Bible Question: 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? |
Bible Answer: Even the idiom counting will runs short of a night. Jesus crucified and dies as the 9th hour. If Joseph and his group must be able to get permission to get Jesus off the cross and then do it and bury Jesus between 3 and 6 we have day one. 6Pm starts Saturday so we have a night and day. At 6 pm Sunday starts so we have a 2 second night and since the grave was empty in the morning we have a 3rd day. What we miss is the third night. All the razzle dazzle of the Jewish idioms still will not work. What we forget is Passover was a Sabbath. Leviticus 23:3-5 (NASB) 3 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings. 4 'These are the appointed times of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them. 5 'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the LORD'S Passover. In fact it is called the High Sabbath which is the term John used to describe the day. John 19:31 (NASB) 31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb. On the 10th day the lamb is selected that corresponds to Jesus' triumphal entry to Jerusalem. Four days later the Nissan the 14 the Lamb is to be slaughtered and eaten starting Passover a Holy Convocation or Sabbath. Four days from Palm Sunday is Thursday not Friday. The Sabbath talked about in the story of the crucifixion was not a weekly Sabbath but the High Sabbath of Passover which fell on the Friday before the Weekly Sabbath. Now counting we have Thru to 6pm gives us 1 day. Friday gives us the first night and 2nd day. Saturday gives us the 2nd night and 3rd day. Sunday gives us the 3rd night and a resurrection before 6 am gives us a full account of 3 days and three nights. I'm sure many will object to this but it can't work any other way. Makes Jesus the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb. Also if you lay this out to any Jewish Rabbi they will agree with it. However this has been discussed many times on this forum. It has been checked and rechecked with Jewish experts and as I said there will be many that disagree. |