3 days & 3 nights explained

In Bible times, a day was measured from sunset to sunset – “evening and morning were the first day” [Genesis 1:5].

Jesus was arrested in the night (Tuesday night, as we count days and nights) in the garden of Gethsemane and brought before the high priest and then before the Roman governor of Israel the next morning (Wednesday morning) where he was condemned to be executed. [John chapter 18; Mark 15:42 et al]

Wednesday was the “preparation day” – the day before the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread; this was the day when the lambs were slain in preparation for the Passover meal which occurred just after sunset. 

The Passover is observed just after sunset on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  The whole festival — all seven days — is sometimes referred to as “Passover”.

Jesus died on the stake at about 3 PM that afternoon [Mark 15:34] and was buried at sunset that same day [Mark 15:42-47] – Wednesday night as we count time.  This fulfills the prophecy of Jesus as “the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world”.

Joseph of Arimathea placed a huge stone over the entrance to the grave and Pilate placed a seal on that stone and set a guard over it [Matthew 27:62–66] on Thursday.

The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was a “high” Sabbath [John 19:31; Leviticus 23:5–7] and ran from Wednesday at sunset to Thursday at sunset as we count time.

The women bought and prepared the spices the next day [Mark 16:1] – on Friday during the day as we count time – and then rested on the Sabbath that began at sunset on Friday according to the law [Luke 23:56].

They then came “early on the first day of the week” – this would have been Sunday morning and found the stone rolled away and Jesus’ body no longer in the grave.

Just as Jesus had prophesied, He was in the grave for three days and three nights – 72 hours – which means He rose just after sunset on the day we call Saturday.

Timetable by our way of reckoning days and nights

• Tuesday night: Jesus has His “last supper” with His disciples and was later arrested
• Wednesday morning: Jesus was brought before Pilate and condemned
• Wednesday afternoon: Jesus was slain; the lambs were slain for the Passover meal after sunset that day
• Wednesday at sunset: Jesus was buried and begins His first night in the tomb
• Thursday:  The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread – a high Sabbath – no work was done
• Thursday at sunrise: Jesus began His first “day” in the tomb
• Thursday: Pilate placed a seal and a guard on the stone that covered the entrance to Jesus’ grave
• Thursday at sunset:  Jesus began His second night in the tomb
• Friday at sunrise: Jesus began His second “day” in the tomb
• Friday:  Mary and others bought spices from shops that were closed Thursday
• Friday: The seal and the guard were in place around the tomb
• Friday at sunset: Jesus began His third night in the tomb
• Saturday at sunrise: Jesus began His third “day” in the tomb                  
• Friday sunset to Saturday sunset: Mary and others “rest” on the weekly Sabbath
• Saturday at sunset: Jesus rose from the grave (He is a spirit being and passes through the stone)
• Sunday at sunrise: A violent earthquake occurred, an angel rolled back the stone and sat on it. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary arrived at the tomb and the angels told them to go quickly and tell Jesus’ disciples that He was risen from the dead