From 326 CE, the Easter Sunday Date for any given year is NOT determined by
the March Equinox date for that year. March 20 (not March 21) is the most
common Gregorian Equinox date from 1583 to 4099 CE.

Historically, references to March 21 have caused mistakes in calculating Easter

Sunday dates. March 20 has become the important date in recent Easter dating
methods. Despite frequent references to March 21, this date has no special
significance to any recent Easter dating methods.
Easter dates:
The origin of Easter (as a word) and the origin of the Easter (as a Church liturgical celebration)
are different issues. – all are purely of concern of the Church; not for the Biblical narrative and
timeline.

The date Easter is observed varies from the beginning of its history. The determination of the date
for Easter was set in the Constantine Catholic Church tradition and is purely artificial and not tied
to the factual historical date of either Resurrection or even Passover. Consequently, strange as it
may be, occasionally the Easter comes even before the Passover. For example, in CE 2008 it was
Mar-23, coming well ahead of Apr-19 (Sat), the Passover day of Nisan 14. [Equinox on Mar-20
and the full moon on Mar-21 (Fri).]

[Using the Julian calendar, the Orthodox Church calculates differently and celebrates it on a
different day than Western churches. In CE 2008 it was Apr-27.]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computus ]

Easter can take place as early as March 22 but no later than April 25. The last time Easter fell
on the earliest possible date was March 22, 1818. That will not happen again until March 22,
2285. The most common date for Easter to occur is April 19.
[The Literary Panorama, Volume 7 (Google book) p. 936-8] – problem of wrong dating of
1818 Easter.
http://quasar.as.utexas.edu/BillInfo/ReligiousCalendars.html
www.staff.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/easter/eastercalculator.htm
www.assa.org.au/edm#Method
www.timeanddate.com/calendar/determining-easter-date.html

www.almanac.com/content/when-is-easter
what happen happens when Equinox is full moon? …

Controversy of Julian vs. Gregorian calendars, esp. in reference of Constantine Catholic Church tradition of the
proper Easter date. Ref.
http://cyprusactionnetwork.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Orthodox_Church_Calendar.334130901.pdf

- Astronomical Easter, Gregorian Easter, Julian Easter dates:

www.staff.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/easter/easter_text3a.htm
https://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/easter.php
https://earthsky.org/human-world/rules-for-easter-sunday-full-moon-2019

www.danamackenzie.com/moon/?tag=metonic-cycle – how complicated it is to calculate the

Easter date. The well-known and mistaken formula is: “Easter is the first Sunday after the first
full moon after the Vernal Equinox”. The correct definition is that Easter occurs on the first
Sunday after the paschal full moon.
www.rmg.co.uk/explore/astronomy-and-time/time-facts/the-date-of-easter
The date is set for the liturgical purposes of the Christian churches. [with two different
calculation methods among them.]
Easter can take place as early as March 22 (as in 1818 and 2285) but no later than April
25 (as in 1886, 1943, 2038). The last time Easter fell on the earliest possible date was
March 22, 1818.a That will not happen again until March 22, 2285. The most common
date for Easter to occur is April 19. – Jean Meeus (1988).
Question: for the case of 1818 CE – how is it possible to have such early Easter day? It is

a
Q: for the case of 1818 CE – how is it possible to have such early Easter day? It is even different from the date
according to how the date is determined – given the date of vernal Equinox, New-Moon Day, and full moon
Day.
 even different from the date according to how the date is determined – given the date of
vernal Equinox, New-Moon Day, and Full Moon Day.
Easter date determined – 190 CE [ www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline-
important-dates-in-ad-christian-history-11542876.html ]

The Literary Panorama and National Register

- Volume 7
https://books.google.com/books?id=QhcAAAAAYAAJ

(Google book) p. 936-8 – problem of wrong dating of 1818 Easter.

http://quasar.as.utexas.edu/BillInfo/ReligiousCalendars.html
www.staff.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/easter/eastercalculator.htm
www.assa.org.au/edm#Method
www.timeanddate.com/calendar/determining-easter-date.html

Controversy of Julian vs. Gregorian calendars, esp. in reference of Constantine Catholic Church
tradition of fixing proper Easter date. Ref.
http://cyprusactionnetwork.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Orthodox_Church_Calendar.334130
901.pdf

Passover [Memorial] meal (Abib 14th evening); [= precursor of the modern Jewish ritual
Seder (‘the Passover meal’, Nisan 15th evening) – 1st day of Pesach Festival (= Festival of
the Matzah)]

Easter celebration – kept by majority of Christian Churches in line with 'Good Friday and
Easter Sunday' of the traditional Friday crucifixion scenario of the Church Holy Week,
which does not mesh with the biblical Passion Week timeline.

Quartodecimanism – Keeping of the Passover in the early Christian churches of Jerusalem

and Asia Minor (instead of Easter celebration). – Quartodeciman controversy - Suppressed
by anti-Judaism in anti-Semitic Catholic Church history.
www.keithhunt.com/Quarto.html www.triumphpro.com/passover-quartodeciman.pdf

Computus Determining dates of Easter vs. Passover

www.rayfowler.org/writings/articles/determining-the-dates-for-easter-and-passover/ (See a
copy in Collections #6 of IRENT Vol. III Supplement (Collections #6)
 https://en.es-static.us/upl/2019/03/march-april-full-moons-Ottewell-e1555275789289.jpg

The nearest years of April 25 are 1943 and 2038. The nearest years of March 22 are
remote: 1818 and 2285

http://quasar.as.utexas.edu/BillInfo/ReligiousCalendars.html [AST 309--TIME --Easter, Rosh

Hashanah and Passover] – a copy in the Collection.
Final Comment on Easter and Passover
If you pay attention to the dates of Easter and Passover from year to year, you will
notice that although they usually fall within a week or so of each other, on occasion
Passover falls about a month after (Gregorian) Easter. At the present time, this
happens in the 3rd, 11th, and 14th years of the Metonic Cycle (i.e., when the Golden
Number equals 3, 11, or 14). The reason for this discrepancy is the fact that although
the Metonic Cycle is very good, it is not perfect (as we've seen in this course). In
particular, it is a little off if you use it to predict the length of the tropical year. So,
over the centuries the date of the vernal equinox, as predicted by the Metonic Cycle,
has been drifting to later and later dates.

So, the rule for Passover, which was originally intended to track the vernal equinox,
has gotten a few days off. In ancient times this was never a problem since Passover
was set by actual observations of the Moon and of the vernal equinox. However, after
Hillel II standardized the Jewish calendar in the 4th century, actual observations of
celestial events no longer played a part in the determination of the date of Passover.
The Gregorian calendar reform of 1582 brought the Western Church back into
conformity with astronomical events, hence the discrepancy.

Similarly, you will notice that in many years Gregorian Easter (the one marked on all
calendars) differs from Julian (Orthodox) Easter, sometimes by a week, sometimes by
a month. Again, this is due to the different rules of calculation. A major difference is
that Orthodox Easter uses the old Julian calendar for calculation, and the date of the
Vernal Equinox is slipping later and later on the Julian calendar relative to the
Gregorian calendar (and to astronomical fact). Also, the date of Paschal [sic] Full
Moon for the Julian calculation is about 4 days later than that for the Gregorian
calculation. At present, in 5 out of 19 years in the Metonic Cycle--the years when the
Golden Number equals 3, 8, 11, 14, 17 and 19 -- Orthodox Easter occurs a month
after Gregorian Easter. In three of these years, Passover also falls a month after
Gregorian Easter (see above).
The Passover week follows the Passion Week.
 How the dates are determined?
 List of earliest and latest Easters (with Passover dates). List of earliest and latest Passovers
(with Easter dates)
 List of Easter dates coming before Passover.
 Difficult Easter dates to fix when the equinox comes right after a full moon.
 Jewish Passover date coming in late April – in the presence of a leap month before Nisan.

The time setting of the Easter approximates the biblical Passover – having Paschal Full Moon as the
reference, not determinant point. [cf. ‘astronomical vs. ecclesiastical Paschal Full Moon’. Cf. ‘astro-
nomical equinox’ vs. ‘ecclesiastical (approximation) of equinox’]
day

13 14 15 16 17
Abib
Erev Pesach Passover Matzah 1 Matzah 2 Matzah 3
14 15 16 17 18
Nisan 13 Erev Pesach Pesach I Pesach II Pesach III IV

[Converting to Nisan date (which is 12 hours ahead) to Abib date is useful only for comparison as
date of Abib and Nisan cannot match since they are of different calendation. It is not a simple matter
of proleptic application of the 4th century Hebrew calendar to the 1st century biblical timeline.] [See
<WB #5 – Time, Calendar and Chronology> of IRENT Vol. III Supplement]

www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/commissions/faith-and-order/i-unity-the-church-and-its-
mission/towards-a-common-date-for-easter/index#table Table for Easter/Pascha/Passover dates

Jerusalem: Vernal Jewish Passover Astronomical Gregorian Julian

Year Full Moon (Nisan 15) Easter Easter Easter

QQ: what is 'astronomical Easter'??

Note: different dates of Full Moon in Chicago: 2019, Mar 20; 2020, Apr 7;
Year of Yeshua's birth
Yeshua was born before the death of Herod. The Herod spoken of is Herod the Great,
for it was he who ordered the killing of all male children in Bethlehem, and it was he
who was the father of Archelaus.
The Herod died some time (less than 2 years) after the birth of Jesus. There is scholarly
confusion on in what year he died:
Josephus gave a hint. Most copies it down. [e.g. https://bible.org/article/birth-jesus-christ ] after
Emil Schürer who simply said 4 BC as the year but without presenting any supporting
statement for his idea.
[ A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus (1891). <Ch. 15 Herod the Great BC 37-
4>, p. 465 https://archive.org/details/historyofjewishp01sch

It should be 1 BC. –
https://strangenotions.com/jesus-birth-and-when-herod-the-great-really-died/ .
www.hope-of-israel.org/herodsdeath.html Yeshua was born as a Passover lamb in that
year; Magi's visit was when Yeshua was about one and half year old (BC 2).

https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/12/06/how-to-calculate-the-date-of-jesus-birth/

William Filmer, "The Chronology of the Reign of Herod the Great", The Journal of Theological
Studies, Oct. 1966

… Herod died near the opening of 1 BC (rather than 4 BC), which allows Jesus’ birth in the fall of
2 BC, 30 years before his ministry began in the 15th year of Tiberius (Lk 3:1, 23).
As three Passovers in Jesus’ ministry are explicitly referred to in the book of John, and possibly
another in Jn 5:1, this is consistent with a 3½ year ministry which would have ended at Passover
in the year AD 33, in which year Nisan 14 did fall on a Friday, …
Text verses with ‘Passover’ as a time-marker in the Passion Narrative.
Duration of Yeshua's ministry
His ministry – two and half years [not 'three and half years']

Total of *three Passovers in Yeshua's ministry [not 'four Passovers']

(1) Jn 2:23 (28 CE);
(2) Jn 6:4 (29 CE);
(3) Jn 11:55; 12:1 (30 CE) – the day of His Crucifixion]

https://aramaicjudaizers.blogspot.com/2017/10/michael-rood-against-passovers.html

Seven Last Words on the Cross

The Sayings of Yeshua on the cross (so-called "Seven Last Words on the Cross")

Mt 27:46 & Mk 15:34 <My Elohim, My Elohim, to what have you left me alone!>
Lk 23:34 "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."
Lk 23:43 "Truly, I'm saying to you today – you'll be with me in paradise."
Lk 23:46 "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."
Jn 19:26-27 "My dear, see here your son!" "See, there, your mother!"
Jn 19:28 "I'm thirsty."
Jn 19:30 "It's completed."

*Shroud
“Shroud of Turin” – sindone in Italian.

www.shroud.com/menu.htm

The Synoptic Gospels use the word sindon in the singular to designate the Shroud (Matt. 27:59; Mk. 15:46 (twice); Lk. 23:53). Sindon appears only
six times in all of the New Testament. In an anecdote unique to Mark, it is used twice in 14: 51-52 to describe

S4616 sindōn (6x) 'a line sheet' Mt 27:59 //Mk 15:46 (x2) //Lk 23:53.
Cf. Mk 14:51, 52 the linen cloth left by an unnamed young man when he fled naked from the Garden of Gethsemane.
S3608 othonion (5x)
Lk 24:12 [for sindon in 23:53] ["But Peter rose and ran to the tomb, stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths (plural) by
themselves …".];
Jn 19:40; 20:5, 6, 7
S4676 soudarion (4x) cloth Jn 11:44; 20; also Lk 19:20; Act 19:12; a piece for the part covering head) www.shroud.com/faq.htm#6
Cf. S2750 keiria linen strip (1x) Jn 11:44 'linen strips binding feet and hands of Lazarus']

Interpreting Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy

As interpretations are galore on Daniel’s 70 Weeks prophecy [Dan 9:24-27], it is hard to be-
lieve any one of them turn out to be right mathematically speaking. It proves that it is sensible to
assume that they all are wrong as each to claim for CE 30, 31, 32, and 33 as the year of the Cru -
cifixion, in the manner of circular reasoning. Moreover, the Daniel’s prophecy is not about when
a Messiah to show up, but when would be the restoration eagerly prayed by Daniel.

See a separate file <Daniel's 70 weeks and interpretations>.

 10. References
[Listed here the various reference and reading material used for this work pertaining to the
problem of Passion Week Chronology/timeline.]

Abundant intriguing material is within our easy reach in this information technology age.
Some give challenges, some present inaccurate data, some offer helpful or insightful
information, and some pull us down with biased interpretations – it’s up to us to take up
and scrutinize them before we should accept what they can offer.

Reading material:

http://goo.gl/CU1wCr - [Got stuck with Gregorian mindset of seven numbered days of the
planetary week and Jewish mindset of day of sunset-to-sunset to refute Friday crucifixion
scenario!]
http://thechronicleproject.org/PDF1/calendarfraud.pdf
www.thejournal.org/issues/issue63/nelte.html [on calendar issue challenges]
https://franknelte.net/view_articles.php?type=calendar
www.franknelte.net/pdf/pdf.php?article_id=111
<Passover_dates_for_30_ad_and_for_31_ad.> (A copy in the Collection)

Paul Maier, "Sejanus, Pilate, And the Date of the Crucifixion", Church History, Vol. 37. No. 1 (Mar.,
1968), pp. 3-13 [a copy in the collection]

General references:

1. Ernest L. Martin (1996), Secrets of Golgotha

(2nd Ed), pp.414-437 Addendum One: The Year of Jesus’ Death. [Detailed study to show
the year to be 30 CE. Note, in pp. 430-432 he was shown to still adhere to the traditional
Friday crucifixion scenario!!]
Paul Finch, The Passover Papers (2009, 2nd Ed.) [Esp. Ch. 8 Chronology of Passion
Week., p. 93-118.] – This is an important book with rich coverage and writing with
abundant references. Its major fault is that he sticks to a Friday crucifixion scenario with
CE 30 instead of CE 33 of the traditional Friday crucifixion scenario (Ch. 8 Chronology of
Passion Week, p. 93-118).

For his rather unusual CE 30 for the crucifixion date with a Friday scenario (p. 151), by
retro-calculating the Easter Canon to the year 30 CE yielding a date of Sunday, Apr-9, then
the Crucifixion is located on Apr 7. A reference was given to someone named A.T.
Olmstead. Hogwash! Easter of Constantine Catholic Church tradition itself has nothing to
with biblical historical Passion week. No discussion on astronomical data and calendation
is found on this issue as they seem to have been beyond his reach.
Sadly, he dismisses the crucial idea of having the Trial day in the daytime and the
crucifixion day the day after.

2. Eugen Ruckstuhl, Chronology of The Last Days of Jesus – A Critical Study

Eugen Ruckstuhl (1965), Chronology of The Last Days of Jesus – A Critical Study
[Trans. from German 1963] (pp. 35-71 for ‘The Chronology of “More Than One Day”)]
[the Crucifixion date on Friday Apr. 7, AD 30. Nisan 14th (p. 2, 4)]
3. James Walther,

James Walther, "The Chronology of Passion Week" Journal of Biblical Literature

Vol. 77. No. 2 (Jun. 1958), pp. 116-122 [ www.jstor.org/stable/3264592 ] - a copy in WB
#6A collection. – Ruckstuhl is referenced here.

4. Harold Hoehner

https://books.google.com/books?id=fS28b9GC1dcC
Harold Hoehner (1978), Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ
… The year of the crucifixion is CE 33 because the day was Friday in CE 33!!

5. Köstenberger

Köstenberger, Taylor, Stewart (2014), The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week
of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived
It follows the traditional scenario of Thursday Last Supper, Friday Crucifixion, Sunday
Resurrection, year 33 CE.

6. Kenneth F. Doig

Kenneth F. Doig (1990), New Testament Chronology,

www.nowoezone.com/NT_Chronology.htm www.nowoezone.com/NTC17.htm

7. on calendation
www.truthontheweb.org/calendar.htm (on calendation)

8. James Davis (2013)

Wrong interpretation of the biblical texts reinforced by the lack of understanding the calen -
dar systems:
https://bible.org/
James Davis (2013), The Time of Jesus’ Death and Inerrancy: Is Harmonization Plausible?

 Wrong view One: John 19:14 had an original reading of the third hour which was confused
for the sixth.
 Wrong view Two: G-John is using a Roman civil reckoning that started the day at midnight
John 19:14.
 Wrong effort: View Three: G-Mark’s Reference to Crucifixion is a General Statement that
included some event(s) that led up to the lifting of Jesus on the Cross
 Wong effort: View Four: Time approximation allows for adequate harmonization of G-Mark
and G-John.

Note: This article gives a good summary of the issue, presenting the predicament the
traditional understanding faces with several different views but offering no solution to
contradiction and confusion. All four viewers have missed the genuine solution.
9.
www.the13thenumeration.com/Blog13/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Yeshuas_Passover_Week1200_
2014.jpg [not usul]
[day begins at sunset; crucifixion on and entombed before sunset – Nisan 15;
women rested on sabbath – Nisan 16; to the empty tomb Nisan 17 morning.]

10. www.cbcg.org/booklets/the-day-jesus-the-christ-died.html

11. 'Three Days and Three Nights'

See in The Collections on 3D & 3N in the <IRENT Vol. III - Supplement (Collections #6D)
- Passover & Passion Week Chronology Part 2>

Materials reviewed:
 Rand Ben Joseph, "How Long Was Yeshua Messiah in the Tomb?"

www.waoy.org/How_Long_Was_Yeshua_Messiah_in_the_Tomb.pdf
 Fred R. Coulter (2004), The Day Jesus the Christ Died – The Biblical Truth about His
Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection [pp. 71-79; a table in 80-81.]
 Reuben Archer Torrey (1996), Difficulties in the Bible, Ch. 21 (pp. 155-164), Was Jesus
Really Three Days and Nights in the Heart of the Earth?
[Wednesday Crucifixion scenario. Basic on the mislead ‘literal’ interpretation it claims that
the resurrection had to be late afternoon (!) of that Saturday.]
 Larry M. Wishon (2010), The Only Sign Given [Misreading it as the sign of Jesus’ being
Messiah is this 3D and 3N thing!] (pp. 125-9) (Wednesday Crucifixion scenario)
 Ralph Woodrow, Three Days and Three Nights – Reconsidered in the Light of Scripture [it
debunked the Wednesday scenario, but failed to go beyond, missing a chance to look for the
answer.]
 Ralph Woodrow, Three Days and Three Nights (June 2013)
www.ralphwoodrow.org/assets/articles/three-days.pdf
 Harold W. Hoehner (1978), Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ
(http://books.google.com/books?id=fS28b9GC1dcC) [Arguments for Friday scenario are not
convincing at all. The year 33 CE scenario is with too facile arguments. It can be seen that once
he made up his mind on the day of Nisan 14th as Friday, he looked for the candidate year to fit.
That would in turn be used to reinforce the unproven idea of so-called Crucifixion Friday.]
 McRay and Eoff (2013), Was Jesus Three Days and Three Nights in the Heart of the Earth.
(www.eschatologyreview.com/) They claim “Scripture … actually shows the resurrection to
have occurred at the same time (of day) as the burial” – nonsense.

12. Crucifixion on Friday, Abib 16!!

Hilarious reading material – Crucifixion on Friday, Day 5 of the Week, Aviv 16 (May 12) with Res-
urrection on Monday Aviv 20, (May 15) – CE 17!?
http://adamoh.org/TreeOfLife.lan.io/NTCh/TimingOfTheEventsOfThePaschalPesachWeek.htm

Events Biblical Traditional [email protected]

Calendar
Jn 19:14 '6th hour: Abib 13 Nisan 14 Abib 14 (Day 5)
Yeshua before May 12 (Fri), CE 17
Pilatos'
Crucifixion Abib 14 Nisan 14 Aviv 16
High Sabbath Abib 15 Nisan 15
Resurrection (in the Abib 16 Nisan 16 Aviv 20 (Day 3) ('night')
dawn) May 15 (Mon), CE 17
Risen Master to Abib 16 Nisan 16 Aviv 20
Disciples (morning)
13 Jean Meeus Astronomical Tables of the Sun, Moon and Planets

[book review: by Hurl, R. F. Monthly Notes of the Astron. Soc. Southern Africa, Vol. 44, p. 37
SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data Systems (ADS)
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1985MNSSA..44...37H ]

SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Title: Astronomical Tables of the Sun, Moon and Planets by J. Meeus: Book Review
Authors: Hurly, R F.
Journal: Monthly Notes of the Astron. Soc. Southern Africa, Vol. 44, p. 37
Bibliographic Code: 1985MNSSA .. 44 .. .37H
14. Boice, John [Ch. 153 Jn 12:12-19 When Did Jesus Die?]

James Montgomery Boice (1985, 1999), The Gospel of John

[in Vol. 3. p. 929 Ch. 153 When Did Jesus Die? (Jn 12:12-19)]
[p. 929] … It is the difficulty of squaring a Friday crucifixion with Christ's prophecy (it’s
not a prophecy – ARJ) that the Son of Man shall "be three days and three nights in the
heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:40). It is true that according to Jewish idiom the phrase "three
days" does not necessarily mean a period of seventy-two hours. It can mean merely one
whole day plus parts of two others. But while this observation helps us in dealing with
texts that actually say "three days", it hardly helps us in dealing with this important
prophecy (it’s not a prophecy) from Matthew. "It is possible that parts of one day and one
night are involved, rather than three full days and three full nights; nevertheless, three
periods of light and three periods of darkness must be accounted for. And this, regardless
of anything else, is fatal to a Friday crucifixion theory. As one writer says, "Add to this
indictment of Friday the statement of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, spoken on
the afternoon of Sunday (Luke 24:21), 'Today is the third day since these things were
done', and the case looks black indeed against Friday. Sunday is not the third day since
Friday." [Ref.a Roger Rusk “The Day He Died’, Christianity Today, 29 Mar 1974, p. 6.]

[p. 930] April 6, CE 30 (Thursday)

… First, it clearly allows for the required three days and three nights in the tomb in line
with Christ’s prophecy. [misreading for misinterpreting the text!] Jesus had spoken of a
period beginning with daylight and comprising the whole of three days and nights, with
the possible qualification that the opening period of day and the closed period night need
not necessarily be a full twelve hours. This is provided for as follow. Jesus died on
Thursday afternoon about three o’clock; hence, the hours from 300 p.m. until dusk qualify
as the first day. This period is followed by Thursday night, Friday, Friday night, Saturday,
and Saturday night; that is, a total of three days and three nights in that precise order. In
this scheme of things Jesus could have risen from the dead at any point after dark on
Saturday evening. We know that he had been raised before the women got to the tomb in
the dawn on Sunday morning.

[p. 931]
… Thursday: Jesus is tried and eventually crucified. The trial begins on what we would
call Wednesday night (but which is actually the early hours of Thursday by Jewish
reckoning and is completed in the morning. Jesus sis buried that evening by Nicodemus [a
Pharisee – Jn 3:1] and Joseph of Arimathea [? Sadducee – Jim Bishop, The Day Christ
Died, p. 337]. The women observe where Jesus is buried entombed and buy spices, but as
it is now the start of the Jewish Passover (that is, the Friday Passover Sabbath that began
at dusk on Thursday evening), they are unable to attempt to anoint the body until Sunday
morning.
Friday and Saturday: The boy of Jesus remains in the tomb. The women and disciples
observe the two Sabbaths Jesus rises from the dead sometime between the coming of
darkness on Saturday evening and the coming of the dawn on Sunday morning.

a
See a copy of the article < ((For WB #6 )) The Day He Died (Thu AD 30) – Roger Rusk> in the IRENT
Vol. III – Supplement Collection <WB #9 – Passion Week Chronology>.
15. The Passover Week
[after the Jewish calendar, not biblical. Passover means Festival of Matzah.]

[End of File]