The Messiah and the 3 days and 3 nights timeframe of Matthew 12:40?
- Thread starter rstrats
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What do you think the Pharisees were looking for when they asked for a sign?
To trap him. According to scripture quite a few times in different places. However, if the Holy Spirit doesn't specify, then we probably don't need to know.
I asked "what" not "why".
Why is self explanatory. They want to trap him, so they can accuse him.
So, do you think they were satisfied with the sign that the Messiah gave them - i.e., that they could use the sign to trap Him? And why do you think He used "3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth" for the sign?
No answer he gives will satisfy them. They were not seeking the truth.
Much of the "Old Testament" laws and ceremony is foreshadowing. It was not revealed before. It is so we can look back on it after and get it. He said 3 days and nights like Jonah because that is how long he will be in the tomb.
But why 3 days and 3 nights? Why not, let's say, 2 days and 2 nights?
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Right Divider
Body part
And most still are a foreshadowing.
Col 2:16-17 (AKJV/PCE)
(2:16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]: (2:17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.
Note the use of PRESENT TENSE and not past tense.
7djengo7
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And @Nick M answered your "what" question.
That's what they were looking for: a way to trap Jesus.
What (if anything) are you really asking, there? "But why 3 days and 3 nights?" is not really a question, is it? What's your subject? What's your predicate? If you're not asking something (a predicate) about something (a subject), then you're not asking a question. I'm not saying you're not trying to ask some questiiþon; I'm just saying that, if you are trying to ask one, you are nevertheless failing to convey a question by means of the verbal form of your words, "But why 3 days and 3 nights?"
I don't care if it is 3 days, 4 days, or 11. But it probably isn't from a RNG. Time exists, and he had things to do in hell. And Apostles to prepare. And he likely needed it. So he had Jonah sit in the big fish for that amount of time, to call attention. Like calling out on the cross, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Right Divider
Body part
It was 3.
Bladerunner
Active member
because there is a big dispute within the churches of earth as to when did He Die on that cross. It makes a big difference.was it a Wednesday or a Friday.
Wow, talk about nit picking. It all ties in with the OP and subsequent posts.
In Jewish culture, there was a widespread belief that the soul hovered near the body for three days after death, hoping to re-enter. That is why Jesus waited until the fourth day to raise Lazarus, so there would be no doubt that he was truly gone (John 11:39). This cultural understanding made three days the “threshold” where death was sealed beyond dispute.
Of course, that cultural idiosyncrasy may have been the result of, rather than the reason for, God choosing three days and three night.
Perhaps it could have been a different number but three seems to be a good choice. It's long enough to prove death without being longer than necessary. The number three was surely chosen long in advance. Three plays a big role throughout the scriptures. The following is an excerpt from Bullinger's "THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE"
THREE: In sacred Scripture the number three represents that which is solid, real, substantial, and something in its completeness. This number usually indicates something of importance or significance in God's plan of salvation by identifying an important event in Salvation History. This number operates as a "sign-post" in Scripture study for the reader to "pay attention" to the significance of the next event.
In the Old Testament:
- It is the first of the 4 perfect numbers which are 3 (divine perfection); 7 (spiritual perfection); 10 (ordinal perfection); and 12 (governmental perfection).
- The earth was separated from the waters on the 3rd day and life began [Genesis 1:9-13].
- There were three Patriarchs of the children of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel.
- There are three verses in the Priestly Blessing in which the Tetragrammaton, YHWH, God's holy covenant name, appears three times [Numbers 6:24-26].
- Three times the angelic Seraphim cry "Holy, Holy, Holy" [Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8].
- After the Great Flood mankind descended from the three sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth [Genesis 10:1-32].
- Three "men" announced to Abraham that his barren wife would bear a son [Genesis 18:14].
- Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son after a three-day journey to Mt. Moriah [Genesis 22:1-4].
- Baby Moses was hidden by his mother for three months [Exodus 2:1] and the adult Moses requests of Pharaoh that he let Moses take his people on a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifice to their God [Exodus 3:18].
- There were three divisions of the desert Tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem: the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies [Exodus 27:9; 26:1-30, 35-37; 31-34; 38:9-20; 21-31; 40:1-33; 1 Kings 6:1-37].
- God is mentioned three times in the Shema, the Old Covenant profession of faith [Deuteronomy 6:4] and three times in the priestly blessing [Numbers 6:24-26].
- The three attributes of God mentioned in Exodus 33:18-19 are hen, rachum, and hesed (gracious, compassionate /merciful, and loving kindness).
- Of the seven annual Holy Feasts of the Sinai Covenant, three are "pilgrim feasts" in which every man 13 years or older must present himself before God at His Sanctuary and later at the Temple in Jerusalem. This command is repeated three time in scripture [Exodus 23:14-17; 34:18-23; Deuteronomy 16:16].
- Jonah spent three days in the belly of the great fish [Jonah 2:1]; Jonah took three days to journey across the city of Nineveh [Jonah 3:3].
- Jesus' ministry lasted three years, covering three Passovers [John 2:13; 6:4; 11:55-12:1].
- Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months [Luke 1:56].
- Jesus was missing for three days when He was 12 years old [Luke 2:46].
- Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on the Mt. of Transfiguration [Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28-36].
- Jesus arose from the dead on the third day. [Matthew 16:21, 17:23, 20:19; Mark 9:31, 10:34; Luke9:22, 18:33, 24:7, 46; Acts 10:40].
- Saul was blinded for three days [Acts 9:9].
- The theological virtues are faith, hope and charity {1 Corinthians 13:13].
- The heavenly Jerusalem has three gates on each of its four sides [Revelation 21:13].
- Christians saw three as symbolic of the Trinity, the triune nature of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the number of the Holy Spirit who is the third person of the Most Holy Trinity [Matthew 28:19].
- There are three divisions of time: past, present, and future.
- There are three persons represented in grammar.
- Thought, word, and deed complete the sum of human capacity.
The Pharisees were looking for a spectacular, undeniable, heavenly sign that would authenticate Jesus according to their expectations of the Messiah. They were expecting a revolutionary to overthrow Israel's oppressors and to sit on David's throne. They wanted to see some evidence of this kind of political authority or heavenly power. You know; Elijah-esque, fire from heaven sort of stuff. What they received instead was the prophecy of the resurrection, which, of course, was the ultimate sign, though not the one they wanted.