www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Three Day and Three Nights

Whenever the three days and three nights of Matthew 12:40 is brought up in a “discussion” with 6th day crucifixion proponents, they frequently argue that it is a common Jewish idiom for counting any part of a day as a whole day. I wonder if anyone knows of any writing from the first century or before that shows a phrase stating a specific number of days and/or a specific number of nights when it absolutely couldn't have included at least a part of each one of the specific number of days and at least a part of each one of the specific number of nights

Slava Isusu Khrestu

This counting business is alive and well to-day.

In the education system in Canada ( Ontario ) we often run into the problem of youngster entering grade 1 with the age of 6 years old..... But in reality they are only five! Immigrants from Italy say that they are 1 the year they are born and when they arrive foe schooling here at what we would cont as 5...they say 6. As a consequence many of the youngsters especially boys have great difficulty in school. Often they are asked to repeat the year and that can be traumatic for the child if not handled properly!

So the concept is alive and well.

Kolya

It obviously wasn't important to first century Christians.

Why is it important today?

Alex

Biblical fundamentalism--as epitomized by the Worldwide Church of God--make a big deal both of Creation as occuring in six days of twenty-four hours as we measure time and of the interval between Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection as being three similar days of modern deliniation.

Such logic subordinates Christ the Word to the written word.

Jesus is crucified on Friday and placed in the tomb before sundown--Day 1

Jesus descends into Hades and remains there from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday--Day 2

Jesus rises from the tomb before dawn on Sunday--Day three.

End of discussion.

Note how our liturgical calendar reflects this chronology.

Aye...nevertheless every year around Western Pascha the WWCG buys prime time TV to air their fundamentalist propaganda with shows with titles like "The Resurrection was NOT on Sunday" and "The Plain Truth about Easter" which sow seed of doubt and confusion among the faithful.

That group is a "binitarian" one which means they only accept two Persons in God. They also have a silly notion about divinization which affirms that we can all become just as "god-like" as God Himself.

A portion of that group separated to affirm a Trinitarian confession etc.

My father used to read the "Plain Truth" for its "predictions" of world events.

Just don't read their literature and don't watch their programming.

And if one does that, and is not sufficiently grounded in his or her faith, then, yes, doubt will be sown.

I knew a Catholic couple who were both Catholic school teachers. They once invited Jehovah's Witnesses to come into their home to debate them. The wife actually went on to join them . . .

Alex