Why take things as face value? “Study to show yourself approved…” You may have learned false information.

2 Desire without knowledge is not good–how much more will hasty feet miss the way!

Our love for the Lord must be more than a feeling; it must grow legs and walk! At the same time, many people run ahead of the Lord because they think that they can guess what He’s up to. WRONG! We are not designed to do anything FOR God, but WITH God. He made us interactive on purpose, and that purpose is to be interactive with Him.

Today, we look at two passages that have been misused for centuries. One is clear if we do the math and the other is clear if we dig a little deeper than the English language. Here’s the first one:

³⁸ Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
³⁹ He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ 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. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here. Matthew 12:38-42

The Pharisees were asking for the sign of Moses, which was manna from heaven. We learn this bit of information from John 6:30-31. Jesus told them the only sign they were going to get from Him aside from His healings: He would spend three days and three nights in the belly of the earth just as Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish. There are two things that are taken for granted; One is that we can get three days and three nights from Friday to Sunday. The other is that Jesus died in 33 A.D. According to the astronomical charts, both are wrong.

1. The Jewish day began at dusk. Counting backward from Sunday, we get Saturday night–which was really Sunday morning, Saturday, Friday night–which was really Saturday morning, Friday, Thursday night–which was really Friday morning, Wednesday night–which was really Thursday morning, and then Wednesday. Since Wednesday actually began on Tuesday at dusk, the Passover meal was Tuesday evening; Jesus was arrested that night, crucified at 9am, died at 3pm, and buried in Joseph’s tomb before dusk of Preparation day (Wednesday) to get ready for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a High Sabbath that began on Thursday that year–which was really Wednesday night. Confusing, right?
2. Astronomical computer programs can tell us the year that the Feast of Unleavened Bread began on Thursday (Wednesday night). It was 30 A.D. This date correlates with other astronomical data (including rulers and moons) placing Christ’s birth at 3 B.C.
3. The Feast of First Fruits is always on the first day of the week during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus arose sometime after dusk on Saturday as the First fruits of the resurrected. He, indeed, was in the grave three days and three nights.

One more thing about this passage is Jesus’ reprimand of the Pharisees. Nineveh praised Jonah, and the Queen of the South (Ethiopia- see 1 Kings 10:1-13) praised Solomon, but Jesus told them that He was greater than Jonah and Solomon. He was setting them up, but they didn’t realize it.

The second misinterpretation happens in Matthew 16:13-20. We will wait until tomorrow to discuss that one. Today, let us focus on the fact that regardless of bad translations, misguided theologians (from as far back as the 6th century), and well-meaning but proof-texting pastors, the Word of God stands pure, holy, and true. Sometimes, we just have to dig for that truth.

Abba, thank You for all the wonderful tools we have at our disposal today. What theologians throughout the centuries wouldn’t give for that astronomical computer program or the internet! My Bible program that gives me access to many translations and Hebrew/Greek dictionaries is amazing. I even have it on my phone at my convenience all the time! May I not take for granted Your Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth. Reading Your Word is the most important thing we do besides carrying on a conversation with You all the time. Help us to hunger and thirst after righteousness, Lord. Amen.

For more information about “Easter” and its origin, see “Why Easter? Why NOT Passover?”