The Sign of Jonah

After Yahushua had performed many miracles, he was confronted by the scribes and Pharisees, who were demanding proof, if he was the Messiah...

Matthew 12:38 - Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, "Rabbi, we would see a sign from thee."

Luke 11:29 - And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, "This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet."

Matthew 12:40 - "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

Yahushua said that the only sign that he would give was the sign of Jonah the prophet. As most students of the scriptures know, Christianity for the most part, teaches that he died on friday afternoon, and arose on sunday morning. It isn't difficult to see ..... that is not three days and three nights! In fact, we will follow the events as shown in the scriptures (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), and show that Yahushua was indeed in the tomb for three days and three nights.

We will pick up the story when Yahushua was on the stake...

Mark 15:42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 - Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of Elohim, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and demanded the body of Yahushua.

The Sabbath being talked about here, is the first high day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread...

Leviticus 23:5-7 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is YHWH's passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto YHWH: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have a set-apart gathering: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Continuing on with events of Yahushua's death and resurrection...

John 19:14 (ISR) - And it was the Preparation Day of the Passover week, and about the sixth hour. And he [Pilate] said to the Yehudim, "See your Sovereign!" [king]

John 19:31 - The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the stake on the Sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

John 19:41 - Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. 42 - There laid they Yahushua therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

Again, this was the preparation day (Abib 14) for the High Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread called Passover Day (See Leviticus 23:5). 

Mark 16:1 - And when the Sabbath was past, Miriam Magdalene, and Miriam the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

The women bought spices after the Sabbath (the High Day, which was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread). Let's now turn to the account in Luke...

Luke 23:56 - And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.

Notice how the women prepared the spices before the Sabbath day (Luke 23:56), which they had already bought after the Sabbath day (Mark 16:1). It appears that Yahushua must have been in the tomb for two sabbath days (A High Day and a weekly Sabbath). 

Matthew 28:1 - In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Miriam Magdalene and the other Miriam to see the sepulchre.

There is a scripture that seems to place doubt concerning the three days and three nights issue. After Yahushua had risen from the dead (in Luke 24:13-21), he spoke with two of his followers as they were walking on the road to Emmaus (they did not know that it was Yahushua). In verse 21 (according to the Greek translation) the men are explaining to Yahushua the events that had taken place:

Luke 24:21 KJV But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

According to this account, Yahushua had risen before the third day was completed, making the three days and three nights scenario impossible! However, according to the Aramaic Peshitta text, Luke 24:21 reads as follows...

Luke 24:21 Peshitta And we were hoping that he was about to save Israel: and behold, three days have passed since all these things occurred.

Below is an excerpt from Appendix 144 of the "Companion Bible" entitled, "Three days and Three nights"...

144- THE "THREE DAYS" AND "THREE NIGHTS" OF MATT. 12:40...

The fact that "three days" is used by Hebrew idiom for any part of three days and three nights is not dis-puted; because that was the common way of reckoning, just as it was when used of years. Three or any number of years was used inclusively of any part of those years, as may be seen in the reckoning of the reigns of any of the kings of Israel and Judah.
But, when the number of "nights" is stated as well as the number of "days", then the expression ceases to be an idiom, and becomes a literal statement of fact.

Hence, when it says that "Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights" (Jonah 1. 17) it means exactly what it says, and that this can be the only meaning of the expression in Matt. 12:40; 16:4. Luke 11:30, is shown in Appendix 156.

So, to summarize: Yahushua was laid in the tomb before the High Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. On the day after the High Day, the women bought spices and prepared them before the weekly Sabbath. Yahushua arose from the dead after 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb. I am thankful to our Heavenly Father, that He has provided us the tools we need to not be deceived!  Thank You Abba!!

Study by YermeYah