Three Days & Three Nights

Today in the Christian world is the observance of Good Friday ~ the day Jesus Christ laid down His life for His followers, that they would have eternal life through Him.  Greg wrote an excellent article several years ago on the timeline of Holy Week.  Its well researched and documented.  Below is the article ~

Friday, April 18, 2014

The Sign of Jonah - Three Days and Three Nights

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; 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; 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; 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).

 

The only thing I can add to this is ~ keep in mind the Jewish days and nights differ.  Their day is sunset to sunset, not midnight to 11:59 pm.  So their Sabbath starts at sunset Friday and ends at Sunset Saturday.

Thankful for ~

Christ's sacrifice for His children

searching for the truth instead of relying on mans traditions

celebrating Christ's resurrection 2000 years later