Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-06-22
How Long was Jesus in the TOmbs

In answer to the above inquiry, made
through the N. Y. Herald recently, a
correspondent submits the following:
That Christ was cruciied on Friday,
10Th Nissan, april ~ is, believe, uni
versally conceded by Biblical scholars.
From the accounts furnished us by the
Evangelists--especially that of Mark
think there can be no doubt that the
occurrence took place on Friday, to say
nothing of the date. In comparing these
different accounts, we find the chronology
ical order of events related as follows:
FRIDAY, 18TH Nissan april T.
At daybreak the Sandhedrim convened
Jesus ndemned--crucifed at the third
hour, which, according to the Jewish
method of reckoning time, would be nine
am. died at the ninth hour, three p.
m. y taken down from the cross that
evening between three and six pm,
and placed in the tomb of Joseph of
Aramath@a. That he must have been
pleced in the tomb before six pm. is evi-
dent from the fact that the Jewish Sab
bath commenced at that hour, and 1t
would have been unlawful to have en-.
tombed him after the commencement OF
the Sabbath. That such was the chrome
logical order Of events on Friday is clear
from the accounts given by the Evangel-
lists. See especially st. Mark, fifteenth
chapter, where, after relating the events
of that day up to the ninth hour three
pm, J he adds, "and when the even was
come, because it was the preparation
(that is, the day before the Sabbath, Jo-
seph of Aramathaa came and
went in boldly unto PLATE and craved
the BODY of Jesus And he gave
the BODY to Joseph And he
laid him in sepulchre which was hewn
out of a rock and rolled stone unto the
door Of the sepulchre." Here we have
the day Of the week when Jesus was en-
tombed positively settled-"the prepara-
ton (that is, the day before the Sab
bath'-Friday evening.
SATURDAY, 10TH Nissan (APRIL b.
The Jewish Sabbath. Christ in tomb.
Tomb sealed and watch set.
SUNDAY, nth april 8
Visit of woman to tomb early in morn
ing, say six am. - probably earlier.
Thus, from these accounts furnished
by the Evangelists, Christ could have re-
mained in the tomb but thirty-six to
thirty eight hours-certainly not more
than forty hours-andwere it not for the
prophecy of our Savior bimself-"For
as Jonah was three days and three nights
in the whale belly, SO shall the Son of
Man be three days and three nights in
tue heart of the earth, Matthew xii, 4O)
no greater length of time would ever
have been claimed or contended for.
That there is discrepancy between
the time given by the Evangelsts and
that specified in our Lords prophecy
must be apparent to every candid and
careful reader, and this discrepancy has
been one of the strongest points used by
skeptics against the authenticity and in
spirations of the gospels. 1t is not worth
while to detail the attempts which have
been made to reconcile these two reports
They present curious examples of the in
genuity and (probably unconscious) dis
| ingenueusness Of the harmonists.
When these discrepancies exist it is
useless to theorize and resort to all man
ner of fancies to bring them in accord
| dance with each other, as such attempts
have a tendency to weaken rathen than
strengthen the cause of Christianity,
Were we in possession of all the facts in
connection with many of the circum-
stances which appear to be discrepant
we would probably hear their solution.
As it is we must be content to wait until
that time when all will be revealed.