Three Days and Three Nights

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
744
43
28
Endoscopy,
re: "Going backwards Sabbath (rose late afternoon), Friday, Thursday, crucified Wednesday."

That's an issue for a different topic.

I just don't understand why you, garee, piroma, cv5, and others want to keep hijacking this topic instead of starting your own topic to discuss your own isssues.
 
Sep 16, 2014
1,666
100
48
In antiquity and today in Isreal the day starts at sunset. I traveled to Israel on business several times and witnessed this. Please get hour historical facts correct keeping in mind the Gospels and much of the Bible takes place in Israel. Egyptian views are a red herring about how Israelites did things. In Genesis creation the phrase "the evening and morning" referenced the days. So it goes back to Genesis chapter 1.
Gentiles "take" the new day beginning at sunrise. The gentile "take" is wrong from the biblical viewpoint. I posited the Jews in Jesus time would have adhered to sunset as the new day, even though that moment ushered in darkness.

Let's use the gentile (Roman) names of days. The facts remain if believing the scriptural account, Jesus had to have been arrested on a Thursday night right after sunset. That would have been inside a Jewish day that began at sunset. Jesus faced an illegal (according to the Law) "kangaroo court" that night. Come Thursday morning (the latter 12 daylight hours) Jesus was brought before Pilate. Jesus was then kept in custody, with Barabus (a known criminal) set free when it was legal to choose who would pay a penalty. He was then flogged, then led to the execution site bearing His own cross. Then Jesus was crucified on the end of that Thursday before sunset.

That prevented the Jews having a major problem of having a dead Jew on a cross on a Friday hour (even one second of that 24 hours holy period), the special holy day set for Passover, or during the next regular weekly sabbath, Saturday. He was taken down and buried according to the Law, on that Thursday before sunset, which would have reached into the holy Friday if not done that way, if delayed until after sunset.

It really isn't so complicated that a gentile can't grasp. I am a gentile Christian and have grasped it. Jesus spent a true three days and nights like Jonah did in the belly of the fish.
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
Gentiles "take" the new day beginning at sunrise. The gentile "take" is wrong from the biblical viewpoint. I posited the Jews in Jesus time would have adhered to sunset as the new day, even though that moment ushered in darkness.

Let's use the gentile (Roman) names of days. The facts remain if believing the scriptural account, Jesus had to have been arrested on a Thursday night right after sunset. That would have been inside a Jewish day that began at sunset. Jesus faced an illegal (according to the Law) "kangaroo court" that night. Come Thursday morning (the latter 12 daylight hours) Jesus was brought before Pilate. Jesus was then kept in custody, with Barabus (a known criminal) set free when it was legal to choose who would pay a penalty. He was then flogged, then led to the execution site bearing His own cross. Then Jesus was crucified on the end of that Thursday before sunset.

That prevented the Jews having a major problem of having a dead Jew on a cross on a Friday hour (even one second of that 24 hours holy period), the special holy day set for Passover, or during the next regular weekly sabbath, Saturday. He was taken down and buried according to the Law, on that Thursday before sunset, which would have reached into the holy Friday if not done that way, if delayed until after sunset.

It really isn't so complicated that a gentile can't grasp. I am a gentile Christian and have grasped it. Jesus spent a true three days and nights like Jonah did in the belly of the fish.
Thanks for that.

I have always found it interesting that the days are expressed at beginning in evening. Any ideas as so why?
 
Sep 16, 2014
1,666
100
48
Thanks for that.

I have always found it interesting that the days are expressed at beginning in evening. Any ideas as so why?
It's based on Genesis 1. The first day of creation began in darkness.
Genesis 1:5 (KJV)
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

I like photographing sunsets, a nice way to end a day. When the show is over the day is gone, night comes. So the new night is the birth of a new day that wakes up at sunrise, and ends at the next sunset. What confuses folks is the more Roman marking of the change of days happening at midnight, which is halfway between sunset and sunrise. Most of the world adopted that method of timekeeping, but the Bible defined it first.
 
Sep 16, 2014
1,666
100
48
Endoscopy,
re: "Going backwards Sabbath (rose late afternoon), Friday, Thursday, crucified Wednesday."

That's an issue for a different topic.

I just don't understand why you, garee, piroma, cv5, and others want to keep hijacking this topic instead of starting your own topic to discuss your own issues.
It appears your quest is a result of reading many theories that support fewer than the prophesied days and nights in the belly of the earth. We do have John setting Jesus' Passover meal taken date at Nisan 14 since Passover had not begun yet.

The debates over the past 300 years have come to splitting hairs on minutes and milliseconds, whether counting a day or not. Functionally, where a person stands to the horizon can produce different times, when one person still sees an arch of the sun. They didn't have precise clocks then.

Tradition takes the Matthew, Mark, and Luke account. Many scholars try to count some of Jesus' suffering being earlier persecutions, suggesting that part of His 3 days and three night included times He was still alive.

I doubt you will document what you seek, as the issue is best explained the way many have done since 2012. Your answer is in those 45 pages.
 

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
744
43
28
Word_Swordsman,
re: "Your answer is in those 45 pages."

I wonder if you might point out the number of the post which gave examples where a daytime or a night time was forecast or said to be involved with an event when no part of a daytime or no part of a night time could have occurred?
 
Oct 24, 2018
473
87
28
BibleLoverBill,
re: "The way Jesus and Jews and the enemies thought back then was literal days, not partial days. Passion Week-- https://app.box.com/s/f3bcb04b37dc6d06282e. Note: The "1--" and "2--" items are what I considered the best."

I don't see where your above link provides examples which show that it was common to say that a daytime or a night time would be involved with an event when no part of a daytime or no part of a night time could occur. I wonder if you might point out where you think examples were given?
Sorry for the delay. Did not get the e-mail notification. I have been very busy doing a lot of other ministering and a quick trip to Oklahoma. I saw this in a Facebook posting:
A clear explanation of the Passion week events--
 

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
744
43
28
BibleLoverBill,
re: "I saw this in a Facebook posting: A clear explanation of the Passion week events--"

Thanks, but I'm afraid it deals with issues for a different topic.
 
Oct 24, 2018
473
87
28
BibleLoverBill,
re: "I saw this in a Facebook posting: A clear explanation of the Passion week events--"

Thanks, but I'm afraid it deals with issues for a different topic.
It is not for a different topic!!! It disproves the Roman Catholic forced traditions.
 

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
744
43
28
BibleLoverBill,
re: "It is not for a different topic!!! It disproves the Roman Catholic forced traditions."

Which is of no concern for this particular topic. This topic is concerned with 1 issue and only 1 issue:

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

2. There are those 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. This topic is asking anyone reading this who falls in that group of believers to provide examples to support that belief of commonality; 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.
 
Oct 24, 2018
473
87
28
Jesus Christ died and was in the tomb a complete 3 nights and 3 days. QED. Semantics have divided so many Christians. There is only one set of facts we should be going for and that is God's set of facts.
 
Oct 24, 2018
473
87
28
Philippians 2:1-5
1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ,
if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit,
if any bowels and mercies,
2 fulfill you my joy, that you be like-minded,
having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory;
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man [or woman] on his [or her] own things,
but every man [or woman] also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Ephesians 4:11-16
11 And He [Jesus Christ] gave some Apostles; and some Prophets;
and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers;
12 for the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 till we all come in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of The Son Of God,
unto a perfect man,
unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
14 that we henceforth be no more children,
tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 but speaking the truth in love,
may grow up into Him in all things,
Who is The Head, even Christ:
16 from Whom the whole body
fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth,
according to the effectual working
in the measure of every part,
maketh increase of the body
unto the edifying of itself in love.

 

rstrats

Senior Member
Aug 28, 2011
744
43
28
Perhaps someone new visiting this topic may know of examples.
 

PS

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2013
5,399
695
113
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?
I once read that three days and three nights was a Jewish idiom meaning long enough to die as in Jonah and the whale for example. Not to be taken as a measurement of actual time.
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
Gentiles "take" the new day beginning at sunrise. The gentile "take" is wrong from the biblical viewpoint. I posited the Jews in Jesus time would have adhered to sunset as the new day, even though that moment ushered in darkness.

Let's use the gentile (Roman) names of days. The facts remain if believing the scriptural account, Jesus had to have been arrested on a Thursday night right after sunset. That would have been inside a Jewish day that began at sunset. Jesus faced an illegal (according to the Law) "kangaroo court" that night. Come Thursday morning (the latter 12 daylight hours) Jesus was brought before Pilate. Jesus was then kept in custody, with Barabus (a known criminal) set free when it was legal to choose who would pay a penalty. He was then flogged, then led to the execution site bearing His own cross. Then Jesus was crucified on the end of that Thursday before sunset.

That prevented the Jews having a major problem of having a dead Jew on a cross on a Friday hour (even one second of that 24 hours holy period), the special holy day set for Passover, or during the next regular weekly sabbath, Saturday. He was taken down and buried according to the Law, on that Thursday before sunset, which would have reached into the holy Friday if not done that way, if delayed until after sunset.

It really isn't so complicated that a gentile can't grasp. I am a gentile Christian and have grasped it. Jesus spent a true three days and nights like Jonah did in the belly of the fish.
I would say no so complicated but so simply. Yet impossible for man without God doing the first work in us with us to both will and do his good pleasure as a imputed righteousness . It's what we return to our first love as that which turns us to repent our first experience when His Spirit did witness to our new born again spirits . The gospel can give them the faith to believe. We plant the seed and water it with the gospel but remember he causes the birth of the spirit and the growth of the spirit if any . He must increase as we do work to decrease. Its a matter of faith or like in Exodus when he sees the blood. Exodus 12:13. Walk by faith

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18

I would offer the belly of the whale that must be defined it can provide a clue. . Sometimes one word can help to understand other phrases in that way. That is when and if we do compare the spiritual to the same or faith to faith. I believe.

The bible calls it a suffering of hell a great tribulation, a living sacrifice. One that Christ did bear for us giving us a rest from our own.

What defines the belly? Trials and tribulations of the lord?

The doctrine of the use of the word belly in various parables. I think would make a excellent search. I will offer a couple to get a acquainted with, if it is His will.

Genesis 3:14And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

upon thy belly shalt thou go.= go to hell a place of suffering. Took away the legs, possibly to indicate he was lame and could not walk by faith .Salvation was not available to that creation.

Jonah 2 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. 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. ...

belly of hell = living tribulation

Proverbs 13:25The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.

the belly of the wicked = suffers a great famine for the hearing of the gospel.

Psalm 31:9 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

my soul and my belly = grief he brought upon himself.... the lust of the eye, lust of the flesh false pride. a plea for mercy a clean heart.

Proverbs 18:8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

innermost parts of the belly = suffering of soul and spirit, words having the power of life or death.
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
I once read that three days and three nights was a Jewish idiom meaning long enough to die as in Jonah and the whale for example. Not to be taken as a measurement of actual time.
Three is a word metaphor that seems to be used to indicate the end of a matter in respect whatever is in view. Like the word seven has it place.

Both the creation 7 and the demonstrations 3 could of been performed in the twinkling ;)of the word "let there be". And it was good.

On day four God switched on the temporal time keepers to indicate corruption had begun. Day three was the end of God's glorious presence as the glory that did light the day and he created darkness to represent a evil, to conceal His glory . In the new heavens and earth the temporal time keepers will be under the feet of the bride. No more night.
 

PS

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2013
5,399
695
113
Three is a word metaphor that seems to be used to indicate the end of a matter in respect whatever is in view. Like the word seven has it place.

Both the creation 7 and the demonstrations 3 could of been performed in the twinkling ;)of the word "let there be". And it was good.

On day four God switched on the temporal time keepers to indicate corruption had begun. Day three was the end of God's glorious presence as the glory that did light the day and he created darkness to represent a evil, to conceal His glory . In the new heavens and earth the temporal time keepers will be under the feet of the bride. No more night.
Is that your own view or have you read it somewhere like the Jewish Encyclopaedia for example?
 

PS

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2013
5,399
695
113
The Jews were into numerology. Three days has some sort of significance for them.

Gen_30:36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
Gen_40:12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:
Gen_40:13 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.
Gen_40:18 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:
Gen_42:17 And he put them all together into ward three days.
Exo_3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
Exo_8:27 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.
Exo_10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
Exo_10:23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Exo_15:22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
Lev_12:4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
Num_10:33 And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.

And-so-on-and-so-on.
 

PS

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2013
5,399
695
113
Here is some more about the number three

  • Three: The sacredness of this number is probably due to the fact that primitive man divided the universe into three regions—heaven, earth, and water, respectively represented in Babylonian mythology by the divinities Anu, Bel, and Ea. Its sacred or symbolical use may be illustrated by such passages as I Kings xvii. 21; I Chron. xxi. 12; Dan. vi. 10. Its rhetorical use for a small total is illustrated in Gen. xxx. 36; xl. 10, 12; xlii. 17; Ex. ii. 2, iii. 18, and in Pes. 62b and Yer. Ta'an. iv. 8. Multiples of three are similarly used: nine, in Yer. Ta'an. iv. 8; twenty-one, in Ethiopic Enoch, lxix. 2; thirty, in Slavonic Enoch, xxxvi. 1; thirty-six, in Ethiopic Enoch, xc. 1; three hundred, in Soṭah 34a; Pes. 62b; Ḥul. 59b, 90b; Yer. Sanh. vii. 19; Yer. Ta'an. iv. 8; nine hundred, in Yer. Sanh. vii. 19.
"Babylonian mythology and the divinities Anu, Bel, and Ea."


I'm not awfully fond of Judaism.
 

PS

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2013
5,399
695
113
I have this in my notes:

The Jews counted PART of a day or night as a WHOLE day or night, so Jesus was on the cross for part of Friday day and all of Friday night, all of Sat, and Sunday night and part of Sunday morning would be 'three days and three nights.'--He rose on the Sunday.

It was a Hebrew idiom of the day.

We do the same thing...if someone says they worked in the office all day, 'all day' does not normally mean 24 hours.