Or Holy Thursday, if you don’t know what “maundy” means (I didn’t); the day we remember when Jesus handed out matzoh and wine to his students and taught them to “do this to remember me.” The Catholics have more details.
I’ve read a few theories that say Jesus was crucified on Thursday rather than Friday; this way he could stay in his tomb for a literal three days, instead of part of Friday, all of Saturday, and the before-sunrise part of Sunday. But John 19.31 is quite clear Jesus died on Preparation, which is what the Jews called Friday (because on Preparation you prepare for Shabbat).
The proponents of a Thursday death of Jesus say it fits the calendar. Well, of course it does—if you have the wrong year. They claim Jesus died in 30 CE. Why? Because, again, they’re being over-literal. Jesus was “about thirty” when he first began to minister [Luke 3.23] and if you add up all the Passovers in John’s gospel (presuming John didn’t skip any) then Jesus ministered three years, which would make him about 33 when he died; and if Jesus was born in 4 BC, and there was no year 0, then dying at age 33 would make the year 30. Simple.
Except their calculations are wrong.
Following Luke’s description of the year, [Luke 2.1-2] Jesus was born in 7 BC. (If you have to be a stickler about him dying at age 33, this means he died in the year 27.) He was born before Herod’s death in 4 BC; during Quirinius’s second census, which had to take place before he was fired.
John began baptizing in the 15th year of Caesar Tiberius, which is the year 28. This would make Jesus 34 years old, or “about thirty,” as Luke put it. If Jesus was thirty, Luke would have said thirty. By age 33, Jesus was still fixing roofs and making wagons and tables. So much for his being 33 when he died.
That year 33 is traditionally the year in which Jesus died, and it lines up properly with the historical circumstances. This means Jesus died at age 39. (Which makes the mocking comment, “You’re not yet fifty” in John 8.57, slightly more reasonable.)
Why is the year 33 so important? Passover falls on Shabbat this year, just like it does in the year Jesus was crucified. It doesn’t in 30, or 27, or any other year you pick to make Jesus’s age 33.
Why is that particular age so important anyway? It’s not even mentioned in scripture. But people are awfully picky about their traditions. They’re so willing to chuck the older ones if they don’t match their favorite ones. (Some day I may rant about the too-common Protestant belief that Jesus was buried in the Garden Tomb rather than the tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher—the only reason being that the Garden Tomb isn’t Catholic.)
And then of course, there’s ignoring Maundy Thursday but making sure to remember their Easter egg hunts… and if I recall right, Jesus also instituted the sacrament of foot-washing on the same day he instituted communion. When’s the last time your church had a foot-washing service? Ever? Remember the line, “If I, your Master and Rabbi, washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet too; for I gave you an example, and you should do what I did to you.” [John 13.14-15]
More stuff to ponder as I get ready to visit my family in Vacaville for Good Friday. Hristo anesti.