Hebrew & Roman Timekeeping

Hebrew & Roman

Timekeeping

 

Introduction

There are many events that take place in and around the barley harvest, Passover, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread; including the life of Jesus Christ, his ministry, and his death, burial, and resurrection. Thus study of Hebrew & Roman Timekeeping sheds light on the knowledge needed to better understand the timing of events that took place.

Hours & Days

Hours of the Day

Understanding Hebrew and Roman timekeeping is necessary for understanding the order of events in the New Testament; as the writers of the four Gospels refer to them both. Recall that the Hebrew days started in the evening:

Genesis 1:5 KJV - "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."

Ancient Roman time started the natural day with sunrise. Days and nights were divided into periods that varied in length. Scripture particularly makes reference to eight of them: cock-crow, the third hour, the sixth hour (mid-day), the seventh hour, the ninth hour, the tenth hour, the eleventh hour, and midnight.

Luke 22:61 KJV - "And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."

(See also Matthew 26:34, 75 and Mark 14:30, 72)

Mark 15:25 KJV - "And it was the third hour, and they crucified him."

John 19:14 KJV - " And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!"

(See also Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:44)

John 4:52 KJV - "Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."

Matthew 27:46 KJV - " And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

(See also Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:44)

John 1:39 KJV - "He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour."

Matthew 20:9 KJV - "And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny." (See also Matthew 20:6)

Luke 11:5 KJV - "And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;"

As the length of daylight varied with each season, the length of each hour of the day varied. Thus whether nine hours or sixteen hours of daylight, daylight was divided up into twelve equal hours.

John 11:9 KJV - "Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world."

By Darekk2 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 

Day of the Week

Both Hebrew (lunar) and Roman (solar) timekeeping were referenced in the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection.

Matthew records how time was dawning towards the first day of the week, according to Roman timekeeping:

Matthew 28:1 KJV - "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre."

Mark, Luke, and John record that it was already the first day of the week, according to Hebrew timekeeping.

Mark 16:1-2, 9 KJV - "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. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. ... Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils."

 Luke 24:1 KJV - "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them."

 John 20:1 KJV - "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre."

Order of Events

The added understanding of time and observances will clearly show the accurate order of events found in scripture.

Nisan 8: Long Distance Travel (6 days to Nisan 14)

Friday, Six days before Passover, Jesus walked with his disciples roughly 13 miles from Jericho to Bethany.

John 12:1 KJV - "Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead."

Fact: There is a law known as a sabbath day's journey which limits travel to a distance of 2000 cubits (a little more than half a mile); originating from Exodus 16:29 and Numbers 35:5 and stated also in Acts 1:12. Jesus and his disciples followed this sabbath law and did not travel long distances on a sabbath. This law would have been violated had Passover taken place the following Friday.

Nisan 9: Sabbath Rest (5 days to Nisan 14)

After the long journey, Jesus and Lazarus share a Shabbat supper together in the house of Simon the leper.

John 12:1-2 KJV - "1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him."

Mary, having a costly alabaster box of spikenard ointment, pours it onto Jesus' head and feet, then wipes Jesus' feet with her hair.

John 12:3 KJV - "Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment."

John 11:2 KJV - "(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)"

John recognizes that the woman is Mary, while Matthew and Mark identify Mary as "a woman." (View)

Matthew 26:6-7 KJV - "6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat."

Mark 14:3 KJV - "And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head."

John gives account of the story occurring six days before Passover, while Matthew and Mark reference the story as a side note two days before Passover. (View)

Matthew 26:2 KJV - "Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified."

Mark 14:1 KJV - "After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death."

The evening started Nisan 9; a weekly sabbath and a day of rest.

Judas heart turned for the worse as he began

to seek opportunities to betray Jesus. Many others came to see Jesus and Lazarus for the resurrection miracle they had heard about.

Matthew 26:16 KJV - "And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him."

John 12:9 KJV - "Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead."

Nisan 10: Grand Entrance into Jerusalem (4 Days to Nisan 14)

Jesus remained in Bethany through the Sabbath (Nisan 9) and on the first day of the week, Sunday (Nisan 10), he made his grand entrance into Jerusalem. 

John 12:12-15 KJV - "12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. 14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, 15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt."

Matthew 21:1, 6-9 KJV - "1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, ... 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." (See also Mark 11:1, 7-11)

Recall that Nisan 10 was also the day that the Hebrew people would take a lamb and keep it until the 14th day.

Exodus 12:3, 6 KJV - "3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: ... 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening."

Fact: According to the sabbath law, no person or animal is permitted to perform any labor on a sabbath day. A sabbath falls four days before Wednesday and thus Passover would not have fallen on a Wednesday as that would have resulted in a violation of the sabbath law: for the people cut and strawed palm branches, carried and waved them, and Jesus rode upon a donkey four days before Passover.

The same day of Jesus' grand entrance into Jerusalem, Jesus cleans out the sin in the temple.

Mark 11:11 KJV - "And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve."

Matthew 21:12 KJV - "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,"

That evening, Jesus lodged in Bethany.

Matthew 21:17 KJV - "And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there."

Fact: According to the sabbath law, no one was permitted to buy, sell, or perform any kind of work on a sabbath day. Passover would not have fallen on a Wednesday as that would have resulted in a violation of the sabbath law: for the people were working in the temple four days prior.

Nisan 11: Full Day of Teachings (3 Days to Nisan 14)

The next morning, Jesus returned to the city and was hungry. He continued to teach the rest of Monday, Nisan 11 (See Matthew 21-26).

When the evening had come and Nissan 12 was beginning, there were two days until Passover.

Matthew 21:18 KJV - "Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered."

Matthew 26:1-2 KJV - "1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified."

Nisan 12: Plotting Before Passover (2 Days to Nisan 14)

With two days until Passover, Judas took the opportunity to betray Jesus to the chief priests. The chief priests and scribes took council to take Jesus by craft and to put him to death.

Matthew 26:2 KJV - "Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified."

Mark 14:1-2 KJV - "1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. 2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people."

Mark 14:10 KJV - "And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them."

Nisan 13-14: Preparation of Jesus' Last Passover Meal

Between the evenings, on Wednesday, Nisan 13, the disciples killed a passover lamb. Jesus had desired to eat the passover before he suffered.

Matthew 26:17 KJV - "Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?"

Mark 14:12 KJV - "And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?"

The evening started the day of Passover; being the first day of unleavened bread, the day of preparation, the start of Nisan 14.

Luke 22:7, 15 KJV - "7 Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed... 15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:"

Matthew 26:20 KJV - "Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve."

Nisan 14: Day of Preparation of the Passover

Scripture shows Jesus died the day of preparation on the 14th day of Nisan; the same time when the unblemished firstborn male lambs are killed for Passover.

John 19:14, 30 KJV - "14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!"... 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

Exodus 12:6 KJV - "And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening."

Nisan 15-16: The Sabbaths

Following the day of preparation; now being the 15th of Nisan, was a holy day sabbath, as opposed to a weekly sabbath.

John 19:31 KJV - "The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away."

The Greek word used is also rendered in English as "great day" in John 7:37. Thayer's Greek Lexicon defines this sabbath as being of festival days. (View)

Thayer's Greek Lexicon (megas): "μέγας i. q. solemn, sacred, of festival days… [John 7:37; 19:31]" 

Upon returning to the tomb, it was the end of the sabbath (Roman time); referring to the weekday sabbath.

Matthew 28:1 KJV - "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

The Greek presents this in the plural form, "Sabbaton", indicating a sabbath of multiple sabbaths.  (View)

Thayer's Greek Lexicon (sábbaton): "plural, τά σαββ. (for the singular) of a single sabbath, sabbath-day (the use of the plur[al] being occasioned either by the plur[al] names of festivals…): [Matthew 28:1]"

Since buying and selling were a violation of the sabbath law, at the end of the weekly sabbath, when the evening started the first day of the week for the Hebrew people, spices were purchased and any final preparations of the spices were made.

Mark 16:1 KJV - "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."

Luke 24:1 KJV - "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them."

Nisan 17: 1st Day of the Week/Roman Sunday

The first opportunity to bring the spices prepared for Jesus' burial was just before daylight following the sabbaths. The daylight would help them see to carry out the embalming process.

Luke 24:1 KJV - "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them."

Mark 16:1 KJV - "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."

Fact: Sweet spices were used to counter the odor that a body would release when it decays. It was the common practice to apply ointments and spices before the body begins to decay; hence the rush to get to the tomb of Jesus as soon as possible.

If Passover would have fallen on a Wednesday, not only would the sabbath prior have been violated but the women that brought  Jesus' burial spices would have done so on Friday rather than waiting until Sunday, when Jesus' body would have been in active decay.

Scripture shows Jesus alive the third day since he was crucified on Passover.

Luke 24:13-14, 20-21 KJV - "13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. ... 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done."

Sunday, Nisan 17: Third day since

Saturday, Nisan 16: Second day since

Friday, Nisan 15: First day since

Thursday, Nisan 14: Zero days since/Day of

Fact: Passover could not have fallen on a Wednesday, being 4 days prior to Sunday, or on a Friday, being 2 days prior to Sunday.

Three Days & Three Nights

While there are 12 varying hours in a Roman day, there is also common phraseology that is used. For example, someone who stays in a hotel for three days and three nights may not check out exactly 72 hours later, but rather that they were there for some length of time during each day and night. 

Died before sunset, Nisan 14 - Day 1

In the tomb, Nisan 15 - Night 1

In the tomb, Nisan 15 - Day 2

In the tomb, Nisan 16 - Night 2 

In the tomb, Nisan 16 - Day 3

In the tomb, Nisan 17 - Night 3

Jesus Risen, Nisan 17 - Before sunrise

Matthew 12:40 KJV - "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 16:21 KJV - "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."

(See also Matthew 27:63, Luke 24:7, 21, 46, and John 2:19)

Mark 16:9 KJV - "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils."

John 20:1 KJV - "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre."

From roughly 3pm Thursday to roughly 6am Sunday, Jesus had been deceased for a rough estimate of 63 hours. (View)

Roughly...

3pm 14th - 3pm 15th = 24hrs

3pm 15th - 3pm 16th = 24hrs

3pm 16th - 3am 17th = 12hrs

3am 17th - 6am 17th = 3hrs

Had he remained that way for a full three 24hr days or more, he would have been in the tomb 72 hours or more and his body would have gone into “active decay”; in which his organs and muscles would be decomposing; consumed by the thriving bacteria inside his body. This is known as "corruption". (View Thayer's Greek Lexicon for diaphthorá)

Thayer's Greek Lexicon (diaphthorá): “corruption, destruction; in the N. T. that destruction which is effected by the decay of the body after death: [Acts 2:27, 31; 13:34-37]”

Psalm 16:10 KJV - "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."

Acts 2:27, 31 KJV - "27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. ... 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption."

Acts 13:35, 37 KJV - "35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. ... 37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption."

Fact: If Passover fell on a Wednesday, Jesus' body would have been in the tomb roughly 87 hours. Jesus' body would have been in active decay and prophecy concerning corruption would have failed.

The Resurrection Miracle

In the Tanchuma, a collection of rabbinic literature, there are writings which teach that a person’s soul would linger for three or seven days after a person dies; where within 2 days the soul can reenter the body and come back to life and after three days the soul would not have the ability to return. Had Jesus risen sooner, it would not have been a miracle to many people. It is widely believed that this is also why Jesus waited until Lazarus’ body stunk from decay after being dead four days. Jesus’ purpose was to show God’s glory.

Conclusion

Having foreknowledge of Hebrew and Roman timekeeping, as well as, the sabbath laws, sabbath terminology, the burial process, and human decomposition, helps to clearly see the order of events detailed in scripture.