Three days and three nights

three days and three nights

Some people make a big deal out of how long Jesus was in the grave. If he died on Friday as many say He did and resurrected on Sunday then that was not three days and three nights.

They think a conflicting calendars seem unlikely but Israel and Egypt had always used at least three different calendars. If we try to assume anything then we go out of the province of proof.

Was the crucifixion on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday?

If knowing the actual day is important to you there is a danger you are avoiding the precepts and Doctrines of Christ because he did not preach the religion of days and rituals but of righteousness that you "might be saved".

Mark 15:42 "And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath"

So, it would seem. Mark 15:42 is telling us tells us that Jesus was eating his Passover meal on the day of preparation, on the day before a Sabbath.

There were 52 Sabbaths each year plus the 7 Days of Passover which were a Sabbath period. There was also Shavout, Feast of Weeks with Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets, Feast of Tabernacles or tents/boothes, the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, and the more obscure Shimini Atzeret, the assembly of the 8th day. All together we could count 70 Sabbath days each year.

Mark 15 may be referring to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is one the seven Holy Days of Passover and "high Sabbath day on Nisan 15th according to Leviticus 23:6.

We know that there was a conversation concerning the coming of a preparation day and high Sabbath in 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."

Feast of Unleavened Bread's preparation day would have been 14th.

Does a Thursday crucifixion provide three days and three nights?

Is this about His body being in the rock tomb or the separation of spirit or His heavenly soul from the Father that departed His body at death?

Thursday at 3pm until just before dawn on Sunday is not three full days if that is important and we know that my Mary at least left for the tomb when it was still dark.

Matthew 28:1 "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre."

John 20:1 "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre."

Both John 2:19-21 and Mark 8:31’' record three days in the phrases “in three days” and “after three days” as used by Jesus.

Wednesday Crucifixion supposedly produces too many Days and Nights. But does it?

If the weekly Sabbath ends at sundown Saturday Jesus could have risen as soon as it was dark on Saturday night which was the beginning of the Jewish Sunday, Yom rishon, first day. 6

If Jesus died in the third hour it would be very difficult to get his body down and in the tomb before the sun was down.

Explanations "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

The "Last Supper" was a Passover meal based on a Nazarene calendar and the wishes of Jesus Christ prepared by the Essene carrying water.

Mark 14:13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. 14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 15 And he will shew you a large upper room furnished [and] prepared: there make ready for us. 16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. 18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

Luke 22:10 And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. 11 And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 12 And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. 13 And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And during supper the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot"

John 18:28 They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium in order that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

Jesus had already eaten the "Passover supper" hours before.

John 19:14,31 "Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!"... "because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day)"

The lambs if the Passover would be killed about 9 hours later than this but Jesus had eaten the "last supper" at least 9 hour earlier. It would seem that Christ could not have been crucified on Friday.

There are those who think the crucifixion was on Wednesday. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Wednesday

If Jesus was crucified on Wednesday then Wednesday night{1 night}, Thursday{1 day}, Thursday night{2nd night}, Friday{2nd day}, Friday night{3rd night}, Saturday{3rd day}.

Some time between Saturday sunset and sunrise Sunday Jesus rose. Likely it was just dark when the soldiers were blinded by the light.

Matthew 28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

By the time Mary got there they were gone.

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Quotes

John 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

Mark 15:46 And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.

Mark 16:3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

Luke 23:53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. 54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. 56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

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Matthew 27:66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

So, are you now closer to the righteousness of God?

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."

Now during the Passover no one is to leave but Judas seems to have left that night before the meal was even concluded.

Matthew 26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Mark 14:26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Jewish tradition reveals that the Passover meal was concluded by singing the last portion of the Hallel. The Hallel is comprised of Psalms 113 through 118. At that point all the lamb has been consumed or burnt up.

But more important is they all left to go to Gethsemane. Did they leave that night or some time on Thursday?

Matthew 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

Mark 14:32 ¶ And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

A Thursday crucifixion has also been proposed. The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum 2009 ISBN 978-0-8054-4365-3 pages 142–143

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Other Plausible theories

https://www.bible.ca/d-3-days-and-3-nights.htm

One Plausible theory

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/551155