Cambridge University Press The Mystery of the Last Supper: Reconstructing the Final Days of Jesus

Apparent inconsistencies in the gospel accounts of Jesus's final week have puzzled Bible scholars for centuries. Colin Humphreys explains these inconsistencies, whilst proposing a compelling new theory - that the last supper took place on a Wednesday, rather than Thursday as traditionally believed. The contrasting interpretations of the last supper arise from Matthew, Mark and Luke's assertion that it was a Passover meal, whilst John states that it occurred beforehand. To confuse the issue, there does not seem to be enough time for all the events recorded between the last supper and the crucifixion to take place, whilst Wednesday appears to be a 'missing day' on which Jesus did nothing. Humphreys draws on evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls and Egyptian texts and uses astronomy to reconstruct ancient calendars. In doing so he shows how the last supper took place on a Wednesday and successfully unifies the supposedly contradictory gospel stories.