What does "Preparation Day" mean in the context of Mark 15:42? Primary Biblical Occurrence in Mark 15:42 “Now it was already evening. Since it was Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council member who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body.” Mark explicitly equates “Preparation Day” with “the day before the Sabbath,” eliminating ambiguity for Gentile readers in Rome. Other New Testament Parallels • Luke 23:54; John distinguishes between the regular weekly preparation and the “Preparation of the Passover,” revealing that the particular Friday of Christ’s crucifixion coincided with the Passover festival’s first day (Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:5-7). Hence the Sabbath that followed was a “high day” (John 19:31, KJV), amplifying urgency to bury Jesus before sundown. Historical-Cultural Background Jews ceased work at sundown Friday (Exodus 20:8-11). Pre-Sabbath tasks included: 1. Slaughtering Passover lambs (Synoptic implied timing; Josephus, War 6.9.3). 2. Removing leaven (Exodus 12:15). 3. Lighting lamps and drawing water (Mishnah Shabbat 2:1). 4. Preparing food in advance (Exodus 16:23). Archaeological finds such as first-century Herodian oil lamps at the Burnt House (Jerusalem) exhibit soot consistent with heavy use before Sabbath onset. Chronology of Passion Week A Friday crucifixion harmonizes: • Jesus dies mid-afternoon (Mark 15:34-37). • “Evening” (Greek ὀψίας γενομένης) approaches; burial must precede sunset (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). • Counting inclusively (a normative Jewish reckoning attested in Esther 4:16), Friday-Saturday-Sunday yields the promised “third day” resurrection (Luke 24:21). • Ussher’s chronology (4004 BC creation) places Nisan 14 of AD 33 on Friday, 3 April (confirmed by astronomical retro-calculations of lunar eclipses noted by John 19:34 and Acts 2:20 echoing Joel 2:31). Theological Significance 1. Fulfilled Prophecy: Jesus, God’s Paschal Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), dies as preparations for Passover complete, aligning sacrifice and typology precisely. 2. Covenant Rest: The Sabbath immediately following underscores Christ’s cry “It is finished” (John 19:30). Humanity’s true “rest” is secured (Hebrews 4:9-10). 3. Witness Credibility: Joseph’s rush to inter the body before Sabbath removes speculation that disciples fabricated burial details; the sealed, guarded tomb (Matthew 27:66) strengthens resurrection evidences evaluated in Habermas’s minimal-facts approach. Cultural and Liturgical Legacy Christian liturgy remembers Christ’s rest in the tomb on Holy Saturday, echoing Genesis 2:2. Early believers adopted Friday fasting (Didache 8:1) to commemorate the Preparation Day sacrifice, differentiating themselves from post-70 AD rabbinic Judaism that shifted Passover focus away from temple sacrifice after its destruction. Practical Application Believers emulate Joseph’s courageous obedience amid cultural pressure, redeeming limited time before “night is coming” (John 9:4). The Preparation Day reminds the Church that spiritual readiness precedes eternal rest through grace secured by the risen Christ. Summary In Mark 15:42 “Preparation Day” unequivocally designates Friday, the eve of the weekly Sabbath, which in the crucifixion year also intersected the Passover festival. Linguistic, historical, manuscript, and theological lines converge, confirming Gospel reliability and magnifying the salvific work completed by Jesus before the Sabbath began. |
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