What does “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” mean? Jesus mentioned Jonah’s experience while going to preach for Nineveh and likewise he will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth Matt 12:40. This idea has been used as a nuclear bomb by liberal theologians, atheists and Muslim students of comparative religion against the trustworthiness of the bible. They debate that the time between the burial and resurrection of Jesus can never be 3 days and 3 nights. Jesus was crucified on Friday, buried that very night and had risen from the dead Sunday in the early morning. The sum total of the time can never be more than 36 hrs according to their claim. They are of course right. So how can 3 days and 3 nights (72 hrs) be understood? Two things should not be mixed up :- a. 3 days and 3 nights This indicates the time Jesus took to preach the gospel to Old Testament believers who are now dead (1 pet 4:6) as Jonah preached to those in Nineveh. b. The 3rd day “He replied, ‘Go tell that fox, I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day-for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem” luke.13:32-33. From this passage,we understand that the 3rd day simply means the day after tomorrow. It has no implication about calculation of the hours. So is the case in Jesus’ time between his burial and resurrection. Jesus was explaining time and again to his disciples that “he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” Matt. 16:21. This never implies three days and three nights. 1 Pet 3:18-22 makes these clear; according to this passage:- 1. “He (Jesus) was put to death in the body”. Jesus was crucified on Friday and buried that same night. . 2. “but made alive by the spirit”. Jesus was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit Sunday in the early morning Rom.8:11, John 2:1-9. This took place on the third day. The time Jesus passed in tomb in his body and in paradise (right side of Abraham) in his soul is approximately 36 hours. This was not the time of preaching. It was simply his stay in paradise as every righteous person Luk 23:43,Heb.2:14-17. 3. “Through whom /which he went and preached to the spirits in prison”. These spirits in prison are “who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah”according to the text. 1 pet 4:6 also gives us more evidence: ”for this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead”. Gospel is also preached to those Old Testament souls who are dead. To those who disobeyed God before New Testament , it was preached only for judgment and not for salvation. But to the righteous ones, it is to make their salvation complete through the blood of Jesus Heb 11:39-40. Note that until that moment, “No-one has ever gone in to heaven except the one who came from heaven,the son of man” John 3:13. Because no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born (again through believing in Jesus) of water and the spirit John 3:5. The Old Testament believers were not born again though they were made righteous by the mercy of God in keeping his law. They were waiting for the coming of Jesus; that is why Gospel was preached to them.Jesus has been for 40 days here on earth after raising from the dead Acts 1:3. Out of these days, he spent three days and three nights to preach the gospel to these Old Testament souls according to Mathew 12:41. This is what 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth means. This took place after resurrection. 4. Jesus “has gone in to heaven and is at God’s right hand”. Note that even Elijah and Enoch had never gone to this place for they were not born again. They were in paradise (right side of Abraham) as is mentioned in Luk.16:19-31. Unless we understand what 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of earth this way, we can always be skeptical about the bible truths. Remark Jonah’s sign was not seen to the people of Nineveh. So is Jesus being in the heart of the earth to be taken as a sign. It is Jonah’s preaching that impacted the repentance of Nineveh rather than the sign. Jesus also wanted his followers to focus on his preaching rather than seeking sign from above.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 11:39:53 +0000
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