Good Friday or Good Passover?

For the first three centuries Christians did not celebrate the death of Christ on Friday. In fact, they did not even formally celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. It wasn’t until Emperor Constantine had the Council of Nicaea set a specific day for His resurrection. When Christians finally did celebrate Pasch (both death and risen Christ, later called Easter), it was linked to the Jewish Passover - a day that falls on different days of the week.  It was set for the Sunday following the paschal full moon in A.D. 325, during the Jewish Passover.

It could be assumed that the Christian Church leaders of the time believed Jesus died on Friday, since it was the day before the weekly Sabbath (which is on Saturday)-see Mark 15:42. And if one counts Friday, Saturday and Sunday as three days, it fits. Thus, the tradition of Good Friday was born.

Unfortunately, they forgot to take into account that there was a Wednesday Passover, which is considered the preparation day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread (High Sabbath)@. If Jesus was to spend three days and three nights in the grave (Matt 12:38-40), he would have had to be in the tomb on Wednesday (or during the 14^th day of Nisan using the Hebrew calendar).

See chart below:

As you can see, Friday does not fit the math or the inclusion of the first day of Unleavened bread (High Sabbath). Wednesday is the most likely scenario for Jesus’ crucifixion. Additionally, there is a compelling parallel between the Jews slaughtering a lamb on the day of Passover and the Jew’s crucifying Jesus on the same day of Passover.

If the early Christians (primarily Jews) had celebrated Jesus’ death and resurrection closer to his actual death, it could have been celebrated as Good Passover. Later, the tradition could have also been called Good Wednesday. There are some that say Jesus died on Thursday, but again the days and nights don’t quite fit the math.

In the grand scheme of things these technical details matter little. The greatest moment for Christians is their belief that Jesus took man’s sins upon himself and ultimately was resurrected to prove His deity and His grace to forgive mankind.

During this last week before Easter, Christians can still remember the day of Good Friday as a centuries old tradition, or like me, use the more accurate day for Jesus’ death as “Good Passover.”

@The Greek translation of the Bible has the most accurate details on these Sabbaths.

Some links for a more detailed analysis:
Note: The information below is for research only and not strictly in-line with my views.

http://ad2004.com/prophecytruths/Articles/Prophecy/3days3nights.html

http://doubleportioninheritance.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-does-good-friday-discredit-our_23.html

http://www.godandscience.org/doctrine/lords_day.html#revelation

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05224d.htm
http://www.churchofgoddfw.com/monthly/jesus.shtml

http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/holidays/easter.htm