We Are Brethren
Joe R. Price

How long was the body of Jesus in the grave? The skeptic is quick to say there is a contradiction in the Scriptures over the time Jesus said He would be in the tomb and the actual length he was there. When one considers the evidence, this allegation cannot be scripturally or logically sustained. 

      Jesus said He would be in the grave three days and three nights: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40). But, Mark records Jesus saying He would rise again “after three days” (Mk. 8:31). This is where the skeptic thinks he proves his case.

      Jesus died and was buried on Friday before the Sabbath (Lk. 23:53-56). Jesus rose from the death on the first day of the week, on which day two disciples said “today is the third day since these things happened” (Lk. 24:1, 7, 21). Parts of three days are under discussion.

      Peter said Jesus was raised from the dead “on the third day” (Acts 10:40). Paul said, “that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:4). Is it a conspiracy?  Did Jesus and the apostles conspire to deceive? No, they did not.

      Historically, the Jewish reckoning of time has been quite liberal. They counted any portion of a day as a day itself. The following from Eric Lyons, M. Min., is helpful on this point:

"In the first century, any part of a day could be computed for the whole day and the night following it (cf. Lightfoot, 1979, pp. 210-211). The Jerusalem Talmud quotes rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah, who lived around A.D. 100, as saying: “A day and night are an Onah [‘a portion of time’] and the portion of an Onah is as the whole of it” (from Jerusalem Talmud: Shabbath ix. 3, as quoted in Hoehner, 1974, pp. 248-249, bracketed comment in orig.).” Azariah indicated that a portion of a twenty-four hour period could be considered the same “as the whole of it.” (Reasoning About the Resurrection of Christ, Eric Lyons, M. Min, Apologetics Press)

      We are not unfamiliar with this way of speaking of time. For example, a man says, “I worked all day” when in fact he only worked a 10-hour shift. Similarly, the expression “three days and three nights” in the Bible can properly include portions of three days without meaning the entire 72-hour period.

      Furthermore, the Bible confirms this to be a common way of counting time.

      In Genesis 7:12 the rain of the flood was on the earth “forty days and forty nights,” while verse 17 merely says, “the flood was on the earth forty days.” The one expression is equivalent to the other.

      A Biblical parallel to the length of time the body of Jesus was in the tomb is found in 2 Chronicles 10:5 and 12. Here, when Jeroboam and all Israel petitioned King Rehoboam to lighten their load, the king said, “Come back to me after three days” (10:5). Verse 12 then observes, “Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had directed, saying, "Come back to me the third day.” When they came back “on” the third day it was “as the king had directed.” So, “on” the third day (v. 12) is equivalent to “after” the third day (v. 5). Because we might not speak of it that way today does not preclude the fact that Scripture so speaks of it, confirming the point that a portion of a day was spoken of as a day itself. 

      In Jewish reckoning of time, any portion of a day could be regarded as a day. Thus there is no contradiction between Jesus’ predicted length of His burial and the actual event. In truth, the accuracy is confirmed.

Reprint
The Spirit's Sword (VII:40) Mar. 14, 2004

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS

1. God asked Adam where he was, Gen. 3:9.
2. We need to ask ourselves the same question concerning our spiritual condition.

I. ARE YOU HERE? (Without God)

Ø Sin, 1 Jno. 3:4; 5:17; Jas. 4:17; Rom. 3:23 (10-18)
Ø Separation, Gen. 2:17; Isa. 59:1-2
Ø Sentence, Rom. 6:23; 2:8-9; 2 Ths. 1:8-9

II. ARE YOU HERE? (With God)

Ø Peace, Col. 1:19-22; Eph. 2:14-18
Ø Forgiveness, Eph. 1:7; Acts 2:36-41
Ø Abundant life, Jno. 10:10-11; 14:6; Eph. 2:5-7
Ø Eternal life, Rom. 6:22-23

III. ARE YOU HERE? (In Christ)

Ø Baptized are saved, Mk. 16:15-16; 1 Pet. 3:21; Rom. 6:3
Ø Those who repent and are baptized are forgiven, Acts 2:38
Ø Abundant life in Christ
o Is sin still ruling you? Rom. 6:8-14
o Live by faith, Gal. 2:20; Heb. 10:36-39

IV. ARE YOU LOST OR SAVED?

Ø Lost and without Christ?
o HEAR the gospel, Rom. 10:17
o BELIEVE in Christ, Jno. 8:24; Heb. 11:6
o CONFESS faith, Mt. 10:32; Ro. 10:9-10
o REPENT of sins, Lk. 13:3, 5; Acts 17:30
o BAPTIZED, Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21

Ø Saved and in Christ?
o LIVE faithfully, Rom. 12:1-2
      -Overtaken by sin? Repent and Acts 8:20-24

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By the Grace of God (2)

1. Grace and meritorious works do not coexist, Rom. 11:5-6.
2. But, grace and works of faith do coexist, Titus 2:11-12; Gal. 5:6 (4).
3. Christians stand in and rejoice in the true grace of God, Lk. 17:9-10.

-Review Part 1-

I. BY THE GRACE OF GOD...

  A. Sinners are Saved, Eph. 2:1, 4-7, 8-9.
  B. We are Justified, Rom. 3:24 (Tit. 3:7); 5:1.
  C. We are Accepted in the Beloved, Eph. 1:6.
  D. I Am What I Am, 1 Cor. 15:10.

-Part 2-

II. NOT BY THE GRACE OF GOD.

  A. Grace does not make it Impossible for Christians to Sin and Fall Away, Gal. 5:3-7; 1:6-9; Jas. 5:19-20; 1 Cor. 10:11-13.
    1. Grace is greater than sin, but it does not prevent Christians from choosing sin and losing our souls, Jas. 5:19-20.
    2. Trusting God’s grace is not ignoring sin, 1 Cor. 10:11-13.
  B. Grace does not Turn Sin into Righteousness, Rom. 6:1-2, 11-14; Gal. 2:18, 20-21.
  C. Grace does not Sanction Fellowship with Sin or with those who Condone those who Practice Sin, Heb. 13:9; 2 Jno. 9-11.

Conclusion

1.  God's grace does not and will not save you in spite of your sins.
2.  God's grace has appeared and offers salvation to every sinner.
3.  The gospel of the grace of God calls the lost to salvation by grace through faith, commanding a willing faith that obeys the Master, Heb. 5:8-9.

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Last week we told you about the cheerleaders at Piedmont Hills High School in San Jose, CA being told they cannot wear their cheerleading outfits to school because they violate the school’s miniskirt ban. They were still allowed to wear their uniforms at the football games - just not to class.

Now, a compromise has been reached. Cheerleaders can wear their uniform tops with jeans. Or, they can wear bike shorts underneath (the Spandex solution!).

This is really no solution at all. The problem remains; the uniforms are immodest. Wearing skin-tight shorts under them does not solve that problem. Neither does saying the outfit is a sports uniform and therefore is suitable to wear at football games but not in class.

Immodest clothing is not defined by the activity in which one is engaged. It is defined by the shameful exposure and display of the body (1 Tim. 2:9-10; Exo. 28:42; Isa. 47:2-3). Sporting events do not change immodest clothing into modest attire!

Skin tight clothing is immodest and draws eyes to one’s body. Jesus warned against looking upon a woman with lust (Matt. 5:28). Job made a covenant with his eyes not to do so (Job 31:1). Every woman should know that her clothing can draw a man’s eyes to her in a lustful way. Frankly, it is the partially exposed female anatomy that gets the man’s attention. Spandex (skin tight clothing) is an example. It reveals the form of the body rather than conceal it. Tight clothing shows a lack of attention to shamefastness (a sense of shame that is rooted in one’s character, 1 Tim. 2:9). Women must understand that skin tight clothing is not modest. If Spandex tights are worn they should be adequately covered so that one’s nakedness (exposure of waist to thighs, inclusive, Exo. 28:42; Isa. 47:2-3) is not seen.

Spandex shorts or leggings that reveal the form of the thigh are not modest; they are a compromise with sin.

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The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
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