Date of Jesus' Death
Synoptics vs. John
Passover is dated by lunar cycles. It can fall on any day of the week. If we can rely on the tradition that Jesus died on a Friday, then John is identifying a different year from that specified in the synoptic gospels (Mt, Mk, Lk).
Pontius Pilate was procurator from 26 AD to 36 AD. That narrows things down somewhat; I think it has to be a historical fact that Jesus was crucified while Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea.
This page gives a calculation of Passover dates from 26 AD to 34 AD. The author argues for Wednesday being the day of Passover. I'm inclined to disagree with that interpretation.
In the synoptics (Mt, Mk, Lk), Jesus dies the day AFTER Passover; in John, Jesus dies the day BEFORE passover. If our liturgical tradition has preserved the truth that Jesus died on a Friday, and if the calculations for the Passover dates given above are correct, and if I have interpreted them correctly, then the synoptic year would be 27 AD or 30 AD and the Johannine year would be 33 AD.
A date of 33 AD seems nice to me--but it places a strain on Luke's estimate that Jesus was born in 4 BC, was "about 30" when He started His public ministry, that the public ministry lasted just a year or less (there is only one Passover in the synoptics), and that Jesus died the day AFTER the Passover meal. If we want to insist that Luke got the birth year right (in or before 4 BC) and that he is right about Jesus' age, then that suggests 27 AD--six years before the Johannine date.
I'm not too anxious about any of this. Our salvation comes from Jesus' priestly action of offering Himself as our Passover Lamb; we are saved by the blood of the Lamb, not by knowing what year He made this offering for us.
Different Days = Different Years
There is no universally agreed-on calendar of Jewish festivals at the time of Jesus. There are conflicting rules and conflicting evidence about possible dates.
For the Jews, "Preparation Day" was 14 Nisan. The lambs for the Passover meal were supposed to be slaughtered late in the afternoon. This is the day and the time of Jesus' death on the Cross, according to John. Our Paschal Lamb--the Lamb of God--shed His blood for us at the same time that the Paschal lambs were dying.
15 Nisan began after the sunset that ends 14th Nisan. This is when the Passover meal was celebrated, with lamb as the main course.
| Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synoptics | 14 Nisan: Preparation Day Last Supper = Passover Meal |
15 Nisan: Death of Jesus Sabbath begins at sunset |
Sabbath rest until sunset | Resurrection of Jesus Women go to tomb next morning. |
| John | Last Supper not a Passover Meal | 14 Nisan: Preparation Day Death of Jesus; Passover Meal after sunset |
15 Nisan: Double Sabbath Passover Day plus Day of the Lord |
Resurrection of Jesus Mary Magdalene goes to tomb next morning. |
Newton's argument for AD 33
Sir Isaac Newton followed John's gospel and searched for the dates during Pilate's reign as prefect of Judea when 14th Nisan fell on a Friday.
the 14th day of the month Nisan will fall in the year of Christ 31 on wednesday March 28; in the year 32 on monday Apr. 14; in the year 33 on friday Apr. 3; in the year 34, on friday Apr. 23; in the year 35, on wednesday Apr. 13; and in the year 36, on saturday March 31.
| AD | ||
|---|---|---|
| 31 | 28 March | Wed |
| 32 | 14 April | Mon |
| 33 | 3 April | Fri |
| 34 | 23 April | Fri |
| 35 | 13 April | Wed |
| 36 | 31 Mar | Sat |
3 April 33 AD was also the date of a solar eclipse seen in Jerusalem, which could correspond to the darkness noted at the time of Jesus' death in some of the gospels.