HOW MANY HOURS WAS JESUS DEAD ON THE CROSS?

Watchman Nee?

Watchman Nee (in a book I'm reading) sounds like he said Jesus was on the cross for 6 hours.

Watchman Nee (in a book I'm reading) sounds like he said Jesus was on the cross for 6 hours.
"So far as the experience of co-death in the Christian life is concerned, it is mainly included in this representative period six hours."
I checked the account of the Passover on this matter, in Numbers 9.
Num 9:3
3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.
KJV
Num 9:12
12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.
KJV
But according to this chart I found online, it sounds like He was dead on the cross for 3 hours, judging by the details of the Passover, as to having started in the evening, and that eating of it was to finish before morning. So maybe he guessed a bit incorrectly, as to how long Jesus was dead on the cross.
https://www.theisraelofgodrc.com/Hebrew

Watchman Nee (in a book I'm reading) sounds like he said Jesus was on the cross for 6 hours.
"So far as the experience of co-death in the Christian life is concerned, it is mainly included in this representative period six hours."
I checked the account of the Passover on this matter, in Numbers 9.
Num 9:3
3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.
KJV
Num 9:12
12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.
KJV
But according to this chart I found online, it sounds like He was dead on the cross for 3 hours, judging by the details of the Passover, as to having started in the evening, and that eating of it was to finish before morning. So maybe he guessed a bit incorrectly, as to how long Jesus was dead on the cross.
https://www.theisraelofgodrc.com/Hebrew

According to Matthew 27:46, about the ninth hour — 3:00 pm is approximate time of having "yielded up the ghost":

Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.



Then, when "even" ... evening ... was come:

Matthew 27:

57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth


So Jesus hung on the cross after having given up the ghost from approximately 3:00 to "evening". I do not see any specific time mentioned ... just "even" (evening).

Then Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus took the body of Jesus, treated His body with myrrh and aloes, wrapped His body in linen, and laid His body in Joseph of Arimathaea's tomb.

John 19:

38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

from wikipedia:
Watchman Nee, Ni Tuosheng, or Nee T'o-sheng (Chinese: 倪柝聲; pinyin: Ní Tuòshēng; November 4, 1903 – May 30, 1972), was a Chinese church leader and Christian teacher who worked in China during the 20th century. In 1922, he initiated church meetings in Fuzhou that may be considered the beginning of the local churches. During his thirty years of ministry, Nee published many books expounding the Bible. He established churches throughout China and held many conferences to train Bible students and church workers. Following the Communist Revolution, Nee was persecuted and imprisoned for his faith and spent the last twenty years of his life in prison. He was honored by Christopher H. Smith (R–NJ) in the US Congress on July 30, 2009.[1]

Thanks! I spent several days now, studying over the story of Jesus' crucifixion. It was confusing and difficult at times, to get it all to make perfect sense. But I think I've improved on that by this time. I found that He was put on the cross at 12 PM. That represents the Jewish time term, "6th hour" - I found out, online. And I found that Jesus died at 3 AM, as you said! According to the Jewish calendar, that was "the 9th hour."

Matt 27:46

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
KJV
And yes, Joseph of Arimathea - buried Jesus that night, since the authorities had forbidden that any of the bodies be buried on "the day of preparation". Now, what the "day of preparation" was - is still unclear to me. Though it appears to have been on a Sabbath.
John 19:31

31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away
KJV

Now, what the "day of preparation" was - is still unclear to me.
John 19:31

31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away
KJV

The preparation is the term for preparation for Passover and the feast of unleavened bread.

And one thing that is important to remember is that the Jewish day begins in the evening.

According to Leviticus 23:5-6 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

The Passover meal is eaten at "even" on the 14th and the 7-day feast of unleavened bread begins on the 15th, and from the 14th day at even to the 21st day at even, only unleavened bread is eaten and no leaven is to be found in the house:

Passover meal:

Exodus 12:

8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it

...

10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.


Feast of unleavened bread:

Exodus 12:

15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.

17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.

19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.

20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.


So the "preparation" referred to in John 19:31 is the preparation that is done prior to the Passover meal / feast of unleavened bread.

Is not every day preceding any of the Sabbaths a day of preparation for the Sabbat? Let me know...

Watchman Nee (in a book I'm reading) sounds like he said Jesus was on the cross for 6 hours.
"So far as the experience of co-death in the Christian life is concerned, it is mainly included in this representative period six hours."
I checked the account of the Passover on this matter, in Numbers 9.
Num 9:3
3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.
KJV
Num 9:12
12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.
KJV
But according to this chart I found online, it sounds like He was dead on the cross for 3 hours, judging by the details of the Passover, as to having started in the evening, and that eating of it was to finish before morning. So maybe he guessed a bit incorrectly, as to how long Jesus was dead on the cross.
https://www.theisraelofgodrc.com/Hebrew

Well you are indeed correct that the Biblical Passover starts at sundown.. As ll days in the Bible start at sundown.. On the first passover day the Hebrews first ate the Lamb after having smeared it's blood over the door posts.. Then the next borning ( which was still the day of penitcost for it did not end till evening came) the started their journy out of Israel..

Passover is in the evening of the 14th day. The next day, the 15th, is the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, and it is a holy convocation in which no work is to be done. Also, no work is to be done on the 7th day:

Leviticus 23:

5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.

6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Right ... but pentecost is not on the 15th.