Memory Verse Day 4: Time in the Tomb

This is the next part of the creed that we started yesterday.  In this next verse, we find out, of course, that Jesus was buried and then raised on the third day.

The whole "three days" thing has caused some needless confusion – if Jesus died on Friday, and was raised on Sunday, how can the Bible talk about "3 days and 3 nights" (Matthew 12:40)?  Is this the "new math"?!

So there have been some fancy explanations about how Jesus could have actually died on Wednesday – that way we actually would have 3 days and 3 nights.

But the fancy explanations are not really necessary.  In Bible times, three days and three nights was simply an expression meaning parts of three days.  So with parts of Friday, Saturday and Sunday we have parts of three days.  No problem.

Actually, this verse makes it even clearer – He was raised on the third day – Friday being the first, Saturday being the second, and Sunday being the third.

And ever since then, we’ve celebrated on Sundays the resurrection of our Lord.

Once again, it’s in accordance with the Scriptures.  As a family, we just read about one of the apostles talking about one Old Testament passage that hinted at the resurrection.  It’s Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 – right after the Holy Spirit came to the Church.  Let’s finish with his take on it, from Acts 2:24-32:

God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

For David says concerning him,"I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.  For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.  You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence."

Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.  Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.