Topic(s):  Bible Study

Todd Clippard
When the Jews counted days, they began with the day they were in. For example, if you took an item in for repair on Monday, and the person said it would be ready in three days, you would expect it on Wednesday. Begin counting on Monday and Wednesday makes three days.

An example of this is seen in Esther 4:16 - 5:1 (emphasis mine - TC) . . .

"Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house."

You see how Esther commanded a fast for three days, night and day, and said she would do the same. However, it says she went before the king on the third day. Therefore, it did not have reference to three complete 24 hour periods, but rather to the involvement of three different days.

In like fashion, Jesus was crucified on Friday and raised on Sunday. Thus covering in part three separate days.