Maybe this is where the issue really lies:
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
What does it mean in the heart of the earth?
This could just as easily be translated, In the midst of the world. The problem is most assume that Jesus means in the grave dead for three days and three nights. But this is just that, an assumption.
Did Jesus only start to suffer at the hands of the people at his death? no it is written:
Mat 26:45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
Luk 22:53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
Thursday night which was the beginning of the 14th or Passover day. the hour comes that Jesus is put in the hands of sinners. Jesus began to suffer for the sins of the world on Friday morning which we would call Thursday night.
This is his hour, remember before his hour come no one could touch Him.
Joh 7:30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
Notice the meaning behind Jonah being in the heart of the fish:
Now it is important to understand how they wrote, The main part of the story is in the middle surrounded by content.
Notice:
Jon 2:1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
Jon 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
Jon 2:3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
Jon 2:4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
Jon 2:5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
Jon 2:6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
Jon 2:7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
the structure is like this in the verses:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
notice 1 and 7 are about Prayer
2 and 6 focus on being in hell in the botoms of the mountains etc
3 and 5 is about the waters surrounding Him
4 the main point is He has been cast out of Gods sight.
This is the meaning of Jonah being in the fish and this is the meaning of Christ in the midst of the earth given into the hands of evil men to suffer and it begun the night before His crucifixion. Thursday night.
From here Jesus is taken to Pilot the next morning and Herod and then he is crucified that evening on the Friday which is still the passover day. Then Christ is put in the grave just before the Seventh day Sabbath and the Feast Sabbath which occur on the same day.
Christ then rises early Sunday morning. Thus your three days and three nights and it remains true to the prophetic feasts.