Three Days and Three Nights
Three Days and Three Nights
Whenever the three days and three nights of Matthew 12:40 is brought up in a “discussion” with 6th day crucifixion proponents, 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 a phrase stating a specific number of days as well as a specific number of nights was ever used in the first century or before when it absolutely couldn't have included at least a part of each one of the specific number of days and at least a part of each one of the specific number of nights?
Re: Three Days and Three Nights
I don't have an answer to that, but I do have an observation.
If Jesus had been crucified on Friday afternoon according to tradition, and raised to life on Sunday morning, that's only TWO nights. There's not even a part of a third night in that time frame.
If Jesus had been crucified on Friday afternoon according to tradition, and raised to life on Sunday morning, that's only TWO nights. There's not even a part of a third night in that time frame.
Paidion
Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.
Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.
Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.
Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.
Re: Three Days and Three Nights
Here is an interesting case for consideration:
Acts 10:3-30, New King James Version (NKJV)
Day 1
We find Cornelius receives a vision at the ninth hour (3pm).
3. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
Day 2
At noon on day two Peter goes up to the roof to pray as the men sent by Cornelius are nearing Joppa.
9. The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
Peter invites the men to stay.
23. Then he invited them in and lodged them.
And left with them the next day.
Day 3
On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
Day 4
Peter arrives at Cornelius' house.
24. And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” 27. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28. Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29. Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”
And Cornelius says the vision that occured at 3pm on "Day 1" occured "four days ago".
30. So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
Which is precisely three 24 hour periods!
Acts 10:3-30, New King James Version (NKJV)
Day 1
We find Cornelius receives a vision at the ninth hour (3pm).
3. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
Day 2
At noon on day two Peter goes up to the roof to pray as the men sent by Cornelius are nearing Joppa.
9. The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
Peter invites the men to stay.
23. Then he invited them in and lodged them.
And left with them the next day.
Day 3
On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
Day 4
Peter arrives at Cornelius' house.
24. And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” 27. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28. Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29. Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”
And Cornelius says the vision that occured at 3pm on "Day 1" occured "four days ago".
30. So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
Which is precisely three 24 hour periods!
Re: Three Days and Three Nights
When we say, "Four days ago," we don't count the present day, but count 4 days prior to the present.
But in verse 30, the expression in Greek literally says, "From four days until this hour."
It is possible that this Greek expression meant to start counting when Cornelius saw the man in front of him in bright apparel. This was day 1. Count the days, and when Peter arrives at Cornelilus' house it is day 4 as Homer stated. Thus "From four days UNTIL this hour." Not "Four days BEFORE the present day."
This is quite different, however, from saying that Jesus was in the "heart of the earth" three days and three nights.If the traditional day of His crucifixion and of his resurrection is correct, then Jesus would have been in the tomb only TWO nights.
But in verse 30, the expression in Greek literally says, "From four days until this hour."
It is possible that this Greek expression meant to start counting when Cornelius saw the man in front of him in bright apparel. This was day 1. Count the days, and when Peter arrives at Cornelilus' house it is day 4 as Homer stated. Thus "From four days UNTIL this hour." Not "Four days BEFORE the present day."
This is quite different, however, from saying that Jesus was in the "heart of the earth" three days and three nights.If the traditional day of His crucifixion and of his resurrection is correct, then Jesus would have been in the tomb only TWO nights.
Paidion
Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.
Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.
Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.
Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.
Re: Three Days and Three Nights
Hi Paidion,
Here is another passage to consider:
Esther 4:15-5:2, New King James Version (NKJV)
15. Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16. “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
17. So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.
5:1 Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. 2. So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.
So how did Esther fast for three literal days and nights before going to see the King on the third day? Do you see Esther's case as any different than the "three days and nights" of the resurrection story?
Here is another passage to consider:
Esther 4:15-5:2, New King James Version (NKJV)
15. Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16. “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
17. So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.
5:1 Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. 2. So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.
So how did Esther fast for three literal days and nights before going to see the King on the third day? Do you see Esther's case as any different than the "three days and nights" of the resurrection story?
Re: Three Days and Three Nights
I've heard "the heart of the earth" may not mean to be buried but may mean something like from the time he was arrested in the Garden.
Re: Three Days and Three Nights
Paidion,
re: "I don't have an answer to that..."
OK, maybe someone new looking in will know of some writing.
re: "I don't have an answer to that..."
OK, maybe someone new looking in will know of some writing.
Re: Three Days and Three Nights
Homer,
re: "Do you see Esther's case as any different than the 'three days and nights' of the resurrection story?"
Yes. Esther says" three [calendar] days, night or day" and not "three days [light periods] and three nights [dark periods]" But even if the two phrases mean the same thing, there is nothing in the Esther account that positively precludes at least a part of each one of the days and at least a part of each one of the nights.
I probably should have addressed the OP to those who think the crucifixion took place on the 6th day of the week since they are the ones who say that only 2 nights were involved.
re: "Do you see Esther's case as any different than the 'three days and nights' of the resurrection story?"
Yes. Esther says" three [calendar] days, night or day" and not "three days [light periods] and three nights [dark periods]" But even if the two phrases mean the same thing, there is nothing in the Esther account that positively precludes at least a part of each one of the days and at least a part of each one of the nights.
I probably should have addressed the OP to those who think the crucifixion took place on the 6th day of the week since they are the ones who say that only 2 nights were involved.
Re: Three Days and Three Nights
A discussion of this idiom, with examples and rabbinic citations, can be found here: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apconte ... rticle=756
Re: Three Days and Three Nights
steve,
Thanks for the link, but I don't see where it gives an actual example that shows a period of time which was stated to contain a specifix number of day times and/or a specific number of night times that positively couldn't have included at least a part of each one of the day times and at least a part of each one of the night times.
Thanks for the link, but I don't see where it gives an actual example that shows a period of time which was stated to contain a specifix number of day times and/or a specific number of night times that positively couldn't have included at least a part of each one of the day times and at least a part of each one of the night times.