Why Did Jesus Wait 3 Days To Rise

Why Did Jesus Wait Three Days to Rise from the Dead?

You are here: Home/Redeeming Theology/Why Did Jesus Wait Three Days to Rise from the Dead? Why Did Jesus Wait Three Days to Rise from the Dead? This may seem like an inconsequential topic, but why did Jesus have to wait three days before rising from the dead? By this I mean that when He died, He had totally atoned for all the sins of the entire human race. He could have risen right then and then, jumped down from the cross, brushed himself off and called it a day. But why didn’t He simply do it?

Fine.

Why not cover yourself in burial clothing and rise at some point during the first night?

To prove He was dead

Home/Redeeming Theology/Why Did Jesus Wait Three Days to Rise from the Dead? You are here: Home > Redeeming Theology > Why Did Jesus Wait Three Days to Rise from the Dead? Why did Jesus have to wait three days before rising from the dead? Perhaps this is a silly question. By this I mean that when He died, He had totally atoned for all the sins of the entire world’s population. He could have risen right then and then, jumped down from the cross, brushed himself off and called it a day. But why didn’t He just do that?

Fine.

Why not cover yourself in burial clothing and rise at some point during the first night?

To fulfill prophecy

It has been suggested that Jesus needed to spend three days in the grave in order to fulfill prophesy. Which prophesy are we talking about? a sign from Jonah, who spent three days in the belly of a massive fish (cf. Matt 12:39-40). However, we must proceed with caution since the narrative of Jonah is not actually a prophecy in the traditional sense. No doubt, Jesus foretold that He would be dead for three days, just as Jonah was imprisoned in the fish for three days, but if Jesus had never stated anything like this, there would have been no such thing as a prophesy about spending three days in the grave.

Why couldn’t Jesus have made a connection between His death and the creation of the world, and spoken a prophecy along the lines of “Just as the world was created in six days, and on the sixth day, Adam was raised from the dust of the earth, so also, after six days, the Son of Man will rise from the dust” (Genesis 1:26-27)?

What was it about the narrative of Jonah that drew His attention?

To increase faith

Another probable explanation is that Jesus wished to boost the trust of His disciples by this event. They were forced to examine why they had followed Him and if He was indeed the Messiah as a result of His failure to revive immediately. Their sadness at having lost Him, as well as the issues of what would have occurred if they had not followed Him, or if they had defended Him more vigorously, or whether they had just been tricked, were all difficult to deal with. Through his decision to wait three days, Jesus gave them the opportunity to work through some of their difficulties and questions.

However, this begs the question once again. It is reasonable to assume that three days will accomplish this; yet, why not seven, twelve, or forty days, all of which are major biblical numbers?

Could not rise during the Sabbath

As resurrection is seen to constitute labour, it may be claimed that Jesus could not rise on the Sabbath, but instead had to wait until the Sabbath was finished. This is an argument that does have some validity. However, Jesus was constantly engaging in activities on the Sabbath that were frowned upon by other Jewish people, like healing on the Sabbath. As a result, it appears He may have been reared on the Sabbath as well.

Acting as our High Priest

Perhaps Jesus was occupied with “doing something” in paradise, hell, and heaven at the same time. Typical High Priestly duties include things such as sprinkling blood on the altar in heaven, victorious victories over sin, death, and the devil, and preaching to spirits in prison, among other things (Hebrews 9; 1 Pet 3:19). This is something that I believe is possible. It just does not explain why these tasks took three days to do.

It doesn’t matter

Maybe it doesn’t make a difference. Perhaps everything happened at random. Perhaps Jesus chose a number out of thin air and chose Jonah as a method of making a prophesy about it in order to demonstrate that He could anticipate the future, which would then demonstrate that He was a prophet of God when the prophecy came true. The number of days spent in the grave, on the other hand, is meaningless. It just so happens to be the one that Jesus choose. All I can say is that I’m having trouble with this since the biblical authors seem to lay so much emphasis on Jesus’ three days in the grave.

But that’s all right since.

The important thing is that Jesus rose

Couldn’t care less, could it? Perhaps everything was a coincidence. Possibly, Jesus randomly selected a number and chose Jonah as a means of making a prophesy about it in order to demonstrate that He could anticipate the future, which would then demonstrate that He was a prophet of God when the prophecy came true. It is not important how long someone has been dead. The fact is that Jesus selected this particular path. That being said, I’m having some difficulty with this because the biblical authors seem to lay so much stress on Jesus’ three days in the grave.

Yet this is not a major problem because.

The cross of Jesus is CENTRAL to everything!

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What was the significance of Jesus being dead for three days?

QuestionAnswer There are a variety of reasons why it is noteworthy that Jesus was dead for three days prior to His resurrection. First and foremost, Jesus’ opponents were convinced that He had genuinely risen from the grave after three days of death because of his resurrection after three days of death. Why? Jewish tradition holds that the soul or spirit of a person remains with his or her dead body for three days after death. After three days, the soul/spirit was no longer with us. If Jesus’ resurrection had taken place on the same day, or even the following day, it would have been much simpler for His opponents to claim that He had never actually died in the first place.

The fulfillment of biblical prophecy was a second reason why it was necessary for Jesus to be dead for three days before rising again.

Some interpret Hosea 6:1–3 as a prophesy of the Messiah’s resurrection after three days, saying, “Come, let us return to the LORD.

He will resurrect us after two days, and on the third day, he will restore us so that we may live in the presence of the Lord.

It is certain that he will arrive, just as certain as the sun will rise; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring showers that water the ground.” These three days were crucial in other ways as well, according to the text Paul alludes to in 1 Corinthians 15:4 when he says that Jesus “was risen on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Jesus died on a Friday, Nisan 14, the day of the Passover lamb’s sacrifice, marking the end of the Jewish year.

His death reflects the death of a flawless, immaculate sacrifice made on our behalf by the Father in heaven.

Hence the importance of Jesus being dead for three days prior to His resurrection, as explained in the Gospel of John.

(2) Because Jesus Himself said that it would take three days.

The Bible does not specify exactly why three days were required between Jesus’ death and resurrection, except from these two reasons. Questions regarding Jesus Christ (return to top of page) The fact that Jesus had been dead for three days had a significant meaning.

Why did Christ have to wait three days to rise from the dead?

This post is also accessible in the following languages: (Arabic) Français(French) हिन्दी(Hindi) Español(Spanish) Jesus provides us with the explanation for why He remained in the tomb for three days. When the Pharisees and Sadducees insisted that Jesus demonstrate that He came from God, Jesus refused (Matthew 16:1-4; Mark 8:10-13). ‘A corrupt and adulterous age looks seeking a sign,’ Jesus responded. “And no sign will be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah’ (Matthew 16:4). The sign of Jonah was given to them by Jesus.

” (Matthew 12:40).
The answer is that if it were shorter, people would be able to say that “Jesus simply passed out.” God demonstrated to the world that Jesus was genuinely dead by allowing him to remain in the tomb for three days.
The decomposition of the body begins as soon as you die, but it takes many days until the rot is severe enough to cause death.
As for Jesus, one of the prophesies regarding Him said that God would not allow Him to witness corruption: “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to view corruption” (Psalm 16:10).
Three days is more than enough time to establish that Jesus was actually dead, yet it is not nearly enough time to prevent serious decomposition.
This post is also accessible in the following languages: (Arabic) Français(French)हिन्दी(Hindi)Español(Spanish)

Is there significance to Jesus being dead for three days?

After a few months of mentoring, one of my students comes up with some tasty treats! Specifically, he has inquired, “What is important about the three days that Christ was crucified, buried, and risen?” Is it significant that there are three days, rather than two or four, in the week?

Bible Answer:

In what way does Jesus being dead for three days and nights have any meaning for us? Although Scripture never directly addresses the issue, the following three observations may be helpful. Visit “Did Jesus fulfill the sign of Jonah? — Three Days and Three Nights” for a discussion on the significance of the phrase “three days and three nights.”

Jewish Burial Practices

According to the Talmud (about eighth century), Jewish burial rituals attempted to guarantee that the deceased were actually dead by keeping them in the tomb for three days. This is perhaps the most significant reason for Christ remaining in the tomb for three days. We walk out to the cemetery and inspect the bodies for a period of three days without fear of being accused of following the practices of the Amorites, as we have in the past. Once, a guy who had been buried was investigated and discovered to be alive; he continued to live for another twenty-five years until passing away.

S’machot 8:1 (S’machot 8:1) This indicates that, according to Jewish tradition, a person was not declared dead until three days had passed following their death.
It is crucial to remember that according to forensic science, rigor mortis (also known as stiffness of death) develops in between 1 and 12 hours after death (with an average of 2–4 hours).
Approximately 36 hours after death, putrefaction of the corpse begins to occur.
The story of Lazarus’ death and resurrection is told in John 11.

In John 11:39, Martha complains about Lazarus being risen from the dead, and Jesus responds with these words: “Remove the stone.” Because he had been dead for four days, Martha, his sister, expressed her concern to Him by saying, “Lord, there will be a stink by this time.” John 11:39 (NIV) (NASB) Her statement suggests that she was aware that putrefaction would have been taking place at the time.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Jesus died before He was laid to rest in the tomb. Consequently, by late Saturday night, the corpse of Jesus would have begun to decompose. His resurrection on the morning of Sunday would have been nothing short of a miracle.

Resurrection On First Day

The resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week heralded the beginning of a new week. In recognition of this, the early church began meeting for worship on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). All of the 10 commandments are repeated in the New Testament, with the exception of the requirement to worship on the seventh day of the week. See the article “Do we have to follow the ten commandments given to us by God in the Old Testament?” for further information.

Conclusion:

Our God desired for us to be aware that a miracle had occurred. When Jesus’ human body began to disintegrate, the miracle of life was performed once more. Jesus made a guarantee that He will rise from the dead on the third day. As everyone, even the Roman troops, was aware that Christ had died on the third day, His resurrection on the fourth day was a great miracle.

References:

190-191 in David H. Stern’s Jewish New Testament Commentary (Jewish New Testament Publications, 1992), which is a must-read. 2. Study.com (www.study.com/academy/lesson/rigor-mortis-definition-timeline-stages.html) 3. The website Explore Forensics (www.exploreforensics.co.uk/the-rate-of-decomposition-in-a-body.html) provides information on the rate of decay in a corpse.

Why does it matter that Jesus was dead for three days?

Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried, and then he rose from the dead three days after his death. In accordance with sabbath regulations, Jesus’ body could not be entirely prepared for burial until the following Sunday after His crucifixion was completed. Some of the ladies who had been close to Him went to His grave on that particular day. “When they entered the tomb, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, but they were unable to locate the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were bewildered about what was going on, two men in brilliant attire appeared alongside them.

He is not present, but has ascended to the heavens.
The fact that Jesus has been dead for three days is a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
When He spent three days in the belly of a whale, he compared himself to the biblical character Jonah (Matthew 12:40).
According to the prophet Hosea (Hosea 6:1–3) in the Old Testament, the Messiah would be risen from the grave in three days (Hosea 6:1–3).
Traditionally, it was believed that a person’s soul would remain with the body for three days after death, after which it would depart.
His resurrection had to be a miracle that they couldn’t argue with or dismiss.
After waiting four days before going to him, He assured him that no one would be able to dispute the miracle (John 11:38–44).

Jesus was killed on the day of Passover, which was a Jewish festival.

Because Pharaoh refused to allow the Israelites to escape Egypt, God brought plagues upon the country.

Moses advised the Israelites that they should sacrifice a lamb and apply the blood on their doorposts in order for the Lord to pass over their dwellings.

When He died, He was offered up as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity, and when He rose from the dead, He became the source of new life for all who put their trust in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17–21).

Many biblical scholars believe that the number three, which is commonly referred to as “God’s number,” represents heavenly perfection or completion.

The fact that He died and rose again is without any reasonable dispute in our minds.

Truths that are related: Was Jesus executed on a Friday or a Saturday?

Is it more necessary to remember Jesus’ death than to remember His resurrection?

What are some of the reasons why I should believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ? What is it about the actuality of Jesus’ physical resurrection that is so important to the Christian faith? Return to the page: The Truth About Jesus Christ.

Why Did Jesus Wait to resurrect Lazarus?

“Why did Jesus wait two days before going to revive Lazarus?” is the topic of this essay, which is a Bible study of John 11:1-44. Review of John 11 and Christ’s interactions with His followers, Martha and Mary are the topics of this chapter. This study also examines what Jesus accomplished by delaying the resurrecting of Lazarus until the end of the week. According to John 11:1-3, a moment near the conclusion of Christ’s earthly mission occurred when Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus informing Him that their brother Lazarus was ailing.

Now, Jesus had a soft spot for Martha, as well as for her sister and Lazarus.
(See also John 11:5–6) Jesus’ affection for Martha, Mary, and Lazarus is explicitly stated in the Scriptures.
But that was not the case.
Instead, because He cared for them, Jesus chose to wait.
Have you ever thought about it and thought it was strange?

Why did Jesus Wait Two Days before going to Lazarus?

It is in John 11:4 that we get our first indication. In response to Lazarus’ illness, Jesus stated that “this sickness is not for the death of Lazarus, but for the glory of God,” in order for Jesus to be exalted as a result of it. This verse demonstrates that Jesus was aware of God’s plan. Lazarus would not die as a result of this sickness. Instead, it would be utilized to exalt Jesus as God’s Son, as was originally intended.

The Second Clue to Why Jesus Waited

The second hint may be found in the book of John 11:17. Jesus only had to wait two days, but by the time He came, Lazarus had already been four days in the grave. As a result, even if Jesus had departed right away, Lazarus would have been dead for two days by the time He arrived.

Jesus waited so His disciples would believe

It is demonstrated in John 11:11-15 that Jesus already knew that Lazarus had died and what He would accomplish as a result. In verse 14, Jesus made it clear to His followers that Lazarus was no longer alive. His words to them in verse 11 were that He was going to awaken Lazarus from his “sleep.” As recorded in John 11:15, Jesus informed them that He was delighted that He was not present to cure Lazarus for their sake, so that they might believe. Jesus had previously performed several miracles, including healing the ill, the lame, the blind, and the demon-possessed.

This was demonstrated by the words of Mary and Martha, who both expressed their gratitude to Him by saying, “Lord, if You had been present, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32).
Jesus said this in John 11:21 and 32.
He was getting closer to the Passover when He would die (John 11:55).
Jesus had resurrected the dead at least twice before to this event throughout his ministry.
In Luke 7:11-15, Jesus interrupts a funeral outside the city of Nain by raising a widow’s only son from the dead, causing the burial to be postponed.
The rising of Lazarus would be different, and it appears that two days was inadequate time to prepare for the event.
This was so exceptional that even Lazarus’ sister Martha expressed her displeasure, despite the fact that Jesus had previously assured Martha that her brother would rise from the dead (John 11:23).
” (John 11:25-26).
And Martha had expressed confidence in Jesus as the Messiah, saying, “Yea, Lord: I believe that Thou am the Christ, the Son of God,” and “I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God” (John 11:27).
Do you believe what I’m saying?

“If you believe, you will see the glory of God,” Jesus told her, recalling what He had spoken earlier (John 11:40).

Jesus raised Lazarus 4-days after he died

Lazarus was summoned out of the tomb by Jesus when He prayed to His Father. Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, then rose from his tomb and went away. After witnessing the majesty of God in Christ’s resurrecting Lazarus from the dead, many people came to believe that Jesus was the Son of God (John 11:41-45). This miracle caused consternation among the chief priests and Pharisees. They were aware that Jesus was doing a large number of signs, and this troubled them greatly. Their greatest fear was that, if they allowed Him to continue, everyone would come to believe in Him.

The resurrection of Lazarus has continued to pull people to Jesus’s side in the years thereafter.

What Did Jesus Waiting Accomplish?

It brought honor and glory to God the Father and Jesus His Son (John 11:41-42)
It revealed that Jesus had authority over death and the tomb (John 11:43-45). As a result, it demonstrated that He truly is the resurrection and the life. (See also John 11:25-26)
It bolstered the faith of His apostles even further. Jesus is capable of more than only preventing the death of the ill. This demonstrated His ability to restore life to the dead
It brought more people to Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God (John 11:45
12:9-11)
And it drew more people to Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God (John 14:6). It prepared people to accept Christ’s resurrection as a result of his death and resurrection. Lazarus was risen from the dead after four days, which sparked the determination of the chief priests and Pharisees to murder Jesus in accordance of the scriptures and God’s plan, which they carried out on the third day. (See also John 11:53).

Application for us Today

When we have a crisis, we want God to intervene as soon as possible. If God takes a long time to act, we may experience disappointment and despair, just as Mary and Martha did. Yet our needs are known to God, and He is concerned about us. Even though we do not comprehend His plan, we must put our faith in Him and trust in Him. Whenever you are tempted to ask God, “Why?” remember this. Just keep in mind that His ideas are greater than our thoughts, and His methods are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).

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Do You Believe He Is Risen From The Dead? Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree? Is Money the Root of All Evil? Do You Believe He Is Risen From The Dead?

The Three Days and the Three Nights – Study Resources

Do You Believe He Is Risen From the Dead? Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree? Is Money the Root of All Evil? Do You Believe He Is Risen From the Dead?

Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree
Is Money the Root of All Evil
Do You Believe
He Is Risen
What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?

Having said that, it should be recognized that the day of the week is not something we can infer from the Bible. The day of the week would have been plainly indicated if God had intended us to know whether it was Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. What we do know is that it took place on Passover, as a model for the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb, and that He rose again on the Feast of First Fruits, as He is the First Fruit of the resurrection, which took place on the Feast of First Fruits. It is OK to possess a personal opinion, but it is not advisable to become dogmatic about it.

Why did Jesus wait for two days after receiving the news of the sick Lazarus?

It is John 11:5–6 that I have found to be one of the most difficult verses in the Bible that I have encountered. Now, Jesus had a soft spot for Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. As a result, when He learned that he was unwell, He decided to spend two more days at the location where He was. – John 11:5–6 (KJV) It was NKJVMary, her sister Martha, and their brother Lazarus of Bethany who lived in a household that was particularly close to Jesus, according to the New Testament. As indicated by the gospels, Jesus also had a positive connection with his parents and siblings.

He whom You love is ill,” and He answered them.
Furthermore, the family was well aware that Jesus cherished them!
Given their intimate friendship with Jesus, they referred to Lazarus in their message to Jesus as “the one whom Jesus loves.” Because of the wonderful relationship that this family had with Jesus, it is clear that they anticipated Jesus to rush to their rescue and heal their ailing brother.
As a result, it is difficult to comprehend why Jesus appears to respond in such a tepid manner when He is informed that Lazarus is unwell.
Or shouldn’t Jesus have uttered the Word from wherever He was and cured Lazarus even though He was a long distance away, just as He had healed the centurion’s servant from a long distance away?
Is it possible that He cured the nobleman’s son in the same way?
Is it possible that Jesus did not love Lazarus sufficiently?

Were there any indications that Jesus purposefully delayed returning to cure Lazarus in order to execute the bigger miracle of reviving a dead Lazarus?

Or was Jesus terrified of the Jews, as some have speculated?

And He moved away again, this time beyond the Jordan to the spot where John had been baptizing at the time, and He remained there.

These events took place at Bethabara, a town located beyond the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

Is it possible that Jesus purposefully allowed Lazarus to die when He had the ability to save him?

When the news of Lazarus’ illness reached Jesus, he was in a location known as Bethabara, which was beyond the Jordan River.

After receiving the news, Jesus remained for an additional two days before going home. By the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, he had been informed that Lazarus had died four days prior. Let’s go over the sequence of events in a systematic manner, albeit backwards.

It had been four days after Lazarus died. -Jesus travels the one-day distance from Bethabara to Bethany, which is approximately 20 miles, and raises Lazarus on the third day after Lazarus’ death. -Jesus spends the second of two days in Bethabara
It is the second day since Lazarus died. -Jesus spends the first of two days in Bethabara
It is the first day since Lazarus died. Lazarus is unwell, and Jesus receives word of this from his disciples. It takes at least one day for messengers to travel the approximately 20-mile distance and locate Jesus
This is the day Lazarus died. – Messengers are dispatched to find Jesus in order to inform Him of Lazarus’ illness. Lazarus is certain to die shortly after they go, and he is buried the next day.

Lazarus’ death has marked the fourth day after he passed away. It has been three days after Lazarus died, and Jesus has traveled the one-day distance of approximately 20 miles from Bethabara to Bethany. In Bethabara, Jesus spends his second day of two, marking the second day following Lazarus’ death. After spending the first of two days at Bethabara, and the first day since Lazarus’ death, Jesus returns to Nazareth for the second. Lazarus is unwell, and Jesus is informed about it. A minimum of one day is required for messengers to travel the approximately 20-mile distance and locate Jesus; this is the same day that Lazarus died.

After they have left, it is likely that Lazarus will die and will be buried the same day;

Why did Jesus delay four days in going to the tomb of Lazarus?

1 – To demonstrate that Lazarus was no longer alive Some suggest that the time was influenced by the notion that the soul stayed around the body for three days following death: According to common Jewish belief, a condition of death that lasted longer than three days signified the complete annihilation of life. At this point, the face cannot be identified with certainty; the body bursts; and the soul, which had been hovering over the body until this point, separates from it and leaves the body.

‘Lord, I’m sure there will be an odor by now,’ Martha, the deceased man’s sister, informed him.
(See also John 11:39) In the process of decomposing a human body, there are four stages: autolysis, bloat, active decay, and skeletonization.
As soon as blood circulation and breathing are interrupted, the body is deprived of its ability to get oxygen and eliminate wastes.
The enzymes released by the membranes begin to consume the cells from the inside out, causing them to die.
Additionally, skin darkening is caused by the sulfur-containing chemicals that are released by the bacteria.
In addition, there may be insect activity occurring at times.
These scents frequently serve as a warning to others that a person has died, and they can persist for hours or days after a corpse has been removed.

Martha expresses what everyone already knows: Lazarus has been dead for a long enough period of time for the regular decaying process to begin producing the gases that are characteristic of a decomposing body.

2 – To Demonstrate the Method of Counting Days John makes two remarks on the passage of time.

Second, Martha informs Jesus that Lazarus has been dead for four days when he comes.

For distinct episodes, the total duration is six days; for concurrent episodes, the minimum duration is four days: Separate = a total of six days Total number of days for concurrent = 4 days.

Implies It takes four days to go to Bethany.

I believe the key to determining the day of Lazarus’ death is found in a remark made by both Martha and Mary: “Lord, if you had been present, my brother would not have died,” Martha expressed her gratitude to Jesus.

” (11:32) The most straightforward approach to comprehend their reaction is to read the words literally: Lazarus died virtually as soon as Martha and Mary delivered their word to the dead man’s family.

They have a tremendous deal of faith.

They are aware that the blind man did not acquire his sight when Jesus touched him, but rather when he washed his hands.

They understand that all they needed to do was inform Jesus of Lazarus’ condition, and he would recover.

Their word did not reach Lazarus in time, and he perished as a result.

They are only expressing the obvious.

Sadly, in this situation, Lazarus passed away and was entombed on the same day that the telegram was sent out.

Day 1: Martha and Mary send a messenger to deliver their message (who reaches Jesus later on this day) Day 1: Lazarus dies and is laid to rest in the tomb of Jesus.

He then said to his followers, “Let us go back to Judea,” which they agreed to do.

Anyone walking during the day will not trip or fall because he will be able to glimpse the light of this planet.

Notes: p. 220 in Gustaf Dalman’s Jesus-Jeshua: Studies in the Gospels, which was translated by Paul P. Levertoff and published by Kessinger Publishing, LLC in 2008. 2.The Four Stages of Decomposition in the Human Body.

Why did Jesus take three days to rise again?

What was the reason for Jesus’ resurrection from the grave after three days? Why not after three hours, or even after seven days (because the number seven is often used to signify completeness or completion in the Bible), or even after a week? Is there something that happened in those three days that couldn’t have happened sooner — Jesus being God and all things being possible for Him — or is this a point of little significance that doesn’t warrant much thought or consideration? The Bible does not clearly answer the question of why Jesus had to rise on the third day and not any other day in the week preceding or after.

Wanting to remind the Corinthian believers about his message, Paul begins by discussing the significance of the gospel in their lives, and then proceeds to outline the most significant aspects of the message.
Paul may have been thinking of numerous passages from the Old Testament (e.g., Psalm 16:10-11; Isaiah 53:10b; Hosea 6:2), which he considered as having been fulfilled in the resurrection of Christ.
There are various passages in the Old Testament that Paul may have had in mind that he saw fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Christ.
In this case, it’s possible that he was alluding to the prophetic words of the Lord Jesus Christ himself: “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40).

The mystery of the in-between

Moving on to the second half of the question, what happened between Jesus’ death and resurrection is a good place to start. Once again, we are just not informed. These are the verses that are most frequently referenced in this context: Ephesians 4:8-9 and 1 Peter 3:18-20. Nonetheless, I feel that these verses do not accurately portray Jesus’ activities between His death and resurrection. “He had also fallen into the lowest regions, into the earth,” which has been interpreted to refer to Jesus’ journey into Hades during the period between His death and resurrection in the first of these passages.

In order to correctly read the verse, we must first have an accurate interpretation of the term “being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” Peter is drawing exact parallels between the expressions “in the body” and “in the spirit” in this passage.

I interpret the phrase to suggest that the rising Christ made this announcement at the time of His ascension.

About Revanth T.

The executive director of Truth and Life Academy, a non-formal Christian theology college based in Bangalore, India, Revanth T is also a regular speaker and instructor at his local assembly, which he founded in 2007. Expository preaching, theology, and hermeneutics are some of his favorite topics. He is married to Angela, with whom he has a son, Asher Abraham, as their only child.

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