When was Jesus crucified?

Silhouette of Jesus during his crucifixion (Shutterstock)

If you are like me, then you probably grew up with the teaching that Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Many call it “Good Friday.” Jesus said in Matthew 12:40, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Unless you are using “common core math,” you cannot fit three days and three nights between Friday night and Sunday morning.

Let me give you some scriptures to consider:
Note: Jewish time is different from how we keep time. The day began at 6:00 AM, night began at 6:00PM.

• Mark 15:25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
  Jesus was put on the cross the third hour, or 9:00 AM.
• Mark 15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
• Everything went dark from the 6th hour to the 9th hour, or 12:00PM to 3:00PM
• Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
• Mark 15:37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
• Mark 15:42a And now when even was come… (evening, or night began about 6:00PM)
• Mark 15:44a And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead…
• Mark 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
• Note: “at the rising of the sun” began the day, about 6:00AM.

So here are the events according to Scripture.
Jesus was officially dead the beginning of the night on the day he died.
He was out of the tomb at the beginning of the first day of the week.

Since he went into the tomb at the beginning of the night, and we don’t know exactly when he rose, but it had to have been during the night (prior to sunrise on Sunday), then we have to conclude that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday.

He was in the grave Wednesday night (1st night), Thursday (1st day), Thursday night (2nd night), Friday (2nd day), Friday night (3rd night), Saturday (3rd day) then out of the grave sometime Saturday night (again, since they came to the tomb first thing Sunday morning and it was already empty, we don’t know what time He came out, we just know it was before the day).

Here is a chart to help:

Have a great Ressurection Sunday and remember: “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain: ye are yet in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:17

The ressurection tends to be the left out portion of the gospel, yet it is the most vital! It is were the transaction was completed. He “was raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25). Let’s not keep Christ on the cross the year! “I serve a risen Saviour, He’s in the world today. I know that He is living whatever men may say!”

Have a great Resurrection Sunday!