Three Days and Three Nights

By Louis Rushmore, Editor

    The phrase “three days and three nights” is familiar to Bible students respecting the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). When speaking about his pending burial and resurrection, Jesus referred to another instance of this phrase with which Bible students are likely familiar (at least because it appears in Matthew 12:40). “Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17). However, did you know that the phrase “three days and three nights” appears in 1 Samuel 30:12 pertaining to an Egyptian slave (not Joseph)? Further, a similar statement appears in Esther 4:16: “three days, night or day.” What does the expression “three days and three nights” mean?

    Similarly, the phrase “forty days and forty nights” is familiar to Bible students respecting the duration of rain in the flood of Noah’s day (Genesis 7:4, 12). The Bible student might also recall that Moses fasted for “forty days and forty nights” on two occasions atop Mt. Sinai, each time he received the 10 Commandments on tables of stone (Exodus 24:18; 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9, 11, 18, 25; 10:10). In addition, the Bible student may remember that the duration of the Special Temptation of our Lord at the commencement of his ministry was for “forty days and forty nights” (Matthew 4:2). Besides these two references to “forty days and forty nights,” a comparable reference occurs in 1 Kings 19:8 respecting the fasting of the prophet Elijah. What does the expression “forty days and forty nights” mean? Proper understanding of the phrases “three days and three nights” and “forty days and forty nights” is one of several important principles of biblical interpretation.

    Let’s look at the phrase “three days and three nights” more closely. In each of the three instances where the phrase “three days and three nights” appears in Scripture, are 72 hours (no more and no less) meant? Regarding the badly dehydrated and hungry Egyptian slave in 1 Samuel 30:9-12, the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary observes: “According to the Oriental mode of reckoning, three consecutive parts of days were counted three days (Jonah 1:17; Matt 12:40; 27:63; Mark 8:31).” We call this type of an expression or figure of speech an “idiom.” One dictionary definition for “idiom” is “having a meaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements (as Monday week for “the Monday a week after next Monday”) (Merriam Webster’s). It is not necessary doctrinally and unlikely that the unfortunate Egyptian of 1 Samuel 30:12 was without food and water exactly 72 hours, neither a moment less nor a moment more.

    Jonah’s overboard adventure is the next occasion of the expression “three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17). The occasions of Jonah’s ordeal and the ordeal of our Lord in his Special Temptation can hardly be separated since Jesus joined them together (Matthew 12:40).

This need not mean seventy-two hours, since any part of a day or night can be considered a whole according to OT reckoning. A total of forty-nine hours would be adequate to meet a literal interpretation of the expression. …If Christ was buried before sundown on Friday (as is traditionally held) and arose before sunup Sunday morning, then a literal rendering of the “three days and three nights” (i.e., seventy-two hours) was not intended. (Wycliffe)

The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary likewise notes the figure of language of the “three days and three nights” for both Jonah and Jesus Christ: “Probably, like the antitype Christ, Jonah was cast forth on the land on the third day (Matt 12:40); the Hebrew counting the first and third parts of days as whole 24 hour days.”

    The third occurrence of the phrase “three days and three nights” comes from the lips of our Lord (Matthew 12:40). Most commentators agree that Jesus Christ was not in the tomb literally for 72 hours: “It will be seen in the account of the resurrection of Christ that he was in the grave but two nights and a part of three days” (Barnes).

Jesus arose early on the first day of the week; he was buried shortly before sunset on Friday, and at sunset the Sabbath began. His body lay in the tomb a small part of Friday, all day Saturday, and about ten or eleven hours on Sunday. This corresponds with the seven times’ repeated statement that he would or did rise “on the third day,” which could not possibly mean after seventy-two hours. The phrase, “after three days,” naturally denoted for Jews, Greeks, and Romans a whole day and any part of a first and third, thus agreeing with the phrase, “on the third day.” The “three days and three nights” (Matt. 12:40) need not, according to Jewish usage, mean more than what is here designated. All these expressions can be reconciled with the phrase “on the third day,” and with all the facts as recorded, but the phrase “on the third day” cannot mean after seventy-two hours. (Boles)

    Some commentators argue for a strictly literal interpretation of our Lord’s reference to and enactment of his burial for 72 hours. “Those holding to the traditional Friday crucifixion explain the time here as idiomatic for parts of three days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). Those holding to Wednesday crucifixion explain the reference literally as denoting seventy-two hours, from sundown Wednesday to sundown Saturday (e.g., W. G. Scroggie, Guide to the Gospels, pp. 569-577)” (Wycliffe). James Burton Coffman quotes from scholarly Bible students who attempt to make opposing cases from Scripture as to whether Jesus were crucified on Friday (making the three days and three nights an idiom) or whether Jesus Christ were crucified on Wednesday/Thursday (making the three days and three nights in the tomb literal).

    An occurrence of a similar expression occurs in Esther 4:16: “three days, night or day.” Two verses after Esther 4:16 in Esther 5:1, it is apparent that Esther concluded her fast on the third day, which was a part of the “three days, night or day” of 4:16. Regarding the statement of Jesus in Matthew 12:40 about “three days and three nights,” the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary connects all of the expressions we have entertained thus far. “The period during which He was to lie in the grave is here expressed in round numbers, according to the Jewish way of speaking, which was to regard any part of a day, however small, included within a period of days, as a full day. (See 1 Sam 30:12-13; Est 4:16; 5:1; Matt 27:63-64; etc.).”

    The conclusion, then, is that the phrase “three days and three nights” is a figure of speech, an idiom. The reference depicts a specified period of time. However, a literal 72 hours is neither required nor meant. To be dogmatic about 72 hours respecting the “three days and three nights” is a symptom of deficient biblical interpretation. On the other hand, parts of three days are definitely conveyed by the expression.

    Let’s look at the phrase “forty days and forty nights” more closely. In each of the instances where the phrase “forty days and forty nights” appears in Scripture, are 960 hours (no more and no less) meant? There are five occasions in several passages where the phrase “forty days and forty nights” appears. Did the rain fall for exactly 960 hours in the flood of Noah’s day (neither a moment more or less) (Genesis 7:4, 12)? Each of the two occasions on which Moses ascended Mt. Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments, did Moses fast exactly 960 hours (neither a moment more or less) (Exodus 24:18; 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9, 11, 18, 25; 10:10)? Did Elijah fast exactly 960 hours (neither a moment more or less) (1 Kings 19:8)? Was our Lord subject to his Special Temptation (versus ongoing temptation, Luke 4:13) exactly 960 hours (neither a moment more or less) (Matthew 12:40)?

    Notice these interesting comparisons between Moses, Elijah and Jesus Christ respecting the “forty days and forty nights” of fasting. “It is remarkable that Moses, the great lawgiver of the Jews, previously to his receiving the law from God, fasted forty days in the mount; that Elijah, the chief of the prophets, fasted also forty days; and that Christ, the giver of the New Covenant, should act in the same way” (Clarke). “‘A forty days’ fast was accomplished by Moses (Ex 34:28; Deut 9:18), and by Elijah (I Kings 19:8), and it is a significant fact in this connection that these two men appeared with Christ at his transfiguration (Matt 17:3)” (McGarvey and Pendleton).

    There is no reason to dogmatically suppose that the “forty days and forty nights” was any more literal that the “three days and three nights.” The reference depicts a specified period of time. However, a literal 960 hours is neither required nor meant. The conclusion, then, is that the phrase “forty days and forty nights” is a figure of speech, an idiom.

    In conclusion, proper understanding of the phrases “three days and three nights” and “forty days and forty nights” is one of several important principles of biblical interpretation. It is important in biblical interpretation not to either make too much of or too little of biblical language. We must endeavor to understand precisely the message that the Bible conveys. Part of understanding the Bible correctly is correctly handling figures of speech like idioms.

    Of course, it is important to understand the Bible properly, since the Bible is God’s communication to mankind, a part of which message is the divine plan of salvation. Jesus’ words about salvation are recorded in Mark 16:16. When Christians sin (and they do), they also need forgiveness of their sins, and the apostles Peter and John addressed this sin problem, too (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9).

Works Cited

Barnes, Albert. Barnes’ Notes. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 1997.

Boles, H. Leo. A Commentary on the Gospel According to Luke. Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 1991. CD-ROM. Austin: Wordsearch, 2005.

Clarke, Adam. Adam Clarke’s Commentary. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 1996.

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 1997.

McGarvey, J.W. and Philip Y. Pendleton. The Four-Fold Gospel. Cincinnati: Standard Publishing, 1914. CD-ROM. Austin: Wordsearch, 2004.

Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. CD-ROM. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 1993.

Wycliffe Bible Commentary. CD-ROM. Chicago: Moody P., 1962.