Bible Study

One great thing about the blockchain is that it is an environment where unconventional biblical readings can be tested and evaluated. Yeshua asked "What does the Law of Moses say? How do you read it?" Luke 10:26 sometimes we need to ask, "what does the Gospel say, how do you read it?"

A Contradiction?

Luke reports that the women prepared spices before the Sabbath, but Mark reports that they bought the spices after the Sabbath... which is it??? How did they prepare spices before buying them? Here are the contrasting passages:

And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. Mark 16:1

Vs...

And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments [before the Sabbath]; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. Luke 23:56

It's All Greek to Me

When the Sabbath was past...diaginomai ho Sabbaton

Diaginomai (G1230)

A compound word made up of 'dia' and 'ginomai' translated to mean "to elapse meanwhile" or "after passing', literally 'through generating' Most translations use this word, combined with 'the Sabbath' to mean 'When was past the Sabbath" Could Mark be using this word in a manner which is in harmony with Luke's testimony? Let's look at the word components of diaginomai:

Dia (G1223)

Translates to 'through' or 'by occasion of' or 'by reason of' or 'because of'
Mark uses the word 'dia' in the following scripture:

And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because (DIA) ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? Mark 12:24

Ginomai (G1096)

Translates 'to become' or 'to generate'. Mark also uses this word in the following scripture:

And now when the even was come (GINOMAI), for it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath… Mark 15:42

The Sabbath Was Coming

By using the two words 'dia' and 'ginomai' together, it creates a concept of cause, linked to the idea of 'coming into being'. In reference to the Sabbath, diaginomai could mean something different than 'after passing' but rather 'because was coming'.

dia = by reason of, by occasion of, because of
ginomai = generating, becoming
ho = the
Sabbaton = Sabbath

An alternative reading of this is:

diaginomai ho Sabbaton' by reason of the Sabbath coming...'

That Sabbath Was A High Day

There's something unique about this Sabbath, not only are the people preparing for the Sabbath, it was also the Sabbath of Unleavened Bread, the 15th day of the month.

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. John 19:31

This means that the women would all the more purchase spices BEFORE the "high" Sabbath. They only had time to prepare them, but didn't have time to visit the tomb and prepare the body before it became dark.

No Contradiction

This would lead us to harmonize the text with Luke as such:

And [by reason of the Sabbath coming], Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and [then] rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. Mark-Luke Harmonized

I've often thought it would be unlikely that women would have time to purchase and prepare spices before dark, but that seems to be exactly what Mark is saying here with this understanding of the word 'diaginomai', and with Luke as a second witness.

Conclusion:

The women bought spices and prepared them before the Sabbath, then they rested according to the commandment. I hope this has been a blessing to you. @ironshield