Do The Gospels Contradict About What Time Jesus Was Crucified?
Skeptics and critics have claimed the gospels contradict about what time Jesus was crucified.
Alleged “contradiction”:
Where was Jesus at the sixth hour on the day of the crucifixion?
(a) On the cross (Mark 15:23)
(b) In Pilate’s court (John 19:14)
The issue here is:
What was the time of day when Jesus handed over to be crucified and put on cross:
· Mark 15:25 – “It was the third hour when they crucified him” (ESV). “That is, 9 A. M.” – ESV footnote on Mark 15:25
· John 19:14-16 – “Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, ‘Behold your king!’ They cried out, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your king?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’ So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus” (ESV). “That is, about noon” – ESV footnote on John 19:14
We notice that John reports that, “it was about the sixth hour”, that is, he’s not trying to identify the exact time with the utmost precision. The events reported on actually occurred, but their exact timing is not the most important factor.
The “third hour” and “the sixth hour” are approximations, or rough estimates of time. Unlike today, ancient people did not keep precise time. Events in the later morning were typically described as occurring around either “the third hour” (Matthew 20:3; Acts 2:15), or “the sixth hour” (Mark 15:33; Matthew 20:5; Matthew 27:45; Luke 23:44; John 4:6; John 19:14; Acts 10:9). By combining the two accounts at Mark 15:25 and John 19:14-16, it appears that Jesus was handed over to be crucified about mid-morning, and was nailed to the cross, or execution stake, by about midday, or noontime.
Matthew, Mark and Luke agree in stating that there was a remarkable “darkness” over the whole land from the “sixth” to the “ninth” hour, (Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44). Notice that Luke reports, that the time was approximate. “It was about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon” (Luke 23:44 NIV). This fact would seem to indicate that the actual crucifixion continued only during that time – that Jesus was suspended at about the sixth hour, though the preparations for crucifying him had already been going on for a couple of hours. The fact that Mark 15:33 and Luke 23:44 mention this darkness beginning at the “sixth”, and not the “third” hour, is one of the circumstances undesignedly occurring that seems to indicate that the crucifixion then had “actually” taken place, though the various arrangements for it had been going on from the “third” hour (Mark 15:25)..
“This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth”—John 19:35 NLT
One thing is conclusively proved by this – that the gospel writers did not “conspire together” to embellish anything concerning Jesus. They are honest, independent witnesses, and the circumstances discussed here are of great value in testimony in courts of justice – “circumstantial variation with essential agreement.”
7 thoughts on “Do The Gospels Contradict About What Time Jesus Was Crucified?”
BA: Alleged “contradiction”: Where was Jesus at the sixth hour on the day of the crucifixion?
(a) On the cross (Mark 15:23)
(b) In Pilate’s court (John 19:14)
GW: Yes, there seems to be a contradiction here. Jesus could not be in two different places far apart at the same time.
BA: The issue here is: What was the time of day when Jesus handed over to be crucified and put on cross:
GW: First you say the issue was place and then you say the issue was time. Make up your mind.
BA: Mark 15:25 – “It was the third hour when they crucified him” (ESV). “That is, 9 A. M. – ESV footnote on Mark 15:25
GW: Mark was the first Gospel to be written and so I give it a little more credibility than the other Gospels. In the temporal framework used, dawn marked the beginning of the day. Let’s assume that this beginning was at approximately 6 AM in April of 30-33 CE in Palestine. Then the third hour would begin at 8 AM and continue till 8:59 AM. So, it is reasonable to assume that Jesus was on the cross at 8 AM and would still be there at 8:59 AM.
BA: John 19:14-16 – “Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, ‘Behold your king!’ They cried out, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your king?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’ So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus” (ESV). “That is, about noon” – ESV footnote on John 19:14
GW: Using the same time system, this would mean that Pilate ordered Jesus to be taken for crucifixion approximately during the hour 11 AM to 11:59 AM. It would be before noon. But when we compare the two verses, we see the apparent contradiction. If Jesus was on the cross at 8 AM, then Pilate would not be ordering him to be put on the cross at 11 AM. This makes no sense. On first thought, I would conclude that the author of John was mistaken.
BA: We notice that John reports that, “it was about the sixth hour”, that is, he’s not trying to identify the exact time with the utmost precision.
GW: That really doesn’t matter. The order for crucifixion would not come after the start of crucifixion.
BA: The events reported on actually occurred, but their exact timing is not the most important factor.
GW: Important to whom? Important in what ways? The truth is always important, isn’t it? Credibility is always important, isn’t it? If there is a contradiction between two verses written by two different authors, then one of them is wrong or both of them are wrong, and the Bible cannot be the Word of God. If he did exist, God would not allow this.
BA: The “third hour” and “the sixth hour” are approximations, or rough estimates of time. Unlike today, ancient people did not keep precise time.
GW: Although approximations might be misaligned by 15 minutes or less, they are not likely to be misaligned by 3 hours or more! Also, the order for crucifixion by Pilate is not going to occur after the actual crucifixion. So your explanation so far does not work.
BA: Events in the later morning were typically described as occurring around either “the third hour” (Matthew 20:3; Acts 2:15), or “the sixth hour” (Mark 15:33; Matthew 20:5; Matthew 27:45; Luke 23:44; John 4:6; Jn 19:14; Acts 10:9).
GW: You have not proven this by simply citing verses. You have to do more work than that. And I doubt that these verses will support your hypothesis, even if you do the work.
BA: By combining the two accounts at Mark 15:25 and John 19:14-16, it appears that Jesus was handed over to be crucified about mid-morning, and was nailed to the cross, or execution stake, by about midday, or noontime.
GW: No, it does not appear that way at all. It appears that Jesus was nailed to the cross at about 8 AM (Mark) and Pilate gave the order for crucifixion at about 11 AM (John). This leads to a contradiction. It could not have been like that in reality.
BA: Matthew, Mark and Luke agree in stating that there was a remarkable “darkness” over the whole land from the “sixth” to the “ninth” hour, Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44.
GW: The darkness does not resolve the contradiction. If we accept the timing of Mark, then the crucifixion began at 8 AM and the darkness began at 11 AM, while Jesus was hanging alive on the cross and suffering. You have not quoted these verses, so we cannot verify your claim. Also, it is well known that Matthew and Luke heavily borrowed from Mark, but John did not. John is an outlier which we should not trust.
BA: This fact would seem to indicate that “the actual crucifixion” continued only during that time – that Jesus was suspended at about the sixth hour, though the preparations for crucifying him had already been going on for a couple of hours.
GW: The order to crucify is not the same as the preparations to crucify which are not the same as nailing to the cross which is not the same as the falling of darkness on the land. You must establish a reasonable time line for these events, which you have not done.
BA: The fact that Mark 15:33 mentions this darkness beginning at the “sixth”, and not the “third” hour, is one of the circumstances undesignedly occurring that seems to indicate that the crucifixion then had “actually” taken place, though the various arrangements for it had been going on from the “third” hour (Mark 15:25).
GW: No. The preparations for the nailing to the cross would have occurred before 8 AM. The darkness, if it occurred at all, would have occurred after 11 AM.
BA: “This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth”—John 19:35 NLT
GW: An eyewitness of what? Who was this eyewitness? What was his name? Which events of Jesus’ life and aftermath did he actually see? How did the eyewitness account get to the author of John? There are too many open questions here to rely on or verify your explanation.
BA: One thing is conclusively proved by this – that the gospel writers did not “conspire together” to embellish anything concerning Jesus.
GW: They probably did not conspire, but we know that Luke and Matthew borrowed from or copied from Mark. Also, the Gospels are not totally correct and they are not the Word of God. If they were, we wouldn’t be debating this issue.
BA: They are honest, independent witnesses,…
GW: False. The Gospel authors were not eye witnesses of the life of Jesus and its aftermath. They did not observe the events just before, during, and after the crucifixion. If they knew anything about it, they would have gotten the information from informants who were eyewitnesses or pretended to be. And we know that Matthew and Luke are not independent of Mark. John is probably not totally independent of the other three.
BA: and the circumstances discussed here are of great value in testimony in courts of justice – “circumstantial variation with essential agreement.”
GW: A contradiction in a murder trial in court similar to the contradiction we have here between Mark and John would be enough for reasonable doubt and a hung jury.
GW: My explanation, which is better than yours, is that a contradiction is implied and that Mark is correct with the time line and John is incorrect. I believe that John fabricated several details, e.g. the spear thrust, the beloved disciple, etc, in order to score theological points, not to report history accurately. Also, if God did exist, he would not use human authors to communicate highly significant events. He would report the events himself. Your explanation, while possibly true, is very probably false.
BA: The issue here is: What was the time of day when Jesus handed over to be crucified and put on cross:
GW: First you say the issue was place and then you say the issue was time. Make up your mind.
BA—It’s “a time and place” issue.
GW: They probably did not conspire, but we know that Luke and Matthew borrowed from or copied from Mark
BA–The idea that Luke and Matthew borrowed from or copied from Mark is entirely ad hoc, and without any historical basis.
I suppose that you could look at it that way, but you did not make this clear in your essay.
That is just false. I’m going to go with Bart Ehrman and most experts on this one.
How are you coming along on Ehrman’s ‘Heaven & Hell’ book?
Some progress, but slow. I will present conclusions when ready.