Three Days and Three Nights: Biblical Proof Jesus Died on Wednesday
The Problem with Good Friday
Have you ever noticed something doesn't add up with the traditional Good Friday to Easter Sunday timeline?
Jesus clearly prophesied: "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" (Matthew 12:40).
But from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning is only about 36 hours – far short of the "three days and three nights" (72 hours) Jesus promised. This mathematical problem has a simple solution: Jesus died on Wednesday, not Friday.
Understanding Biblical Days
To understand the timeline, we need to remember two key facts:
- In biblical reckoning, a Hebrew day begins at sunset (around 6 PM), not midnight
- The Passover (when Jesus died) was followed by a special Sabbath feast day, separate from the weekly Sabbath
The Biblical Timeline Revealed
Here's what really happened according to the Gospel accounts:
Wednesday (Passover, Nisan 14)
- Evening: Last Supper
- Night: Betrayal and arrest
- Morning: Trials
- 9 AM: Crucifixion begins
- Noon to 3 PM: Darkness over the land
- 3 PM: Jesus dies
- Before 6 PM: Jesus buried quickly before the special Sabbath
Thursday (Feast of Unleavened Bread, Nisan 15)
- A "high day" Sabbath (John 19:31)
- First full day in the tomb
Friday (Nisan 16)
- Regular workday
- Second full day in the tomb
Saturday (Weekly Sabbath, Nisan 17)
- Weekly Sabbath
- Third full day in the tomb
- Just before sunset (around 6 PM): Jesus resurrects
Sunday Morning
- Women arrive at the tomb "while it was yet dark" (John 20:1)
- They find the tomb already empty
- Jesus had risen the previous evening
The Evidence from Scripture
All four Gospels support this timeline:
- The women bought spices AFTER the first Sabbath but BEFORE the weekly Sabbath (Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56)
- This means there were two Sabbaths with a regular day between them
- Jesus rose "in the end of the Sabbath" (Matthew 28:1)
- Not Sunday morning, but Saturday evening as the Sabbath was ending
- The women found the tomb empty "while it was yet dark" (John 20:1)
- The resurrection had already happened
Why This Matters
This isn't just about correcting a timeline—it's about the reliability of Jesus' words. If Jesus said He would be in the tomb for three days and three nights, then that's exactly what happened.
The traditional Good Friday crucifixion doesn't allow enough time to fulfill Jesus' prophecy. Only a Wednesday crucifixion provides the full 72 hours Jesus promised.
Listen to the Full Sermon
Want to dig deeper into the biblical evidence? Listen to the complete sermon that walks through the Gospel accounts, explaining the Hebrew calendar and showing conclusively that Jesus died on Wednesday, not Friday.
Click here to listen to "The 72-Hour Truth: Jesus Died Wednesday, Not Friday"
In this eye-opening message, you'll discover:
- Detailed verse-by-verse analysis from all four Gospels
- How the Hebrew calendar illuminates the true timeline
- Why Jesus had to rise exactly when He did
"Test all things; hold fast what is good" - 1 Thessalonians 5:21
#BibleTruth #ResurrectionEvidence #ThreeDaysThreeNights #BiblicalTimeline #PassoverConnection