Three Days and Three Nights

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Sep 16, 2014
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Whenever the three days and three nights of Matthew 12:40 is brought up in a "discussion" with 6th day crucifixion folks, they frequently argue that it is a Jewish idiom for counting any part of a day as a whole day. I wonder if anyone has documentation that shows that the phrase "x" days and "x"nights was ever used in the first century or before when it didn’t include at least parts of the "x" days and at least parts of the "x" nights?
Sunset begins darkness, Genesis making darkness pre-existing light. So, the Jews accounted a new day between dark and sunrise, taken as beginning at sunrise.

Next, according to the Law, which Jesus was under until death relieved Him, no defilement of a holy day or sabbath should not be tolerated. The Friday in question was a special high holy day, which was Passover. Passover date changed according to days and moons, and it fell on the Friday. Jesus and His disciples partook of the Passover observation a day earlier, knowing it could not be that He should be prepared on a Friday.

A lamb was required of every man of Israel, to be slaughtered, skinned, and made ready to be roasted, then eaten the next day. The blood of that lamb was painted on a home's door frame, sides and top only.

All Saturdays, by our Roman calendar, were always held as the weekly sabbath.

On Jesus' last week both holy days occurred back to back, a very unusual occurrence.

To avoid defilement of the Friday Passover event, Jesus would have to have been executed before that or on the next Sunday. Even the priests and scribes plotting to kill Jesus knew they could not offend the masses of people. They feared that. The only solution was to arrest Jesus on Wednesday night, try Him, and execute Him before sunset Thursday. That would prevent defilement of the high holy Passover event on Friday.

Sunset Thursday began the Roman Catholic's "Good Friday", yet Jesus had to die before sunset, on that Thursday. The Jews considered night as simply hours of darkness, each our regarded as night watch, so sunset at whatver actual hour defined the next day.

Now plot it on paper, beginning each day at sunset, arising by dawn Sunday.

That made three days and three nights, though we Americans consider oncoming darkness as a night, not a new day. Genesis 1 defined a night and day. We take it that dawn is a new day. That isn't correct. That won't be easily corrected. Jews count the new day at sunset, and we reckon it as a moment past midnight.

The only fact of when exactly Jesus arose from the grave remains, but our Sunday day began in darkness, began at sunset, a night by definition, ending Saturday at darkness at Saturday's sunset. We know Jesus arose on a Sunday morning after Saturday midnight. It wouldn't matter what hour on Sunday it was. The new day was a new day.
 

Endoscopy

Senior Member
Oct 13, 2017
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Three Days and Three Nights

Jesus triumphal entry, Passover, Death, Burial & Resurrection

On Nisan 10 the Passover Lamb is chosen (Ex 12). It is inspected for any blemish until Nisan 14. It's Nisan 14 when the actual passover sacrifice was made (Lev 23:5) The passover meal is eaten the next evening Nisan 15.

Christ triumphal entry begins on Sat (Nisan 10). He is inspected several day's for blemishes via the Pharisees (Mk 12:17 & 25). Jesus our Passover lamb is killed on Nisan 14. Although his disciples had prepared the Passover meal. Jesus was dead when the Jews ate it on the evening of Nisan 15.

Timeline:
Jesus arrived at Bethany sometime on Saturday & at sunset day 1 began. That night, a dinner was given in Jesus' honor (Jn 12:2). Next during the daylight hours of day1/Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem.

Ex 23:12 & Deut 5:14 state, animals including donkeys, were not to do any work on the Sabbath. So, a donkey colt (Matt 21;2) carring Jesus into Jerusalem on the Sabbath would have violated Torah Law.

Fri evening sundown til sat evening = Sabbath

Sat evening sundown til Sun evening Nisan 10 = Day 1. The passover lamb (Christ is our Passover 1 Cor 5:7) was to be chosen on Nisan 10 (Ex 12:1-3). Jesus triumphal entry: We know it better as Palm Sunday takes place on Nisan 10.

Sun evening sundown til Mon evening Nisan 11 = Day 2

Mon evening sundown til Tue evening Nisan 12 = Day 3

Tue evening sundown til Wed evening Nisan 13 = Day 4

Wed evening sundown til Thu evening Nisan 14. The passover lamb was to be killed on Nisan 14 (Ex 12:6).

Approximate Nisan 14 timeline:

Nisan 14 began at sundown Wed. Jesus eats his last supper with his chosen 12 (7-9pm). They go the Garden of Gethsemane & Jesus prays (9pm -midnight) He is arrested (midnight) the Priests accuse, abuse & condemn Him (midnight-6am). Hes taken to Pilate questioned, abused, scourged & sentenced to death (6am til 8am). Nailed to the cross (9am Mk 15:25) suffers til & dies at (3pm Mat 2:46 Mk 15:34) all on Nisan 14.

Matthew 12:39–40 Jesus say's the only sign 3 days, 3 nights in the belly.

Jesus is in the belly of the earth: 3pm Nisan 14 = Thurs/morning Jesus dies = 1st morning

Thru evening sundown til Fri evening Nisan 15 = 1st evening & 2nd morning

Fri evening sundown til Sat evening Nisan 16 = 2nd evening & 3rd morning

Sat evening = 3rd evening. WE HAVE THREE DAYS & 3 NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE EARTH. SUN MORNING HE RISES!

This post is MOO! My Opinion Only.

Temple tradition. At early lite on Nisan 14 the sinless chosen lamb was marched up the ramp into the Temple.

Early am on Nisan 14 God's sinless Lamb/Christ was carring his cross, marching up the hill to Calvary.

At 9am on Nisan 14 the Temple Priest tied the lamb to a stake to be sacrificed. And the shofar (rams horn/trump) is blown. So all the people knew the lamb is prepared to be sacrificed.

At 9am on Nisan 14 Jesus the Lamb of God is tied and nailed to the cross. (Mk 15:25 it was the 3rd hour & they crucified him.

At 3pm on Nisan 14 the Temple Priest brings a sharp knife and kills the sinless lamb. The shofar (rams horn/trump) is blown. So, all the people know the lamb as been sacrificed.

At 3pm on Nisan 14 Jesus Christ hears the Temple trump and in a loud voice. Jn 19:28 & 30 Jesus proclaims: tetelestai/It is FINISHED! An accounting term that means COMPLETED/PAID IN FULL & dies.

At 3pm a great earthquake happens. Jesus passes through the Temple Veil it's torn in 1/2. (Matt 27:51) Old covenant levitical priesthood/sacrifical system ends.
While correct you can make the simple complex.
 
Apr 12, 2019
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Preparation for the first day of Unleavened bread, also needed to prepare the lamb for roasting. A high Sabbath of rest. Passover can occur on any day of the week.
yes i understand all this

problem that i cannot see where second passage of the scripture telling us about two sabbath

we have two passages - one - it was great sabbath
and after Sabbaths - plural

so we have to deal here really with two sabbaths - one regular and one great sabath
but then what we have ?
John gospel says - one sabbath was coming so the body should be taken away from the cross
where one can see that two sabbath they were in rest ?
only in Matthew ?

then Jesus was dead -

Parasqevi - the death and burials
Sabbath great
Sabbath regular
Sunday resurrection ?

then Parasqevi day was also special day - preparation day for two Sabbaths not one
in Greek really is not Friday but day of preparation - Parasqevi
then the death was on Thursday as Parasqevi day before the Sabbath the great Day
and Jesus was dead two Sabbaths ?
but this can be made as conclusion from Matthew only ?

where there's one more passage giving suggestion to this that we could have two witnesses
 
Apr 12, 2019
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The Passover
12 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.[a]

on what day it was supper of Jesus with 12 ?
at the right time ?
 

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
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Word_Swords man,
re: "...Jesus had to die before sunset, on that Thursday."


That an issue for a different topic.
 

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
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piroma,

I still don't see what your comments have to do with this topic. Please explain why you think they do.
 
Apr 12, 2019
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i am looking for three days

if Jesus had supper at the eve of great sabbath how is it that he has been crucified at the Friday or Thursday ?

then it was eaten passover earlier
from what it is visible ?

when somebody has the idea from one passage then this idea should pass through the others
i just check ideas and verify with the holy scripture all passages concerned

also here's with the translation problems - some claiming resurrection happened on Saturday

we have to make clear the situation with Parasqevi and Sabbaths

if two Sabbaths happened to be those days so they had two Parasqevi days or one Parasqevi for two Sabbaths which happened adjacent to each other ?
 
Apr 12, 2019
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[TE="piroma, post: 3906206, member: 283449"]

if Jesus had supper at the eve of great sabbath how is it that he has been crucified at the Friday or Thursday ?
and if said - great day - if it is regular sabbath or not ?

regular sabbath also can be great day - because it is not regular day ?
 

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
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piroma,

This topic is concerned with one thing and only one thing:

1. The Messiah said that He would be three days and three nights in the "heart of the earth"

2. There are some who think that the crucifixion took place on the 6th day of the week with the resurrection taking place on the 1st day of the week.

3. Of those, there are some who think that the "heart of the earth" is referring to the tomb.

4. A 6th day of the week crucifixion/1st day of the week resurrection allows for only 2 nights to be involved.

5. To account for the lack of a 3rd night, there may be some of those mentioned above who say that the Messiah was employing common figure of speech/colloquial language.

6. I simply wonder if anyone who falls in that group of believers could provide examples to support that belief; i.e., instances where a daytime or a night time was forecast or said to be involved with an event when no part of a daytime and/or no part of a night time could have occurred.

So again, the topic request for examples is with regard to the commonality of forecasting a daytime or a night time when no part of a daytime or no part of a night time could occur.
 

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
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re: "In post #846 change 'that' to 'that's'."

OK, maybe three times is a charm: In post #846, change "That" to "That's".
 

cv5

Well-known member
Nov 20, 2018
18,153
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i am looking for three days

if Jesus had supper at the eve of great sabbath how is it that he has been crucified at the Friday or Thursday ?

then it was eaten passover earlier
from what it is visible ?

when somebody has the idea from one passage then this idea should pass through the others
i just check ideas and verify with the holy scripture all passages concerned

also here's with the translation problems - some claiming resurrection happened on Saturday

we have to make clear the situation with Parasqevi and Sabbaths

if two Sabbaths happened to be those days so they had two Parasqevi days or one Parasqevi for two Sabbaths which happened adjacent to each other ?
The early Passover for the Galileans is certain. They were out of phase by six hours as evidently they used the Roman end of day.
 

Endoscopy

Senior Member
Oct 13, 2017
4,028
400
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yes i understand all this

problem that i cannot see where second passage of the scripture telling us about two sabbath

we have two passages - one - it was great sabbath
and after Sabbaths - plural

so we have to deal here really with two sabbaths - one regular and one great sabath
but then what we have ?
John gospel says - one sabbath was coming so the body should be taken away from the cross
where one can see that two sabbath they were in rest ?
only in Matthew ?

then Jesus was dead -

Parasqevi - the death and burials
Sabbath great
Sabbath regular
Sunday resurrection ?

then Parasqevi day was also special day - preparation day for two Sabbaths not one
in Greek really is not Friday but day of preparation - Parasqevi
then the death was on Thursday as Parasqevi day before the Sabbath the great Day
and Jesus was dead two Sabbaths ?
but this can be made as conclusion from Matthew only ?

where there's one more passage giving suggestion to this that we could have two witnesses
There is the weekly Sabbaths and the yearly Sabbaths. Passover for example starts and ends with a Sabbath. Therefore preparation day is not only on Friday. Jesus was crucified the day before the second Passover Sabbath. Keep in mind he and his disciples were in Jerusalem celebrating the first Sabbath starting Passover. He was placed in the tomb in the afternoon just before the second Sabbath of Passover. The Bible states the tomb was empty Sunday morning. That means he rose the afternoon of the weekly Sabbath. Going backwards Saturday, Friday, and Thursday making the crucifixion Wednesday making Thursday the annual Sabbath. Therefore in the tomb two Sabbaths. Too many people don't know this and try to conflate it to Friday evening to Sunday morning. At that time the day starts at sunset and Israel today.
 

Endoscopy

Senior Member
Oct 13, 2017
4,028
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I tried to quickly add the following to the post. I got a very stupid error message about needing to make a valid post. I tried to add the following to the start of the post.

The Gospels each have discussion about the crucifixion and they each have some of the sequence of events. They need to be taken collectively to generate the best sequence of events. Each took a specific point of view and only put in what they needed for that purpose.
 
Mar 28, 2016
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You seem to be confusing history with parables. The Gospels and Acts are history. From your posts it seems you are not a Christian. All Christians understand 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb was the sign of Jonah. That is the proof of him being the Messiah. Jesus stated the only sign of him being the Messiah was as Jonah was in the belly of the big fish or 3 days and 3 nights so the son of man would be in the earth for 3 days and 3 nights. The Gospels record after 3 days and nights the guarded tomb was empty. The Romans would have been delighted to have a body to show people. No body!!! He had risen after 3 days and 3 nights just as he prophecied.
Hi thanks for the reply.

I am not saying he did not rise after three days. My point is he was not in a literal tomb for three days and three nights. which would eliminate the first part of the work with two demonstration . (the garden and the cross, before he was set in the tomb.) beginging on Thursday.

God has set aside time periods to be used as parables .Parables are historically accurate just as they are used to pass on the spiritual truths hid in the parables.

The Holy Ghost is signifying or using the things seen, the temporal to give us the unseen eternal or spiritual understanding this is according to the prescription for seeking out the understanding in parables. (2 Corinthians 4:18) so that we might seek His approval according to the interpretation of the parable..

The Holy Ghost this signifying, (poetic language of God ) that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure (parable) for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.


The reference three days, three nights in the belly of the whale or heart of the earth is made up the whole three day demonstratration. Beginging in the garden when Christ first started to doing the work of suuferring as unto death lying work of suffering ,and therefore not literally dying as if the Spirit of Christ that dwelt in the Son of man could die.

The two parables working as one. Jonah and the Son of man must be compared . Its the last sign as a wonder that could be expected.
Luke 11:29-31 King James Version (KJV) And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

What is compared to one, is compared to the other .Two witness to make up the one truth

I think a lot of the differences has to do with how we view the sacrifice . I think it represents a living work of suffering called hell a work unto death but not literally dying. Many give their idea of hell to suffering forever once a person leaves this realm under the Sun.

Giving in the end of the matter different conclusions. And therefore different kinds of interpretations of hell.

Remember the spiritual understanding in both parables are used to together to give one witness to the threes days in nights as a living work of suffering the pangs of hell crying out for help to be delivered and delivered to finish the work

Jonah 2 King James Version (KJV) Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,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.
 
Apr 12, 2019
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There is the weekly Sabbaths and the yearly Sabbaths. Passover for example starts and ends with a Sabbath. Therefore preparation day is not only on Friday. Jesus was crucified the day before the second Passover Sabbath. Keep in mind he and his disciples were in Jerusalem celebrating the first Sabbath starting Passover. He was placed in the tomb in the afternoon just before the second Sabbath of Passover. The Bible states the tomb was empty Sunday morning. That means he rose the afternoon of the weekly Sabbath. Going backwards Saturday, Friday, and Thursday making the crucifixion Wednesday making Thursday the annual Sabbath. Therefore in the tomb two Sabbaths. Too many people don't know this and try to conflate it to Friday evening to Sunday morning. At that time the day starts at sunset and Israel today.

but first sabbath of Passover on 15 and plus seven days second one

so if Jesus was taken on 14 day and crucified on 15 - this is first sabbath of Passover

52Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. 53Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

here then which one sabbath and the day of preparation ?
 

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
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piroma,
re: "Preparation day is Friday isn't it ? how did then Jesus die on Thursday?"

How do you account for the lack of a third night?
 
Apr 12, 2019
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piroma,
re: "Preparation day is Friday isn't it ? how did then Jesus die on Thursday?"

How do you account for the lack of a third night?
i do not count myself

a have to do this only based on some passage

let say take one and calculate

7Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

so from here what we can see ?
Jesus had passover in time -let's presume

then he was taken in the night of 15 day - because the passover was eaten at the evening of 14 - the end of the day 14

so -

15 - arrest and crucifiction - Sabbath first of passover
16 dead - Sabbath weekly ?
17 should be ressurection ? sunday ?
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19
20
21
22 Sabbath second of Passover

but this contradict with other passages probably
and saying - on the third day resurrection - require omit one night

so one night should be additional after resurrection
it means that after resurrection He was in the hell one night additional to take captivity from the devil like the conquerer

so dead on the judgment of devil He was presented by God only three days and two nights

the additional and consecutive one He has returned from heaven with power to the hell to take saints with Him to the heavens

after resurrection he was preaching in the hell - Peter said

so -

15 Sabbath Passover - Crucifixion
16 Sabbath weekly - judgment continues
17 Resurrection and ascension to the Heavens
18 come back to the hell for preaching
19 ascension with the saints from hell

consecutive nights full quantity cannot be obtained presumably He was dead

otherwise one should consider the night of betrayal like night in the hell already

then -


night 1 /betrayed
day 1 / judgment by priests and Crucifixion
night 2/ dead
day 2 /dead
night 3 /dead
day 3 / resurrection

so presuppositions are needed to be done to put all passages into one convey of agreements

i am not convinced still

would like to hear opinions different but based on scripture
 

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
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piroma,

I think you're saying that there is no missing night when you count the night that the Messiah was arrested. If so, then this topic is not drected to you. It's directed to those who think "the heart of the earth" is referring to the tomb.