Good Friday, a Man-Made Invention

It has been a long time since you were celebrating Good Friday, were you? Your parents, friends, or pastors always reminded you that Jesus was crucified on a Friday afternoon, entombed just before Sabbath, and resurrected on Sunday morning. Did they tell you the truth? Did you ever thoroughly examine scriptures as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11) to discover the truth about Good Friday? What would you do if you realize that Good Friday was simply a counterfeit doctrine, a man-made invention?

Did Jesus Christ die on a Friday afternoon?

Billions of religious folks would say, "yes, He did?" Thus every year they celebrated Easter and Good Friday, also known as Black Friday or Holy Friday. They might be sincere, for they probably are ignorant of the truth. In fact, some key points must be clarified in order to correctly answer this question. There are: (1) prophecy about Jesus' resurrection, (2) fulfillment of this prophecy, and (3) information available regarding the exact time of His crucifixion and the entombment.

1. Prophecy about Jesus' resurrection

Prophecy about Christ's resurrection is the first key point to consider if you really are in search of the truth about Good Friday. Jesus reminded the Pharisees He will spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth: "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; yet no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:38-40, Matthew 27:62-66). How can three days and three nights fit between Friday afternoon (time of possible death) and Sunday morning (time of resurrection)? Did you ever address that question? Did it ever come to your mind?

2. The fulfillment of Jonah's prophecy

According to the Bible Jesus was resurrected some time on Sunday while it was still dark, meaning Sunday daybreak. It could be any time between Saturday night and at dawn on Sunday. "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". Mark 16:9 ( KJV Revised). 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 sepulcher" (Matthew 28:1).

3. The crucifixion and the entombment of Jesus

We already have two key elements: Jesus spent three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, and He was risenro on Sunday while it was still dark. Hence it is logical to biblically affirm that He was not crucified and entombed on Friday afternoon. So what was the day?

The last key point to consider in order to appropriately answering this question can be found in John 19: 31: "Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down" (New International Version). Jesus, according to John, was died at the day of Preparation, and the day following His death was to be a special day. What were those days? In this instant case the day of Preparation was the day before the special Sabbath, which was an annual Sabbath not the regular one. Special Sabbaths can fall on any day of the week (See Exodus 20:10, Leviticus 23:3, Deuteronomy 5:14, Colossians 2:16; Hosea 2:11, Exodus 12:1-6, 11), while the regular one, the weekly Sabbath is Saturday (Genesis 2:2, Exodus 20:8-10, Leviticus 23:3, and Deuteronomy 5:14).

4. Now, let count three days and three nights

Jesus was resurrected after three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
(a) The third night would be Friday night to Saturday morning, which is in fact the Sabbath
(b) The second night would be Thursday night to Friday morning, meaning Friday (Bible time)
(c) The first night would be Wednesday night to Thursday morning, which is in fact Thursday (Bible time)
(d) The third day was Sabbath, meaning Friday (when the sun went down) to Saturday at sunset.
(e) The second day was Thursday to Friday (Sunset to sunset), which was in fact Friday (Bible time)
(f) The first day was Wednesday to Thursday (sunset to sunset).

Babylon would say that any part of the day, even one second, is a complete day. The Bible stated clearly that the day begins at sundown and ends when the sun goes down (See Exodus12: 18, Joshua 8: 19, 2 Chronicles 18:34, and Mark 1:32). Although knowing the exact time and day of Jesus' crucifixion, entombment, and resurrection is not a condition of salvation, Christians should bear witness unto truth as our Master did. If you really are follower of Christ you must hear His voice (John 18:37).Therefore you should stop celebrating man-made invention such as Good Friday. Make April 2, 2010 a day of resolution to serve the true Lord, Jesus, our Redeemer and Savior. May God bless you!