Luke 23:54
in Luke 23It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it was the day of the Preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
KJV
And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
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This verse in Luke 23
Commentary
10 notes on this verseAnd the Sabbath drew on - Or, The Sabbath was lighting up, επεφωσκε, i.e. with the candles which the Jews light just before six in the evening, when the Sabbath commences. The same word is used for the dawning of the day, Mat 28:1. Wakefield.
This site's exposition
the sabbath drew on
on Luke 23:54-56
It was the preparation day and the sabbath drew on, so the burial is hurried, and the Galilean women who had followed him mark where and how the body was laid before going home to prepare spices and ointments. They then rest the sabbath day according to the commandment, Luke's quiet notice that even in grief the law is honored, and their careful observation of the tomb's location is what allows them to return at first light and discover it empty, the very next scene the chapter's silence leaves waiting.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church4 voices
But because man was created on the sixth day, rightly being crucified on the sixth day our Lord fulfilled the secret of man's restitution. It follows, And it was the day of the παρασκευὴ, which means the preparation, the name by which they called the sixth day, because on that day they prepared the things which were necessary for the Sabbath. But because on the seventh day the Creator rested from His work, the Lord on the Sabbath rested in the grave. Hence it follows, And the Sabbath was dawning.
Third, regarding the opportuneness of the time, he says: And it was the day of preparation, and the Sabbath was dawning. The day of preparation is Friday, which is therefore called parasceve, which is interpreted as "preparation," because on it were prepared the things that …
Now that the Lord is crucified on the sixth day and rests on the seventh, signifies that in the sixth age of the world we must of necessity suffer for Christ, and as it were be crucified to the world. (Gal. 6:14.) But in the seventh age, that is, after death, our bodies indeed rest in the tombs, but our souls with the Lord.
And it was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near. Preparation is interpreted as preparing, by which name the Jews who lived among the Greeks called the sixth day of the week, which is now called Friday by us, because on that …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Christ Accused and Insulted. 1 And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:87%@v1-3
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And that day was the preparation,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
We know nothing of Joseph except what is here told us. In no part of the Acts or Epistles, do we find any mention of his name. At no former period of our Lord's ministry, does he ever come forward. We cannot explain his reason for not openly joining the disciples before this time. But here, at the eleventh hour, this man is not afraid to show himself to be one of our Lord's friends. At the very time when the apostles had forsaken Jesus — Joseph is not ashamed to show his love and respect.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
We know nothing of Joseph except what is here told us. In no part of the Acts or Epistles, do we find any mention of his name. At no former period of our Lord's ministry, does he ever come forward. We cannot explain his reason for not openly joining the disciples before this time. But here, at the eleventh hour, this man is not afraid to show himself to be one of our Lord's friends. At the very time when the apostles had forsaken Jesus — Joseph is not ashamed to show his love and respect. Others had confessed Him while He was living and doing miracles. It was reserved for Joseph — to confess Him when He was dead. The history of Joseph is full of instruction and encouragement. It shows us that Christ has friends of whom the Church knows little or nothing — unknown friends who in real love and affection, are second to none. It shows us, above all, that events may bring out grace in quarters where at present we do not expect it; and that the cause of Christ may prove one day to have many supporters, of whose existence we are at present not aware. These are they whom David calls "hidden ones" — and Solomon compares to a "lily among thorns." (Psalm 83:3; Canticles 2:2.) Let us learn from the case of Joseph of Arimathea, to be charitable and hopeful in our judgments. All is not barren in this world — when our eyes perhaps see nothing. There may be some latent sparks of light — when all appears dark. Little plants of spiritual life — may be existing in some remote congregations, which the Father Himself has planted. Grains of true faith may be lying hidden in some neglected English parish, which have been placed there by God. There were seven thousand true worshipers in Israel — of whom Elijah knew nothing. The day of judgment will bring forward men who seemed last — and place them among the first! (1 Kings 19:18.)
The words behind it
7 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡμέρα | hemera | [the] Day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| ἦν | en | it was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| παρασκευῆς, | paraskeues | of Preparation, | G3904 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| σάββατον | sabbaton | Sabbath | G4521 → | 68 times |
| ἐπέφωσκεν. | epephosken | was just beginning. | G2020 → |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡμέρα[the] Day
hemeraG2250 →389 times
ἦνit was
enG1510 →2333 times
παρασκευῆς,of Preparation,
paraskeuesG3904 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
σάββατονSabbath
sabbatonG4521 →68 times
ἐπέφωσκεν.was just beginning.
epephoskenG2020 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 19:31It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have…
it leads to
- John 19:14
It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- John 19:42
And because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus there.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 8:29
He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the…
- Exodus 12:16
On the first day you are to hold a sacred assembly, and another on the seventh day. You must not do any work on those days, except to prepare the meals—that is all you…
- John 19:14
Through
Matthew 27:62The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate.
it leads to
- Mark 15:42
Now it was already evening. Since it was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath),
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Mark 15:42
Through
John 19:42And because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus there.
it leads to
- John 19:31
It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- John 19:31
Through
John 19:14It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”
it leads to
- Matthew 27:62
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate.
- John 19:5
When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
- Matthew 27:62
Where this verse is studied
About Luke
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 23; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Luke; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.