Is it possible
"three days and three nights" is a Greek mistranslation being that their day didn't begin at sundown like the Jewish day? Are we to assume that a Greek translation of a original Aramic text (Matthew 12:40) is without any translation error when Hebrew is read from right to left.
Jonah 1:17 (Hebrew Bible)
י u·iei and·he-is-becoming ינָה iune Jonah בִּ מְ עֵ י b·moi in·bowels-of הַ דָּ ג e·dg the·fish שְׁ 1שָׁ ה shlshe
three יָמִ ים imim
days וּשְׁ 1שָׁ ה u·shlshe and·
three לֵ ילת liluth
nights
As we know Hebrew text (Jonah 1:17) is read from right to left which one could argue could be translated as
"three nights and three days." This would then negate both a Wednesday and Friday crucifixion
without the need for any so-called
"synecdoche" logic; while legitimizing a 5th day (Thursday) crucifixion as well as all relevant verses (e.g.
"after three days"). In other words sometime into the 4th day.
Just maybe, Matthew 12:40 should instead have been translated as ...
"For as Jonah was three nights and three days in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three nights and three days in the heart of the earth." (
Matthew 12:40)
Night 1 = 5th day beginning at sundown to 5th day sunrise (12 hrs)
Day 1 = 5th day sunrise to 5th day sunsetting (12 hrs)
Night 2 = 6th day beginning at sundown to 6th day sunrise (12 hrs)
Day 2 = 6th day sunrise to 6th day sunsetting (12 hrs)
Night 3 = 7th day beginning at sundown to 7th day sunrise (12 hrs)
Day 3 = 7th day sunrise to 7th day sunsetting (12 hrs)
Night 4 = 1st day beginning at sundown to 1st day sunrise when Mary approached the tomb.
Is it not possible that Yeshua rose sometime during the first half of the 1st day of the week just before sunrise ("after three days")?
There are other parallels to support
"after three days" (into the 4th day) ...
There was a reason why
Lazarus was in the tomb more than three days. Jesus waited four days because He knew of the Jewish superstition of that time. It was believed a soul stayed near the grave for three days, hoping to return to the body. Therefore, it was generally believed that by the fourth day there was no hope of resuscitation.
Revelation 9:8-10 NKJV
8 And their dead bodies
will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 Then
those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies
three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 Now after the
three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.