We do not know with certainty on which day of the week Jesus died. The Scripture claims that it was on the day before the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday). This fact has led to the widespread belief that the crucifixion was on a Friday. However the Bible also claims that there was a 'special Sabbath' to mark the beginning of the Passover feast (Leviticus 23:7; John 19:31). This, the fourteenth day of Nisan, could occur on any day of the week, even as December 25th will fall on different days of the week.

There is an apparent contradiction between Jesus' promise to rise, "on the third day" (Matthew 16:21;17:23;27:64; Mark 9:31;10:34; Luke 9:22; 18:33; 24:7;24:4; Acts 10:40) and "after three days and three nights" (Matthew 12:40; 27:63; Mark 3:31; 9:31).

One explanation consistent with the data from Scripture is that He was crucified on Wednesday at 3 PM and rose between 6PM and midnight Saturday, keeping in mind that our Saturday evening after 6 PM is actually the first day of the week (Sunday) by Hebrew reckoning. That would fit both the promise given that He would be raised after 3 full days and nights (by Jewish reckoning), and the promise that he would be raised on the third day (by Roman reckoning).

Other explanations that have been given include partial days and the idea that the analogy to Jesus being in the belly of the large fish like Jonah in Matthew 12:40 refers to Jesus being swallowed into the belly of the world system which included his trial before Caiaphas and Pilate as well as His death.

Whereas there may be question as to what day of the week Jesus died, the Bible speaks with certainty that Jesus rose on the FIRST day of the week (sometime after 6 PM Saturday and before sunrise on Sunday). The tomb was empty before dawn. "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance." (John 20:1).

To the Jews the first day was the first working day of the week. This is because it was God's first working day according to the Genesis account of creation. On that day God commanded the light to shine out of darkness. In the resurrection of Christ, God begins His new work of creation! Although God had been at work in many ways since the creation of the physical universe (Genesis 2:2; John 5:17), His first work of creation since that time was to give Jesus a new body. In doing this God is announcing - the second week of creation has begun! God has begun the work of making all things new.

The idea of something being made 'new' rarely occurs in the Old Testament. Solomon's assessment of life is that, "There is nothing 'new' under the sun." But the New Testament abounds with references to God giving new things - new life, new creation, new covenant, a new order, a new way in the Spirit, a new man, a new self, a new mind, new priesthood, new heaven, new earth. "He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!'" (Revelation 21:5).

As Jesus' aging mortal body passed away, so the old order of things will pass away (Revelation 21:1). Jesus is the firstborn from among the dead. He is the firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15,18). Jesus rose from the dead on the feast of first-fruits! (Leviticus 23:15 - the counting of the first omer-the first sheaf of barley. This celebration of counting the omer links the feast of the first-fruit with the full harvesting that is to take place on the fiftieth day (literally- Pentecost). The power that raised Jesus from the dead is linked to the impartation of power for life and witness through the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost.

For God the resurrection meant the beginning of a new work week which would change the whole universe. Since the resurrection of Christ, Christians have referred to this first day of the week as the eighth day! They did not make this their new Sabbath however, for the Sabbath was fulfilled in Christ's finished work. In fact most Christians had to work on Sunday for the first three hundred years of Christianity until Constantine changed the laws. On the first day of the week Christians would meet and celebrate that God was back at work, that a new creation had burst in upon the old, and a new order of things was progressively being established. Let us celebrate that fact as we go back to work!

The songs that they sang for years as they traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Sabbath (Psalm 118:24) had taken on new meaning: "This is the day that the Lord has made." We will rejoice and be glad in it!

May you experience the power of His resurrection life transforming you and all that you do today!

Being transformed on a daily basis because He lives,