When did Jesus rise from the dead?
On the 3rd day – Matt 16:21, Matt 17:23, Matt 20:19, Matt 27:64, Mark 9:31, Mark 10:34, Luke 9:22, Luke 18:33, Luke 24:7, Luke 24:46
On the first day of the week – Luke 24:21
How long before that day was the crucifixion?
3 days ago – Luke 24:21
How does the Bible count from an event to the third day?
Jesus – Luke 13:32 – today, tomorrow, the third day
Paul – Acts 27:18-19 – day, next day, third day
Moses – Exodus 19:10-11 – today, tomorrow, the third day
Today [Friday] – Tomorrow [Saturday] – The Third Day [Sunday]
If it’s a longer time period, how does the Bible count?
Cornelius – Acts 10
Fasting and praying – on the morrow – on the morrow – the fourth day
What of Jonah?
“Three days and three nights” is simply an idiomatic expression. The Bible is full of those, and Jonah is full of poetry and idiomatic expressions are to be expected. See here for more details.
Examples of how to count 3/4/5 days till the resurrection
If something happened on a Wednesday, that is day 1, till sunset.
The next day, mostly “Thursday”, is day 2, sunset to sunset.
The next day, mostly “Friday”, is day 3, sunset to sunset.
The next day, mostly “Saturday”, is day 4, sunset to sunset.
The next day, mostly “Sunday”, till sunset, is the 5th day.
A Wednesday Crucifixion:
Wednesday event till sunset = the first day
Wed sunset to Thurs sunset = 2nd day
Thurs sunset to Fri sunset = 3rd day
Fri sunset to Sat sunset = 4th day
Sat sunset to Sunday sunset = 5th day
But Jesus rose on the 3rd day.
If something happened on a Thursday, that is day 1, till sunset.
The next day, mostly “Friday”, is day 2, sunset to sunset.
The next day, mostly “Saturday”, is day 3, sunset to sunset.
The next day, mostly “Sunday”, till sunset, the Bible calls the fourth day. See Acts 10.
A Thursday Crucifixion:
Thursday event till sunset = the first day
Thurs sunset to Fri sunset = 2nd day
Fri sunset to Sat sunset = 3rd day
Sat sunset to Sun sunset = 4th day
But Jesus rose on the 3rd day.
No way for Wed or Thurs to work with biblical counting.
Lastly, if something happened on a Friday, that is day 1, till sunset.
The next day, mostly “Saturday”, is day 2, sunset to sunset.
The next day, mostly “Sunday”, is day 3, sunset to sunset.
A Friday Crucifixion:
Friday event till sunset = the first day
Fri sunset to Sat sunset = 2nd day
Sat sunset to Sun sunset = 3rd day
Jesus rose on the 3rd day.
This is the only sequence that makes sense according to biblical counting.
Further reading in this series:
Part 1 – 3 days and 3 nights – from when till when?
Part 2 – On the THIRD day – getting it right
Part 3 – 3 days and 3 nights – timeline charts
