Jesus' Crucifixion Date in the New Testament
The New Testament indicates that Jesus of Nazareth, referred to as Jesus Christ, was crucified on a Friday, the day before the Jewish Sabbath [7]. The crucifixion took place at a location called Golgotha, or "Place of a Skull," outside the city gates of Jerusalem [6, 10, 12]. This form of execution, crucifixion, was a common practice among various ancient cultures, including the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, and was considered a most horrible form of death [4].
The Gospel of Mark states that Jesus was crucified at the "third hour," which corresponds to nine o'clock in the morning [2, 5]. However, the Gospel of John places the time "around the sixth hour," or noon [5]. These are understood as rough estimates, as events in the later morning were often described as occurring around either the third or sixth hour [5]. Jesus was crucified alongside two other individuals, with Jesus in the middle [3].
The charge for which Jesus was crucified was claiming to be the King of the Jews, a claim confirmed by a sign placed on the cross [8]. The cross itself was the instrument of crucifixion, and the term "cross" in the New Testament is also used metaphorically to denote severe affliction or trial [1]. While the vertical beam of the cross was often kept at the crucifixion site, victims typically carried only the heavy crossbeam [12].
Jesus' death on the cross is understood as establishing the new covenant promised by God, confirmed by his blood, similar to how Old Testament covenants were ratified with the blood of sacrifice [9, 11]. This event is central to Christian theology, with Jesus being considered the supreme Day of Atonement sacrifice [10].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Cross — In the New Testament the instrument of crucifixion, and hence used for the crucifixion of Christ itself (Eph. 2:16; Heb. 12:2; 1 Cor. 1:17, 18; Gal. 5:11; 6:12, 14; Phil. 3:18). The word is also used to denote any severe affliction or trial (Matt. 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; 10:21). The forms in which the cross is represented are these: 1. The crux simplex (I), a "single piece without transom." 2. The crux decussata (X), or St. Andrew's cross. 3. The crux commissa (T), or St. Anthony's cross. 4. The crux immissa (t), or Latin cross, which was the kind of cross o”
- Mark “It was the third hour, and they crucified him. -- Mark 15:25”
- John “where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus in the middle. -- John 19:18”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Crucifixion — was in used among the Egyptians, (Genesis 40:19) the Carthaginians, the Persians, (Esther 7:10) the Assyrians, Scythains, Indians, Germans, and from the earliest times among the Greeks and Romans. Whether this mode of execution was known to the ancient Jews is a matter of dispute. Probably the Jews borrowed it from the Romans. It was unanimously considered the most horrible form of death. Among the Romans the degradation was also a part of the infliction, and the punishment if applied to freemen was only used in the case of the vilest criminals. The one ”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 15:25: 15:25 Mark records Jesus’ crucifixion as occurring at the third hour, or nine o’clock in the morning. John 19:14 gives the time as around the sixth hour, or noon. These are rough estimates of time, and events in the later morning were typically described as occurring around either the third (Matt 20:3; Acts 2:15) or sixth hour (Mark 15:33; Matt 20:5; 27:45; Luke 23:44; John 4:6; 19:14; Acts 10:9).”
- Mark (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Mark 15:22: We have here the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus. I. The place where he was crucified; it was called Golgotha - the place of a scull: some think, because of the heads of malefactors that were there cut off: it was the common place of execution, as Tyburn, for he was in all respects numbered with the transgressors. I know not how to give any credit to it, but divers of the ancients mention it as a current tradition, that in this place our first father Adam was buried, and they think it highly congruous that there Christ should be crucified; for as in Adam all die, so ”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 27:62: Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation--that is, after six o'clock of our Saturday evening. The crucifixion took place on the Friday and all was not over till shortly before sunset, when the Jewish sabbath commenced; and "that sabbath day was an high day" (Joh 19:31), being the first day of the feast of unleavened bread. That day being over at six on Saturday evening, they hastened to take their measures.”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 23:38: 23:38 The sign confirmed that Jesus was crucified on the charge of claiming to be the King of the Jews (cp. John 19:19-22).”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 22:20: 22:20 God’s covenants in the Old Testament were confirmed with the blood of a sacrifice (Gen 15:9-10; Exod 24:8). Jesus’ death established the new covenant that God had promised his people (Jer 31:31-34).”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 13:11: 13:11-12 The author describes the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:1-28), in which animals were burned outside the camp (Lev 16:27). By analogy, Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates of Jerusalem. He was the supreme Day of Atonement sacrifice (Heb 9:11-14, 24-28; 10:1-4).”
- Daniel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Daniel 9:27: he shall confirm the covenant--Christ. The confirmation of the covenant is assigned to Him also elsewhere. Isa 42:6, "I will give thee for a covenant of the people" (that is, He in whom the covenant between Israel and God is personally expressed); compare Luk 22:20, "The new testament in My blood"; Mal 3:1, "the angel of the covenant"; Jer 31:31-34, describes the Messianic covenant in full. Contrast Dan 11:30, Dan 11:32, "forsake the covenant," "do wickedly against the covenant." The prophecy as to Messiah's confirming the covenant with many would comf”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 19:17: 19:17 The vertical beam (Latin staticulum) of the cross was generally kept at the crucifixion site, and the victim was forced to carry only the heavy crossbeam (Latin patibulum). • Crucifixions were public executions that took place near major roadways. They were designed to shock and warn the people. • Place of the Skull (Hebrew and Aramaic Golgotha; Latin calvariae, “Calvary”): Most archaeologists agree that Jesus’ crucifixion was at the site of the present-day Church of the Holy Sepulchre, located in the Christian Quarter of the old walled city of Jerusalem. An ”