three days and three nights

many critics of the bible would point out its supposed conflictions. one of these is whether jesus was really in the grave for three days and three nights as was prophesied. it is commonly accepted that jesus was crucified on friday, the day before the sabbath, and was raised from the dead early sunday morning. this however seems to conflict with the three days and three nights prophecy as this is only two nights and barely two days.

however during passover whatever day the first day of passover falls on is also a sabbath (jews had more than one sabbath) and in that year the passover sabbath fell on thursday. so this means that if jesus was indeed crucified on the sabbath, he would have been crucified on wednesday. and three days and three nights from that was sunday, the day he was raised from the dead.

this one misunderstanding could have negated the entire resurrection story. if everyone had carried their presuppositions and preunderstandings with them when they read this passage they would have be forced to conclude the bible was not in corroboration with itself. this emphasizes the need to come to study scripture with a clear head and no pre-influences.