The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Matthew 12:40

1) 12 "Ate not nor drank for three days and three nights," and yet in the very next verse, "Then on the third day," the fast being ended. Similarly Esther 4:16 compared with 5:1. "Three days and three nights" is, therefore, not proverbial for "a brief time," nor can we say that Jesus is concerned only to obtain a parallel experience to that of Jonah as far as the number of days is concerned. The manner of numbering nights with the days is an idiomatic Jewish usage. As Jonah escaped on the third day, so Jesus arose on the third day. And since the Jewish day begins with the night (or evening), it is the night that forms part of the first day which seems to be overcounted, not the one that forms part of the third day - the Sunday of the resurrection began at dusk on Saturday.

2) Would you then conclude that Hendriksen's exegesis of Matt 12:40 re: the "days" of Christ being in the tomb is incorrect?

3) I would be interested in having you state what your view is on this subject. You have only stated that you reject the view that the majority of Evangelicals espouse (* few if any of the members here belong to that group). And, you have apparently rejected what Hendriksen and myself hold to be true, which your answer to #2 will either affirm or deny. But you haven't given us what your view is and the ramifications of it vs. the view held by myself and Hendriksen.

4) Yes, I believe that "heart of the earth" means the grave or tomb. What do you think it means?