Answering the Critics

Bible Text: John 19:14 | Preacher: Alan Conner | Series: 2015, John

Northwest Bible Church – Nov. 8, 2015 – Worship Service – Alan Conner
John 19:14
Answering the Critics
Intro

A. THE SIXTH HOUR OR THIRD HOUR? (Jn. 19:14)

John 19:14 Now it was  the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the   sixth hour.

Mark 15:25 It was the third hour  when they crucified Him.

SOLUTIONS:

1) John is using Roman time, Mark is using Jewish time.

Roman time starts at midnight, so John’s sixth hour = 6:00 am.

Jewish time starts at sunrise, so Mark’s third hour = 9:00 am.

Thus, Pilate’s verdict came around 6:00 am and the crucifixion around 9:00 am.  The time gap can be explained by the approximation of time, “about the sixth hour” (Jn. 19:14) and the other events that took place before the crucifixion actually happened.

2) Both using Jewish time, but reckon the hour differently.

12 hour day

Sunrise                                                                                                                   Dusk

6am                   9am                            noon                      3pm                       6pm

0 hr.                3rd hr.                          6th hr.                     9th hr.                     12th hr.

­­­­­­­l_____1st hr.___l_____3rd hr._____l______6th hr._____l______9th______l

1st                       2nd                              3rd                                          4th

Kostenberger, “The day was divided into three-hour intervals, with people approximating the estimated time to the next full three-hour segment.”   “Since people related the estimated time to the closest three-hour mark, any time between 9:00 A.M. and noon may have led one person to say that an event occurred at the third (9:00 A.M.) or the sixth hour (12:00 noon).

B. WAS THE PASSOVER CELEBRATED ON THURSDAY OR FRIDAY?

Matthew, Mark and Luke say that the Last Supper on Thursday evening was the Passover meal (e.g. Mk. 14:12, 16).   Yet, John says that Jesus was crucified on Friday, the day of preparation for the Passover meal that evening (Jn. 18:28; 19:14).

SOLUTIONS:

1) The “Passover” refers to the Passover week not the actual Passover meal.  See the NIV on Jn. 19:14.   See Lk. 22:1.   Jesus was crucified on Friday the day after the Passover meal (Last Supper).  “Preparation” in Jn. 19:14 = preparation for the Sabbath (Mk. 15:42; Lk. 23:54; Jn. 19:31).  This clearly indicated that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, the day after the Passover meal.

2) There were two calendars in use at this time.   This allows for Jesus to celebrate the Passover with His disciples on Thursday evening according to the Ancient Jewish Calendar, and also to die on Friday at the same time as the Passover lambs were slain for a Friday evening celebration of the Passover according to the Official Jewish Calendar.  Both the Synoptics and John are correct.   See Mk. 14:12 for support.

Conclusion