Matthew 12:40 includes these words, “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.”  There has been a question that has crossed the minds of a number of people regarding the amount of time that Jesus’ body remained in the tomb.  Consider this if you would:  Jesus was crucified on a Friday and came forth from the tomb early Sunday morning.  Therefore, His body was in the tomb Friday night, all day Saturday and in the early hours of Sunday.  Count those days and nights.  Do you come up with “three days and three nights?”   So, can the Friday to Sunday time frame of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus be harmonized with His words found in Matthew 12:40?  They can be. 

     Unfortunately, some have claimed that there is a discrepancy in the “traditional” time frame attached to the crucifixion and suggest that Jesus was actually crucified on Thursday rather than Friday.  Can you prove that such a claim is false?

     Here are some other passages you might want to consider: Matt 16:21, 17:23, 20:19, 27:64; Mark 9:31, 10:34; Luke 9:22, 13:32, 18:33, 24:7, 21, 46; Acts 10:40; 1 Cor 15:4.  (The verses listed in italics indicate words spoken directly by Jesus.)

Last week, the Bible quiz portion of the bulletin brought attention to the phrase “three days and three nights” (Matt 12:40).  This phrase was used by Jesus to describe the length of time His body would remain in the tomb.  Yet, when we consider that Jesus was crucified and buried on a Friday and arose early Sunday morning, we don’t “come up with” three days and three nights.  So, how can this be harmonized?

     First of all, it is important to realize that there are many references within the scriptures to Jesus being risen on the third day (see Matt 16:21, 17:23, 20:19, 27:64; Mark 9:31, 10:34; Luke 9:22, 13:32, 18:33, 24:7,21,46; Acts 10:40; 1 Cor 15:4).  Therefore, the time frames of “three days and three nights” and “third day” are used interchangeably.  Consider some additional examples.   In regards to the great flood, Genesis 7:12 says, “...rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights” while Genesis 7:17 says “...the flood was forty days upon the earth.”  Clearly, different phrases are being used to describe the same length of time.  In 1 Samuel 30:12-13, “three days and nights” are shown to be equivalent to “three days agone.”  Esther 4:16-5:1 reveals that “three days, night or day” are used interchangeably with “the third day.” 

     Secondly, in regards to Matthew 12:40, let’s note that Jesus was speaking specifically to “the scribes and Pharisees” (Matt 12:38).  It is interesting to note the actions they took following Jesus’ death.  In Matthew 27:63, they remembered the words of Jesus, “...After three days I will rise again.”  In verse 64, they requested that the tomb “...be made sure until the third day...” (emp. add.)  Again, we see the equivalency of a variety of phrases.

     Third, it is important to note that the Jews’ system of time was kept differently than ours.  In our system of time, one day gives way to the next at midnight.  For the Jews, the change from one day to the next took place at 6:00 p.m.  Their evening/night would consist of 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and their day would consist of 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  (Compare this to God’s definition of each day of creation - “the evening and the morning.”)  Also, within the Jewish references to time, any portion of a day would be referred to as a full day. 

     When a person considers the above information, there is no “problem” at all with harmonizing the “three days and three nights” spoken of by Jesus and the amount of time His body was in the tomb.  As always, God’s word is found in complete harmony.

     There is another illustration that I like to use that shows that we commonly use different phrases to describe an equivalent amount of time.  However, I’m out of space in this particular bulletin.  Perhaps I’ll share that illustration with you at another time.