Neville, On this point I defer to the author Robert cited back when we discussed this earlier http://midnightcryministries.com/ThreeDays.htm. While this argument addresses the 72 hour understanding, I believe that it may also address Allen's understanding. And again, rather than taking Matt. 12: 40 and forcing all the rest of Scripture to "fit," as I did in the not so distant past, I am hoping that we can better understand the Scripture as a whole through this discussion. The Sign of the Prophet Jonas Wednesday Crucifixion adherents believe that the "sign of the prophet Jonah" was the precise amount of time Jesus was in the tomb--72 hours. However, this position ignores one crucial fact: no one witnessed the precise time of Jesus' resurrection. How could the precise time of Jesus' resurrection be a sign to that generation of Jews if no one was there to record that time? The Jews of that generation would abide by Deuteronomy 19:15 which says, "A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." Without those witnesses, the precise time of Jesus' resurrection could not be a sign to that generation of Jews. Although Luke quotes Jesus as referring to the "sign of Jonas," or sign of Jonah, and as saying "for as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites," He never mentions the "three days and three nights." This omission is excellent evidence that the precise amount of time Jonah was in the fish is not essential to the sign of Jonah. The precise time Jonah was in the fish could not possibly have been a sign to the Ninevites, since neither Jonah nor the Ninevites would have had any possible way to determine or know the exact amount of time Jonah was in the fish. Although no one witnessed the moment of Jesus' resurrection, there were witnesses to something else. After His resurrection, Jesus explained what these people were witnesses to: "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:45-48). Numerous scriptures confirm that the apostles were witnesses that Jesus died and was resurrected. This is what is important, not some precise moment of time. Rather than a specific time that no one even witnessed, the sign of the prophet Jonah was the truth of Jesus' resurrection from the dead that has resulted in the repentance and salvation of millions of people. Carl Dr. Neville Jones wrote: >This pertains to the Biblical Calendar Overview by Carl : > >[N] I am still bothered by the three days and three nights in the tomb and do >not feel that we have resolved the issue at all yet. Perhaps we could >concentrate on this for a while? > >[C] Concerning the three days and three nights, I think it would be good to >pick up the discussion. I'd like to suggest that we look at the parallel >passage to Matt. 12:40 in Luke 11: 29-33 to see the most important point that >Messiah was making. Also, could we go through the time indicated for the >death, burial and resurrection in the Gospels one at a time? > >[N] Okay, let's start by looking at Mt. 12 and Lk. 11, as you suggest: > >Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we >want to see a miraculous sign from you." He answered, "A wicked and adulterous >generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the >sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the >belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in >the heart of the earth." - Mt. 12:38-40, NIV. > >As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for >a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as >Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this >generation." - Lk. 11:29-30, NIV. > >To start the ball rolling, please note that I am in complete agreement with >the arguments put forward by Allen Daves. Namely, that three days and three >nights means three days and three nights = 72 hours. I am, though, prepared to >listen carefully. > >Neville. > > > > > >--------------------------------- >How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday snaps for FREE with >Yahoo! Photos. Get Yahoo! Photos > > >. > > >