In my study of evening...morning, I now see the three days.

Jesus was berried Friday=on Day 1
The evening and morning= Sabbath, Day 2
And the evening and morning= Sunday, Day 3

I never really looked at it that way before.

He [Jesus] continued in the grave just as long as Jonah continued in the fish's belly, three days and three nights; not three whole days and nights: it is probable, Jonah did not lie so long in the whale's belly, but part of three natural days (nuchthēmerai, the Greeks called them); he was buried in the afternoon of the sixth day of the week, and rose again in the morning of the first day; it is a manner of speech very usual; see 1Ki_20:29; Est_4:16; Est_5:1; Luk_2:21. So long Jonah was a prisoner for his own sins, so long Christ was a Prisoner for ours. [3.] As Jonah in the whale's belly comforted himself with an assurance that yet he should look again toward God's holy temple (Jon_2:4), so Christ when he lay in the grave, is expressly said to rest in hope, as one assured he should not see corruption, Act_2:26, Act_2:27. [4.] As Jonah on the third day was discharged from his prison, and came to the land of the living again, from the congregation of the dead (for dead things are said to be formed from under the waters, Job_26:5), so Christ on the third day should return to life, and rise out of his grave to send abroad the gospel to the Gentiles.

Wonder why Jesus had to spend any amount of time in grave? To prove He was truly dead? To rest on the Sabbath? Why not die and then come back to life right away?

Christ's grave experience is a prophecy of sorts as it also fulfilled prophecy. . . The sign of Jonah was given to us to know that God's word is sure.

The misunderstanding of the three days and three nights, in my view, comes from an incorrect interpretation--not of the days and nights, but of the meaning of "the heart of the earth." To what, in Bible prophecy and symbolism, woulyd this phrase refer? Note that it does NOT say "in death" or anything like it. Jonah was far from dead in the belly of the whale--so one has no support for the death interpretation from that parallel.

The Greek word "γῆ" translated as "earth" (G1093) was also often translated as "land" and occasionally as "country." To be in the "heart" of a land or country where would one be? Jesus was under the power of the authorities beginning Thursday evening in the Garden of Gethsemane when He was arrested. It was also in the Garden just prior to His arrest where He began to bear the weight of the sins of all the world as the Sacrificial Lamb.

Jesus was taken into "the heart of the earth (land)," meaning into the control of the authorities of that land, Thursday night (the evening of the sixth day). He was crucified on Friday (the morning of the sixth day). He was buried just before the Sabbath started on Friday evening. He rested on the Sabbath (evening and morning of the seventh day). He remained in the tomb after Sabbath, beginning with the evening of the first day and including part of the morning of the first day when He raised Himself from the dead.

He was in the heart of the earth for parts of a literal three days and three nights (evenings).

EDIT: I forgot to add that as part of the "heart of the earth," the authorities held Jesus under their power even while He was in the grave. They commissioned soldiers to guard it. When He came forth from the grave, they were exposed to His glory and fell back as dead--ending the time under which Jesus had been within their power.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Wonder why Jesus had to spend any amount of time in grave? To prove He was truly dead? To rest on the Sabbath? Why not die and then come back to life right away?