Good Friday
- Thread starter rstrats
- Start date
Interesting question. I think we can say that it is known with certainty from Scripture, as there was a need to place Jesus in the tomb before the Sabbath, which begins at sundown on Friday.
There's no reason to challenge it, and every reason to believe it.
There's no reason to challenge it, and every reason to believe it.
Since you didn't say, should I assume that it is not an official position?
But let me ask about your comment; how do you account for the lack of the third night that the Messiah prophesied?
Can you cite the Scripture verse concerning this?
The fact that Scripture says Jesus had to be buried before the Sabbath leaves no other conclusion but that He was indeed cruficied and died on Friday. Given this, I don't think the Church has to have some kind of official magisterial teaching on the matter. Scripture is sufficient to establish it.
Matthew 12:40 - 40 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.
po18guy
Well-known member
The Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu (cock crow) has a subterranean dungeon where Christ was apparently kept the night of his arrest at Gethsemane. Since he was in the bowels of the earth there Thursday, then Friday evening and Saturday evening, it accounts for the three days and nights.
Church of St Peter in Gallicantu « See The Holy Land
www.seetheholyland.net
The Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu (cock crow) has a subterranean dungeon where Christ was apparently kept the night of his arrest at Gethsemane. Since he was in the bowels of the earth there Thursday, then Friday evening and Saturday evening, it accounts for the three days and nights.
Church of St Peter in Gallicantu « See The Holy Land
So, that would be Thursday night, Thursday day, Friday night, Friday day, Saturday night, Saturday day, Sunday night, and maybe a portion of Sunday day. That would be four nights and not three. Plus, four calendar days would be involved.
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So then you have the Bible apparently contradicting itself, which could owe to mistranslation, because God does not lie.
There is this from Haydock's commentary:
In the whale's belly.[4] The word signifies a great fish, and was not perhaps that which we commonly call a whale. In the prophet Jonas, it is called, a great fish. --- Three days and three nights; not three whole days and three nights, but part of three natural days, from which, in common computation, the nights used not to be separated. We have an instance of this, Esther iv. 16, where the Jews were ordered to fast with her three days, and three nights: and yet (Chap. v, ver. 1) Esther, after part of three days, went to the king. --- In the heart of the earth: by which is signified, Christ's descent into hell; as St. Paul says (Ephesians iv. 9.) that he descended into the inferior parts of the earth, and this cannot be understood of the grave only. (Witham) --- Jesus Christ expired on the cross about the ninth hour, or 3 p.m. when the general and supernatural darkness that covered the earth, may be counted for the first night, and the light which again appeared, for the term of the first day. (Bible de Vence) --- As Jonas was a sign to the Ninivites, so is Christ to the Jews; for as he by the prodigy of remaining so long in the fish's belly, and afterwards coming forth alive, gave such authority to his preaching, that the Ninivites were converted; so Christ, by his death and resurrection on the third day, shall shew that he is the true Christ, and this generation shall acknowledge him for the Messias. (Menochius)
po18guy
Well-known member
We see the problem of reading 2,000 year old scripture with 21st century eyes. Bible alone does not and cannot explain this.
In ancient Israel, any portion of a day was counted as a day. So,
Any portion of Friday, Saturday and Sunday = three days in the earth.
Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday night = three nights in the earth.
Are you Seventh Day Adventist or Seventh Day Baptist?
In addition to ignoring my post after you quoted it, you left out Thursday daytime and Sunday night time in your comment.
And no, I'm neither SDA nor SDB.
I am a little confused here.
Friday, Christ is dead. Day one that Christ is dead.
Saturday, Christ is still dead. Day two that Christ is dead.
Sunday, Christ rose...but was dead for part of that day. Since any given part of the day was considered the day...Day three that Christ is dead.
We have 3 days of Christ being dead. Just as was prophesied. What is the issue?
The Messiah said that 3 nights would be involved with His time in the heart of the earth. There is no 3rd night involved with a Friday afternoon death/Sunday resurrection.
We also run into a problem with the 'heart of the earth' as well.
Unless we are to believe Christ was somewhere within the core of the Earth...
So I've heard.
One possibility, just to throw it out there, perhaps He bilocated, and for whatever reason, stayed in the bosom of Abraham an extra night, for reasons we are not privy to know. Keep in mind that the Eucharist is an extreme case of bilocation (or, to be more precise, multi-location). It happens every hour of every day all over the face of the earth.
po18guy
Well-known member
I am sorry that you arrived here confused, have only managed to confuse others and remain confused yourself. .
Please explain what is incorrect about that quote.
To what mistranslation are you referring?
What is a natural day?
I don't understand what that means.
To what mistranslation are you referring?
What is a natural day?
I don't understand what that means.
Actually, most translations say "three days, night or day" which is not necessarily the same as "three days and three nights".
Nothing in that timeframe prevents at least a portion of three daytimes, and at least a portion of three night times.
He was still alive on the cross during the 3 hours of darkness.