More on three days...

After Three Days

Another difficult phrase that generates a lot of discussion is found in Mark 8:31

“And he [Jesus] began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”

Reading through the Bible, one will come across 7 other references that contain the phrase “after three days.”  Of these, two are very helpful in establishing the time frame.  2Chron10:5 and Matt27:63.  In 2Chron10:5 the king asks the people to return after three days.  In 2 Chron10:12 the people return and here is how the passages read…

5 “And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.”
12 “So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.”

In Matthew 27 the religious leaders make a request to secure the tomb…

63  Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day,…

From these passages, it appears that “after three days” is the same as on the third day.  It is not the second day or the forth day. 

The Third Day

Which day is the third day?  It is pretty clear that the third is one part of three.  Here are two references to demonstrate this.

1 Samuel 20:12  And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;

Luke 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

“Three day and three nights,” “after three days,” and “the third day” all point to the same time period.  It is a time period that starts on day one and ends on day three.