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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The Breath of God 
Hebrews 3 to Hebrews 4:11, specifically verse 9, which states “Sabbatismos”, meaning KEEPING OF A SABBATH. Scott, you have heard & ignored this repeatedly, & there is no excuse for you!
Keep the Sabbath
and rest from work AS GOD DID FROM HIS.
the first day is NOT how to rest from your work because it is not how God did from His.
Hebrews 3:17-19, “Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest [This was not the Sabbath, but the promised land.], but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”
Hebrews 4:8-11, “For if Joshua had given them rest [Joshua led them into the promised land.], then He would not afterward have spoken of another day [This is after the seventh Sabbath was commanded of Israel.]. There remains therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God [The sabbath was a shadow of things to come (Heb. 10:1, Col. 2:16ff).]. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”
Hebrews 4:1, “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.” This rest has not been entered because of disobedience.
Hebrews 4:6-7a, “Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, ‘Today’,” Today is the day to enter God’s promised rest.
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. James 2:8-12
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. James 2:17-24
I agree that getting saved INITIALLY takes faith alone, faith in Jesus as the Savior, but Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Meaning, if you don’t graduate, progress, grow into learning what God expects, how could you expect to obey? How do find out what to obey? Let’s make it plain because my patience has run low…YES OR NO
Are you saying that we should not OBEY the 10 Commandments?
Whose talking about being saved by faith alone?
“You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.”
Yes, I am saying that we should not obey the 10 commandments. These are a part of the Old Testament and Christians are of the New Testament. Nine of these are affirmed again in the New Testament. Only the Sabbath is not commanded. This is why it is convenient for Sabbatarians to claim the 10 commands when only the Sabbath is spoken against in the New Testament.
https://godsbreath.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/law-not-of-faith/
Matthew 12:40 & Luke 13:32 don’t match up, & the Gospels agree with my point whether you ignore it or not!
Now, as far as the Law is concerned, I already stated that faith in Jesus as Savior is enough to be saved. But how long does that last? We have to live our lives don’t we. How does faith come? By hearing the Word of God. Now if you are not obedient, is Jesus Lord of your life?
Well, you are not being obedient Scott! I agree that the law cannot save you, but you need to be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. 1 Cor 14:20 Meaning, you need to learn how to be innocent as a young child in your attempts to demean others, & as mature like a man in your understanding.
Because at some point, even a babe in Christ must learn to be obedient, and sin is and always will be transgression of the Law. And this “Love your neighbor” is simply a summary of the last 6 commandments!!! I pray that you see this…QUICK!!
The Law of Moses with the 10 commandments are gone and void.
Romans 7:6-7, “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet.’ [The 10 commandments are in the Law!]”
Galatians 3:1-2, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
Galatians 3:10-12, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.’ But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’ Yet the law is not of faith, but ‘the man who does them shall live by them.'” Yet, Romans 3:27 does speak of a law, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.”
Galatians 3:17, “And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.”
Galatians 3:24-25, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
Galatians 4:9-10, “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years.”
Galatians 4:21-24, 30-31, “Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar…Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? ‘Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.’ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.”
Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
Galatians 5:7, “You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”
Galatians 5:14, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'”
Galatians 6:13, “For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.”
Then there is even more. The Galatians cursed themselves by trying to follow part of the Law.
2 Cor 3:7 can be understood by reading from verse 3, where God wrote His Commandments on our hearts. Meaning, it is more glorious to have God’s Law written on your heart than for Moses’ face to shine with glory when he was given written tables of stone.
WE reflect God’s glorious image as the Holy Spirit continues to work on our hearts.
Gal 3-5 is even easier. Sin is transgression of the Law. The Bible does not say, sin WAS transgression of the law. The most staunch Law keeper better understand that 1 is saved by grace, who is Jesus as the Savior. After that, we learn what it means to be obedient…then make Jesus Lord. Disobedience puts 1 in danger of judgment & not being saved.
Scott, you make it seem as if Old Testament followers are going to be saved SO differently that New Testament followers. Are we really to believe that those offering that they sacrificed wash ALL of their sins away? Let’s look at Hebrews 10:2,”For then would they not have ceased to be offered?…”. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls & of goats should take away sins. Heb 10:4
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can NEVER with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. Heb 10:1 tells us that the law didn’t make them perfect. So does that mean that NO 1 will be saved who lived before Jesus?!?
Even Old Testament believers had grace.
Why would you believe that God wrote the ministry of death on our hearts?
We should follow the Law of Christ and not the law of sin and death.
https://godsbreath.wordpress.com/2010/02/03/law-of-christ/
https://godsbreath.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/what-is-the-lords-day/
Conflict is found between Matthew 12:40, “For as Jonas was 3 days & 3 nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be 3 days & 3 nights in the heart of the earth.”
Wait!
Luke 13:32, “And He said unto them, ‘Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected’.” Well, what’s today? Thursday, & tomorrow? Friday, & the 3rd day is Saturday. Conflict.
Jesus repeats, “Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. Luke 13:33 makes it impossible for Jesus to die on any day but a Friday, & as long as Sunday is the Resurrection, Matthew 12:40 conflicts with Luke 13:32, 33…& also conflicts with prophecy in Leviticus 23:5-15.
Which texts do you choose? Well, 2 Peter 1:16-19 tells us that the prophets or “prophecy” is more sure than an eyewitness.
Luke 23:32, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
HIMSELF.
Luke 24:27,”And He said unto them, ‘These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me’.”
CONCERNING ME means shadows, “…in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them UNTIL THE TIME OF REFORMATION. Heb 9:9-10
Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, & said unto them, “Thus it is written, & thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the 3rd day…” Luke 24:44-46.
Prophecy is history foretold, & Leviticus 23 foretold it for us. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the “1st fruits” of them that slept.” 1 Cor 15:20, that is history (which is prophecy fulfilled). What about Passover & Unleavens you ask? Sharp question! “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” 1 Cor 5:7
This is more speculation. This makes no sense. It is just irrational word wrangling babble. You’re saying that Jesus was crucified on the Passover Sabbath, which Jesus observed the Passover the day before.
Jesus does not contradict Himself in Matt. 12:40.
The prophecy of Scripture of 2 Peter 1 is talking about the Scriptures of Peter, John, Paul, and all (3:15-16). Peter was referring to their own prophecy (propheiteis), revelation from God not just predictions. Peter specifically referred to their eyewitnesses and “we” have “the prophetic word” that “you” should keep (v19). Then he refers to their prophecy of Scripture (v20). This is stuff that you shouldn’t be missing if you were studying for truth rather than to proof doctrines of men.
Yes, the OT refers to Christ. We all know this.
2000 years ago, there was no Roman Gregorian calendar. If you base on Roman Gregorian calendar to argue about when He was executed and when He was resurrected, you are away from the truth and fact.
2000 years ago, it was only Hebrew calendar. The Hebrew calendar is totally different from Roman Gregorian calendar.
In order to understand Colossians 2:16, you must complete verse 17. The background in Lev. 23 lists all the Sabbaths, 7 of 8 are shadows because of the offerings & sacrifices. No offering/sacrifice was ever called for on the 7th Day, unless a “shadow” Sabbath fell on that day…and a high day can only occur on the 7th Day because of 2 Sabbaths on the same day. None those sabbaths (which were “shadows”) were ever in the 10 Commandments, which is easy because the 10 Commandments do not mention sacrifice/offering.
“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” Like 24:44
Scott, it does not say the Law of God, & if it did, the 10 Commandments would be done away with…but they are NOT. And notice, “CONCERNING ME”.
Col. 2:17, “Which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ.” Clear?
Then He mentions the 3 days in Liuke 24:46, which were prophesied in Leviticus 23, & they are the Passover (Good Friday the 14th), Feast of Unleavens (Sabbath the 15th), and First Fruits (Resurrection Sunday the 16th), I’ve repeatedly urge you to study.
Leviticus 23:32 says, “…from even to even…”, meaning, Jesus’ sacrifice/offering of His body was a supernatural miracle fulfillment of prophecy or “the prophets”. No where does God say that a day begins at sunrise, maybe a man said it, but Leviticus 23:1 proves that God said “even to even”.
The 10 commandments are the ministry of death that passed away as it is written, “But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious,” (2 Cor. 3:7ff). This was part of the old law that is done away with (Heb. 8:13). Those who follow the law of Moses are estranged from Christ and have fallen from grace (Gal. 5:4).
Jesus died on a Thursday. He said that He was three nights in the tomb (Matt. 12:40).
Leviticus 23 even mentions that the Day of Atonement was on the 10th (v27, “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement”) and yet started on the 9th at evening (v32, “on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening,”). Add to this that the only reference to starting a feast at sunset was on the day before.
You’re only justifying your theology. Let’s stick to the words of Christ. How convenient that there is a Sabbath excluded according to you in Colossians 2, and yet there is not one Scripture that says this. You’re just speculating in your belief.
Dawn and Twilight. (Jewish Encyclepedia) http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=1166&letter=S&search=sunrise
In order to fix the beginning and ending of the Sabbath-day and festivals and to determine the precise hour for certain religious observances it becomes necessary to know the exact times of the rising and the setting of the sun. According to the strict interpretation of the Mosaic Law, every day begins with sunrise and ends with sunset (Ibn Ezra, commentary on Ex. xviii. 14). This confirms the opinion of R. Jose that twilight is like the twinkling of the eye, that is to say, with sunset day immediately changes to night (Shab. 35a). The Hebrew term “‘alot ha-shaḥar” (the rising of the morning) denotes the period immediately before sunrise (comp. Gen. xix. 15, 23). “‘Af’appe shaḥar” (the brows of the morning) is the poetic expression for the “dawning of the day,” (Job iii. 9). The morning star is called “barkai” (Yoma iii. 1) and “ayyelet ha-shaḥar” (Yer. Ber. i. 1). “Neshef” (Isa. xxi. 4) denotes either dawn or twilight (Ber. 3b). “Boḳer” is the beginning of the day; and “‘ereb” is the beginning of the night. “Ben ha-‘arbayim” (Ex. xii. 6) is interpreted by the Rabbis as meaning the late afternoon, when the sun declines to its setting, while “ben ha-shemashot” (between the suns; i.e., between the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon or the appearance of the stars) denotes the evening twilight. The Rabbis consider it doubtful whether twilight belongs to the day or to the night (Shab. 34b); consequently they treat it as a safeguard against encroachment upon either—for example, the twilight of Friday is reckoned as Sabbath eve, and that of Saturday as Sabbath day; and the same rule applies to festival days. This practise is termed “adding from the secular to the holy.”
Leviticus 23:32; Genesis 1