Three Days and Three Nights
Scripture
states that Jesus rose THE third day, IN three days, and AFTER three days (Matthew
16:21;
26:61; 27:63).
Only three
full days – seventy-two full hours – will satisfy all the numerous statements
of the New Testament.
Jesus gave
only one sign, the sign of Jonah, to prove He was truly the Son of God – the time He would be dead
(Matt 12:38-40; 16:4).
Jesus ate
the Passover with His disciples on the evening of the fourteenth by Moses' law. The first day of the Jewish year was the spring equinox. It has 12 hours of day and night. Passover was 14 days later, a Tuesday night.
(Ex
12:6-8;
Matt
26:17-20;
Mark
14:12-17;
Luke
22:7-15).
The
crucifixion began at 9:00 AM Wednesday morning, and Jesus died after the darkness ended at 3:00
PM Wednesday afternoon. (Matthew 27:45-50; Mark
15:25,33-37; Luke
23:44-49).
Jesus was
buried hurriedly as the preparation day ended and the high Sabbath day, Thursday, was
about to begin (Mark 15:42; Luke
23:54;
John
19:14,31,42).
The women
who followed Jesus rested the high Sabbath day, Thursday, of the Passover before buying
and preparing their spices on Friday. This was the only day they could do the preparations. (Mark
16:1
cp Exodus 12:16).
The women
bought their spices and prepared them on the regular workday between the two
Sabbaths days this week (Mark
16:1
cp Luke 23:55-56).
The women
rested during the weekly Sabbath day, Saturday, after buying and preparing their spices
the previous workday (Luke
23:55-56
cp Exodus 20:10).
Jesus rose
from the dead as the weekly Sabbath ended – three days and three nights after
burial – as prophesied (Matthew
12:39-40;
Mark
8:31).
While it was
still dark, the morning of the first day of the week, the women found the tomb
already empty (Matt 28:1-6; Luke
24:1-3;
John
20:1).
The gospel
record of Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection prove His identifying
sign of three days and three nights (Matthew
12:39-40).
