When does a day begin and end? Some have said that society decides when a day begins and ends, so for the U.S. that would be midnight. Others like the Jews hold the Talmud’s position that a day begins and ends at sunset. Some have said that it really does not matter.
When considering the day that God raised Christ, many have wondered on what day the Romans crucified Christ, what day did God raise Him, and at what time of the day was Jesus resurrected. The day of assembly is the day of Christ’s resurrection. However. some infer that Saturday night is the beginning of the first day of the week reasoning that a day begins and ends at sunset. This infers that those assembling and partaking of the Lord’s Supper on Sunday evening are actually meeting on the second day of the week. Luke reported, “And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7 ASV). Which evening is the first day of the week? This study will examine these inferences made upon Scripture.
The following Scriptures present that a day begins at sunrise:
- Matthew 28:1 reveals, “Now late on the sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre” (ASV 1901, emp. added).
- Mark 16:1–2 depicts, “And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb when the sun was risen.”
- How could it be “very early” if the day started at sunset or midnight?
Genesis 1 shows that the day consisting of day and night is one that starts at sunrise.
- Genesis 1:5 reports, “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day” (cf. Gen 1:8, 13, 19, 23, 31).
- The Hebrew word for morning is boqer, which means “sunrise,” “end of night,” “coming of daylight,” and “beginning of day.” Therefore, the order of the day consists of sunset and sunrise as the scripture says, “And there was evening (sunset) and there was morning (sunrise), one day.” Sunrise started a new day. Each day consisted of an evening and then a morning. The complete day does not end at sunset or midnight, but the day started at dawn in the beginning. That is the biblical day from Genesis.
These passages confirm the day starts before sunset when a day goes on through sunset into the evening:
- Matthew 26:17 notes, “Now on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Where will you that we make ready for you to eat the Passover?’” (cf. Mark 14:12).
- This is the first day of unleavened bread when Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare for the Passover although Israel roasted the Passover lamb at twilight and ate it in the night. As in the Old Testament, the first day of the Passover Feast included the day and the preceding evening as the disciples came to the guest room on the first day of Passover before twilight — that is before sunset.
- Mark 4:35 depicts, “And on that day, when evening was come, he said unto them, ‘Let us go over unto the other side.'”
- Again, the evening followed daylight of that day.
- John 20:19 tells, “When therefore it was evening [nightfall, Greek: opsios], on that day, the first day of the week, and when thedoorswere shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said unto them, ‘Peace be unto you.'”
- “On that day” is referring to the day when Christ rose on the morning of the first day of the week and now it is the same day called “evening.” According to this passage, the first day of the week was the day and then the night.
Did not Mary Magdalene come unto Jesus’s tomb on the first day of the week when it was dark according to John 20:1?
- John 20:1 states, “Now on the first day of the week comes Mary Magdalene early, while it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and sees the stone taken away from the tomb.”
- If it was dark without the sun raised, then John 20:1 would disprove or present another understanding that a day starts on another time other than sunrise in contradiction to the scriptures above. However, John 20:19 states, “When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said unto them, ‘Peace be unto you.'” How could it be evening on the first day of the week, the very day that Jesus rose, if a day started at sunset and the day would have changed? Furthermore, Luke 24:1 depicted that the women came at early dawn, so though it was dark though it was not night. In mountainous areas, the sun can dawn and there is still darkness in the vales where the elevations block the sun’s light in some places. This is especially true where people have carved a tomb from rock. Darkness after dawn is evidently possible, and reasonable to those of who go out early.
Did not all Jews at this time believe that day was from sunset to sunset?
- No. The idea that a day was sunset to sunset came from man’s tradition and thinking based upon Leviticus 23:32 where the Day of Atonement was held on the tenth day of the seventh month, but the Sabbath began on the ninth because the Sabbath was kept on this occasion from evening unto evening. Even in this passage from Leviticus, one can easily notice the reference to two different days, the ninth day and the tenth day of the month. Leviticus 23:32 speaks of the sunset of the ninth day being the time to start the Sabbath for the tenth day. Evidently, a day did not start at sunset and this was a special occasion of simply keeping the high sabbath for the Day of Atonement. The regular Mosaic day began with the rise of day through the setting of the evening (Gen 1: Exod 12:18; 18:13: Lev 6:20).
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Then what do we do with Nehemiah 13:18-21. The merchants began coming to sell at night lodging near the wall. Nehemiah got mad at them and said why didn’t you come while it’s still daylight. He said don’t come again “lest I lay hands on you” then scripture states in verse 21: “From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.” They were there at night, how can they no more come on the Shabbath if it wasn’t Shabbath. How can it be Shabbath that night, if it begins in the morning?
The merchants were waiting outside the gates on the nights before the sabbath.
Nehemiah 13:19–21: Now it happened that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I said the word, and the doors were shut. Then I said that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I had some of my young men stand at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day.
20 Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem.
21 Then I warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will send forth my hand against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath.
I can’t reply to you not sure why but a more direct translation from Hebrew/Aramaic is
21Then I testified against them and said to them, Why do you not enter by the gate of the wall while the sun is still high? Now if you refuse to obey this command, I will punish you. From that time forth they did not enter on the sabbath
So yes they were lodged at night, why would they spend the night with the expectation that they would be able to sell in the morning? They were already selling during the day on Shabbath, that is why they started closing the gates as it began to grow dark. So they tried to come around at night sneaking lodging up to sell. That’s why Nehemiah was angry because Shabbat had began. He said why didn’t you come while the sun was still high? Because it wasn’t Shabbath. But them being there after dark lodging it was Shabbath.
The fact is they were there at night. Nehemiah was angry that they were there at night, and it is written that they didn’t return anymore on Shabbath. But they were there at night so while they were there at night it must have been Shabbath.
I find the text of Nehemiah 13:15-22 very clear that the profaning of the sabbath was during the day and the merchants came waiting for the gates to open on the sabbath.
You are correct, Neh 13:15-18 is VERY clear that the merchants were selling in the day time and on Shabbath as Nehemiah laid witness against them at that time, told them to stop causing the children of Israel to profane. So because of this they already knew they could not sell on Shabbath so then they came at night. Then Nehemiah found out about that and had to tell them again to stop coming on the Shabbath. Hence why he said “why did you not come when the sun was still up.” Earlier when the sun was up it was not shabbath. Now they are there at night and Nehemiah is still repremanding them. Why??? Why would he if it is not Shabbath and they were already warned NOT to come on Shabbath during the day so why would they be outside the wall at night at all?
They came at night and Nehemiah was mad because they snuck around in the night I, believe they were still selling, and because it was Shabbath cause the sun had set.
Okay. I see the merchants doing what they did before and coming for the next day being the sabbath.
Not sure why they would come and wait all night to be told in the morning to leave, just like they were already told to not come around. It is the reason why they came at night. If it wasn’t Shabbat, then why was Nehemiah mad? Surely they could sell their goods until sunrise and make good money, but Nehemiah clearly did not want them there after sunset. In the Peshitta OT Verse 21 and I testified to them and I said to them, “why are you not entering into the gates of the wall while the day lasts? If you reject this word I will reach a hand upon you!’ And from that time, they did not enter on the sabbath. Clearly they were there at night and it was not OK with Nehemiah. He even said paraphrasing: why didn’t you come while it was still day time?” Because it wasnt sabbath and ok to sell then. However now it is after sunset and to say they were there waiting all night for the gates to open is quite a stretch seeing they were already reprimanded for coming during the day on Shabbat. Waiting at least 8 to 12 hours to bring all their stuff in when the gates open when they were already told not to come and sell there; do you truly believe that waiting all night they thought they could sneak through the gates in the day time when the gates were opened, Really? Did you read all the stuff they had? So they were just gonna try it again? So Nehemiah got mad at them for waiting there all night with their stuff when he already knew he wasn’t going to let them in when the gates opened? OK
The Sabbath began in the morning. The gates had to be shut to keep the merchants from coming in and selling their goods to the people the next day.
Example: There are flea markets that are open on weekends only. But the night before the lots are open for business, you will see multiple cars, trucks and people setting up shop on the lot before the lot is actually open for business the next day/morning.
It was no different in the days of Nehemiah. But rather than let the merchants in to set up shop, he closed the gates at evening. Also, it was the time for preparation for the Sabbath.
He died on Wednesday Night and was in grave Wednesday Night, Thursday Night, and Friday Night. He rose Sabbath night before dawn.
Jesus died 3 p.m. not at night but in mid-afternoon.
From my understanding, Jesus died at 3 mid-afternoon, what makes you say night?