Expert: Dean Gade - 6/1/2008

Question
Dear Mr. Gade:
I have been told by one who says that Jesus was Resurrected on Saturday or the sabbath that the Greek brings this out. He said that the translators arbitrarily translate "one sabbath" (mia sabbaton) as "first day of the week". I don't know Greek, but it seems to me that Bible translators would use sabbath if that is what the text clearly says. Can you help me understand what the Greek actually says concerning the gospels account of what day Jesus rose on?
Thanks so much,
Steve

Answer
I am a Greek scholar having had university  teaching for three semesters in ancient and classical Greek,  three years of formal study of  koine Greek (the Greek of the New Testament) and over thirty years of personal study of the New Testament in Koine Greek.

Matthew 28:1 is(transliterated into English)   "Opse de Sabbatone epiphose kosaye ay mian sabbotone"  ....which is literally translated "after indeed sabboth the it began to dawn the first"

The Jewish Sabbath did NOT begin on Saturday but on Friday evening in accordance to the creation of the world by God where all days begin with "evening":

Gen 1:5
And there was evening , and there was morning — the first day.
NIV

Gen 1:8
And there was evening , and there was morning — the second day.
NIV

Gen 1:13
13 And there was evening , and there was morning — the third day.
NIV

Gen 1:19
9 And there was evening , and there was morning — the fourth day.
NIV

Etc.

Jesus rose on the FIRST DAY of the week....which we know, as they did is the Sunday.