Sunday Resurrection
March 10, 2026
To my Sabbath-observant sisters and brothers, here’s a little something to whet your intellectual curiosity. Lend me your attention for a few minutes, and I will share a bit of my understanding of the Sunday resurrection. You may or may not agree with my brief exposé.
For brevity, I will present only an argument for a Sunday resurrection. My Scripture references will all be quotes from the King James Authorized Version of the bible.
“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.” Matthew 12:40
Most arguments for a Sabbath resurrection begin with this statement. There is an automatic assumption that this is a literal statement. However, this is an idiomatic metaphor. Why a metaphor? A soft argument is that Jesus was obviously entombed during the night first and remained during the day. By definition, this would render the statement non-literal. A more solid argument for this Scripture being a metaphor is that Jesus was never on the earth (ground), and of course, he wasn’t in the heart of the earth. Jesus was laid in a new sepulchre provided by Joseph of Arimathaea. Again, rendering Matthew 12:40 a metaphor. Obviously not literal!
“The surroundings, circumstances, environment, background, or settings that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event or other occurrence.” (Wiktionary Definition)
The following is how Jesus and the disciples give Matthew 12:40 its context.
“From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” Matthew 16:21
“And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.” Matthew 17:23
“Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.” Matthew 27:64
“For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.” Mark 9:31
“And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.” Mark 10:34
“Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.” Luke 9:22
“And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.” Luke 18:33
“Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” Luke 24:7
“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day” Luke 24:46
“Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly” Acts 10:40
“And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” 1 Corinthians 15:4
So, in proper context it is more likely than not that Matthew 12:40, is an idiomatic metaphor. The biblical evidence is highly weighted toward a third day resurrection.
“Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.” Matthew 27:63
“And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Mark 8:31
One might deduce that these two Scriptures support a seventy-two-hour third-day resurrection. However, all the evidence is not in yet.
Let’s have a closer look at how the bible counts to the third day, including the words of Jesus as he counted to the third day.
I submit three Scriptures: two Old Testament (Hebrew Scripture) and one New Testament Scripture, in which Jesus counts down the days to his resurrection.
1.) “And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.” Exodus 19:10-11
2.) “It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire.” Leviticus 19:6
3.) “And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.” Luke 13:32
That is how the Hebrew writings and the New Testament writings counted from a particular day to the third day.
“And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath” Mark 15:42
“And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.” Luke 23:54
“The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” John 19:31
Greek paraskeuē -- Strongs G3904; The Greek word for Friday is Παρασκευή (Paraskevi). It is pronounced "Pa-ra-ske-vee"
"Paraskevi" is a Greek word meaning "Friday" and is commonly used as a female given name in Greek culture. It literally means "preparation" because Friday was the traditional day of preparation for the Sabbath in Orthodox Christianity” Source: Perplexity AI
Cognitive Dissonance: In psychology, this is the mental discomfort experienced when a person holds two conflicting beliefs or when their actions contradict their beliefs. People try to reduce this discomfort by changing their thoughts or justifying their behavior.
“Now upon the first day of the week (Sunday), very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.” Luke 24:1
“He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Luke 24:6
Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. Luke 24:7
And they remembered his words,” Luke 24:8
“And, behold, two of them went that same day (Sunday) to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.” Luke 24:13
“But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.” Luke 24:21
So, according to Luke 24:1, his account of the resurrection begins to unfold on the first day of the week, which is our post-biblical SUNDAY! Luke 24:21 leaves no doubt that Sunday was the third day from the crucifixion and the day of the resurrection.