when Christ was crucified (Mark 15:25). John’s Gospel mentions the sixth hour
(12 am according to Jewish time) (John 19:14a).
Both Gospel writers are correct in their claims. Each Gospel writer uses different
time systems: Mark’s Gospel follows the Jewish time system while John
follows the Roman time system. The Jewish 24-hour period began in the evening at 6 pm and the morning of that day began at 6 am. According to Roman time,
the day extended from midnight to midnight as it does for us in our time.
time systems: Mark’s Gospel follows the Jewish time system while John
follows the Roman time system. The Jewish 24-hour period began in the evening at 6 pm and the morning of that day began at 6 am. According to Roman time,
the day extended from midnight to midnight as it does for us in our time.
Mark 15:25 clearly states that Christ was crucified at the third hour Jewish time which was around 9 am. "And it was the third hour when they crucified him."
John 19:14a says: "Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover.
It was about the sixth hour." This occurred at 6 am according to Roman time.
It was about the sixth hour." This occurred at 6 am according to Roman time.
John describes the trial before Pilate as occurring around 6 o'clock
in the morning. This event can have occurred some time between 6 am and 7 am.
in the morning. This event can have occurred some time between 6 am and 7 am.
Using Roman time is consistent with other references to time in John’s Gospel:
John tells us that Jesus was tired from his journey from Judea to Samaria
at the sixth hour (John 4:6) and asked the woman at the well for water.
Given the length of his journey, his fatigue, and the normal evening time
when people would come to the well to drink and water their animals,
this fits well with 6 pm according to Roman time. It's the end of a working day. Jesus is tired from his long journey; the disciples have gone to find food;
and the woman is drawing water in connection with the evening meal.
at the sixth hour (John 4:6) and asked the woman at the well for water.
Given the length of his journey, his fatigue, and the normal evening time
when people would come to the well to drink and water their animals,
this fits well with 6 pm according to Roman time. It's the end of a working day. Jesus is tired from his long journey; the disciples have gone to find food;
and the woman is drawing water in connection with the evening meal.
John's reference to the tenth hour (John 1:39) would be 10 am according to Roman time. Two of John the Baptist's disciples went with Jesus,
saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him.
This was about the tenth hour.
They stayed with Jesus from 10 am the whole day.
saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him.
This was about the tenth hour.
They stayed with Jesus from 10 am the whole day.
John's reference ("Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." (John 4:52b))
would be yesterday at 7 pm according to Roman time.
would be yesterday at 7 pm according to Roman time.
The hours of darkness and the difficulties of a mountain path
may well have prevented him from moving until the next day.
At dawn he hastens home and meets his servants with the glad news
of his boy's recovery. The words "yesterday at 7 pm" are then easily explained.
may well have prevented him from moving until the next day.
At dawn he hastens home and meets his servants with the glad news
of his boy's recovery. The words "yesterday at 7 pm" are then easily explained.
John 13:1a ("Now before the Feast of the Passover") and the following verses mention the Last Supper, which occurred on Passover (not before Passover).
The reason John writes "before" is because he is using Roman time. According
to that, it occurred on the evening sometime after 6 PM the day before Passover.
If he had been using Jewish time, this time would have been on the evening of Passover, which was the day before the "Feast of the Unleavened Bread".
to that, it occurred on the evening sometime after 6 PM the day before Passover.
If he had been using Jewish time, this time would have been on the evening of Passover, which was the day before the "Feast of the Unleavened Bread".
The preparation of the Passover Lamb occurred just before the Last Supper
in the evening just after sunset (6 PM) at the beginning of Passover,
according to Jewish time. See the preparation explained in Passover
and Preparation of the Passover Lamb in Jesus' Last Days before his Crucifixion.
in the evening just after sunset (6 PM) at the beginning of Passover,
according to Jewish time. See the preparation explained in Passover
and Preparation of the Passover Lamb in Jesus' Last Days before his Crucifixion.
We can't know why John, as a Jew, accepted a form of hour counting outside
the Jewish way of counting and instead used Roman time in his Gospel.
But we can safely say that accepting the Roman way of counting time
in John’s Gospel provides an adequate and better understanding of certain
biblical stories; it provides a good explanation for the otherwise troubling differences between John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).
the Jewish way of counting and instead used Roman time in his Gospel.
But we can safely say that accepting the Roman way of counting time
in John’s Gospel provides an adequate and better understanding of certain
biblical stories; it provides a good explanation for the otherwise troubling differences between John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).
See also Critical verses in the gospels at the end of The Four Gospels.
