Luke 23 54

Luke 23:54 kjv

And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

Luke 23:54 nkjv

That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

Luke 23:54 niv

It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

Luke 23:54 esv

It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.

Luke 23:54 nlt

This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.

Luke 23 verses

Luke 23 54 Meaning

This verse establishes the critical temporal context for Jesus' burial. It precisely dates the moment of His interment as "Preparation Day," which was the day before the Sabbath, when all necessary activities, especially burials, had to be completed before sunset. The phrase "and the Sabbath was about to begin" emphasizes the extreme urgency of the situation, as the Jewish holy day of rest was imminent, requiring all work to cease. This detail underscores why Jesus' body was prepared and placed in the tomb so quickly.

Luke 23 54 Context

Luke 23:54 immediately follows Joseph of Arimathea’s brave request for Jesus’ body and its swift removal from the cross (Luke 23:50-53). The verse serves as a crucial time marker in the unfolding Passion narrative, specifically regarding the burial. Culturally and historically, Jewish law and tradition strictly forbade any work on the Sabbath, which began at sunset on Friday and lasted until sunset on Saturday. The need to inter the dead on the day of death, especially one crucified (as mandated by Deut 21:22-23 to avoid desecrating the land overnight), created intense pressure for the burial to be completed before the Sabbath commenced. The term "Preparation Day" (παρασκευή, paraskeuē) was commonly used for Friday, specifically indicating the day when Jews prepared meals, finished errands, and completed any tasks that would be unlawful to do once the Sabbath arrived. This detail explains the haste of Joseph and Nicodemus and the subsequent delay of the women in completing their anointing of Jesus' body until "after the Sabbath" (Luke 23:56, Mark 16:1).

Luke 23 54 Word analysis

• It was: An introductory phrase, indicating a factual state of affairs and setting the scene. It points to the time of Joseph's actions and the disciples' witness.
• Preparation Day:
  • Greek: παρασκευή (paraskeuē). This word specifically means "preparation" and was the common Jewish designation for Friday, the sixth day of the week.
  • Significance: It was a day dedicated to making ready for the Sabbath. For the original Jewish audience, this term immediately signaled the urgency of finishing all labor before sundown. It also sometimes refers to the day before a festival, especially Passover (John 19:14, 31). In this context, given the timing of Jesus' crucifixion, it strongly implies "preparation for the Passover Sabbath," which would be a "high Sabbath" (John 19:31) and thus even more stringently observed.
  • This term implies Jewish adherence to the Mosaic Law concerning rest, even in death.
• and: A conjunction indicating a close temporal relationship, highlighting the immediate consequence or proximity of the next clause. It signals that the Sabbath's arrival was the driving force behind the actions of "Preparation Day."
• the Sabbath:
  • Greek: σάββατον (sabbaton). Derived from the Hebrew word Shabbat, meaning "to rest." It denotes the seventh day of the week (Saturday), consecrated for rest and worship (Exod 20:8-11).
  • Significance: It represents a holy day instituted by God for humanity to cease from labor, observe rest, and dedicate time to worship Him. For a faithful Jew like Joseph of Arimathea, strict observance was paramount. The approaching Sabbath explains why Jesus' body had to be interred swiftly, preventing it from remaining exposed or unburied through the holy day.
• was about to begin:
  • Greek: ἐπέφωσκεν (epephōsken), imperfect active indicative of epiphōskō. The verb literally means "to dawn," "to grow light," or "to begin to appear." However, in Hellenistic Koine Greek, especially when referring to the Jewish day which began at sunset, it acquired the idiomatic meaning "to approach," "to draw on," or "to be dawning (of the new day)," meaning the day was beginning at sundown.
  • Significance: This phrase emphasizes the imminence of the Sabbath. It was not just Preparation Day, but the twilight hours of it, when the transition from Friday to Saturday was just moments away. This sense of approaching darkness/beginning signifies critical time pressure for the burial to be completed.

Words-group analysis:

• "It was Preparation Day": This phrase sets the precise timing according to the Jewish calendar and custom. It points to Friday, signaling that significant work had to be completed swiftly.
• "and the Sabbath was about to begin": This group of words conveys the intense urgency and pressure on Joseph and those assisting him. It's not just "Preparation Day" generally, but specifically the end of it, with the strict Sabbath laws impending at sundown. This timing is crucial for understanding why Jesus was hastily placed in a new tomb rather than fully prepared for burial according to usual customs.

Luke 23 54 Bonus section

• The timing on the "Preparation Day" (Friday) and the imminent Sabbath places Jesus' death and burial within a three-day framework before His resurrection on "the first day of the week" (Sunday). This precise chronological detail confirms the fulfillment of prophecies that He would rise "on the third day" (e.g., Matt 12:40, 16:21, Luke 24:46).
• For the original Jewish audience, the detail of "Preparation Day" would automatically trigger thoughts of not only the weekly Sabbath but also possibly the "Preparation of Passover" (John 19:14, 31). If this Sabbath was a "high Sabbath" (i.e., a regular Sabbath coinciding with a festival day, like the first day of Passover), it would further emphasize the sanctity and strictness of its observance, adding an extra layer of theological weight to the hurried burial.
• The fact that God’s holy law regarding Sabbath observance was meticulously upheld even by those who buried Jesus, while those who condemned Him (the Jewish authorities) had disregarded sacred justice to facilitate His death, presents an implicit theological contrast in the narrative.
• This verse indirectly sets up the expectation of absence: work ceases, and a period of waiting begins, mirroring the expectant silence before the grand reveal of the resurrection.

Luke 23 54 Commentary

Luke 23:54 is a succinct but profound temporal anchor in the Passion narrative, underscoring the legal and spiritual imperatives dictating Jesus’ immediate burial. The declaration that "It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin" provides the vital context for the hurried and basic burial described. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus acted with tremendous haste and risk to ensure Jesus’ body was interred before the onset of the Sabbath. This adherence to Jewish law, particularly the Mosaic injunctions against leaving a body unburied overnight (Deut 21:22-23) and the complete cessation of work on the Sabbath (Exod 20:8-11), demonstrates their piety. The imminence of the Sabbath meant that typical, elaborate Jewish burial customs, such as a full anointing and shroud wrapping, were truncated or delayed. This explains why the women, out of love and devotion, planned to return after the Sabbath to complete the anointing rites, only to find the tomb empty, thus setting the stage for the glorious resurrection on "the first day of the week."