All:
Yes, we are discussing three days and three nights and when he was raised from the dead. But we must first establish "when" they put him in the cave - correct ? We also must be able to count to three - correct ? Not two and a half , nor two days and three nights - correct ?
The Word of God gives us guidelines to follow if one is willing to follow them.
During this week , there was a certain day that was going to be the fourteenth day of the first month, which was the Lord's passover. At even the Jews were to start this passover. They could not defile themselves on the Lord's passover, so they could not go into the judgement hall - John 18:28. In this verse , we can understand that the "day" the Romans brought Jesus to the judgement hall , it was already the first day of the passover. In verse 31 the Jews were told by Pilate to take Jesus and judge him according to your law ( Jewish law ). But the Jews said that it was not lawful to put any man to death. Which is not true, "unless" these Jews were speaking about this period of time of the passover. Which is what it was !
The first day of the week - Sunday - Jesus eats with his disciples the last supper. The second day of the week - monday - Jesus entered the garden which was over the brook Cedron. This is where Judas betrays Jesus and he is taken captive. He was taken to Annas first. Then on tuesday they brought him to the high priest Caiaphas. Then on the day of the passover, wednesday early morning - Mark 15:1 - they brought him to Pilate. Pilate finds him innocent. Pilate gives the Jews an option to either crucify Jesus or Barabas. Barabas becomes the scape goat and the Jews let him go. The Jews cry out to crucify him, but they, under their law would not, because of the passover. They crucified him on Wednesday, and just before sunset Joseph took the body of Jesus down and before sunset had fully come , put him in the cave ,and rolled a huge stone in front of it. This starts the three nights and three days. If one can add, then three days and three night latter, just before sunset -- which would be Saturday even, before sunset, the seventh day, God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
L I C - Hervey