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Joh 19:31 ~ The 'High Day' Sabbath

~ scriptures are from the Hebraic Roots Bible, and HBR Bible Notes in italics.
Bible Commentaries and Notes.

Joh 19:31 Then, since it was Preparation, that the bodies not remain on the tree on the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a holy day†, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and they be taken away.

KJV Joh 19:31  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. 

“High Day” Sabbath
Did this mean the first day of unleavened bread?
Sunday keepers claim that nowhere are these days called “High Days.”
But why would John if it was just a regular weekly Sabbath take the time to tell his audience about a high day Sabbath?

Some scholars point out by referring to Israel Abrahams, a noted Jewish scholar that there is no instance before John 19:31 of the use of the term ‘high day’ or ‘Great Sabbath’ in Rabbinical literature. But because what can be shown by later rabbinic use and literature of the term “Great Sabbath” or “high day” can have no bearing on the way John used it. And further, terms such as “Good Friday” or “Holy Saturday” coined by the Roman Catholic church much later than John, can also bear no proof in supporting the belief that “an high day” in John 19:31 means special weekly Sabbath, special because the 15th of Nisan Sabbath is believed to have fallen upon the weekly Sabbath.

Now in John.19:31 The NIV renders the two Greek words “megale hemera” as “special.” The KJV and many other translations render “megale hemera” as “high day.” The Greek words “megale hemera” literally means “great day.” There is Biblical evidence to support the argument that the reference to this Sabbath as a “great day” (megale hemera) is a reference to a festival Sabbath.

In the Septuagint version of the Old Testament (Greek translation of the OT) Isaiah 1:13 uses the phrase “great day” to refer to the festival Sabbaths. The latter part of verse 13 says, “....I cannot bear your evil assemblies.” In the Hebrew text, the word from which “assemblies” is translated is “atsarah” which means “solemn assembly.”

In the Greek version of Isaiah 1:13, the word “atsarah” is translated as “hemeran megalen” which means “great day.” Thus the Greek text of Isaiah 1:13 uses the same reference for an annual Jewish festival Sabbath as does John in John 19:31. The meaning assigned to “assembly” (“solemn assembly” in Isaiah 1:13) is recognized as a reference in general to the festival Sabbaths of Israel.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible indicates Isaiah’s reference to “atsarah” is a reference to any festival or holiday and not to the Passover Sabbath alone. “…especially on a festival or holiday: - (solemn) assembly (meeting).” (Strong’s #6116).

The Fact is, in reality, the opposite is true! Nowhere in the Scriptures or from the Jews Rabbinical writings at that time was the WEEKLY Sabbath called a “high” day!!! John himself makes that clear distinction. If he did not there would be confusion!!! The reason the weekly Sabbath is not called a special or great Sabbath is for the simple reason it occurs every week; as opposed to the annual Sabbaths which were special times of the year!
In another place in his Gospel, again he shows the difference. The Greek word translated “high” or “great” is found also in John 7:37 as well as John 19:31 both of which refer to the more important days of the Hebrew feasts. For example the last day of a feast would be designated a “great day.”
John 7:37 “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. [The word in italics [“day”] is added by the translators to complete the sense in English].

The word “great” in the Greek text is megalh [megalay] which is from megaV [megas] which means “great” be it either in size or in importance. This last “great day” was the eighth and final day of the Feast and it is called a Sabbath: “Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein…Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath.” (Lev 23:36, 39).

Now in John 19:31 “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (because that Sabbath day was a high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” The phrase “a high day” is megalh h hmera which is better translated “the great day” because h [hay] is the definite article – “the.” Putting the two scriptures together and Isaiah 1:13 this great day that was a Sabbath had to have been a great day of a feast! That was the first day of Unleavened Bread. It was a great day, God told Israel, “It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.” (Ex 12:42). This first day of unleavened bread was also a Sabbath, “In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.” (In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.” (Lev 23:7).

Even the ancients knew that this high day Sabbath was the first day of Unleavened Bread. Claudius Apolinarius (Apollinaris), bishop of Hierapolis, in Phrygia, called it, “the great day of unleavened bread” (Scaff, History of the Christian Church vol.2, p.203).

The Historical evidence of scripture, the first 7 translations, Septuagint, Textus Receptus and Strong's numbers confirms this High Day Sabbath was not a weekly Sabbath as the resurrection was on the weekly Sabbath several days later, somewhere between sunset and and the Time Mary found the Tomb empty before sunrise.

• First day of the Week or First of the Sabbaths.
• The official resurrection of Yahshua Messiah "on a Sabbath morning" in 7 languages.
• Septuagint - Resurrection Yahshua Messiah on Sabbath Morning.
• Textus Receptus - Resurrection on Sabbath Morning - Greek ~ English.

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