Three Days

There seems to be a mystery regarding the use of "three days" in the Holy Bible. In fact, the use of it can be found 75 times in the Holy Bible...mostly in the New Testament and mostly by Jesus Christ.

What I want to talk about is the three days that Jesus had to spend in the "heart of the earth". It's based on whether or not Jesus spent three days with Satan right after His death on the cross. It's a very controversial subject among biblical scholars.

In Matthew 12:40, we read, "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth".

This implies that Jesus Christ will be with Satan for three days and nights. The only time we find Jesus missing from scripture (at least in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) is the three days and three nights in the tomb following His death. Not a thing is written about that time. The tomb is silent.

In John we find another interesting bit of evidence. Mary Magdalene is in the sepulchre and sees two angels. She tells them why she is crying.

Now, if Mary Magdalene could not recognize Jesus when she saw him, who could?

She left the sepulchre and saw Him but didn't recognize Him. She thought He was the gardener(!) How could this be?

Finally she did recognize Him. He said to her, in John 20:17,  "Touch me not: for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren , and say unto them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God".

This was a very strange thing to say. He hadn't been to heaven yet. Where had He been?

I believe He went to "the heart of the earth" first, even before meeting with His Father, and met with Satan. He was there three days and three nights.  I have no idea what was discussed. Maybe it was about those souls Satan had already received? Who knows?

A very strange three days...