Our object in this article is to show that Christ was crucified, and laid in Joseph's new tomb the day before the weekly Sabbath, and that he rose from the dead the day after the Sabbath.
Jesus was nailed to the cross at the third hour of the day, which was nine o'clock A. M.—See Mark xv, 25. At the ninth hour of the day, or three o'clock P. M. Jesus said "IT IS FINISHED," and bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.—See John xix, 30; Matt. xxvii, 45—50; Mark xv, 33—37; Luke xxiii, 44—46.
This gave three hours for Joseph to take the body of Jesus from the cross and lay it in the sepulchre; and for the women to return and prepare spices and ointments before the Sabbath commenced. "And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath-day, according to the commandment." Luke xxiii, 56.
EVEN and EVENING do not always mean the same thing. This we will show. Evening according to the first division of time, was the night, or the first half of the twenty-four-hour day.—See Gen. i, 5—31. Even was the last hours of the day,62just before evening commenced. The paschal lamb was sacrificed at even. No one will take the ground that all Israel killed their passover lamb in the night or evening. "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 (margin) between the two evenings."—Ex. xii, 6.
"Joseph Frey, a converted Jew, in his work on the Passover, says, the afternoon or evening of the day was by them divided into two parts, the lesser or former evening, and the greater or latter evening. The dividing point between the two, was three in the afternoon, the ninth hour of the day."—See Advent Herald, Oct. 9, 1844, page 76.
"But at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover AT EVEN, at the going down of the sun."—Deut. xvi, 6; See also Lev. xxiii, 5. When the sun passes the meridian, at noon, it begins to go down, and at three o'clock, or at even, when all Israel killed their lamb, the sun was about half way down.
The crucifixion for ever settles this point. On the very day of the month, and hour of the day, that the passover lamb was killed, the Lamb of God, while on the cross cried, "It is finished," bowed his head and died.
Jesus kept the passover with his disciples one day before its appointed time. "Now before the feast of the passover," etc. Read John xiii, 1, 2. All may see that Jesus could not be the antitype of the slain lamb, and keep the passover at the same time.
Again Jesus was crucified on the day of the preparation for the passover feast.—See John xix, 31, and 42. The preparation of the fourteenth day was to put away leaven, kill the lamb, etc. so that on the very hour that Jesus cried, "It is finished," all Israel killed their lamb. From that time, which was three o'clock P. M. until evening, or the commencement of the fifteenth day, was called even.
The tenth day atonement was celebrated from the even of the ninth day of the seventh month, to the even of the tenth day.—See Lev. xxiii, 27—32.
If even here means evening, then they commenced their day of atonement at the beginning of the ninth day, which would make it the ninth day atonement, and not the tenth. Begin it at even, at the close of the ninth day, and all is plain.
Again, the fifteenth day of the first month was the first day of the seven days' feast of unleavened bread. This is positive and plain, from Lev. xxiii, 6, and Num. xxviii, 17. The Jews were to celebrate the feast from the even of the fourteenth day, until the even of the one-and-twentieth day.—See Ex. xii, 18. Now if even means evening in this case, then the feast commenced at the beginning of the fourteenth day, twenty-one hours before the lamb was slain, and the fourteenth day was the first day of the feast, instead of the fifteenth, according to Leviticus xxiii, 6, and Num. xxviii, 17.
The preparation was a memorial which commemorated the slaying of that lamb in Egypt, whose blood was put on the two side posts, and on the upper door-post of the houses of Israel, that when the Lord passed through Egypt, to slay the first-born of the Egyptians, he might see the blood on the houses of Israel, and pass over them.—See Ex. xii, 7—13, and 21—27.
The feast of unleavened bread commemorated the hasty departure of Israel from Egypt, with "their dough before it was leavened; so that they had to bake "unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt," for their breakfast the next morning.—See Ex. xii, 31—39: xiii, 6—8 and 14.
Thus the time of the preparation, and the beginning of the feast of unleavened bread are clearly shown. On the fourteenth day, at three o'clock, P. M. the lamb was slain, and from that time to the beginning of the fifteenth day they were preparing the lamb, and putting away leaven out of their houses. This was the preparation, and the space of time that it occupied was called even.
The fifteenth day, which was the first feast day, commenced with the EVENING which immediately followed the preparation, or EVEN of the fourteenth day.
In the fourteenth day of the first month AT EVEN is the Lord's passover.
And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord, etc.—Lev. xxiii, 5, 6.
It was at even, the time of preparation, and not evening, that Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus from the cross, and laid it in his new tomb. The holy women then had three hours to prepare spices and ointments, before the evening of the Holy Sabbath commenced, which they kept according to the fourth commandment.
The Sabbath that followed the crucifixion was called "an high day"—John xix, 31, because the first feast day came on the Holy Sabbath, that year. It was as likely to come on the seventh day, as on any day of the week. This view plainly proves that the crucifixion was on the sixth day of the week; therefore the next day was the Sabbath of the Lord our God.
"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."—Luke xxiv, 1.
The last three hours of the sixth day of the week, were not sufficient time for the women to prepare, and use the spices and ointments; so after they had bought and prepared them they put them aside, and rested on the Sabbath; and then early in the morning they came to the sepulchre to apply them to the body of Jesus: but he was not there, he had arisen. The modern view, which has blinded and ensnared some, that Monday is the first day of the week, when compared with Scripture testimony, teaches that twenty-seven hours from Friday at three P. M. to Saturday at six P. M. was not time enough to prepare, and apply the spices and ointment; therefore the women had to wait until Monday morning. This view is perfectly unnatural, blind, and inconsistent, while the one which we have here presented, is natural and plain.
Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. This he preached to the two disciples, as they walked in company to Emmaus.
"Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.
And said unto them, thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day."—Luke xxiv, 45, 46.
Jesus' sufferings on the cross were from nine o'clock A. M. to three o'clock P. M. Friday, the day that Jesus did "suffer" on the cross, was the first day, the holy Sabbath was the second day, and the first day of the week was the THIRD DAY; and Jesus rose from the dead.—See Cor. xv, 3, 4; Matt. xvi, 21; xx, 19; Mark ix, 31; x, 34; Luke ix, 22; xviii, 33.
Some have concluded that Christ rose on the Sabbath, from the following Scripture. "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 the Sepulchre."—Matt. xxviii, 1.
Here we will give Whiting's translation. "After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning," etc. Campbell translates it as follows: "Sabbath being over, and the first day of the week beginning to dawn." etc. This makes it all clear.
That we have shown that the crucifixion was the day before the Holy Sabbath, and that the resurrection was the day following it, we hope is plain to all who may read this article.
There is, however, one lone text that is brought to prove that the position we have here taken is incorrect—
"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."—Matt. xii, 40.
The text must be explained so as to harmonize with the multitude of texts that positively declare the resurrection of Jesus on the third day. If Jesus lay in the tomb three days and three nights, then he arose on the fourth day, and not on the third according to the Scriptures. Scripture must explain Scripture, then a harmony may be seen throughout the whole.
Jesus never was in the heart of this globe, called earth; heart being the centre, or at least in the earth, beneath its surface. He was laid in Joseph's new tomb, or as Campbell has it, MONUMENT, "hewn out in the rock." Jonas was in the bowels of the whale. In like manner, Jesus never was in the heart of this globe.
Then earth in this case must mean the powers of earth, or the power and control of wicked men and the Devil. For proof that earth does not always mean this literal globe, see the following Scriptures:
"O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord."—Jer. xxii, 29. Here the people are addressed, and not this globe.—See also Deut. xxxii, 1; Isa. i, 2; and many other texts. On63that ever memorable night, that the Lord's supper, and washing the saints' feet were instituted, our Lord and Master was betrayed into the hands of sinners. He, knowing that the time had come for the powers of earth and hell to triumph over him a short season, passed over the brook Cedron, where he was taken and bound. As they came to take Jesus, he said to them—"When I was daily with you in the temple ye stretched forth no hands against me; but this is YOUR HOUR, and the POWER OF DARKNESS."—Luke xxiii, 53.
Thus Jesus was in the heart of the earth, or controlled and held by the powers of earth and hell, from the time that he was betrayed into the hands of sinners, until he arose from the dead, in triumph and victory. Jesus was as much in the heart of the earth when before Pilate, and on the cross, as he was while in Joseph's tomb. With this view, all the Scripture testimony will harmonize.
To some this may look like spiritualism; but let such give us a better view; that will harmonize all the Scripture testimony, and we will take it.
The subject of this chapter is the contrast of the ministration of the old covenant under Moses, with the ministration of the new covenant under Christ.
If we would correctly understand the Apostle, we must first observe, that there is in essential difference between a covenant, or law, and the ministration of a law. The former is the constitution necessary for the government of the people; the latter is the ministry, or the ordained powers to carry its laws into execution.
After God had delivered his people from the tyranny and bondage of the Egyptians, he declared unto them his "Royal law," which he engraved in tables of stone. This was called HIS COVENANT, which he commanded them to perform—Deut. iv, 13. This covenant was a primary constitution of righteous principles for all to strictly observe.
The ministration of this covenant, under Moses, was the ecclesiastical powers, with all their offices and services connected, and their statutes and judgments to enforce the execution of "his covenant," and their penalties for disobedience, and also their justification and pardon through the atonements, called "carnal ordinances"—Heb. ix, 10, as were written by the hand of Moses in a book, called "the book of the covenant"—Deut. xxxi, 9—11, 24—26.
The law of God being first presented to the people written in tables of stone, and not in the mind and heart, therefore they soon forgot and broke it: hence the new covenant—Jer. xxxi, 31—34; Heb. viii, 7—13, was promised and "established upon better promises." Paul says, "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second." The fault is not in the covenant itself: but in the manner in which it was presented, viz. upon tables of stone, and deposited in the ark, and not in the mind and heart. And because it was not written upon the heart, "they broke my covenant," verse 32, and "continued not in it." But in "the time of reformation," when "Christ being come an high priest of good things to come," his covenant was established upon a better foundation, and better promises, viz. "I will PUT MY LAWS into their MINDS, and WRITE them in THEIR HEARTS."
Thus the new covenant is the same laws as the old; the difference is only in the new and better ministration of it, or the manner in which it is presented to the people, being written by the Spirit of God upon the mind and the heart. The ministration of the ten commandments under Christ's ministry is called the "ministration of the Spirit; for the Spirit of Christ searcheth all things, and knoweth what is in the heart.
The dispensation under Moses was called the "ministration of death," and the "ministration of condemnation; for by the law (through its ministration) was the knowledge of sin, condemnation, and the penalty, death. And they all were under the condemnation or "curse," until "the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath ABOLISHED DEATH, and hath brought LIFE and IMMORTALITY to light through the gospel."—2 Tim. i, 10.
Christ died for the redemption of the transgressors under the first covenant, that the called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. See Heb. ix, 15.
It is evident that no man was justified in the sight of God by the works of the law, (the ministration of Moses.)—See Gal. ii, 16, iii, 11—Acts xiii, 29.—"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Those sacrifices could never make "the comers thereunto perfect."—See Heb. x, 1—4.
Thus the ministration of the covenant under Moses could truly be called the "ministration of DEATH," and of "CONDEMNATION;" for while it condemned, it could not take away sin; neither give the redemption—LIFE and IMMORTALITY. "But the Spirit giveth life; and the Lord is that Spirit." Through the death and resurrection of Christ, and faith in the blood of the atonement, is this life given.
Verses 7—11 speak of the "ministration of death" and of "condemnation," which "was passing away," (Whiting's translation,) and the ministration of the Spirit which was a far more glorious dispensation than that of Moses, and which followed and "remaineth."
It was not the covenant "engraven in stones," neither the "glory" that was "abolished;" but it was the ministration of death, that is, the ministration of Moses, that was passing away.
"The "vail" verses 13—16, is the ministration of Moses; for while the services of Moses were "read," and continued, "their minds were blinded," and they could not see, nor understand, nor believe that Jesus Christ was the end of all the typical services. But when they look at the blood of Jesus for the atonement—"the Lamb of God that taketh away sin," then faith is revealed by the Spirit and the "vail" is "taken away."
"Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." That is, if they have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them, they are free from the yoke of bondage—Gal. v, 1, and they are free from the condemnation which they were under, while under the law of Moses; and while they are beholding the glory of the Lord, they are changed from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord.
Thus the difference of the two ministrations. One is a "ministration of condemnation," and of "the letter," that is, of the hand-writing of Moses; the other is a ministration of LIFE, or JUSTIFICATION by the Spirit of Christ. OTIS NICHOLS.