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Messiah told his disciples in Matthew 12:40 the Son of Man would be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights like Jonah was in the fish's belly for three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17).

(Article revised on August 20, 2008)

There is a growing number of Sabbath keepers who now believe that Messiah was not in the tomb for three days and three nights. The controversy is primarily based upon the definition of "THE HEART OF THE EARTH", (but not exclusively). Some people believe that the definition of the phrase, "heart of the earth" is not within the tomb, but rather is "Jerusalem." A secondary reason for this belief is because Jonah didn't die. Hence, the notion is this: since the comparison isn't exact, the three days and three nights time period can't be exact either.

Christ used a comparison of similarities, not an exact equivalent of events. (ie., a large fish didn't swallow Christ.) However; with that said, the fact remains that Christ's language included NIGHTS within His statement regarding the time frame of three days. Whatever Messiah said, wasn't mere happenstance. What Messiah said shouldn't be dismissed by a notion that doesn't have substantial proof.

Matt 12:38-40 tells us that Messiah would be in the "heart-of-the-earth" for three days and three nights as like Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three-days-and-three-nights. The comparison focuses on 1) THE EXACT TIME PERIOD, and 2) THE BELLY OF THE FISH. I cannot ignore either one. The comparison to Jonah demonstrates these three things: 1) an exact time period, 2) a confined place and 3) the condition of the confined place.

In Jonah 2:3; while Jonah was in the belly of the fish, Jonah says this: "For You threw me into the deep, INTO THE HEART OF THE SEAS,..." (Emphasis mine.) Jonah was UNDER water, not on the surface of the water within the fish. In verses 5 and 6, we know that Jonah (while within the fish) was in the midst of the DEEP, at the BASE of the mountains. In verse 5 Jonah describes his condition within the belly of the fish. He says this: "...weeds were wrapped around my head." And; in verse 7, Jonah said this about himself while he was in the belly of the fish: "...my life fainted within me,..."

Recapturing the facts stated above in Jonah 1 and 2, they are as follows:

Jonah was in an undesirable confined place - he was within the belly of the fish.
Jonah was in the HEART of the sea. He was UNDER water.
Jonah says there were weeds wrapped around his head.
Jonah describes his state of being as this: "my life fainted within me."
Jonah was in the fish - within the conditions listed 1 through 4 - for three days AND three nights.

Using the 5 facts above, the following are the analogies for Christ's condition:

Messiah was in an undesirable confined place - he was within the belly of the earth.
Messiah was in the HEART of the earth. He was UNDER the earth.
Messiah had a cloths wrapped around his head.
Messiah's state of being was this: His life fainted within Him - He died.
Messiah was in the belly - within the conditions listed 1 through 4 - for three days AND three nights.

Now, consider the time-line of events concerning Christ and the three days and three nights:

Joseph of Arimathaea asked Pilate for Christ's body. Joseph took the body along with Nicodemus, wrapped the body in linen with about 100 lbs of spices, then placed the body in a tomb in the garden very near to the place where He was impaled, in the evening, before the beginning of the High Sabbath. (Matt 27:57-60, Mark 15:42-46, Luke 23:50-54, John 19:31, 38-42)
After the (High) Sabbath day of rest, Mary from Magdalene, Mary of James, and Salome, the mother of Zabdai's sons bought spices and prepared them to anoint the Messiah's body. After preparing the spices, they rested on the (7th day weekly) Sabbath according to the command. (Mark 15:47, 16:1, Luke 23:53-56)
Early on the first day of the week (Sunday), Mary from Magdalene, Mary of James, and Salome went to the tomb to find that Messiah was already risen. (Mark 16:2-6, Luke 24:1-7)

The above describes the days as follows:

Passover - Christ was placed in the tomb right before sundown, before the evening of the 1st day of U.B. (Also the 14th day of Abib.)
1st day of Unleavened Bread, High Sabbath. (Also the 15th day of Abib.)
2nd day of Unleavened Bread, a regular "work" day whereas the woman bought and prepared spices. (Also the 16th day of Abib.)
3rd day of Unleavened Bread, another Sabbath - presuming this Sabbath was the seventh day weekly Sabbath since the following day was the first day of the week according to scripture. (Also the 17th day of Abib.)
4th day of Unleavened Bread - the first day of the week when the women went to the tomb, but to find that Messiah was already gone. (Also the 18th day of Abib.)

Based upon the facts presented here within, Christ arose from the grave on the 7th day weekly Sabbath. Please notice two important specific facts regarding the timing of His resurrection.

FACT #1: Christ said that He was LORD of the Sabbath. (Ref: Matt 12:8)
FACT #2: Christ arose from the grave on the 3RD DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD.

People error in their understanding when they read Christ's statement; He said, that He would be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and then ON the third day rise again. (Ref: Luke 24:7. More refs...Matt 20:19, 27:63, Mark 9:31, 10:34, Luke 18:33, 24:46). The erroneous notion is this: "Christ arose ON the third day; therefore, the third night is eliminated." This is a misconception and I'll explain subsequently. However; these said scriptures are unambiguous: They state that Christ arose ON the third day. These said scriptures are NOT mistranslations.

Now notice, there are additional scriptures that state Christ would arise AFTER THREE DAYS. So did He arise ON the third day or AFTER the third day? When you learn the answer, you'll realize that there isn't a controdiction of terms. But, first - the following scriptures state that Christ arose AFTER the third day:

Mark 8:31 reads, "And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." The Jews remembered this sign when He was crucified. Matthew 27:62-64 reads, "Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first"

What is the answer to this seemingly contradiction?

ANSWER: CHRIST AROSE FROM THE GRAVE ON THE THIRD DAY OF THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD. Christ was in the grave for a full three days and three nights. The 17th day of Abib was the third day of the feast of U.B. Christ died on Passover, was placed in the tomb right before sundown - before the 15th day of Abib, then arose on the third day.

People who purport that Christ wasn't in the tomb for a full three days and three nights are in contradiction with Mark 8:31 and Matthew 27:62-64. We can't pick and choose which scriptures we like and which ones we don't like; thus, omitting the ones that don't fit with popular doctrines.

Consider the women and the spices.

FIRSTLY:
Mark 15:47 and 16:1 reads, "And Mary Magdalene, and Mary of Joses; saw where He was laid. And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome, bought spices, so that coming they might anoint Him."

In Mark 15:47 and 16:1, it explicitly informs us that THE SABBATH WAS PAST when the women BOUGHT spices. These women bought spices AFTER the Sabbath day was past.

SECONDLY:
Luke 23:53-56 reads, "And taking it (the body) down, he wrapped it in linen, and laid it in the tomb hewn out of rock, where no one was yet laid. And it was Preparation day, and the Sabbath was approaching. And the women who had come with Him from Galil followed after, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. And having returned, they prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the command."

In Luke 23:53-56, it explicitly informs us that AFTER the women bought and prepared the perfumes and the spices, they rested on the Sabbath.

If one believes that Christ died on a Friday, the above said scriptures are in contradiction to this belief. For example: we're informed that the women bought spices AFTER the Sabbath. This said Friday erroneous scenario would mean that they bought spices after sunset - during the dark period of time on the first day of the week. (I rather doubt that the stores would have been open at night.) Moreover; there then remains a major problem with Luke 23:53-56 because it informs us that after the women bought spices and prepared them, they then rested on the Sabbath. Consequently; within the erroneous said scenario that Christ died on a Friday, the Sabbath day mentioned in Luke 23:53-56 is expunged. The women could not have purchased the spices and perfumes AFTER the seventh day Sabbath, and then... prepared the spices and perfumes BEFORE the seventh day Sabbath. It's an oxymoron.

CONCLUSION:

All of the scriptures (regarding the day of the crucifixion and the time Christ spent in the tomb) harmonize with a the full three days and three nights scenario. Any other scenario contradicts with one or more of the scriptures as like I have demonstrated above.

Lastly, Irenaeus - the disciple of Polycarp, the disciple of John the apostle wrote this concerning the time Christ spent in the tomb:

"But the case was, that for three days He dwelt in the place where the dead were..." And, "who having been hidden in the heart of the earth IN A TOMB for three days,..." (Emphasis mine. Ref: Against Heresies, book 5, chpt 31 and Fragments of Irenaeus.) Irenaeus defined "THE HEART OF THE EARTH" within his recorded statement. Christ spent three days in the tomb, not just a few hours, not just a day and a half, but for THREE DAYS.

MESSIAH WAS IN THE TOMB FOR THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS
Messiah told his disciples in Matthew 12:40 the Son of Man would be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights like Jonah was in the fish's belly for three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17). (Article revised on August 20, 2008) There is a growing number of Sabbath keepers who now believe that Messiah was not in the tomb for three days and three nights. The controversy is primarily based upon the definition of "THE HEART OF THE EARTH", (but not exclusively). Some people believe that the definition of the phrase, "heart of the earth" is not within the tomb, but rather is "Jerusalem." A secondary reason for this belief is because Jonah didn't die. Hence, the notion is this: since the comparison isn't exact, the three days and three nights time period can't be exact either. Christ used a comparison of similarities, not an exact equivalent of events. (ie., a large fish didn't swallow Christ.) However; with that said, the fact remains that Christ's language included NIGHTS within His statement regarding the time frame of three days. Whatever Messiah said, wasn't mere happenstance. What Messiah said shouldn't be dismissed by a notion that doesn't have substantial proof. Matt 12:38-40 tells us that Messiah would be in the "heart-of-the-earth" for three days and three nights as like Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three-days-and-three-nights. The comparison focuses on 1) THE EXACT TIME PERIOD, and 2) THE BELLY OF THE FISH. I cannot ignore either one. The comparison to Jonah demonstrates these three things: 1) an exact time period, 2) a confined place and 3) the condition of the confined place. In Jonah 2:3; while Jonah was in the belly of the fish, Jonah says this: "For You threw me into the deep, INTO THE HEART OF THE SEAS,..." (Emphasis mine.) Jonah was UNDER water, not on the surface of the water within the fish. In verses 5 and 6, we know that Jonah (while within the fish) was in the midst of the DEEP, at the BASE of the mountains. In verse 5 Jonah describes his condition within the belly of the fish. He says this: "...weeds were wrapped around my head." And; in verse 7, Jonah said this about himself while he was in the belly of the fish: "...my life fainted within me,..." Recapturing the facts stated above in Jonah 1 and 2, they are as follows: Jonah was in an undesirable confined place - he was within the belly of the fish. Jonah was in the HEART of the sea. He was UNDER water. Jonah says there were weeds wrapped around his head. Jonah describes his state of being as this: "my life fainted within me." Jonah was in the fish - within the conditions listed 1 through 4 - for three days AND three nights. Using the 5 facts above, the following are the analogies for Christ's condition: Messiah was in an undesirable confined place - he was within the belly of the earth. Messiah was in the HEART of the earth. He was UNDER the earth. Messiah had a cloths wrapped around his head. Messiah's state of being was this: His life fainted within Him - He died. Messiah was in the belly - within the conditions listed 1 through 4 - for three days AND three nights. Now, consider the time-line of events concerning Christ and the three days and three nights: Joseph of Arimathaea asked Pilate for Christ's body. Joseph took the body along with Nicodemus, wrapped the body in linen with about 100 lbs of spices, then placed the body in a tomb in the garden very near to the place where He was impaled, in the evening, before the beginning of the High Sabbath. (Matt 27:57-60, Mark 15:42-46, Luke 23:50-54, John 19:31, 38-42) After the (High) Sabbath day of rest, Mary from Magdalene, Mary of James, and Salome, the mother of Zabdai's sons bought spices and prepared them to anoint the Messiah's body. After preparing the spices, they rested on the (7th day weekly) Sabbath according to the command. (Mark 15:47, 16:1, Luke 23:53-56) Early on the first day of the week (Sunday), Mary from Magdalene, Mary of James, and Salome went to the tomb to find that Messiah was already risen. (Mark 16:2-6, Luke 24:1-7) The above describes the days as follows: Passover - Christ was placed in the tomb right before sundown, before the evening of the 1st day of U.B. (Also the 14th day of Abib.) 1st day of Unleavened Bread, High Sabbath. (Also the 15th day of Abib.) 2nd day of Unleavened Bread, a regular "work" day whereas the woman bought and prepared spices. (Also the 16th day of Abib.) 3rd day of Unleavened Bread, another Sabbath - presuming this Sabbath was the seventh day weekly Sabbath since the following day was the first day of the week according to scripture. (Also the 17th day of Abib.) 4th day of Unleavened Bread - the first day of the week when the women went to the tomb, but to find that Messiah was already gone. (Also the 18th day of Abib.) Based upon the facts presented here within, Christ arose from the grave on the 7th day weekly Sabbath. Please notice two important specific facts regarding the timing of His resurrection. FACT #1: Christ said that He was LORD of the Sabbath. (Ref: Matt 12:8) FACT #2: Christ arose from the grave on the 3RD DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD. People error in their understanding when they read Christ's statement; He said, that He would be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and then ON the third day rise again. (Ref: Luke 24:7. More refs...Matt 20:19, 27:63, Mark 9:31, 10:34, Luke 18:33, 24:46). The erroneous notion is this: "Christ arose ON the third day; therefore, the third night is eliminated." This is a misconception and I'll explain subsequently. However; these said scriptures are unambiguous: They state that Christ arose ON the third day. These said scriptures are NOT mistranslations. Now notice, there are additional scriptures that state Christ would arise AFTER THREE DAYS. So did He arise ON the third day or AFTER the third day? When you learn the answer, you'll realize that there isn't a controdiction of terms. But, first - the following scriptures state that Christ arose AFTER the third day: Mark 8:31 reads, "And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." The Jews remembered this sign when He was crucified. Matthew 27:62-64 reads, "Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first" What is the answer to this seemingly contradiction? ANSWER: CHRIST AROSE FROM THE GRAVE ON THE THIRD DAY OF THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD. Christ was in the grave for a full three days and three nights. The 17th day of Abib was the third day of the feast of U.B. Christ died on Passover, was placed in the tomb right before sundown - before the 15th day of Abib, then arose on the third day. People who purport that Christ wasn't in the tomb for a full three days and three nights are in contradiction with Mark 8:31 and Matthew 27:62-64. We can't pick and choose which scriptures we like and which ones we don't like; thus, omitting the ones that don't fit with popular doctrines. Consider the women and the spices. FIRSTLY: Mark 15:47 and 16:1 reads, "And Mary Magdalene, and Mary of Joses; saw where He was laid. And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome, bought spices, so that coming they might anoint Him." In Mark 15:47 and 16:1, it explicitly informs us that THE SABBATH WAS PAST when the women BOUGHT spices. These women bought spices AFTER the Sabbath day was past. SECONDLY: Luke 23:53-56 reads, "And taking it (the body) down, he wrapped it in linen, and laid it in the tomb hewn out of rock, where no one was yet laid. And it was Preparation day, and the Sabbath was approaching. And the women who had come with Him from Galil followed after, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. And having returned, they prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the command." In Luke 23:53-56, it explicitly informs us that AFTER the women bought and prepared the perfumes and the spices, they rested on the Sabbath. If one believes that Christ died on a Friday, the above said scriptures are in contradiction to this belief. For example: we're informed that the women bought spices AFTER the Sabbath. This said Friday erroneous scenario would mean that they bought spices after sunset - during the dark period of time on the first day of the week. (I rather doubt that the stores would have been open at night.) Moreover; there then remains a major problem with Luke 23:53-56 because it informs us that after the women bought spices and prepared them, they then rested on the Sabbath. Consequently; within the erroneous said scenario that Christ died on a Friday, the Sabbath day mentioned in Luke 23:53-56 is expunged. The women could not have purchased the spices and perfumes AFTER the seventh day Sabbath, and then... prepared the spices and perfumes BEFORE the seventh day Sabbath. It's an oxymoron. CONCLUSION: All of the scriptures (regarding the day of the crucifixion and the time Christ spent in the tomb) harmonize with a the full three days and three nights scenario. Any other scenario contradicts with one or more of the scriptures as like I have demonstrated above. Lastly, Irenaeus - the disciple of Polycarp, the disciple of John the apostle wrote this concerning the time Christ spent in the tomb: "But the case was, that for three days He dwelt in the place where the dead were..." And, "who having been hidden in the heart of the earth IN A TOMB for three days,..." (Emphasis mine. Ref: Against Heresies, book 5, chpt 31 and Fragments of Irenaeus.) Irenaeus defined "THE HEART OF THE EARTH" within his recorded statement. Christ spent three days in the tomb, not just a few hours, not just a day and a half, but for THREE DAYS.