When Does The Day Begin?
First, let's consider this Bible principle:
Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man... at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. (Moses)
John 8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. (Jesus)
2 Corinthians 13:1 ... In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. (Paul)
These are 3 witnesses that testify that it takes 2 or 3 witnesses to establish a matter.
Here is one witness that seems to testify that the day begins at sunrise:
Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
Here are more than 3 witnesses testifying that the day begins at sunset:
Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.... 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.
Leviticus 23:32(KJV) It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
Leviticus 23:32 (NLT) This will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and on that day you must deny yourselves. This day of rest will begin at sundown on the ninth day of the month and extend until sundown on the tenth day.
Nehemiah 13:19 And it came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I over the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
How some other English translations of Matthew 28:1 read:
Matthew 28:1 (NLT) Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.
Matthew 28:1 (BSB) After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
Matthew 28:1 (WNT) After the Sabbath, in the early dawn of the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary came to see the sepulchre.
What do you think? Should we believe the one possible witness of the KJV of Mt28:1 or should we believe the several other witnesses who show us that each day begins at sunset?
Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah (Deut8:3; Matt4:4)
-Sid Nash: 02/24/2024. Latest version: http://sidnash.org/docs/WhenDayBegins.html