The day of Jesus’ crucifixion is a topic that has been debated by scholars and theologians for centuries. The biblical accounts do not explicitly state the day, which has led to some uncertainty. However, based on the Gospel accounts, contextual clues, and Jewish customs at the time, most believe the weight of evidence points to Jesus having been crucified on a Friday.
The Gospel accounts mention certain details that help narrow down the possible days. For instance, we know from the Gospels that Jesus ate a Passover meal with His disciples the night before He was crucified (Matthew 26:17-29, Mark 14:12-25, Luke 22:7-23). This means He must have been crucified sometime after that Passover meal. In addition, the Gospels mention that Jesus was rushed to be buried before the Sabbath began (Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, John 19:31). The Sabbath starts on Friday evenings, so this also indicates the crucifixion took place on a Friday.
The Gospel of John provides additional chronological details. John specifies that the day of preparation for the Passover was the day Jesus was crucified (John 19:14). “Day of preparation” was another term for Friday, the day before the Sabbath when Jews would prepare meals and observe rituals before the prohibition of work kicked in on the Sabbath. John also notes that the Sabbath following Jesus’ crucifixion was a “high day” – meaning it coincided with the Passover festival (John 19:31). This strongly suggests the crucifixion happened on a Friday, the day before the special Passover Sabbath.
Putting together all these details from Scripture, most scholars concur that the weight of biblical evidence decisively favors Friday as the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. This also fits with the Jewish custom at the time of holding trials and executions in the daytime on weekdays, but not on holy days like the Sabbath or Passover.
Assuming a Friday crucifixion, one question that arises is whether it was Friday morning or afternoon when Jesus was crucified. The Gospels present some hints on the timeline:
- Mark 15:25 tells us Jesus was crucified at the third hour, which is 9 AM according to the Jewish reckoning of time.
- Matthew 27:45-46 states darkness came over the land from the sixth hour (noon) to the ninth hour (3 PM).
- Jesus cried out and died at the ninth hour according to Matthew 27:46-50 and Mark 15:34-37.
If we harmonize these accounts, it seems to indicate Jesus was placed on the cross around 9 AM Friday morning and died sometime around 3 PM that afternoon after approximately six hours on the cross. This timeline also allows enough time after Jesus’ death for Joseph of Arimathea to request and receive permission from Pilate to bury Jesus’ body before sunset and the start of the Sabbath (Mark 15:42-47).
In summary, the combined evidence from the four Gospels indicates that Jesus was crucified and died on a Friday afternoon around 3 PM after being placed on the cross earlier that morning. This fits with Passover customs and Sabbath chronology at the time. Most scholars today accept Good Friday as the probable day Jesus gave His life for the sins of the world nearly 2,000 years ago.
Some questions around the day of Jesus’ crucifixion remain difficult to answer conclusively. For instance, some wonder how Jesus could have been crucified on Friday but also spend “three days and three nights” in the tomb before rising again (Matthew 12:40). Different reconciliation attempts have been suggested, but challenges remain due to the lack of definitive precision around some chronological aspects of the passion accounts. There is also some dispute around the precise year of Jesus’ crucifixion, with most scholars favoring 30 or 33 AD as the two most likely options.
While scholarly debate continues around some details, the combined Gospel testimony strongly favors Friday as the day our Lord Jesus Christ bore our sins on the cross. The Scriptures urge us to remember the crucified Savior who died for us (1 Corinthians 11:26). On Good Friday services and Holy Week observations, Christians corporately reflect on the awesome sacrifice of Christ and thank the Lord for loving us enough to suffer and die so that through faith in Him, we might have eternal life.
Key Biblical Passages on the Day of Jesus’ Crucifixion
Below are some of the key verses from the four Gospels that provide clues regarding the day on which Jesus was crucified:
Matthew 26:17-19 – On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
Mark 15:42 – It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached…
Luke 23:54 – It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
John 19:14 – It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
John 19:31 – Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath…
These key verses highlight that Jesus was crucified on the day of Preparation before the Sabbath and Passover feast. This clearly points to Friday as the day Jesus was crucified.
Historical Sources Confirming Friday Crucifixion
Apart from the biblical record, there are several ancient non-Christian sources that provide confirming evidence for Jesus having been crucified on a Friday:
- The Didascalia Apostolorum (3rd century Syrian work) – “For they began to hold a council against the Lord on the second day of the week, in the first month, which is Xanthicus; and the deliberation continued on the third day of the week; but on the fourth day they determined to take away His life by crucifixion.”
- The Apostolic Constitutions (late 4th century) – “For they began to hold a council against the Lord on the second day of the week, in the first month, which is Xanthicus; and the deliberation continued on the third day of the week; but on the fourth day they determined to take away His life.”
- Peter of Alexandria (300–311 AD) – “The day of preparation, then, comprises the passion…For they began to hold a council against the Lord on the second day of the week…and on the fourth day they crucified Him.”
These early church writings corroborate the biblical timeline that Jesus was sentenced and crucified on a Friday, the day of Preparation before the Sabbath.
Other Details and Customs Confirming Friday Crucifixion
In addition to Gospel accounts and external sources, some other contextual details help substantiate Friday as the day of Jesus’ death:
- Jewish authorities were intent on Jesus being buried before the Sabbath began at sunset on Friday per Deuteronomy 21:22-23.
- The women disciples prepared spices to anoint Jesus’ body after the Sabbath per Luke 23:56, confirming He was buried shortly before the Sabbath.
- Jewish trials and executions were forbidden on holy days like the Sabbath and Passover.
- The Jewish reckoning of a “new day” beginning at sunset supports a Friday crucifixion timing.
Given these corroborating details, the conclusion that Jesus was crucified on a Friday afternoon fits with both the biblical text and historical context. This has been the dominant view throughout church history and continues to be widely held among biblical scholars today.
Objections and Alternative Theories
While Friday is the predominant view, some objections have been raised by those proposing alternate days of the week for Jesus’ crucifixion. Here are a few of the common objections and alternative theories:
Wednesday Crucifixion
A Wednesday crucifixion theory tries to reconcile Jesus’ prediction of being “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40) with a Friday burial before the Sabbath. However, this theory has several problems:
- Difficult to reconcile with Passover chronology and other timing clues in the Gospels.
- Would conflict with Jewish customs prohibiting trials/executions on feast days.
- Questionable if portions of days would have been considered “three days and nights” in Jesus’ statement.
Thursday Crucifixion
This theory suggests Jesus was crucified on Thursday to provide three daylight periods (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) in the grave prior to His Sunday resurrection. However, it faces similar problems as the Wednesday view:
- Hard to reconcile with details like Jesus’ Last Supper being a Passover meal on Thursday eve per the Synoptics.
- Problematic to fit trial, crucifixion, burial, and women purchasing spices all on one day (Thursday).
Overall, moving the crucifixion earlier in the week creates more chronological problems than it solves.
Passover Was on a Saturday
A minority of scholars believe the Passover meal described in John 19 was on a Saturday rather than Friday. This allows for a scenario where Jesus was crucified on Friday but rose on Sunday after three actual nights. However, there are issues with this view:
- Hard to reconcile with Synoptics presenting Last Supper as Passover meal on Thursday eve.
- Unlikely ancient Jews would have held Passover feast on Saturday Sabbath.
So in the end, objections to a Friday crucifixion struggle to present a convincing alternative theory without creating additional difficulties. While some details remain difficult to fully reconcile, Friday continues to make the most sense of the Gospel accounts as a whole.
Significance for Our Understanding
What difference does the day of Jesus’ crucifixion make for our understanding and faith as Christians? Here are a few implications to consider:
- It fulfills Jesus’ own predictions regarding His life, death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21).
- It affirms the truth and reliability of the Gospel accounts.
- It reminds us of Christ’s incredible sacrifice for us on that pivotal Friday.
- It deepens our appreciation for Christ’s finished work on our behalf.
- It focuses our worship on the Lamb who was slain for sinners (Revelation 5:12).
While we cannot know every detail with 100% certainty, we have confidence based on thorough study of Scripture and history that Jesus laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:15) on that solemn and saving Friday nearly 2000 years ago. As the prophet Isaiah wrote, “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!
