If Jesus Died On Friday And Rose On Sunday How Is That 3 Days
Today we will talk about If Jesus Died On Friday And Rose On Sunday How Is That 3 Days. Many Christians do not know what this means. Be on the mode of meditation as we read through God’s word.
The Three Days in Jewish Time
In order to understand the phrase “three days,” we first need to look at how time was measured in ancient Jewish culture. The Jewish understanding of a day starts at sunset and ends at the following sunset. This is based on the Genesis creation account, where it states, “And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day” (Genesis 1:5, NIV). Thus, any fraction of a day counted as a whole day. This concept aids us in grasping how Jesus’ death on Friday afternoon and subsequent resurrection on Sunday morning can indeed be counted as three days.
The Hebrew word for day is “yom” (יוֹם), which encompasses both daylight and darkness. This supports the idea of inclusivity in their timing. For the Jewish people, even a portion of a day counts as a full day. This understanding goes a long way in explaining why Jesus’ time in the tomb is counted as three full days, despite the apparent discrepancy in traditional Western calculation.
When Jesus mentioned that He would rise on the “third day,” (Matthew 16:21, NIV) He was using this Jewish framework as part of His teaching. Jesus predicted His resurrection, and this illustrates God’s perfect timing fulfilling the prophecy laid thousands of years earlier. The phrase “the third day” is not arbitrary; it resonates throughout the Old Testament, surfacing in prophetic mentions such as Hosea 6:2, which says, “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us.” Thus, Jesus’ resurrection on the third day fulfills the prophetic pattern established in Jewish tradition.
The Events from Friday to Sunday
Now, let’s break down the timeline of events from Friday to Sunday. According to the Gospels, Jesus was crucified on what we term Good Friday. Mark 15:33-37 describes how from noon to three in the afternoon, darkness fell over the land, and Jesus cried out before finally yielding up His spirit. He died around 3 PM. Just a few hours later, before sunset, Joseph of Arimathea requested Jesus’ body for burial (Mark 15:43-46). After Jesus was laid in the tomb, Friday concluded.
On Saturday, the day the Jews regarded as the Sabbath, the tomb was sealed, and guards were placed to prevent any tampering. The Gospel of Matthew notes this in Matthew 27:65-66. This day acted as a day of rest and reflection for Jesus’ followers, contrasting with the chaos that occurred around the crucifixion. It also highlights the nature of Jesus fulfilling the command to take a Sabbath rest, even in death, paralleling God resting on the seventh day during creation (Exodus 20:8-11).
Then comes Sunday, also known as the First Day of the Week. Early on that day, Mary Magdalene visited the tomb. The Gospel narratives recount spectacular events, such as the stone rolled away and angels announcing His resurrection (Matthew 28:1-6). This culminates in Jesus appearing to His disciples and confirming the incredible reality that He has indeed risen from the dead.
Counting on the Jewish method of time awareness: Friday evening to Saturday evening is one day; Saturday evening to Sunday morning is another full day; therefore, Jesus’ resurrection becomes the fulfillment of the prophecy of being resurrected on the third day (Matthew 16:21).
Three days symbolize various significant aspects in biblical texts, transcending mere chronological counting. For instance, certain biblical passages give us wisdom about the importance of three days in matters of faith and redemption. Interestingly, the number “three” often indicates completeness and divine presence. Think of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—as a quintessential example.
The three days also symbolize transformation. Jesus’ resurrection signifies the victory over sin and death, the ultimate transformation from death to life. Romans 6:4 proclaims, “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” This process of being buried, staying in the ground, and finally rising again shares deep-seated connections with the believer’s journey from a life dominated by sin to one filled with hope, joy, and spiritual renewal.
Another profound connection can be found in the story of Jonah, where Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40). This is a prophetic foreshadowing of Christ’s death and resurrection—showing that just as Jonah came back from the depths, so too would Jesus rise from the grave. The cycle of destruction followed by revival is paramount to understanding what Jesus’ time in the tomb meant not just for Him, but for each of us.
The meaning of these three days draws believers closer to grasp the magnitude of God’s intention through Jesus’s sacrifice and triumphant resurrection. Each of these days ushers in an element of hope—foretelling how God takes despair and transforms it into opportunity, paving the path toward everlasting life.
The theological stance on the matter of three days is rooted in both Jewish tradition and early church teaching. Over the centuries, church fathers and theologians have echoed this understanding in their works. For example, early Christians would often assert that counting partial days as whole days was aligned with Jewish customs. This alignment offered believers assurance that scripture harmoniously supports the understanding of Jesus’ resurrection occurring on the third day.
Moreover, notable early church figures like Polycarp and Irenaeus wrote about the resurrection and discussed its implications, emphasizing it as central to the Christian faith. Irenaeus notably articulated that Jesus had to resurrect on the third day to fulfill the prophecies about the Messiah (Irenaeus, Against Heresies). This created a strong foundation around the concept, enabling generations of believers to anchor their faith in this core truth.
As Christianity spread through the Greco-Roman world, the timing of Jesus’ death and resurrection took on various cultural nuances but retained the essence of the timeframe of three days. It served to encourage various church demographics, emphasizing that Christ’s resurrection heralded hope and deliverance for everyone, irrespective of cultural backgrounds.
The significant historical events surrounding Easter have also created dialogue that emphasizes the seriousness of collective reflection on Jesus’ meaningful sacrifice and victory over sin and death. Thus, the understanding of “three days” has been reinforced in Christian practices, teachings, and communal observations, especially during the Lenten season leading to Easter.
Final Thoughts
In summary, the discussion about how Jesus’s death on Friday and resurrection on Sunday can be understood as three days is rooted in Jewish cultural time-keeping methods. By embracing the fact that a portion of a day is considered a full day, we appreciate the intentionality behind the phrasing found in the Gospels. The journey from Friday, through Holy Saturday, to the glorious morning of Easter Sunday reveals not only the chronological events but also the powerful symbolism embedded in these days.
Three days in the tomb serve as a reminder of the divine timeline of God’s redemption story. Each day carries meaning—echoing significant themes like rest, fulfillment, and transformation. Furthermore, historical teachings reinforce these understandings, allowing believers today to anchor their faith in the reality of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, which carries the promise of hope for all of us.
Ultimately, we can take joy in the significance of each day Christ spent in the tomb, marking the extraordinary truth that He is alive, that He conquered death, and that through Him, we too have alighted into a new and everlasting life.
Further Reading
30 Bible Verses About Getting Closer To God (With Commentary)
30 Bible Verses About Removing People From Your Life (With Commentary)
30 Bible Verses About Israel (With Explanation)
30 Bible Verses About Being Lukewarm (With Explanation)
4 Ways to Encounter Grace and Truth: A Study on John, Chapter 4