Three Days and Three Nights in the Heart of the Earth

A new look at an old subject

For as Jonas was three days and three nights
in the whales belly; so shall the Son of man be
three days and three nights in the heart of the
earth. Matthew 12:40. In this text the
expression, the heart of the earth is believed by
most h!rhes to refer to the "rave in whih
#hrist rested. $he view that this is a widely
dis!ssed and disp!ted s!b%et is s!bstantiated by
the statement of a writer of another denomination
& I have had attempted explanations from
different parts of the world, none of whih are
aeptable, bea!se they distort the lear
statements of the reords. It presents perhaps the
most apparent ontradition in the 'ew
$estament.
#hrist did spend a part of three different days in
the tomb and this f!lfills another statement (e
made & )estroy this temple, and in three days I
will raise it !p. *ohn 2:1+, for verse 21 says, (e
spa,e of the temple of (is body.
$o verify that #hrist rose on the third day, we
have at least a do-en texts, one spo,en by the
*ews, one by #leopas, one by .a!l, one by an
an"el and ei"ht by *es!s (imself. $he texts in the
order mentioned are as follows: /!,e 24:21, 1
#or. 10:4, /!,e 24:1, Matt. 12:21, Matt. 11:23,
Matt. 20:1+, Mar, +:31, Mar, 10:34, /!,e +:22,
/!,e 14:33 and /!,e 24:42.
5ll of these texts refer to the time when #hrist
was in the "rave, b!t while they refer to a period
of three days, not one of them mentions three
ni"hts, pres!mably bea!se #hrist was not in the
"rave for three ni"hts.
Matthew 12:40 is the one solitary text in the 6ible
that speifies three ni"hts. *es!s han"ed (is
!s!al phraseolo"y and added the words & three
ni"hts. 7hy8 It wo!ld seem that (e han"ed (is
wordin" to s!it han"ed onditions.
/et !s examine the expression the heart of the
earth. 'owhere in the 6ible is there a text that
states that the heart of the earth is the "rave. In
fat, #hrist was not even b!ried below "ro!nd
level. 7ith the stone rolled away from the
entrane, .eter and *ohn ran toward the empty
tomb, .eter "oin" strai"ht in, as one wo!ld enter
the doorway of a room. 9:ee *ohn 20:4;2<
$he mar"inal readin"s of many texts show that
heart means midst. :ee .rov 30:1+, =-e 21:4,
=-e 24:2, )e!t 4:11, 2 :am 14:14, and *onah 2:3.
'one of these texts refer in any way to a b!rial,
they all refer to a "eo"raphial loation.
In the :i"ns of the $imes dated *an 12
th
, 1+44,
.astor >dom wrote an artile on $he (eart of
the =arth "ivin" lear proof that *er!salem is the
heart of the earth, the "eo"raphial entre. >r, as
=-e,iel 0:0 says, In the midst of the nations and
o!ntries that are ro!nd abo!t her. .astor ?eor"e
6!rnside in a boo,let entitled $hree )ays and
$hree 'i"hts in the (eart of the =arth says:
*er!salem is the heart@ entre or midst of the
earth. (e also says: $he *ews, when in distant
lands, prayed with faes t!rned toward *er!salem,
th!s we have a "iant prayer irle, fain" toward
*er!salem, the entre.
In .salm 14:12 we read: Aor ?od is my Bin" of
old, wor,in" salvation in the midst of the earth.
7hen #hrist ame !nto (is own and (is own
reeived (im not, (e ame to the *ewish nation
at *er!salem. (ere (e preahed (is first sermon
in the temple, and here (e preahed (is last
sermon. It was here that (e spent three and a half
years of ministry and that (e made the "reat
deision to save the whole world, in spite of what
the ost mi"ht be to (imself. It was here that (is
death atoned for the sins of the world and from
here (e asended from earth to (eaven to beome
o!r "reat (i"h .riest. $r!ly, it was in *er!salem
that (e wor,ed o!t salvation in the midst of the
earth.
*es!s ,new that (is death wo!ld ta,e plae in
*er!salem, for in Matt 20:11;1+ we read: 5nd
*es!s, "oin" !p to *er!salem too, the twelve
disiples apart in the way, and said !nto them,
6ehold, we "o !p to *er!salem@ and the :on of
Man shall be betrayed !nto the hief priests and
!nto the sribes, and they shall ondemn (im to
death, and shall deliver (im to the ?entiles to
mo,, and to so!r"e, and to r!ify (im@ and the
third day (e shall rise a"ain.
$here is no mention in this passa"e of the word
ni"hts nor is there in any other text that refers to
the time when #hrist wo!ld be in the "rave. 7e
m!st s!rely ,eep separate the many texts that
refer to the time when #hrist wo!ld be in the
"rave, and this one !niC!e text that varies from
#hristDs normal phraseolo"y and has the
additional words three ni"hts. $his text that
*es!s worded differently refers to a different
period of time.
$his period of #hristDs life was when (e was to
be offered as the anti;typial passover /amb &
when #hrist o!r .assover was to be sarified
for !s. If we loo, at the type we will see a
parallel. =xod!s 12:3 says, In the tenth day of
this month they shall ta,e to them every man a
lamb. =xod!s 12:2 ontin!es, 5nd ye shall ,eep
it !p !ntil the fo!rteenth day of the same month@
and E ,ill it in the evenin".
:eparated from the flo, on the tenth day, this
.assover lamb wo!ld have spent one day and one
ni"ht alone by the same time on the eleventh day,
then two days and two ni"hts wo!ld have passed
by the twelfth day, three days and three ni"hts
alone separated from the flo, on the thirteenth
day, and then it wo!ld be slain the followin" day
& the fo!rteenth day of the month. $he typial
.assover lamb spent the last three days and three
ni"hts before the day of its death, separated from
itDs assoiates, !nder sentene of death, and alive.
Isaa was another type of #hrist 9$estimonies Fol
3, p. 32+<. $hree days and three ni"hts he spent
!nder sentene of death. $his period be"an when
?od said to 5braham, $a,e now thy son, and
offer him,E et. .atriarhs and .rophets p. 144
ma,es it lear that the word now was spo,en
d!rin" the ni"ht. 5ll were asleep and everythin"
that 5braham did before dayli"ht wo!ld have
ta,en a lon" time, perhaps many ho!rs. $hen on
the third day they saw the plae afar off. 9:ee
?enesis 22:4<. Aor three days and three ni"hts
Isaa was separated from 5brahamDs vast
ho!sehold of faith, was !nder sentene of death,
and he too was alive.
*onah spent his three days and three ni"hts
separated from his assoiates 9those on board the
ship< and *onah too was alive.
5nd so onneted with the three days and three
ni"hts experiene, we have three live types. $o
apply any or all of the three days and three ni"hts
of #hristDs experiene to the time when (e was in
the "rave, is to have three live types and a dead
anti-type. 'o 6ible st!dent wo!ld aept this as
6ible teahin". $he anti;type is always "reater
than the type. $h!s it was in #hristDs experiene.
$he anti;type of these three types m!st also spend
a similar period away from those with whom (e
assoiated and labo!red. 5nd so we have the
statement in *ohn 11:04, *es!s therefore wal,ed
no more openly amon" the *ews.
If this separation be"an even the day before the
#r!ifixion, it wo!ld "ive !s $h!rsday ni"ht,
Ariday ni"ht and :at!rday ni"ht, that #hrist was
in the heart of the earth, or *er!salem. 6!t while
this seems to be a satisfatory answer, it is still a
poor parallel.
/et !s loo, a"ain at what #hrist really said. 5s
*onas was three days and three ni"htsE 5s
means Gin li,e mannerD. 7hen *onah was in the
whaleDs belly, was he dead or alive8 (e was alive.
*es!s said that as *onah was in the whaleDs belly,
so (e wo!ld be in the heart of the earth. $he three
days and three ni"hts then sho!ld fit into #hristDs
experiene while (e was alive, not dead. $hree
living types and a dead anti;type an never
harmoni-e, and we only r!n into tro!ble when we
try to ma,e them a"ree.
7hen did #hrist separate (imself from the *ews8
7hen did (e wal, no more openly with them8
5ll fo!r of the ?ospel writers reord #hristDs last
day with the *ews. It was in the temple. $hese
reords are fo!nd in Matthew 23, Mar, 12, /!,e
20 and *ohn 12. *ohn 12:1 ommenes by sayin"@
:ix days before the .assover & the .assover was
the omin" Ariday. *ohn 12:12 says: the next
day, whih wo!ld be five days before the
.assover. 7hen #hrist made the statement the
ho!r is ome 9*ohn 12:23<, (e ,new that (e was
now !nder sentene of death. $he next ten verses
prove that #hrist is referrin" to (is approahin"
death. Aor this a!se ame I !nto this ho!r verse
21. 5nd I, if I be lifted !p from the earth, will
draw all men !nto me, verse 32. $his (e said,
si"nifyin" what death (e sho!ld die, verse 33.
$he :.).5. 6ible #ommentary ma,es the
followin" statement on *ohn 12:23. $he ho!r is
ome & earlier *es!s had anno!ned that (is
ho!r had not yet ome. *ohn 2:4, *ohn 1:30, *ohn
4:20. 'ow, however, the ho!r of (is death was
near, it was only four days inclusive !ntil the
#r!ifixion. $his means that #hrist spent (is last
day with the *ews in the temple on $!esday.
:.).5. 6ible #ommentary on *ohn 12:32 & $his
was *es!sD last day at the temple, it was as well
(is last day of p!bli ministry. 5nd on *ohn
12:44, the same #ommentary states & heneforth
(is teahin" was in private to (is disiples. $his
"ives *es!s, the anti;typial .assover /amb, three
days and three ni"hts separation from the flo,,
for *ohn 12:32 says@ $hese thin"s spa,e *es!s,
and departed and hid Himself from them.
>n *ohn 12:44, the 6ible #ommentary spea,s of
it as *es!sD depart!re and onealment, and
ommentin" on MathewDs reord, says, $his
oasion, the Tuesday before the .assover, was
the last time *es!s ta!"ht in the temple. $he
same is said for passa"es in Mar, and /!,e.
$his wo!ld "ive #hrist three days and three ni"hts
in *er!salem, the heart of the earth, before (is
death, three days and three nights that He spent
alive, not dead and buried. $his now ma,es a
perfet anti;type, bea!se the .assover lamb,
Isaa and *onah all spent three days and three
ni"hts alive, not dead.
'othin" indiates that the three days and three
ni"hts have anythin" to do with being dead or
buried. Hather, it wo!ld be $!esday and $!esday
ni"ht, 7ednesday and 7ednesday ni"ht, and
$h!rsday and $h!rsday ni"ht that *es!s was in the
heart of the earth, !nder sentene of death. )!rin"
this time (e wal,ed no more openly with the
*ews and was alive, separated from (is
assoiates, for (e sel!ded (imself near to the
wilderness that extended alon" the *ordan valley.
:ee *ohn 11:04.
'ow, in order to meet the test of :ript!re, this
interpretation of Matthew 12:34;41 m!st reveal
the sign spo,en of by #hrist in verse 3+@ $here
shall no si"n be "iven to it, b!t the si"n of the
prophet *onas. 7hile most people loo, for the
si"n in the first part of *es!sD reply, as fo!nd in
verse 40, it may %!st as well be fo!nd in the latter
part of #hristDs answer in verse 41.
$he 6ible does not mention in whih verse the
si"n is fo!nd, b!t the :pirit of .rophey does, and
the si"n is fo!nd in verse 41, not in verse 40. 7e
sho!ld not loo, for a seond si"n in verse 40, for
#hrist said that wo!ld be only one si"n. $here
shall no si"n be "iven to it, exept the si"n
9sin"!lar< of the prophet *onas.
In .rophets and Bin"s p.214, we are told what the
si"n of the prophet *onah is@ 5s the preahin" of
*onah was a si"n to the 'inevites, so #hristDs
preahin" was a si"n to (is "eneration, b!t what a
ontrat in the reeption of the word.
5nd so the si"n that *es!s wanted the *ews to see
was that if the ity of 'inevah repented !nder the
preahin" of *onah, how m!h more sho!ld the
ity of *er!salem repent !nder the preahin" of
*onahDs Hedeemer. #hrist also reminded that *ews
in verse 41 that in the %!d"ment those who
repented at the preahin" of *onah wo!ld
ondemn those who did not repent at the
preahin" of one "reater than *onah.
In a little more detail, the :pirit of .rophey a"ain
spea,s of the si"n of the prophet *onah in )esire
of 5"es p.402@ 5s the preahin" of *onah was a
si"n to his "eneration, so #hristDs preahin" was a
si"n to (is "eneration, b!t what a ontrat in the
reeption of the word.
$he people of the "reat heathen ity trembled as
they heard the warnin" from ?od. Bin"s and
nobles h!mbled themselves, the hi"h and lowly
to"ether ried to the ?od of (eaven, and (is
mery was "ranted !nto them. $he men of
'inevah shall rise in %!d"ment with this
"eneration, #hrist had said, and shall ondemn
it, bea!se they repented at the preahin" of
*onas, and, behold a "reater than *onas is here.
$he :.).5. 6ible #ommentary says@ $he words
of *onah and :olomon bore onvinin" evidene
that ?od spo,e thro!"h them *onahDs words
were s!ffiient to onvine the people of 'inevah
that ?od was spea,in" thro!"h him@ he needed no
si"n from (eaven. $he I!een of :heba was
onvined that :olomonDs wisdom was of ?od@
she needed on si"n from (eaven. /i,ewise *es!s
!sed these two ill!strations to show the .harisees
that no f!rther si"n was reC!ired to s!bstantiate
(is words.
?od did not withhold s!h si"ns when (e tho!"ht
appropriate. In >ld $estament times, fo!r s!h
si"ns were "iven. $h!nder on a fine day 91 :am
12:11<, fire from (eaven 92 Bin"s 1:10<, the s!n
standin" still 9*osh!a 10:12< and the s!n "oin"
ba,ward ten de"rees 92 Bin"s 20:11<. /i,ewise,
in the 'ew $estament, ?od ordained the 5n"elsD
anno!nement to the shepherds 9/!,e 4:4<, the
star that "!ided the wise men 9Matthew 2:1;2<,
the voie of ?od at *es!sD baptism 9Matthew 3:11<
and the voie of ?od at the time of (is tri!mphal
ride into *er!salem 9*ohn 12:2+<. (owever, *es!s
!nderstood that (is ritis did not need an
o!tward si"n, b!t an inward onversion. 5nd that
hin"ed !pon their aeptin" (im and (is messa"e
& a radial paradi"m shift that reC!ired h!mility
and bro,enness instead of pride and hard;
heartedness.
In onl!sion, this st!dy shows that the prophey
that #hrist "ave re"ardin" (imself bein" in the
heart of the earth for three days and three ni"hts is
far deeper and broader that %!st a predition of the
time from (is death to (is res!rretion. It shows
that #hristDs hoie to withdraw from p!bli
ministry was not simply layin" low to avoid the
sribes and .harisees, b!t rather a f!lfillment of
the prophey of the .assover lamb. *es!sD mention
of the three days and three ni"hts was a prompt
for !s to see, to !nderstand the importane of (is
ations in those days before (e was arrested and
r!ified. It was a plea to the !nbelievin" to hear
the evidene and at aordin"ly & to repent.
>ne a"ain, by omparin" sript!re with
sript!re, we are set free from the need to !se
h!man reasonin" to interpret sript!re, and freed
from see,in" to ma,e it fit into o!r
misoneptions.