Why was Jesus in the tomb for only two and a half days at the most?

Question

Why was Jesus in the tomb for only two and a half days at the most, when he said he would be there three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40)?Many verses of the Bible make reference to the "three day and three night" prophesy (Matthew 20:19...etc.).
Event Days Nights
'Good Friday' - one
Saturday (the Sabbath) one one
Sunday Morning - - nil nil
Total one day two nights

Answer 1

There in lies the mystery. So why did Jesus not check with the calender before he left town?

Answer 2

You are talking about sun days; however, the Jewish calendar is based on the moon. The beginning of a day starts at sunset and days are measured from sunset to sunset.

Here are three moon days:
Jesus was executed and buried -- day 1
then you have the sabbath -- day 2
then you have the women going to the tomb -- day 3.

If you look at the verse, you will find that the temple was to be rebuild "within" three days. This means within 72 hours, not requiring 72 hours. On the third day ....

You will find that all four accounts (Gospel) explain this; however, since the Hellenistic world uses a Sun calendar, it is confusing especially since we have only Greek transcripts.

Answer 3

Jesus was in the tomb for parts of three days.

.According to the Jewish method of measuring time and the facts in fulfillment of Jesus’ case, this period of “three days and three nights” allows for less than three full days.


Jesus added: “For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.” (Matthew 12:38-40) Jewish days began at sundown. Christ died on Friday afternoon, Nisan 14, 33 C.E. His body was placed in a tomb before sunset of that day. Nisan 15 began that evening and ran until sundown of Saturday, the seventh and last day of the week. At that time Nisan 16 began and ran its course until sunset of what we call Sunday. Consequently, Jesus was dead and in the tomb for at least a period of time on Nisan 14, was entombed throughout the entire day of Nisan 15, and spent the nighttime hours of Nisan 16 in the tomb. When certain women came to the tomb on Sunday morning, he had already been resurrected.

Answer 4

Many people agree that there are innaccuracies in the Bible.The point does not reside in how long He remained in the tomb but rather that He effectively rose from it.A hindu saying goes like this:If you are interested in eating a mango why waste time in counting how many mango trees there are in the orchard?

Answer 5

Consider the possibility that there were two sabbaths that week, due to Passover.

Then, redo the math, going backwards from Sunday, and you'll have your answer.

Answer 6

any one can tell you that the Catholic Church is responsible for the days on which their Easter is celebrated. Just because it is not celebrated with three entire days does not mean that the Bible got it wrong, just that in their rush to create a "Holy Day" they miscalculated.

Answer 7

Are you aware of how the Jews reckoned their days? I guess not.

And scripture does not say 3 days and 3 nights....it says 3 days. And on the third day He rose.

Answer 8

Either He overslept, had a heck of a time rolling back that stone, or somebody got the translation wrong along the centuries. -Take your pick.

Answer 9

he died on friday, the first day
he was in the grave on the sabbath (saturday) the second day
and on the third day (sunday) he rose

Answer 10

I don't know, why don't you ask Him. He want us to ya know. Sometimes people can give you the answers, but if you are not ready to hear them, you wouldn't get it. It's like trying to teach someone algebra when they can't add or subtract.