Table of Contents
When Did Jesus Rise From The Dead?
The Lord Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after His death, on the first day of the week, early in the morning after the Sabbath according to The Scriptures.
Please see Mark16. This would make the day of His death to be a Thursday (not Good Friday), as days are not counted in Jewish culture as modern man counts days in 24 hour cycles from 12 am midnight.
God counts days from the evening according to Genesis 1 - "and the evening and the morning were the first day."
Thursday evening would be considered the beginning of the first day, Friday evening would be the beginning pf the 2nd day( and the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath), and Saturday evening would be the beginnning of the 3rd day (The ending of the Jewish Sabbath). The evening on Sunday would be the the beginning of the 4th day!
The scriptures say the he rose on the third day, not the 2nd(Good Friday is the wrong day for his death) or the 4th! Which would make His resurrection to be anytime from Saturday evening but before Sunday evening, and precisely The Scripture says it was early in the morning on Sunday which verifies the truth and veracity of the Scriptures that He rose on the third day- Sunday in the Morning, just at sunrise!
He Died on Thursday Evening and Rose on Sunday Morning
Scholars who argued for a Thursday crucifixion were motivated primarily by the need to reconcile Matthew 12:40’s reference to “three days and three nights” with the timeline of Passion Week. They based their conclusions on Jewish lunar calendar reckoning rather than modern astronomical calculations. The implication of this view is that a Thursday crucifixion allows for burial before the Sabbath and a resurrection on Sunday, aligning both literally and symbolically with the Gospel accounts.
Here's scholarly consenus on this topic:
| Scholar | Institution & Work | Key Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| J.W. McGarvey | College of the Bible (Kentucky) – The Fourfold Gospel (1887) | Argues Thursday crucifixion better accounts for “three days and three nights” and aligns with Jewish reckoning of time. |
| Cornelius Van Til / Earlier Traditions of Dutch Reformed | Dutch Reformed context – Sermons & Biblical Chronology | Interpreted Gospel chronology literally, placing crucifixion Thursday to reconcile synoptic and Johannine timelines. |
| Rev. John Lightfoot | Cambridge University – Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae (17th century) | Uses Jewish calendar reckoning to argue for Thursday, emphasizing proper alignment with Passover and Sabbath. |
| F.H. Scrivener | Cambridge University – Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament (1861) | Analyzes Gospel chronology, concludes Thursday crucifixion is most consistent with “three days and three nights.” |
| E.W. Bullinger (late 19th–early 20th c.) | St. Albans, England – The Companion Bible | Supports Thursday crucifixion using Jewish inclusive day-counting, ensuring literal fulfillment of “three days and three nights.” |
Here are 4 reasons why Good Friday wouldn't work.
1. “Three Days and Three Nights” (Matthew 12:40)
The Lord Jesus said He would be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
Friday crucifixion → burial Friday afternoon → resurrection Sunday morning.
This gives:
Friday (part day) + Friday night (1 night) + Saturday (day) + Saturday night (2nd night) + part of Sunday (3rd day)
Problem: Only two nights using the Good Friday model so a literal reading of “three nights” is not satisfied.
2. Jewish Inclusive Day Counting
Some scholars argue part of a day counts as a full day in Jewish reckoning.
Even with inclusive counting, a Friday crucifixion stretches the “three nights” claim, whereas Thursday fits naturally.
3. Synoptic and Johannine Timeline Issues
John 19:14–31 describes Preparation Day before Sabbath, suggesting The Lord Jesus was buried before Sabbath began.
If crucifixion is Friday afternoon:
Burial happens close to Sabbath start, leaving less time for proper observance of burial rituals.
Thursday crucifixion allows full afternoon burial before Sabbath, consistent with Jewish law.
4. Conclusion
Good Friday works symbolically and traditionally, but cannot fully satisfy a literal interpretation of “three days and three nights”.
A Thursday crucifixion aligns literally with the phrase, the Jewish calendar, and Gospel chronology.
The Lord Jesus' Resurrection on Sunday in Mark 16
16 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
On The Ressurrection of The Lord Jesus From The Dead:
The resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ is supported by multiple lines of evidence found in Scripture and early Christian testimony.
The empty tomb is reported in all four Gospels (Matthew 28:1–10; Mark 16:1–8; Luke 24:1–12; John 20:1–10), discovered early Sunday by women, with Roman guards present, making theft or error unlikely. The Lord Jesus also appeared after His bodily resurrection to individuals and groups, including Mary Magdalene, the disciples, and over 500 people according to1 Corinthians 15:6. This provides multiple independent testimonies.
These appearances transformed the disciples from fearful followers into bold proclaimers of the resurrection (Acts 2:1–41), willing to endure persecution and death rather than deny their experiences.
Early oral traditions, similar to 1 Corinthians 15:3–7, circulated within years of the event, preserving eyewitness testimony. The resurrection is also a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:10–11), validating its divine nature.
Finally, the martyrdom of the apostles and early Christians underscores the sincerity of their testimony, as they would unlikely suffer and die for a fabricated event. Taken together, these factors—empty tomb, appearances, transformed witnesses, early creeds, prophetic fulfillment, and courageous testimony—form a historically verifiable and compelling case for The Lord Jesus’ resurrection which is central to The Christian faith.
Romans 6:8-12
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
