Colin Wong Supporter Founder, eBible.com

The sign of Jonah as mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 12:39-40 refers to Jesus being crucified and died on Friday and rose up again on Sunday. 

Jewish speech tradition (as oppose to our modern colloquialism) counts any part of a day as a whole day. Therefor when Jesus died on Friday, it was already counted as one day. 

In addition, in the Jewish context, the beginning of a day also starts at sunset. Therefor Sunday officially started on a Saturday evening. Even though Jesus rose before dawn on Sunday, Sunday already begun on Saturday evening, thus fulfilling the 3rd day.

In John 2:19, Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up". He did, and fulfilled the sign of Jonah. Three days and three nights, his body was in the tomb (in the heart of the earth).

[Edit: See comments on interpretation that Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday]

March 29 2013 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Colin Wong Supporter Founder, eBible.com

[Adding this as an alternate answer based on comments in the first answer provided.]

Jesus was crucified on Wednesday. This is based on the reference in John 19:31 that "that Sabbath was a high day" - a term used to reference the seven annual Sabbaths from the regular weekly Sabbath days. 

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Source: http://www.ucg.org/doctrinal-beliefs/jesus-wasnt-crucified-friday-or-resurrected-sunday/ 

The Gospels tell us that on the evening before Jesus was condemned and crucified, He kept the Passover with His disciples (Matthew 26:19-20; Mark 14:16-17; Luke 22:13-15). This means He was crucified on the Passover day. 

Leviticus 23, which lists God's festivals, tells us that on the day after the Passover a separate festival, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, begins (verses 5-6). The first day of this Feast is "a holy convocation" on which "no customary work" is to be done (verse 7). 

This day is the first of God's annual Sabbaths. This is the "high day" of which John wrote. Several Bible commentaries, encyclopedias and dictionaries note that John is referring to an annual Sabbath here rather than the regular weekly Sabbath day. 
Passover began at sundown and ended the following day at sundown, when this annual Sabbath began. Jesus kept the Passover with His disciples, then was arrested later that night. After daybreak the next day He was questioned before Pontius Pilate, crucified, then hurriedly entombed just before the next sunset when the "high day," the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, began. 

Leviticus 23 tells us the order and timing of these days, and the Gospels confirm the order of events as they unfolded. 

Jesus crucified on Wednesday, not Friday. 

Several computer software programs exist that enable us to calculate when the Passover and God's other festivals fall in any given year. Those programs show that in A.D. 31, the year of these events, the Passover meal was eaten on Tuesday night and Wednesday sundown marked the beginning of the "high day," the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

March 29 2013 • 6 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Miller Harp Supporter

One aspect that we are failing to look at is the timeline of other events surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection. Mk. 16:1 tells us that the women who were there bought spices to anoint Jesus' body after the Sabbath had past. Luke 23:56 tells us that after they bought and prepared the spices, they rested on the Sabbath. They could not have bought the spices after the Sabbath had passed, and also rested on the Sabbath without there being 2 Sabbaths during that week. One was the High Holy Day (Thursday) and the other was the weekly Sabbath (Saturday). 

This scriptural timeline makes it impossible for Jesus to have been crucified on Friday. As stated in the UCG account, "When we consider the details in all four gospel accounts, the picture is clear. Jesus was crucified and entombed late on Wednesday afternoon,just before a Sabbath began at sunset. However, that was a High Day Sabbath, lasting from Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset that week, rather than the regular weekly Sabbath, lasting from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. He remained in the tomb from Wednesday sunset until Saturday sunset, when He rose from the dead." 

We can be assured that the length of His entombment that Jesus gave as proof that He was the Messiah was exactly as long as He foretold. Jesus rose precisely three days and three nights after He was placed in the tomb."

April 07 2015 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Aurel Gheorghe Supporter

I will try to address the question "How was Jesus in the earth for three days and three nights?" that was merged with this other question.

There is a simple misunderstanding about the “three days and three nights” time period (Matt 12:40). It is commonly believed that the “heart of the earth” must be the grave; however that cannot be found in the Bible. The term “heart of the earth” is only in Matthew 12, and nowhere else in Scripture. 

The phrase “in the earth” however, appears 66 times in the King James Bible, and none of these refers to the grave. I’m going to start from the premise that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, the preparation day (John 19:31; Luke 23:54-56) and was raised on a Sunday (Matt 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1) - that’s why in our days we celebrate the Good Friday (on Fridays) and the Easter Sunday (on Sundays). 

Jesus never said He would be in the grave “three days and three nights” or that it would be three 24-hour segments, but rather, His suffering would occur over a period of three days and three nights (Matt 12:40). 

The term “in the heart of the earth,” simple means that Jesus would be in the grip of the enemy over a period of three days and three nights -Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night. In other words, in Matthew 12:40, the Lord is telling His disciples that just as Jonah was captive in the belly of a great fish, so the Son of Man would be in the clutches of the world. And that makes perfect sense knowing that for three days and nights Jonah was not in the grave. In addition, Jesus was laid in an above ground tomb cut in stone, according with the Jewish tradition, not buried six feet under (Luke 23:53). 

In the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed an intense prayer of surrender three times. On that Thursday evening, Jesus prayed sweating drops of blood (Luke 22:42-44). From that moment on, Christ had surrender His will in order to fulfill His destiny as guilt-bearer for our sins. He was in “the heart of the earth,” or in “the depths of the world.”

March 18 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

gaddaparala kumar Supporter

Jesus was crucified on friday which is the preparation day for the jews.
on that day when jesus died on the cross, it became dark like night and again the light came back (according to Genesis 1:3 & 1:5 sunrise - sunset - sunrise is one day). So friday morning sunrise till darkness/sunset (when jesus died) till sunrise (again light came back) is one day, and from that sunrise (or light came) till evening and morning of the sabbath (sunrise on sabbath) is second day, and from sabbath sunrise - sunset - sunrise (i.e., sunday morning sunrise is) the third day. Which jesus fulfilled that he will rise by the third day.

October 21 2013 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Bud Murley Supporter Christian

There is no short answer for proof of the 3 days and 3 nights. This was not accomplished from Friday to Sunday. We must let the Bible interpret the Bible. All scripture is from the New King James Version.

First things first.

Whenever Jesus talks about the word of God in the New Testament, He is referring to the Old Testament because the New Testament had not been written yet. Especially when He says “it is written”

Matthew 4:4
But He answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

Luke 4:4
But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”

The Sabbath was made for the (Jews?), the scriptures do not say that. The Sabbath was made for man.

Mark 2:27
And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Also, you must understand Gods annual Holly Days, (AKA, High Days). These are the Feasts that Jesus and his Disciples kept. They are commanded assembly’s forever. You can read about them in Leviticus 23.

Weekly Sabbath days are not called high days. The high days are, the first and last days of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost or Feast of the Firstfruits, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day. 7 in total. It's amazing what will be revealed to you when you keep those days as God commands us to.

You may be thinking that these Holy Days were meant for the Jews in the Old Testament. But think about this. There were 12 tribes of Israel, the tribe of Judah were the Jews. All Jews are Israelite's but not all Israelite's are Jews. (All New Yorkers are American but not all Americans are New Yorkers)

James (Jesus’ brother) knew who and where the Israelite's were.

James 1:1
Greeting to the Twelve Tribes
James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:
Greetings.

That all being said, continue.

John 19:31
Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away

This was a high day, that means it was not the weekly 7th day Sabbath but an annual Sabbath.

The following 2 scriptures separate the 2 Sabbath days by a day that the women could buy and prepare the spices.

Mark 16:1
Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him
{This was the first Sabbath day that week, the first high day annual Sabbath the First Day of Unleavened Bread.)

Luke 23:56
Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.
(This was the second Sabbath day that week, the weekly 7th day Sabbath.)

As you can see, they bought and prepared spices after the high day Sabbath then rested on the weekly 7th day Sabbath according to the 4th commandment.

Note: Days in Jesus’ time go from sunset to sunset.

Passover, the day Jesus was crucified and died at the end of the day as the high day annual Sabbath drew near. 4th day of the week, on today's calendar known as Wednesday

Day 1 in the grave, the annual high day Sabbath. 5th day of the week, on today's calendar known as Thursday.

Day 2 in the grave, a normal working day, the women bought and prepared spices, 6th day of the week, on today's calendar known as Friday.

Day 3 in the grave, the weekly 7th day Sabbath rest. 7th day of the week, on today's calendar known as Saturday.

Jesus rose on the second Sabbath that week at sunset.

To positively know the days of the week simply count back from a known day, the weekly 7th day Sabbath (the fourth commandment}

As for how long a day is, Jesus himself tells us.

John 11:9,10
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him

This is significant because it stresses the 12 hours in a day, and if there are 12 hours in a day there must be 12 hours in a night. So, if you believe otherwise as in 3-part days you stumble because you are in darkness.

When Jesus was crucified, he became the sacrifice (The Lamb of God) as the Passover pictures (4th day of the week or our calendar day know as Wednesday that week)

1 Corinthians 5:6,7
Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us

Today is 21 Oct 2019, we just kept the Feast of Tabernacles and today is the Last Great Day or 8th day of the Feast. (when I originally wrote this)

John 7:37
On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

In my eyes there is absolutely no confusion.

1 Corinthians 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints

That’s proof enough for me.

May God bless you.

October 30 2019 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report