Housed at Cambridge University Library, the Travancore-Cochin Hebrew Matthew (MS Oo.1.32) is a 17th – 18th century rabbinical Hebrew translation preserved among the Cochin Jews in India. This version is attributed to Ezekiel Raḥabi and reflects a Hebrew-oriented perspective. MS Oo.1.32 isn’t the only Hebrew Matthew (e.g., Shem Tov’s version exists) but does provide unique readings that emphasize Jewish customs over Gentile influences. Unlike the Greek New Testament, which most scholars have considered original, this manuscript likely draws from earlier Hebrew traditions.
In Matthew 27:60–28:8, the Hebrew text covers the entombment, securing of the tomb, and the women’s visit. It diverges from the Greek text. This important departure affects the current understanding of the resurrection timeline and supports a Wednesday crucifixion over the Good Friday tradition.
- 27:57–61: Joseph of Arimathea places Yeshua in his new tomb. A stone is rolled over the entrance. Mary [Miryam in Hebrew] Magdalene and the other Mary sit opposite.
- 27:62–66: “The next day, the one after Preparation Day” (i.e., Saturday), the chief priests and Pharisees ask Pilate for guards to secure the tomb until the third day.
- 28:1–8: “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week” (Sunday morning), the Marys behold the tomb. There is an earthquake. An angel rolls away the stone and announces Messiah’s resurrection; the women run to tell the disciples.
(Click on the images below to enlarge.)
These important details aren’t just about chronology but are about defending the integrity of the words Yeshua spoke in Matthew 12:40: “For as Yonah was three days and three nights in the fish’s belly, so shall the Son of Adam be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” How can Friday afternoon to Sunday morning fulfill those three days? The Cochin text itself suggests that Greek texts were likely translated from Hebrew originals, thereby weakening the academic consensus of Greek primacy. Let’s resolve the confusion in the Greek texts with a translation into English of Matthew chapters 27 – 28 from the ancient Hebrew perspective.
Traditional Timeline: Which encompasses Greek, Gregorian, Latin, and Western.
The Crucifixion occurs on Friday afternoon, entombment Friday evening, tomb secured Saturday, the women visit Sunday morning. This timeline has caused debates because it inclusively counts “three days” (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) but falls short of three full days and nights.
The Western and Greek reckoning of time is different from the Hebrew perspective. In Western culture, the day begins at midnight. For the Hebrews, a day is from sundown to sundown. Therefore, when Yeshua’s body is placed in the tomb at sundown, this marks the beginning of Day 1.
Yeshua was not buried on the weekly Sabbath/ “Saturday” but was crucified just before a High Sabbath – Pesach, one of Yehovah’s annual Feasts. The takeaway is that the Greek/Western mindset did not align with the perspective of the ancient Hebrew culture.
The Greek phrasing “after the Sabbath, at dawn” places the Marys’ appearance on Sunday, aligning with pagan Easter traditions and potentially clashing with Hebrew time reckoning (days start at sunset).
The Hebrew Cochin Version
Matthew 27:60–66 (Hebrew excerpt):
- Hebrew: שם אותו בקבורתו חדשה שנקרא בא׳ אבן וגללו אבן גדולה והשליך על פתח קבורה והלכו׃ 61 ושם היה מרים מגדלינא ומרים אחרת שיושבין נגד קבורתו׃ 62 ובזה היום שהוא מחרתו כלו׳ ביום שבת והיתה קבורתו ביום ו׳ נקהלו רבי כוהנים ופירושים אצל פילאטוס׃ 63 ואמרו אדונינו זכור אותו זה מרמה אמר כחי כי אחר ג׳ ימים אקום׃ 64 תצוה ותשמור את הקבורה עד ג׳ ימים משום שלא יביאו התלמידים בלילה לגנוב ויאמרו לעם שקם הוא מן המתים ויהיה טעות אחרונה קשה מן הראשון׃ 65 אמר להם פילאטוס יש לכם שומרים לכו והיזהרו כמו שיודעין אתם׃ 66 והם הלכו ושמרו הקבורה וחתמו האבן זה עם השומרים׃
- Hebrew to English: And he set it [Yeshua’s body] in his new sepulcher that was carved into one stone, and they rolled a great stone, and set it over the opening of the tomb and went away. 61 And there were there Miryam Magdelena and the other Miryam, who were sitting against his sepulcher.
- 62 And it was on the day of the morrow, including on the Shabbat day, and his entombment. On day six, the chief priests and Pharisees were congregated before Pilatus. 63 And they said, “Our Lord, remember this deceiver said while alive that ‘After three days I will arise.’ 64 You should command and guard the sepulcher until day three, so that his disciples do not come in the night to steal him and say to the people, ‘He has arisen from the dead,’ and the latter error will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilatus said to them, “You have guards: go, and secure it like you know.” 66 And they went and guarded the sepulcher and sealed this stone with the guards.
Presuming that “day six” means Saturday reveals the Greek/Western/Latin-minded interpretation of the timeline. Regarding Hebrew concepts lost or altered in translations from Hebrew to Greek (e.g., the Septuagint), the structure of the Hebrew day is a prime example. In the Hebrew mindset, Friday is day six, and sundown on Friday is the seventh day, Shabbat (Sabath). In Hebrew reckoning, a day begins at evening (sunset) and ends at the following sunset, as established in Genesis 1:5 (“And there was evening and there was morning, one day”) and reinforced in Leviticus 23:32 for observances like Yom Kippur (“from evening to evening you shall keep your Sabbath”). This contrasts with various traditions of the pagan or Greco-Roman/Western day, which starts at midnight or sunrise. When translated or interpreted through the Greek/Western lens, this potentially leads to mismatches in timing for rituals, Sabbaths, and feasts. Ignorance of the Hebrew culture renders an erroneous interpretation.
With “day six” being Friday for entombment, the guard request happens before the weekly Shabbat, aligning with a mid-week crucifixion, supporting the argument that the Hebrew is primary.
Matthew 28:1–8 (Hebrew and Translation):
- Hebrew: פרק כ׳ח 1 בערב בשבת כיון שהיה חשך קרוב ליום ראשון בא מרים מגדילינא ומרים אחרת שרואין קבר׃ 2 והיה רעדת הארץ גדולה מפני מלאכים של שמים ירדו וקרבו וגללו האבן מן הפתח וישב הוא עליו׃ 3 והיה צורתו כברקים ולבושיו חיור מן השלג׃ 4 מן יראתו נזדעזעו הם השומרים וחזרו כמו מתים׃ 5 ענה מלאכים ואמרו לנשים לא תפחדו יודע אני מה תבקשון ליש׳ו הנצלב אתין מבקשים׃ 6 לא יש מה וקם הוא כמו שאמר מן המתים ותבואו ותיראו המקום שיש האדון׃ 7 ותאמרו במהרה ותלכו לתלמידיו שקם מן המתים והא דקדים לכם לגליל ושם תראו וזה אמר לכם׃ 8 והלכו במהרה מן מקום קבורה בפחד ובשמחה רבה וברחו לומר לתלמידיו׃
- Hebrew to English: 28: 1 At evening on the Shabbat, when it was becoming dark, approaching the first day, Miryam Magdelena came, and the other Miryam, and beheld the tomb. 2 But there had been an earthquake, because the Messengers of Heaven had descended and came near, and had rolled the stone from the opening, and they sat on it. 3 And his form was like lightning and his clothes whiter than snow. 4 From fear of him the guards were shaken, and they turned around as if dead. 5 The angels answered and said to the women, “You should not fear. I know what you seek: you are seeking Yeshua who was crucified. 6 There is nothing here, and he has arisen, as he said, from the dead. Come and see the place where the Lord was. 7 Speak quickly and go to his disciples that he has arisen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you to Galil, and there you will see him: and this I say to you.” 8 And they went quickly from the place of burial in fear and with great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.”
Crucifixion and Entombment: In the Hebrew perspective, Yeshua dies at the 9th hour (3 PM) on Wednesday (end of Aviv 14), but since their days start at sunset, entombment occurs at the start of Thursday, which actually is (Aviv 15, a high holy day, or high Sabbath for Passover). The “day after entombment” (Friday) is when the leaders ask for guards before the weekly Shabbat (Friday night to Saturday night). This cultural nuance is understood by the true followers of Yeshua and the Jewish Notzerim because it would be against protocol for the Jewish leaders to ask for a guard during Shabbat, they dared not desecrate the Sabbath; and yet wanted to secure the tomb. The timing also means the women weren’t buying burial spices on Shabbat: the appearance of this event suggests corruption in the other Gospels.
Resurrection: Counting three full days and nights places the resurrection at 3 PM on Saturday (late Shabbat). The women visit Saturday evening after Shabbat ends at sunset, (when it’s dark), and find the tomb empty.
Contrast with Greek: The Hebrew “at evening on the Shabbat, when it was dark approaching the first day” means Saturday in the evening when the sun is setting. The Greek’s “after the Sabbath, at dawn” (28:1) is reinterpreted as Sunday morning. This Greek rendering may stem from mistranslating Hebrew idioms: “opse de sabbaton” in Greek might literally mean “late on the Sabbath,” but was rendered as post-Sabbath dawn.
4. Timeline Differences and Implications
| Event | Greek/Traditional View | Hebrew Cochin View |
|---|---|---|
| Crucifixion | Friday 3 PM | Wednesday 3PM |
| Entombment | Friday evening | Wednesday evening (start of Thursday) |
| Guards request/secure | Saturday | Friday (before weekly Shabbat) |
| Women behold | Sunday morning | Saturday evening (dark, after Shabbat) |
| Resurrection | Sunday dawn | Saturday 3 PM |
| Days/Nights in the tomb | Partial (Fri-Sun) | Full 3 days and 3 nights |
- Fulfilling Prophecy: By placing the crucifixion events mid-week, the crucifixion story in Matthew 12:40 fits precisely: three days and three nights, thus preserving the integrity of Yeshua’s words regarding the time Jonah was in the belly of the fish.
And, finally: When Yeshua sent Judas to do quickly what he must do, and the disciples thought that he went to buy things for the Passover, this timing also refutes that the last supper – better called Kiddish – was the last meal before the Passover and unleavened bread the next evening, meaning that Yeshua was not eating a Passover “Seder.” This is clearly obvious (when Judas dips his bread at the same time as Yeshua) in Matthew 26:23 with the Hebrew word lechem (Greek, arton) – which means leavened bread – not matzo (Greek, azmun), which is unleavened bread.
In the Chumash (“Pentateuch”), failing to align with Yehovah’s reckoning of time is a major point of testing, particularly in Exodus 16 where deviations from Yehovah’s instructions regarding collecting manna, and guarding the Shabbat, reveal direct disobedience. Broader translation issues arise in Greek texts (including the New Testament), where Greek words such as sabaton (for the original Hebrew “sabbath” or “rest/restoration”) evolved to also denote “week,” causing interpretive debates over days and timings – e.g., in passages such as Acts 20:7 or Hebrews 4:9, where “first day of the sabbaton” has been rendered “first day of the week” instead of emphasizing Sabbath rest. Obscuring the original Hebrew emphasis on evening-to-evening cycles can affect precise obedience in testing faithfulness.
