Understanding the true meaning of the Old Testament phrase “the sacrifice of the Passover” is essential to knowing why Christ had to die in the afternoon on Passover day. This specific timing wasn’t random—it fulfilled the sacrificial system of the old covenant. The killing of countless animals under that system could never take away sins. Only the sacrifice of Joshua the Christ’s life could accomplish that.
When the meaning of this expression was lost, Judaism began to confuse the killing and eating of the lamb on Passover night with events that took place on the afternoon of Passover. It was during that afternoon that animals were being killed and prepared for sacrifices, which were to be offered after sundown at the start of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
As a result of this confusion, Judaism lost sight of how to correctly identify the timing of Passover events and the High Day that followed. Yet in Egypt when the first Passover was kept, the ability to count accurately was a matter of life and death. In the account of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, counting time accurately becomes even more critical—especially for traditional Christianity.
This is one of the most vitally important moments in all of human history to be able to understand time as God revealed it . Without this true knowledge of what actually transpired, there is no proof whatsoever that Joshua was the true Passover for mankind or that He was even the Messiah. And if He is not the Messiah, what hope is there for mankind?
The Morning of Passover Day
As the account leading up to Christ’s death continues, the focus now turns to the daytime portion of Passover. It was in the very early morning hours of this day that Joshua was brought before Pilate for judgement.
Previously, it was shown how Joshua responded to Pilate’s questions about whether He was a king. The four Gospel accounts—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—each offer different details of the story of Christ’s life and death. Some include more of the events, others fewer. But when put together and placed in their proper sequence, they provide a full and accurate picture of what transpired.
Mark records, “Immediately, in the early morning [a phrase referring to the time just after first light], the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. Then they bound Joshua and took Him away to be delivered to Pilate. Then Pilate asked Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ He answered and said to him, ‘You have spoken it.’ Then the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, ‘Are You answering nothing? Look at how many things they are testifying against You.’ But Joshua still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled” (Mark 15:1-5).
“ Now according to the Feast [the time or season of] he [Pilate] would release one prisoner to them of whomever they requested. Now there was one named Barabbas, bound with those who had made an insurrection, who had committed murder in the insurrection. Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. But Pilate answered them, saying, ‘Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy” (Mark 15:6-10).
“But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. Pilate answered and said to them again, ‘What then do you want me to do to whom you call the King of the Jews?’ So they cried out again, ‘Crucify Nail Him to a pole!’” (Mark 15:11-13).
These religious leaders of Judaism were so overcome with envy, jealousy, and hatred that they forcefully urged the crowd to demand Joshua’s death. This hatred was so deep that they would rather release a murderer than to allow Joshua to live.
The Symbol of the Cross
In this last verse they did not cry out, “Crucify Him”—even though that’s how it’s commonly translated. This is yet another area where error has crept into scripture through mistranslation, and it has endured for hundreds of years. The word used here in Greek is not one that means “crucify.” There are words in Greek that can be used to describe a cross like structure or even an X—shaped form, but this is not one of those words.
The mistranslation of this word significantly alters the meaning of Joshua’s death and obscures what actually happened later when the soldiers came to break the legs of the three who had been hanging for hours.
The Greek word translated as “crucify” is “stauroo,” which comes from the root word “stauros.” In its original usage, this referred only to an upright stake, post, or pole—never a cross. How and why this was changed hundreds of years ago is another story altogether, but the fact remains: it was altered. Today, biblical scholars and teachers continue to repeat this mistranslation.
As the timeline of Joshua’s final day continues, it becomes increasingly evident that the correct translation is indeed “pole.” This is not just a linguistic point—it becomes physically and prophetically significant based on what actually occurred. This will be discussed more in depth later in the chapter.
The Jewish leaders were determined to have Joshua put to death. They stirred up the people to demand the release of Barabbas and to have Joshua executed. What they were truly demanding was that He be nailed to a stake—a pole. The Greek word “stauroo” literally means to “impale to a pole.” That method of execution involved nailing both of Joshua’s hands above His head, overlapping them and fastening them with a single spike. The same was done to His feet—impaled together with another single spike.
Pilate Trapped by Political Pressure
As the events of that early morning continued to unfold, the account makes it repeatedly clear that Pilate wanted to release Joshua. He could find no fault in Him. Yet, the Jewish leaders were relentless. Their hatred of Joshua ran so deep that they were willing to press the Roman governor with a veiled but powerful threat.
While the crowd cried out for Barabbas to be released, they also demanded that Joshua be put to death—by being impaled to a pole.
Mark writes, “But Pilate said to them, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they cried out all the more to impale Him to a pole. So Pilate, wanting to satisfy the people, released Barabbas to them, and after having Joshua scourged [whipped in public], he delivered Him to be impaled to a pole” Mark 15:14-15).
John provides even more detail: “Then Pilate had Joshua taken to be scourged. Now the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they struck Him with their hands. Thereafter, Pilate went out again and said to them, ‘Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, so that you may know that I find no fault in Him.’ Then Joshua came forth wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and [Pilate] said to them, ‘Look at this man.’ Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, ‘Impale Him to a pole, impale Him to a pole!’ Pilate answered them, ‘You take Him and impale Him to a pole, for I find no fault in Him’” (John 19:1-6).
“The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and according to our law He should die, because He has made Himself out to be the Son of God.’ Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and went again into the Praetorium [judgment hall], and said to Joshua, ‘Where are You from?’ But Joshua gave him no answer. Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Will You not answer me? Do You not know that I have the power to impale You to a pole and the power to release You?’ Joshua replied, ‘You have no power at all against Me except it has been given to you from above. Therefore, the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin’” (John 19:7-11).
Pilate still sought to release Him, but then the Jewish leaders struck where it hurt: “If you let this man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar” (John 19:12). That statement carried political weight. Pilate could not risk appearing disloyal to Rome.
It was at this point that Pilate made his final judgment concerning Christ. Pilate had to avoid giving even the slightest impression that he was permitting someone to claim kingship within the Roman Empire, since only Caesar was recognized as ruler. The veiled threat from the Jewish leaders exploited this, leading to the outcome they wanted—the death of Joshua.
“Now it was the preparation day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. Then he [Pilate] said to the Jews, ‘Behold your King!’” (John 19:14).
This first part of this verse makes it clear when this event took place—on Passover day, which is known as the preparation day.
However, the hour mentioned in this verse has caused confusion for some. The other writers of the four Gospels used the Jewish reckoning of time, but John used the Roman system—the same as our modern 24-hour clock. In using the Jewish method, the sixth hour corresponds to 12 noon Roman time. Since other scriptures confirm that Joshua was nailed to the pole by 9:00 a.m.—the third hour by Jewish timekeeping—it becomes clear that John was using the Roman method to mark the time.
After Pilate presented Joshua to the Jews, he said, “‘Behold your King!’ But they cried out, ‘Away with Him, away with Him! Impale Him to a pole!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I impale your King to a pole?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’ Therefore, he then delivered Him to them to be impaled to a pole. Then they took Joshua and led Him away. Then He, bearing His pole, went out to a place called the Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they impaled Him to a pole, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Joshua in the center” (John 19:14-18).
Understanding the Preparation Day Before the Annual Sabbath
The previous verses point out that this was the preparation day. In biblical terms, a preparation day is the day that precedes a weekly Sabbath or an annual Holy Day Sabbath. Within the normal weekly cycle, the sixth day—Friday—is always a preparation day for the weekly Sabbath. Likewise, when an annual High Day approaches, the day before it is also considered a preparation day for that annual Holy Day Sabbath.
As a reminder, the Sabbath is an appointed time established by God, a day on which all regular work must cease. It is commanded to be a day of rest, which is why a preparation day is needed beforehand. Therefore, the Passover day served as the preparation day before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
At the time when the sacrificial system was still in practice, the daylight hours of Passover were typically filled with work—specifically the killing, cleaning, and preparing of animals to be offered as sacrifices after sundown. Understanding this context is essential for grasping the timeline of Christ’s death and resurrection.
It is important to know when Christ died and that His death occurred before the two other men who were nailed to poles beside Him and how they died later. It is critical to know the events of what happened between His death and the arrival of that High Day, specifically when He was taken and placed in the tomb just before sunset. It holds a key to unlocking the proper understanding of the timing surrounding Christ’s burial and resurrection.
Exact Timing – the Greatest Stumbling Block
The timing of Joshua’s death and the events that unfold after His death lead directly to what has become the greatest stumbling block for traditional Christianity. It centers on timing—precise, scripturally revealed timing that proves whether or not Joshua was the Christ—the Messiah sent by God. This explicit timing is not recognized by traditional Christianity. It is misunderstood, overlooked, and even denied, yet it is the very proof Christ gave for His identity as the one sent by God.
This misunderstanding is deeply tied to the great cover-up that began in the fourth century A.D.—a cover-up that worked to hide the true identity and importance of the Messiah.
God had given the Israelites very specific instructions on how to observe the first Passover in Egypt. It had to be done exactly as He commanded if they were to be spared from the death of their firstborn. This event foreshadowed something far greater—a spiritual fulfillment affecting billions who can be saved from death through the true Passover: Joshua the Christ.
Passover, as an annual observance, falls on different days of the week depending on the year.
Biblical scholars and teachers of traditional Christianity all recognize that Christ died on Passover day, but they do not agree on the year it occurred. This is because they have chosen a year that fits their own flawed timeline—one that does not align with God’s.
The precise timing surrounding Joshua’s death, burial, and resurrection reveals the only proof He gave that He was the Messiah. This will be covered more thoroughly as we go along. If that timing is incorrect, then by His own words, He was not the Messiah. Within traditional Christianity, it is exact timing that separates truth from error and truth from the deception.
To understand this properly, it is necessary to remember that in both the Old and New Testaments a new day always began at sunset—not at midnight, as we measure time now. The Jews always counted days from sundown to sundown, not from midnight to midnight.
On Passover day, Joshua was put to death along with two other men who were executed beside Him. Because of the way a day was measured—from sunset to sunset—and since it was the preparation day before the annual High Day—the Jewish leaders wanted the bodies of those who had been executed removed and buried before sunset. The annual Sabbath, which marked the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, would begin at sundown. No work was permitted on a Sabbath, so they needed to act quickly to avoid violating their laws.
However, what Christ said about the timing of His own death, burial, and resurrection does not match what is taught in traditional Christianity. Mainstream belief claims Christ died on a Friday—specifically “Good Friday”—and that this occurred in the year 33 A.D., a year in which Passover did fall on a Friday.
But God’s own teaching and the very words of Joshua Himself reveal that He died on Passover in the year 31 A.D. In that year, Passover (day) fell on the 4th day of the week. According to modern timekeeping, that means Passover began after sundown on Tuesday and continued through that night and into the daylight portion of Wednesday. This means that Joshua would have died on a Wednesday afternoon.
So the question must be asked: which date is correct?
Following the timeline of events will help clarify the answer.
The Timing of Christ’s Death
“Now they brought Him to the place called Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. Now when they impaled Him to the pole, they divided His garments, casting lots for them as to what every man would take. Now it was the third hour [9 a.m.], and they impaled Him to the pole” (Mark 15:22-25).
“Now an inscription of His cause [the reason for His sentence] was inscribed: THE KING OF THE JEWS. With Him, they also impaled to poles two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So the scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Now He was numbered with the transgressors.’ Even those who passed by spoke irreverently of Him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘Aha! You who would have the temple brought down and then build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the pole’” (Mark 15:26-30).
The Jews were repeating something they didn’t fully understand—about a statement Christ made that the only sign proving He was the Messiah would be the period of time He would spend in the earth: three days and three nights.
Earlier in His ministry, Christ spoke of this. When the Jews asked for a sign of His authority, He replied: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews, not understanding, said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. After His resurrection, “His disciples remembered that He had said this to them, and they believed the scripture and the word which Joshua had said” (John 2:18-21).
This story continues in Mark, showing the ongoing mocking of Joshua while He hung by His hands impaled on the pole.
The chief priests and scribes mocked, and said, “‘He saved others. Himself He cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the pole, so that we may see and believe.’ Even those who were impaled to a pole next to Him reviled Him. Now when the sixth hour [noon] had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour [3 p.m.]. Then at the ninth hour [3 p.m.] Joshua cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, ‘Look, He is calling for Elijah His God Yahweh’” (Mark 15:31-35).
Joshua was not calling out to Elijah who was a prophet of old but to His Father. The word Elijah contains the Hebrew words for “My God Yahweh,” or can also be, “His God Yahweh.”
“Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, ‘Let Him alone, let us see if Elijah His God Yahweh will come to take Him down.’ But Joshua cried out with a loud voice and breathed His last [He died]. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:36-39).
Christ’s Death & Burial
“The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the poles on the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a High Day, asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and then taken away” (John 19:31).
Once again, this day is referred to as the “preparation.” It was the mid-afternoon of Passover day, which also served as the preparation day for the approaching Sabbath—an annual High Day. The Jews, believing that no work be done on the Sabbath, requested that the deaths be hastened so the bodies could be taken down and buried before the Sabbath would begin at sunset.
The method for hastening death had everything to do with the way they had been impaled. This now shows why it is so important to understand the translation of the word that was used for Christ’s death, “stauroo,” and why it is meaningful to the events that transpired.
Understanding how one is impaled on a pole helps reveal what actually occurred. Each man’s arms were extended upward above his head, hands overlapped with a single spike driven through them. Their feet were overlapped and nailed together with another spike. In this position, breaking their legs served a specific purpose. But how would that lead to a quick death?
Prior to the soldiers coming by to break their legs, those impaled could push themselves upward with their feet to take a breath. Once the legs were broken, they could no longer lift themselves and suffocation followed quickly. If they had been impaled on a cross, with arms outstretched from side to side, this difficulty would have not been the same. Breathing in that position would not have been nearly as strained as it was with the arms raised vertically.
“Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was impaled to a pole next to Him. But when they came to Joshua and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. For one of the soldiers had pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. Now he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done so that the scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’ And again, another scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced’” (John 19:32-37).
“Now after this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Joshua, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Joshua, and Pilate gave permission. So he went and took the body of Joshua. Even Nicodemus, who at first came to Joshua by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Joshua and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was impaled to a pole there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Joshua, because of the Jews’ preparation, for the tomb was nearby” (John 19:38-42).
John’s account shows that the tomb was located in a garden near the place where the three had been executed. Because of this close proximity, there was just enough time to partially prepare Christ’s body and lay it in the tomb. They were able to do this near the end of the preparation day, just before the annual High Day—the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread—began at sundown.
More Explicit Timing
This issue of exact timing becomes crucial for understanding how scholars and teachers throughout history misinterpreted the events surrounding Christ’s burial and resurrection. The depth of their misunderstanding—primarily due to their lack of knowledge about Judaism during this period—is astounding. It was this very ignorance that allowed for the great cover-up about the Messiah to take hold in the fourth century within traditional Christianity.
At the time these events occurred, Judaism was keeping the weekly Sabbath, the annual Sabbaths—Holy Days—and the Passover according to the exact timing God had instructed in the Old Testament. But as early translators and theologians attempted to interpret the New Testament record of these events, they lacked the foundation necessary to rightly divide the truth.
Without that knowledge, they were unable to recognize what scripture truly revealed. As a result, they introduced false interpretations, which have been repeated and reinforced for centuries.
One of the most common missteps has been in their reading of the “preparation day.” They failed to grasp the significance of the biblical Holy Day calendar, and how those dates often included annual Sabbaths, also called “High Days.” They also couldn’t piece together this story correctly as it is recorded in the four Gospels of the New Testament. This lack of understanding led them to misplace the timing of Christ’s death.
These teachers assumed that it was the preparation day before the weekly Sabbath—on Friday, the 6th day of the week. This is far from being accurate. They failed to realize that it was the preparation day before an annual Sabbath. The rest of the story makes this abundantly clear.
John makes a very specific point in his Gospel that is often either ignored or just covered over.
“The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the poles on the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a High Day, asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and then taken away” (John 19:31).
This wasn’t a regular Friday preparation for a weekly Sabbath. It was the preparation day for an annual Holy Day—specifically, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That Holy Day would begin at sundown, immediately after the close of the Passover day. This is what John’s Gospel clearly points to—a detail that traditional Christianity has repeatedly ignored.
Holy Days Can Fall on Different Days of the Week
This is only part of the story. Some might argue that during the year of Joshua’s death, the weekly Sabbath and the annual Sabbath—the first day of the Feast Unleavened Bread—happened to fall on the same day. That can indeed happen in certain years. However, that was not the case in the year Christ died.
If the two Sabbaths had coincided that year, there would have been no need to emphasize or stress that this was a preparation day specifically before an annual Sabbath—a High Day. The very fact that this distinction is made shows that they were two separate days.
What follows next in the account removes any doubt. It makes it crystal clear what day of the week Christ died. If both Sabbaths had occurred on the same day, then Christ would have died on a Friday, the sixth day of the week—just as traditional Christianity claims with its Good Friday observance. However, that is not true. He did not die on a Friday. In order to understand the truth, one must follow the sequence of events that took place after His death, especially the timing that he was placed in the tomb.
As the narrative continues, we see that once the bodies of the three had been taken down, Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate to request Joshua’s body. After receiving permission, he and Nicodemus prepared the body and placed it in a tomb that was located in the garden near the site where Joshua had been nailed to a pole. Because of the proximity of the tomb, they were able to quickly complete their work, partially preparing the body for burial just before sunset, just as the annual High Day—the first day of Unleavened Bread—was about to begin.
The account written by Luke adds more as this story continues to unfold.
“Then notice the man named Joseph who was a council member. He was a decent and upright man, and although a member of the council, he had not consented with their decision and deed [to execute Joshua]. He was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who himself also waited for the Kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and pleaded for the body of Joshua. He took it down and wrapped it in linen and laid it in a tomb that had been cut in stone, wherein no one had ever been laid. That was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was drawing near [about to begin]” (Luke 23:50-54).
Luke then notes that there were women who had followed Joseph and Nicodemus to the tomb, wanting to see where Joshua’s body would be laid.
“The women also, who came with Him [Joshua] from Galilee [to Jerusalem] followed after [after Joseph of Arimathaea to the tomb], and they saw the tomb and how the body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments, and they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment” (Luke 23:55-56).
Relevance of When the Spices Were Purchased & Prepared
This specific account about the two women reveals exactly what day of the week the burial and surrounding events occurred. These women had watched as Joshua’s body was placed in the tomb just before sunset on that Passover day. Afterward, the account explains that they returned home and prepared spices and ointments. Their intention was to finish the burial process that Joseph and Nicodemus had begun hastily, just before sunset and the annual High Day began.
This detail is often overlooked by theologians and scholars, yet understanding their customs—and their obedience to Sabbath observance—is essential to uncovering the truth.
With only a basic understanding of Jewish customs and practices, one would know that the women would not have purchased or prepared burial spices and ointments on the annual Sabbath—the High Day—that began at sunset. Business in Jerusalem would have been closed, and they would not have violated Sabbath law by performing such work. They would have observed this annual High Day as everyone in Judaism was doing at this time.
These women did not anticipate that Christ would die on that particular day—on Passover afternoon. Naturally, they had not prepared the spices and ointments in advance. Therefore, they had to wait until after the Sabbath to buy and prepare what was needed, since such work could not be done on a Sabbath.
Jewish burial practices during this time involved washing the body, anointing it with oils and aromatic spices, and carefully wrapping it in linen—steps that required time, effort, and reverence. The verses in Mark and Luke suggest that the women believed the burial had been incomplete or done hastily due to time constraints, so they prepared to return and complete the process properly, in keeping with the customary practices to honor Joshua.
So when did these women purchase and then prepare the ointments and spices to be added to Christ’s burial? Cleary, they wanted to do this, and it is clear that the spices and ointments were purchased and prepared before Sunday morning, as scripture tells us that they came to the tomb early that morning, after sunrise:
“Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary [the mother] of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen” (Mark 16:1-2).
It states that the women came to the tomb early on Sunday morning—when the sun had risen. This means the spices had to be purchased before Sunday. But it couldn’t have been done on the day before Sunday—the weekly Sabbath—nor on the annual Sabbath that immediately followed Passover—the First Day of Unleavened Bread. Both days prohibited such activity. One thing is certain; they would have been eager to get to the tomb as soon as they possibly could.
When we understand the correct timing of the Passover (the preparation day), the annual Sabbath of the first day of Unleavened Bread, the weekly Sabbath, and the women’s arrival at the tomb on Sunday morning, everything fits together in the only way it possibly can. Only with a proper understanding of God’s Holy Days can the timeline come together clearly:
• Passover (Preparation Day) – Christ dies.
• High Day (Annual Sabbath) – 1st Day of Unleavened Bread.
• Friday – Women purchase and prepare spices.
• Weekly Sabbath – Day of rest.
• Sunday – They come to the tomb.
Only this sequence makes everything align.
It was on Friday that the women purchased and prepared the burial spices and ointments. This task consumed the entire day. By the time their work was finished, the sun was close to setting and the weekly Sabbath was soon to begin. They could not go to the tomb on the Sabbath, and they would not attempt to rush the anointing of the body in the brief twilight before dark after the weekly Sabbath.
So they waited.
When the weekly Sabbath ended at sunset, they still had no opportunity to perform the burial anointing. There was not enough daylight remaining. They would have to wait until the morning. And that is what they did. On the first day of the week, Sunday morning, they came to the tomb, spices in hand, to honor the body of Christ as best they could.
But what they found was something entirely unexpected.
Christ Couldn’t Have Died on Friday
After understanding Jewish customs and practices, it becomes clear that a day between the annual Sabbath and the weekly Sabbath was necessary for the women to purchase and prepare the spices and ointments—a process that took time and could not be done on a Sabbath.
However, traditional Christianity teaches that Christ died on a Friday. But that timeline doesn’t align with the necessary sequence of events, because it leaves no day in between sundown on Passover and the start of the Sabbath to prepare the spices.
If Joshua had died on Friday, He would have been buried just before sunset, which marked the beginning of the weekly Sabbath. Since traditional Christianity agrees that Joshua died on Passover, and they believe He died on a Friday, that would mean that the weekly Sabbath would coincide with the annual Sabbath—the First Day of Unleavened Bread.
Since no work could be done during the 24-hour Sabbath period, the women would not have had an opportunity to purchase or prepare the spices afterward. It would have been impossible to complete these preparations before arriving at the tomb early Sunday morning.
Most Christian scholars estimate that Christ died in AD 33, mainly because that year aligns with the belief that His death occurred on a Friday. However, a Friday execution doesn’t fit the biblical timeline. Scripture shows there needed to be a full day between the annual Sabbath and the weekly Sabbath to allow the women time to prepare spices and ointments—something that wouldn’t be possible if Christ died on a Friday.
Was there a year that fits this requirement? Yes—AD 31!
In that year, the annual Sabbath—the first Day of Unleavened Bread—fell on a Thursday. The next day, Friday, allowed time for preparation before the weekly Sabbath began at sundown.
But there is another reason that is far greater that proves Friday could not have been the day of Passover when Christ died.
The One Sign of the True Messiah
Though Joshua performed countless miracles and made bold, direct claims about His identity, the leaders of Judaism still refused to accept that He was the prophesied Messiah. Even when faced with undeniable power and authority, they remained hardened and refused to believe.
Yet Joshua was clear. He declared that only one sign would be given to prove that He was indeed sent from God—that He was God’s Messiah. Judaism did not accept that sign. And that sign has been ignored by traditional Christianity.
“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, ‘Master, we want to see a sign from you.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’” (Matthew 12:38-40).
This was the sign—the only sign—that would identify the Messiah: He would be in the heart of the earth—the tomb—for exactly three days and three nights.
The language used here is not vague. In both Greek and its original Aramaic context, the phrase “three days and three nights” means precisely that—three full days and three full nights. Christ emphasized that this period would match exactly the time Jonah spent in the belly of the great fish. And in Hebrew, the account in Jonah establishes this timeframe as an exact 72-hour period.
Understanding the correct timing of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, along with the timing of when the women purchased and prepared the burial spices and ointments, reveals the exact day of the week these events had to occur. The truth of this timing is not that difficult to comprehend. That timing unlocks the truth, and this sign—if taken seriously—becomes the undeniable proof of whether Joshua truly was the Messiah.
Three Days and Three Nights Fulfilled
The only year in which all these events could have happened exactly as recorded is in AD 31, when the Passover day—on which Joshua was put to death—fell on a Wednesday afternoon.
According to the Roman Calendar, Sunday is the 1st day of the week and Saturday (the weekly Sabbath) is the seventh. That year, the fourth day of the week—Wednesday—was Passover. In mid-afternoon, Joshua the Christ died. Before sunset, He was hastily placed in the tomb, just before the High Day—the First Day of Unleavened Bread—began.
From just before sunset on the fourth day of the week (Wednesday) to just before sunset on the fifth day (Thursday) marks the first full day that Christ was in the heart of the earth—in the tomb.
From Thursday evening to just before sunset on that sixth day (Friday) completes the second full day. This was also the day when the women bought and prepared the spices and ointments for His burial.
Then, from Friday evening to just before sunset on the weekly Sabbath (Saturday), Joshua the Christ completed a third full day in the tomb. This fulfilled the one and only sign He gave to prove He was the Messiah: He would be in the heart of the earth for three full days and three full nights—just as Jonah had been in the belly of the great fish.
Three days. Three nights. Just as He said.
The majority of people in the world, including traditional Christianity, do not understand that Christ fulfilled what He said would be the only proof that He was the true Messiah sent by God.
The traditional belief that Christ died near sunset on Friday and remained in the tomb until Sunday morning does not add up to three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Some scholars have attempted to explain how this short time frame could somehow be counted as three days, but it doesn’t align with what Christ clearly said. No amount of adjusting or interpreting the timing can change the straightforward statement He made.
The time just before sunset on Friday to the early light in the sky Sunday morning simply does not support what traditional Christianity teaches about the timing of Christ’s death and resurrection. In fact, that timeline would contradict what Christ Himself said and would actually disprove that He was the Christ. He specifically stated that He would be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
Joshua the Messiah—the Christ—was actually resurrected at the end of the weekly Sabbath day that followed the Passover of that year in AD 31. He was not resurrected at any time on Sunday morning.
This timeline is fully supported when one reads and compares the testimonies recorded across the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Though told from different viewpoints, from the disciples and others who knew and saw these events, all the accounts align perfectly when understood in the light of proper timing.
There is no need to cover all the accounts of the different ones who went to the tomb at different times on that Sunday morning. They are all speaking of the same event. The conclusion is simple and profound: Christ was already gone.
Christ’s Resurrection
Let’s review what Luke summarized about the women who had followed Joseph and Nicodemus to the tomb.
“The women also, who came with Him [Christ] from Galilee [to Jerusalem] followed after [after Joseph of Arimathaea to the tomb], and they saw the tomb and how the body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments [on the sixth day of the week—Friday], and they rested on the Sabbath [after the work of purchasing and preparation, they rested on the weekly Sabbath] according to the commandment” (Luke 23:55-56).
This account should be so much easier to now understand. Luke’s next verse continues seamlessly:
“Now on the first of the week [Sunday], very early in the morning they came to the tomb bringing spices which they had prepared, and others with them. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they entered and did not find the body of the Lord Joshua. Then it came to pass as they were perplexed about this, that behold, two men [angels appearing as men] stood by them in shining garments. But as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they [the angels] said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be nailed to a pole, and the third day rise again.”’ Then they remembered His words” (Luke 24:1-8).
Certainly, each account contains slight differences in detail, but the central message remains consistent. Joshua the Christ was not in the tomb. He had already risen. What’s important to note is this: not one passage in the entire New Testament states that Christ rose on Sunday morning. Rather, every account states that He had already risen by the time the women arrived.
Joshua was resurrected at the close of the weekly Sabbath, just before sundown. And so, the first visitors to the tomb on Sunday morning found it already empty.
Outline of the Timing for These Events
Wednesday
• Joshua was nailed to the pole at 9 a.m.
• He died 3 p.m. that afternoon
• Placed in the tomb just before sundown
• At sundown, the annual Sabbath day (1st day of Unleavened Bread) began
Thursday
• Near sundown, Christ was in the tomb 1 day
Friday
• Preparation day for the weekly Sabbath
• Women purchased and prepared spices & ointment
• Near sundown, Christ was in the tomb 2 days
• At sundown, the weekly Sabbath began
Saturday
• Near sundown, Christ was in the tomb 3 days
• Joshua resurrected just before sunset
Sunday
• Early morning—women went to the tomb—found that Christ had already risen
Next, Events Leading Up To the 4th Century
The next annual Holy Day after this period of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread is Pentecost. It was on Pentecost of AD 31 that a monumental event occurred—God established His Church. This day signaled a profound step forward in God’s progressive revelation to mankind.
For nearly 4,000 years leading up to this moment, God worked personally with individuals He called, revealing to them His way of life. But on this Pentecost, a shift took place in how God would engage with humanity. It would be through His Church, in those whom God would call out of the ways of the world. God would now begin working with people on a larger scale than in the previous 4,000 years.
Instead of continuing to work with individuals one-on-one, God was now going to work through larger groups of people in an organized way—through His Church.
However, not long after its beginning, some people began to leave God’s own Church. This and other factors led to the 4th century cover-up that produced traditional Christianity.
The Church of God - Preparing for the Kingdom of God