Here is a quote from one who reminded us that the Crucifixion was according to the Jewish time frame, not Roman. Interesting paper!
"This is a very interesting and difficult subject as an academic matter, but the time frames are not of essential truth ---that is, not required to know to be right with God and obedient. We surely would not want to press it on anyone. The time frames are a matter of conscience, but some understanding will help to explain Matthew 12:40. Regardless of the exact hour, it seems to have been night when Jesus died, which placed Him in death by Jewish count as Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night, I believe. He arose on the first day (the Lord's day to Christians).
"My understanding of this has to do with the Jewish day (Hebrew time), and our present day (Roman time). Jewish day ends and a new one begins in our evening---at about 6 P.M. One needs to distinguish also between crucifixion time and death. Here is how one might understand the time frames from Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:25; Luke 23:44-46; John 19: 14.
"Our Wed. -beginning 12:01 AM (Roman time): the Last supper; Jesus arrested (evening); Hearing before High Priest.
6 PM (Roman time) Jewish fifth day begins.
"Our Thur. -beginning 12:01 AM (Roman time): Jesus sent to Pilate in AM; Jesus all day with Pilate/Romans; At Jew 3rd hr. Jesus crucified (9 PM Roman time); darkness is over the whole earth at Jew 6th hr. (midnight Roman time).
6 PM (Roman time) Jew sixth day begins.
"Our Fri. -beginning 1201 AM (Roman time): At 3 AM (Roman time) Jesus died (Jew 9th hr.); Later in the day Jesus entombed before the Sabbath began at 6 PM.
6 PM (Roman time): Jews seventh day begins (Sabbath day).
"Our Sat. -beginning 1201 AM (Roman time): Jesus in the tomb; Sabbath day continues.
6 PM (Roman time): Jews first day begins
"Our Sun. -beginning 1201 AM (Roman time): Resurrection of the Lord early.
6 PM (Roman time) Jews second day begins
"It appears that Jesus was in the grave according to the Jewish time frames, and often revealed and spoken of by the Roman time frame. This would be part of the Jewish sixth day and part of their Sabbath (part of our Friday and our Saturday), and part of their first day (our Sunday). Thus it was "three days and three nights" (Matthew 12:40), or in proper order as three nights and three days. To arrive at a proper time one might start from the first day (Sunday --our Lord's day) and work backwards.
"This chart considers all the Gospels, and notes from J. N. Darby’s views---CW Vol.32, p.368 (curious that JND makes no reference to Matthew 12:40).
"[ADDENDUM, 8/04: In response to an inquiry, I would say: The "passion week" is a difficult subject. If I understand correctly from what the scriptural verses say, it should be our 3 AM (Roman time) that Jesus died, it seems, which is the Jewish 9th hour (Mark 15:34-37). Everything hinges on the Jewish day, which begins at our 6 PM. The crucifixion was a Jewish act, so all is in their time frame showing their rejection of their Messiah. Other biblical events in the New Testament concerns the Gentile world and is at times showing Roman time.
"In other words, Jesus was arrested by Jews sometime on our Wednesday evening, questioned, then delivered to Pilate the following morning (Thursday). Jesus was questioned by Pilate, shown to the mob, mocked by soldiers and beaten, then crucified about the "third hour" of the day (Jewish time --Mark 15:25) ---9 P.M. Roman time. His death was stated as about "the ninth hour". This would seem to correspond to 3 AM (Friday), and which would be the Jewish 9th hour on our Friday. ]
"[ADDENDUM, 1/05: Response to an inquiry. Mark is considered by many to be in more chronological order than other Gospels, but that does not mean that Mark covered every aspect of the event. The Lord was taken on our Wednesday evening, as I have said---the beginning of the Jewish fifth day. To reconcile all accounts in the Gospels, one must see Mark 15:1 as a time after our midnight Wednesday as morning---being Thursday. The Jews wanted Jesus taken away before the Sabbath---that is 6 P.M. Friday, and He was (see chart).
"A question was raised about how women could look on afar off, and a man run to get the vinegar if it was dark; and what point is there of having three dark hours if it was naturally dark at midnight to 3 AM? Well, one can see at night, and "afar off" is only a relative term. One can also hurry at night, and how far was it---a few feet? I believe God is saying that at the sixth hour (midnight) the sky was dark ("over all the earth" --note Luke 23:44). The whole world was in darkness by the hand of God. This is noteworthy to describe conditions, but doesn't alter the facts. The crucifixion is suggested as at 3 P.M. by some saints, but where does that thought come from? At the time of the crucifixion it was the dawning of a day, and God seems to have kept it dark from then to the veil being rent.
"Mark 15:42 is speaking of the late day (see also Luke 23:54--the "Sabbath drew on"). Perhaps it was then late afternoon on that Friday, and they needed to get the Lord down before 6 P.M. when the Sabbath began.
"One questioned how we might know the Jewish day began at 6 P.M. J. N. Darby specified 6 P.M. as the customary time of the day change. I had always before just thought it was sundown. If one calculates from 6 P.M., then the sixth hour is midnight, and the ninth hour is 3 A.M., but even if the Jewish day began and ended at 5 P.M. or 7 P.M., it still would not alter the time much---certainly not to 3 P.M as is often asserted.
"One might refer to JND CW, Vol.32, p.368-372 for some discussion. One needs also to reconcile Matthew 12:40, and ask which days this would be for Jesus. I think it is our (or Roman) time of Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night. I continue to review this matter, and we may never know the truth of it in this world. - RLD].
