Thursday Crucifixion Objections

Allegation

John 19:14 indicates nothing about a particular day.  The period of preparation for the Passover actually began on the 10th of Nisan when the Jews penned the lambs for Passover.  This period of preparation did not end until sunset of the 14th of Nisan when the Days of Unleavened Bread and Passover began on the 15th of Abib/Nisan.

Answer

The allegation is self-contradicting. “This period of preparation did not end until sunset of the 14th of Nisan”. How could that ‘indicate nothing about a particular day’, “the 14th of Nisan ... until sunset”?

To think of Nisan 14 “The Preparation Day of Passover”, does not mean “The period of preparation for the Passover actually” did not begin “on the 10th of Nisan when the Jews penned the lambs for Passover”. The penning of the lamb belonged to Nisan 10; the slaughter of it to Nisan 14. Even the hour of the day of Nisan 14 is given: “the sixth hour”, but “John 19:14 indicates nothing about a particular day”?

John 19:14 in context reads,

13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying (“whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar” 12b) he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbata. 14 And it was the Preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: And he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

Now it is true, the word ‘paraskeueh’ may have the meaning of preparations in general for anything in particular. But here its use is decidedly particular, as technically the name, of the one day involved – the day considered exclusively as the Day of Preparation of the Passover in its entirety (of eight days, seven of which still were to follow).

It is this day of this singular and significant event described, “When Pilate … ”, “… brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat … and saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!”

It was this day Jesus declared of: “The things concerning Me have an end … this that is written must yet be accomplished in Me”. (Lk22:37) … “Truly the Son of Man goeth as it was determined”. (22) “But this is your hour, and the hour of darkness” (53) … “their day dawning …” (66)

“Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart” (‘hour’ = ‘day’.) (Jn13:1) “Therefore, when He was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him.” (Jn13:31)

It is this day of this singular and significant hour of day described, “And it was the sixth hour” – “exactly the sixth hour”, of this day the “Preparation-Day of the Passover”.

This same day Mark and Matthew indicate precisely was, “the day when they always slaughtered the Passover, the day they removed leaven on.”

The days of tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth Nisan are excluded by every indication; the hour and the day belonging to fourteenth Nisan, as being the day upon which Jesus having entered upon and into His suffering and dying of death and hell, passed through, and out, of death’s and hell’s assault through death and resurrection from the dead.

It is this day of this singular and significant association, belonging, and appointment, “the Preparation-Day OF, the Passover” – not simply a period –longer or shorter– for, its preparation.

It is this day of this singular and significant preparation, “OF, the Passover” – in fact for, the Day of Passover, the Feast Day, the (Passover’s) Sabbath Day, “the Great Day-Sabbath”. (Jn19:13)

One day; no other.

It is this significant and singular day, the ONE day of “THE Preparation of Passover” – not, the plural.

It is not even like in John 19:42, where the Singular clearly indicates sundry, ‘preparations’, namely, “the preparation (that included all the preparations) of the Jews”.

But ‘the Preparation’ spoken of in Jn19:14, resembles the KIND of ‘day’ like in John 19:31, where the day for and of preparation and preparations, is called the “Day of Preparation” : belonging to, and preceding, the weekly Sabbath (the day Jesus was buried on). This “Preparation Day” was also known by Mark’s second description for and name of it, “The Preparation Day that is the Fore-Sabbath” – Friday.

The claim, “John 19:14 indicates nothing about a particular day”, is made, far too easily. But worse, it so easily is accepted, it appears no possibility existed it might be completely wrong!