Part 4 - Three Days and Three Nights in The Tomb

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Is ‘Easter,’ As We Know it, Biblical?.

Jesus was to be in the tomb for Three whole nights and three whole days and to rise after three [whole] days (Mark 8:31). We see no reason to figure this as any less than a full 72 hours. On the other hand, if He was to be raised from the dead “in three days” (John 2:19), this does not seem unreasonable to assume that the time period was exactly 72 hours. After all, God is a God of exactness. He does everything right on schedule. Nothing is accidental with Him.

Be assured that the precise fulfillment of Jesus’ stated “sign” of Jonah’s whale experience of three days and three nights in “the grave.” Jesus predicted the fulfillment of this “sign” to verify the authenticity as Messiahship, and it did happen. Jesus rose from the dead late SaturDAY afternoon about sunsetNOT SunDAY at sunrise—which is precisely three days and three nights after He was placed in the tomb just before sunset on Wednesday. So, Jesus was already risen hours before the women came to the tomb, while it was still dark, Sunday morning.

We should be grateful that God has preserved the genuine, incontrovertible proof of Jesus’ resurrection so we can have the confidence and certainty that He is indeed the prophesied Messiah and Savior of the world, who paid the full penalty for human sin by His sacrifice and death, and that He rose from the dead and now dwells in heaven as our Helper, High Priest and Intercessor! – while He also live in us (Gal. 2:20)

Biblical Chronology of Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion Burial and Resurrection.

Since creation, a day began when the preceding day closed, at sunset. The darker part of a day came first, then the light part. We read in the book of Genesis, “The evening and the morning were the first day (Gen. 1:5). This is repeated five more times in the first chapter of Genesis (vs. 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). Also, the yearly feasts or sabbaths were kept “from even[ing] to even[ing]” (cf. Leviticus 23:32). And the same truth that evening is sunset is presented in the book of Deuteronomy where Moses wrote, In the evening, at the going down of the sun …” (Deuteronomy 16:6). Thus, the Jewish weekly Sabbath extends from Friday Sunset to Saturday Sunset.

Below Is A Day-By-Day Chronology of the nights and days of Jesus’ Death, Burial, and Resurrection.

- TUESDAY: Jesus Christ ate an evening Passover meal with His disciples and instituted Israel’s New Covenant symbols (Matt. 26:26-28). Jesus was then betrayed by Judas, arrested, and during that night brought before the high priest.

- WEDNESDAY: Jesus was judged, crucified, and died around 3 p.m. (Matt. 27:46-50). This was the preparation day for the annual high Sabbath which began at sunset (NOT the weekly Sabbath, cf. Mk. 15:42; Luke 23:54; Jn. 19:31). Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb Just Before Sunset (Matt. 27:57-60) in time for the first whole night.

- THURSDAY: Sunset Wednesday to sunset Thursday was the annual ‘high-holy day Sabbath,’ the first day of ‘the Feast of Unleavened Bread’ (cf. Jn. 19:31; Lev. 23:4-7). It is described as the day after the “Day of Preparation” (Matt. 27:62). Thursday, just before sunset, marked the first full night and day that Jesus was in the tomb.

- FRIDAY: The high Holy day ANNUAL Sabbath past as of Sunset Thursday. The women bought and prepared spices for anointing Jesus’ body during the day before resting on the WEEKLY Sabbath day, which began with Friday Sunset (Mk. 16:1; Lk. 23:56). Friday, just before sunset, marked the second full night and day that Jesus was in the tomb.

- SATURDAY: The women rested on the WEEKLY Sabbath, according to the Fourth Commandment (cf. Lk. 23:56; Exo. 20:8-11). Jesus Rose from the Dead near Sunset at the end of SATURDAY of the WEEKLY Sabbath, after a total of EXACTLY THREE WHOLE DAYS.

- SUNDAY: Then the first day of the week, the women brought the spices early in the morning while it was still dark (Luke 24:1; Jn. 20:1). They Found That JESUS HAD ALREADY RISEN (Matt. 28:1-6; Mk. 16:2-6; Luke 24:2-3; Jn 20:1).

Thus, Jesus did not rise on Sunday morning, but rather near sunset Saturday, the day before. Recall that the Jewish Sabbath is from ‘Friday Sunset to Saturday Sunset.

NOTE: Portions of a writing by Wilbur Berg were here adapted and expanded for further clarity by Arthur J. Licursi -