"Three Days And Three Nights" Reconsidered - Softcover

Woodrow, Ralph E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0916938115 ISBN 13: 9780916938116

Publisher: Ralph Woodrow, 1993

Synopsis

This book explains why the author could no longer in good conscience hold the Wednesday/Saturday view concerning Christ's burial and resurrection. Why does only ONE verse say "three days and thee nights," and 20 verses say "the third day" or "in three days"? Figuring that a day ends at sundown, how should we explain the wording: "in the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn..."? Was a time period the "only" sign Jesus gave that he was the Messiah?

About this title

About the Author

In addition to authoring over a dozen books, Ralph Woodrow has had the opportunity to speak for many Churches and groups of various denominations during 40 years of ministry-including camp meetings, conventions and conferences. Through a unique set of circumstances he was put into the ministry at age 18 (and has never had any other occupation). His ministry began in Canada, where he went as a pianist for an evangelist-but soon several Churches and groups opened their doors for Ralph to preach extended revival meetings. When he returned home after a few months of ministry in Canada, God continued to open doors for him to preach the Gospel- preaching for many Churches and denominational rallies. As a single man of 21 he felt led to hold tent revivals and also to preach on the radio, with good results from both. From these early beginnings sprang an inter-denominational ministry, through which many effective doors of ministry open to this day.

In his early teens, he began to search the Scriptures-becoming intrigued to discover things in the Bible that he hadn't been taught. Similarly, he began to discover that some of the things he had been taught were not in the Bible. Ralph memorized hundreds of Scriptures as a teenager-his whole life revolved around studying God's Word and seeking God's will for his life. He preached his first sermon when he was 15 in their local Church. He spent much time at the Church, doing anything he could to serve the Lord-mowing the lawns, cleaning the Church, praying, and attending the meetings where he grew in the Spirit-filled life.

Throughout his ministry, in addition to preaching the Gospel at large, he has shared neglected biblical truths. AS AN AUTHOR, he is known for his scholarly research, along with his emphasis on the importance of love and unity. He emphasizes that if Christians disagree on some points of doctrine-they should disagree agreeably-knowing that all Christians agree on more than they disagree. Books he has authored total over a half million in print. Also, he has shared printed sermons with a select list-since 1961. Woodrow was born in San Jacinto, California and grew up in nearby Riverside. He and his wife, Arlene who is also a minister and writer, minister in various capacities locally in addition to periodically ministering throughout the U.S., and sometimes in Canada.

FREE-learn more about Woodrow's ministry. Send a legal size SASE and request "Celebrating 40 Years Ministry" ('97) and the January '98 "Palm Springs Letter."

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Over the centuries, millions of believers in Jesus Christ-including preachers and teachers, writers and reformers, missionaries and martyrs-have believed that Jesus Christ was crucified on Friday and rose early on Sunday morning.

It is unlikely that anyone would have ever questioned this position, or that any dissenting view would have emerged, were it not for the statement that Jesus would be "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:40). It is argued, quite plausibly, that there are not three days and three nights between Friday afternoon and early Sunday morning.

Next it is pointed out that Jesus rose "after three days," so this can not be figured as anything less than three days; yet he rose "in three days," so this can not be figured as anything more than three days. Based on this comparison, it is only another step to conclude that the time between the burial and resurrection of Jesus must have been exactly three days and three nights or 72 hours.

It follows, then, that if he was buried just before sundown, the resurrection took place just before sundown-three days and three nights later. Because the tomb was empty on Sunday morning, the resurrection must have occurred, it is reasoned, before sundown on Saturday afternoon!

Some who hold this position quote Matthew 28:1 as a proof text, claiming that the resurrection took place "in the end of the sabbath." Counting back three days and three nights, this would bring us to Wednesday as the day of the crucifixion. As to the biblical statement that Jesus was crucified on the day before the sabbath, it is argued that there was an annual sabbath that week-the first day of unleavened bread-a "high day sabbath," in addition to the regular, weekly sabbath.

In one Gospel we read that women bought spices after the sabbath was past; in another, it was after they prepared spices that they rested on the sabbath. It has been supposed that this requires two different sabbaths. Figuring Thursday and Saturday as sabbaths, then, this would leave a common workday between, when they prepared their spices.

Having held the Wednesday/Saturday position myself for many years, I would not "throw stones" at any who believe this way. It seems to make a lot of sense. However, as I have carefully reconsidered this position, I have come to see it is full of flaws. It will not stand up when we carefully weigh the total testimony of Scripture-thus, "Woodrow versus Woodrow!"

One of the things that prompted me to reconsider the three days and three nights teaching, can be demonstrated by the following comparison:

On the accompanying page, in the left-hand column, is a complete list of all the verses which refer to the resurrection of Christ on "the third day" or "in three days." In the right hand column, is a complete list of all the verses that speak of Christ being "three days and three nights" in the heart of the earth [one lone verse]....

There is only ONE verse that uses the term "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth"! There are TWENTY verses that say Christ's resurrection would be "in three days" or "the third day." This preponderance of evidence is weighty. Could it be, I questioned, that I had built too largely on one verse?

According to a basic rule of biblical interpretation, we would normally seek to understand one verse in the light of twenty, not the other way around. Yet, according to the Wednesday/Saturday position, all twenty verses must mean three full days and three full nights-based on this one verse! But this would be forcing an otherwise unrevealed meaning on these verses.

If we count days from an event that happened on Friday, the next day would be Saturday, and Sunday would be the third day-regardless of when the event happened on Friday. This is normal language. To insist that "the third day" means three full days and three full nights would be abnormal language.... In harmony with this point, there are numerous biblical examples....

We can rejoice that salvation is found in Him who died, was buried and rose again-not by how we count days, one way or the other. My hand of fellowship is extended to all who know Jesus as Lord, to all who believe in his resurrection, to all who can sing: "I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him He's always near. He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart" [by Alfred H. Ackley, 1933, Rodeheaver Company, owner].

Edition details

• Publisher: Ralph Woodrow
• Publication date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0916938115
• ISBN 13: 9780916938116
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64