How long was Jesus on the cross?

To answer the question, how long was Jesus Christ on the cross? We can turn to the Gospels for the facts. The chief priests of Israel falsely accused Christ, and together with Pilate, they sentenced Him to death by crucifixion (Luke 23). They took Him to a place called Golgotha, where they crucified the Lamb of God. The Messiah was nailed to the cross, and a sign was placed above Him that read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Matthew 27:37).

Jesus hung on the cross for about six hours. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke used the Jewish method of measuring time, while the Gospel of John employed the Roman method, as it was written near the close of the century and primarily for Gentile believers.

The Timing of Jesus’ Crucifixion

Using the Roman method of measuring time, the Gospel of John documented that Jesus’ trial before Pontius Pilate took place “about the sixth hour” (John 19:14). Therefore, counting from midnight, the trial occurred around 6:00 A.M.

In contrast, the Gospel of Mark, using the Jewish method of measuring time, stated, “They crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour when they crucified him” (Mark 15:24-25). Thus, counting from sunrise, the crucifixion of Jesus began at 9:00 A.M.

Additionally, using the Jewish method, Matthew recorded, “Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land” (Matthew 27:45). The sixth hour is noon, and the darkness lasted from 12:00 noon to 3:00 P.M.

The Final Moments on the Cross

Matthew also noted, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:45,46). These words were prophesied in Psalm 22:1. Just before His death, Jesus said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit’” (Luke 23:46) and “It is finished!” Then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit (John 19:30). The Son of God completed the work of saving mankind (John 4:34), and Satan failed in his attempts to thwart the plan.

The Roman soldiers came and broke the legs of the two thieves who were crucified alongside Jesus. However, when they approached Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out (John 19:32-34). Joseph of Arimathea took responsibility for Jesus’ burial on the preparation day, also known as Good Friday.

Summary of the Crucifixion Timeline

Let us summarize:

• Pilate condemned Jesus at “about the sixth hour” or around 6:00 A.M. (Roman timing).
• The Savior was crucified three hours later at “the third hour” or 9:00 A.M. (Jewish timing).
• Darkness began at “the sixth hour” or 12:00 P.M. while Jesus was hanging on the cross (Jewish timing).
• Jesus died at “the ninth hour” or 3:00 P.M. (Jewish timing).

Thus, the Savior hung on the cross from 9:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M., totaling six hours.

Fulfillment of Prophecy

Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah: “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4,5).

Throughout His life, Jesus experienced all the pain, sorrow, and suffering known to humanity. Through His humanity, He faced everything that finite beings endure. All the hatred and enmity that evil men and angels could inflict upon Him were His daily share. He embraced it all willingly to save doomed sinners from eternal death.

God’s Infinite Love

God’s love for humanity led Him to offer His only begotten Son for their salvation (Romans 5:8). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Jesus’ suffering opened the way for the redemption of mankind. His love extended even to those who crucified Him, as He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

Through the Father’s gift of love, it becomes possible for humans to be “called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1). “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). There are no limits to the love of God, and none to whom He refuses the benefits of saving grace, redemption, and reconciliation.

However, there is one condition: belief in and willing cooperation with Christ. It is God’s goodness that leads men to repentance (Romans 2:4). His compassion softens evil hearts, brings back the fallen, and transforms sinners into saints. Therefore, every believer should rejoice that he has “everlasting life” now, as a gift from God. For “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:11,12).

How Can a Person Get Saved?

While God’s love enfolds all humanity, it directly benefits only those who respond to it. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). To become a child of God is to enter into a covenant relationship with Him (Hosea 1:10) through the new birth (John 3:3).

This covenant relationship grows daily through the study of the Word, prayer, and witnessing. Thus, obtaining eternal life is conditional upon the believer allowing the Lord to abide in his heart. Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4).

To believe in a person does not merely mean a mental agreement. Demons believe in the existence of God (Mark 3:11; 5:7). Their belief may be intellectually correct, but they remain demons (James 2:19). Therefore, faith that merely acknowledges the facts is insufficient. The faith that saves is the one that transforms the life.

To believe in Jesus is to receive the benefits of salvation through His Word. Faith is the condition upon which God has promised forgiveness to sinners, as it can lay hold of the merits of Christ for the forgiveness of all past sins (Acts 2:38-39) and for victory over all inherited and cultivated weaknesses of the heart (Philippians 4:13).

He who believes has everlasting life and has “passed from death unto life” (John 5:24, 25; 6:54; 8:51). He is born from above, has God as his Father, and resembles Him in character (1 John 3:1-3). He strives, by the grace of Christ, to live away from sin (Romans 6:12-16) and does not yield his will to its bondage (1 John 3:9; 5:18).

The born-again believer is re-created by God for the purpose of “good works.” Paul wrote, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Righteous deeds are the natural fruits of a converted heart (Titus 2:7,14; 3:1,8,14). The purpose of the plan of salvation is to transform man’s character to reflect that of His loving Creator (Genesis 1:26,27). Christians do not perform good works to be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9) but because they are saved.

Christ’s life serves as an example for believers. He went through pain to peace and through suffering to glory; likewise, all who love Him will experience this (Matthew 10:38; 16:24; 20:22; 2 Corinthians 1:5; Colossians 1:24; 1 Thessalonians 3:3). To suffer with Christ means to combat the powers of temptation as He did, so that as He was made “perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:9, 10, 18), the believer may also be perfected. To suffer with Christ also means to endure for His sake and for the gospel’s.

Eternal Life

Christ rejoiced in fulfilling His Father’s will (Matthew 26:39, 42; John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). Therefore, through His atoning sacrifice, the Father’s plan will succeed among humanity (Matthew 6:10; 7:21; John 17:6), and many will live and possess eternal life (Hebrews 12:2). The outcome will fully justify the sacrifice that was necessary to achieve it (Isaiah 53:11).

All that had been lost due to sin will be regained. For Christ became “heir of all things,” and He will share His inheritance with those He has saved from the enemy (Hebrews 1:2; Romans 8:17). Believers will share in His victory, not as servants, but as children saved by His blood and honored to reign with Him eternally. The apostle Paul affirmed, “And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10; also 22:5; 2 Timothy 2:12).

At the end of the great controversy between good and evil, Christ will receive a “name which is above every name,” one before which “every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:9, 10). For exaltation naturally follows humiliation and surrender to God’s will (Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14). Every creature will acknowledge Christ’s Lordship (Revelation 5:11-14). Even Satan and his servants will concede that His ways have been merciful, just, righteous, and perfect.

For more on being born again, check out What does it mean to be born again?