Marking the Death of Jesus

We are studying the life of Christ in Sunday School. We are currently studying His death and we recently discussed the day on which He died.

In John 19:31 we read that they wanted to have the bodies taken down because the next day was a sabbath day, but we also read "for that sabbath day was an high day" which would make it a day other than Saturday.

In Mark's account we read in chapter 16 verses 1 and 2

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 we can see from above that they bought the spices on one day and went to the grave on another. We know that Sunday is the day that they came to the grave. Since Saturday was the sabbath, they could not have bought the spices then, so they would have had to buy them on Friday. And since they were bought after the sabbath was passed, that would put the high sabbath on Thursday and Christ's death on Wednesday.

This is also the only way that the prophecy of the sign of Jonah could be fulfilled. Christ spent 3 days and 3 nights in the grave. Which would break down like this:
- Wednesday night - night #1
- Thursday day and night - day #1 and night #2
- Friday day and night - day #2 and night #3
- Saturday day - day #3

Now we know that Christ was risen before the Marys get to the grave, so He rose sometime in the night, therefore there was no 4th night.

Since Resurrection Sunday is this coming Sunday, a day when we celebrate His resurrection, that would make today the day to mark His death.