This fifteenth day described in verse six above is the “sabbath” they were trying to avoid violating by having Him on the tree, not the usual seventh day Sabbath (Friday evening to Saturday evening). The next verse, however, says “in the first day” (of the seven days of eating matzah), you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no manner of servile work,” making it a Shabbat, a day of rest; but, the Torah does not call it a Shabbat, but a “Mikrah Kadosh.” It is later custom that called it a Shabbat. Later custom also labeled the 14th day as “Preparation Day,” since the Jews moved their Passover Seder to the 15th, only killing the paschal lamb on the afternoon of the 14th. This “Preparation Day” is the day Messiah was killed. So, the “High Sabbath” of the Jews was moved to the 15th day. This changing of the feast was done after the time of Ezra, and was a “new” tradition. Messiah clearly did not move His Passover Seder. We see this in all the gospels. “With great desire have I desired to eat this Pesakh with you!” We also see in the gospel of John where the priests would not enter the court of Pilate, not wanting to defile themselves because they wanted to keep the Seder in the night of the 15th! They merged the Passover Seder with Unleavened Bread. All earlier celebrations, however, have them as separate feasts in the Old Testament, by the Word of יהוה. Israel in the Exodus observed their first seder the night of the 14th, spent the day of the 14th “preparing” to leave by baking Matzot and receiving all the wealth of Egypt, whose firstborn all died on the night of the 14th. They left Egypt on the night of the 15th, as the scriptures clearly state. So, the feast of unleavened bread starts on the 15th of Nisan (though the Pesakh was eaten with Matzah on the first night of counting). Yes, the religious Jews had merged Pesakh/Matzot, but Yeshua did not. He celebrated HIS Passover on the 14th, as instructed by Torah. He became the Pachal lambs at the wrong time! The Saducees and many in Yisra’el had kept their Seders the night before! This is proven history.

The Messiah was executed at noon on Wednesday, the 14th of Nisan; He died at three o’clock, the same time the Jew’s Paschal lamb was slain (which was a breaking of Torah! He took into His flesh the breaking of Torah!) He was placed in the tomb at dusk just before/on the 15th; He remained in the tomb until shortly after sundown on the 18th, having been in the grave for the “even” of the 15th and 16th and 17th, and for the “day” of the 15th, 16th, and 17th. He arose on Bikkurim, or First fruits, and presented Himself to the Father that day as a “wave offering,” the “First fruits from among the dead.”

Some have asserted that the Emmaus walk throws the timing off; the Luke account (the only account of that event) does not say, “this is now the third day,” but says in the Greek, “having gone through three days until today.” Starting from the Sunday afternoon at the Emmaus walk and working back on the calendar proves that there is still no possible way He could have died and been buried on Friday afternoon, and still fulfill His own prophecy. From Sunday afternoon to Saturday afternoon is one day. But, we must bear in mind He arose one day, and only one night. By this understanding, there is only one day in the grave, since according to this tradition He was killed at 3:00 on Friday afternoon. Each gospel account says He was buried “at evening.” The only “day,” therefore, that He spent in the grave was Saturday, according to tradition. So, He saw one full night and one full day in the grave, and rose early on the very next night. It just doesn’t match what He said, nor what the gospels actually record. He rose on the first of the week, on Bikkurim, or “Firstfruits,” which occurs after Passover, after the first ordinary Sabbath after Unleavened Bread has started. (Lev 23:11). Bikkurim, therefore, is always on a Sunday (which in the Bible starts at sundown on Saturday night). Messiah rose on Saturday night, at the end of the ‘third day’ in the grave. He presented Himself before the father hours later, since on Sunday morning He told Mary not to touch Him because He had not yet “ascended,” and on Sunday evening He told the disciples to touch Him. This is the fulfillment of “Bikkurim,” presenting the Firstfruits before G-d, He being the Firstfruits from among the dead.

A difficult verse to think on is Luke 24:21, that of the two men walking to Emmaus on Sunday, who were later joined by a stranger who explained all the scriptures to them. We know they were walking on Sunday, the first day of the week, because it is clearly stated so in Luke 24:1, where the sequence of events started. Here are three translations of Luke 24:21:

(KJV) But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel; and besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done.

(NKJV) But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

(NASB) But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.

Yes, the walk to Emmaus was on Sunday, but it is a misunderstanding and mistranslation that Sunday was the third day since the execution. Instead of writing down the verse in Greek, which most don’t know, we ought to use what others have shown concerning this verse, which will have greater weight.

The Greek word for “since” after “the third day” in Luke 24:21 actually means “away from.” Away from is the same as our “after.” Yeshua died late on a Wednesday afternoon and was laid in the grave at sundown on Wednesday as Thursday was beginning. He was in the grave 3 days and 3 nights on Wednesday night, Thursday night, and Friday night and Thursday day, Friday day, and Saturday day using our reckoning of days and nights. He rose as the Sabbath was ending. So He was in the grave 3 days and 3 nights and rose after 3 days and 3 nights while the Sabbath was ending. So He rose on the third day. Sunday is therefore the 4th day. The actual literal Greek translation of Luke 24:21 is:

But surely also together with all these things, it brings a third day away from which all these things occurred.

Translators take the cumbersome literal translation and make it flow, taking some liberty with it, but trying to retain accuracy. The 4th day is “away from” the third day. It is apparent that the verse is literally saying they were walking and talking after the third day, which was Sunday. However, have other translators understood this point too? Yes, let’s look at 3 of them. (Luke 24:21)

Moffatt Translation, by James Moffatt

… but he is dead, and that is three days ago!

The New Berkeley Version in Modern English, Gerrit Verkugl

Moreover, three days have already passed, since all these events occurred.

The Syriac New Testament Translated into English from the Peshitto Version, James Murdock

…and lo, three days have passed since all these things have occurred.

The Syriac Reading can be confirmed by two of the oldest manuscripts in Estrangelo Aramaic: the Sinaitic Palimpset and the Curetonian Syriac.

A more direct, literal translation from the Apostolic Bible reads:

But indeed with all these things, (this third day leads in today) from which time these things took place.

Most compelling, however, is the Aramaic Peshitta text, which is better preserved and predates the Greek:

“And behold, “three days have passed!”

There is exceedingly ample evidence that the correct translation for Luke 24:21 is that the KJV should read, “today is after the third day since these things were done.” As the information above shows, the oldest and multiple original manuscripts show that “away from” is the correct word for since, and shows us that they were talking about Sunday being the 4th day since Yeshua was laid in the grave. That troubled them, because He has clearly said many times that He would rise after the third day, after three days and three nights. He would fulfill the sign of Jonah, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the great fish, so Yeshua would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. These two disciples were challenged in their faith, because it appeared that Yeshua’s many prophecies concerning His being raised from the dead had failed. They were going back to Emmaus in defeat, when a stranger joined them. This stranger explained to them all the prophecies concerning the Messiah from the Bible (Tanakh or Old Testament). They did not recognize that it was Yeshua, the risen Messiah talking to them. Only when they sat down to eat and He blessed the bread (which, though called “lekhem” is actually unleavend matzot, because they were in the fourth day of that feast) and gave it to them, were their eyes opened and they recognized Him as Yeshua. He then instantly disappeared from them.

Matthew 28:1 (KJV) In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. (day is in the text but italicized, meaning it was not in Greek text)

Matthew 28:1 (NASB) Now late on the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. (day is in the text but italicized, meaning it was not in Greek text)

The dawning of a new day in the biblical and Jewish day reckoning is at twilight as it is getting dark, not first light in the morning. The Sabbath ended at sundown, and the two Marys came to look at the gravesite after the Sabbath ended. Yeshua had already risen. Therefore, the Bible teaches He rose on the third day, on the Sabbath, regardless of what your tradition or any later creed states. Now let’s show all the verses where Yeshua said He would rise on the third day, or those afterwards that state He did rise on the third day.

Matthew 16:21 (KJV) From that time forth began Yeshua to show 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.

Matthew 17:23 (KJV) And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

Matthew 20:19 (KJV) And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

Matthew 27:64 (KJV) Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

Mark 9:31 (KJV) For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

Mark 10:34 (KJV) And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

Luke 9:22 (KJV) Saying, The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

Luke 13:32 (KJV) And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Luke 18:33 (KJV) And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

Luke 24:7 (KJV) Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be executed, and the third day rise again.

Luke 24:46 (KJV) And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

Acts 10:40 (KJV) Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly;

1 Corinthians 15:4 (KJV) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures:

All of the above verses state a prediction that He would be raised “the third day,” or that some feared it coming true, or afterwards stated that it had come true. (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 27:64; Mark 9:31; 10:34; Luke 9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24:7; 24:46; Acts 10:40; and 1 Corinthians 15:4). The scriptural facts show that Yeshua rose from the grave late on the Sabbath, late on Saturday afternoon. This was three days and three nights after He had been executed, and it was also the third day. The first day being Thursday; the second day being Friday; and the third day being Saturday. Somehow we modern people have trouble juggling the concept of the biblical day running from evening to evening, with that of the civil day from midnight to midnight.

Actually, Luke 13:32 above is often translated differently, where instead of the word “perfected,” they translate it as “reach my goal.” The verse then tells the story of Yeshua saying that He would cast out devils and heal the sick for the next two days, and then reach Jerusalem on the third day. That’s what happened, and in context, the KJV translation is less satisfactory.

There are yet a few other verses that apply to the Wednesday execution, so let me show them for you so that you don’t have to search for them and send them in an e-mail.

Matthew 24:63 (KJV) Saying, Sir, we remember that the deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days, I will rise again.

Matthew 26:61 … able to destroy this temple of God, and build it in three days. (after 3 days).

Mark 8:31 … and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Mark 14:58 … and in three days I will build another made without hands.

Mark 15:58 … to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days.

John 2:19-21 … and in three days I will raise it up.

All these verses are answered the same way. Yeshua did rise from the grave on the third day, late on the Sabbath. He did rise after three days; Thursday, Friday, then Saturday. It was 3 full days and 3 full nights after He died. There are no verses that cannot be reconciled to the Wednesday afternoon execution. The verse Yeshua so often referred to from Jonah, was where Jonah was in the great fish three days and three nights.

Jonah 1:17 (KJV) Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Matthew 12:40 (KJV) For as Jonas was three days and three night’s 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 (NASB) For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Pastors are also fond of using allegories and allusions to teach a concept or doctrine, and perhaps Luke 2:46 ought to be a direct allusion to the 12-year old Yeshua being found after 3 days.

Luke 2:46 (NASB) And it came about after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking questions.

Why should this story be a direct allusion to be used by pastors to teach the resurrection? Note that in Luke 2:41, that the feast they went to was the Passover. So Yeshua disappearing for three days was a direct showing of what would later occur in His life. And it was done at the same feast, and He did appear to His disciples who were to be the teachers. He had disappeared for three days and three nights from His parents as a 12-year old, and was found after three days. In the same way, when executed, disappeared for three days and three nights through death, and was hidden from friends, family, apostles, and numerous disciples, and then revealed to them after three days.

It’s different from what we were taught. Why and how did this happen? The council of Nicaea did this for several reasons: they weren’t Jewish, and did not allow Jewish bishops to come to the council, and they didn’t understand that Passover contained “High Sabbaths,” which the next day was! It was the feast of unleavened bread. A High Sabbath is a Sabbath that may or may not fall on the weekly Shabbat! This one did not! (Given Constantine’s hatred of Jews and immediate expulsion of all Jews from the “Catholic Church,” it is probable that He ignored this fact for the purpose of “having nothing to do with this odious people”).