The above title was the title of an article appearing in the religious section of the USA TODAY newspaper on Wednesday, April 13, 2011. <http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-04-13-easter-crucifixion-resurrection.htm> The article sets forth the premise that the phrase 'the third day' has led to much confusion regarding the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. After all, it is assumed that Christ died on Good Friday and rose early in the morning on Easter Sunday. Obviously, to the rational thinking person, Christ could not have risen on the third day if He died on a Friday and rose early on Sunday morning. To this point, I would agree!
What is appalling is that the true premise of the article is to discredit the divinity of Christ and thus undermine the entire basis of the Christian faith. The article begins by noting that Pope Benedict XVI is concerned regarding issue of 'the third day'. The article quotes from the Pope's latest book, Jesus: Holy Week. In the book, the Popes says, "There is no direct scriptural testimony pointing to the 'third day'." Obviously, the Pope overlooked the statements of Matthew 12:40, Mark 8:31, and 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.
In case anyone else might find the Pope's statement alarming, the article continues by quoting Robert Miller, a professor of religion at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA. He states, "To be technical, Jesus made a false prophecy, and that's not something most Christians would want to put that way." Such statements should raise concern among Christians. If Jesus made a false prophecy, then He was not from God, not sinless and certainly not the propitiation for humanity's sin!
Contrary to the Pope and others quoted in the above article, Christ did not make a false statement and there is direct Scriptural support for the teaching of 'the third day'. That Christ died, was buried for three days and three nights and then rose from the dead can be proven theologically, prophetically, grammatically, and historically. I would invite you to read, "What Day Did Christ Die?".
What is appalling is that the true premise of the article is to discredit the divinity of Christ and thus undermine the entire basis of the Christian faith. The article begins by noting that Pope Benedict XVI is concerned regarding issue of 'the third day'. The article quotes from the Pope's latest book, Jesus: Holy Week. In the book, the Popes says, "There is no direct scriptural testimony pointing to the 'third day'." Obviously, the Pope overlooked the statements of Matthew 12:40, Mark 8:31, and 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.
In case anyone else might find the Pope's statement alarming, the article continues by quoting Robert Miller, a professor of religion at Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA. He states, "To be technical, Jesus made a false prophecy, and that's not something most Christians would want to put that way." Such statements should raise concern among Christians. If Jesus made a false prophecy, then He was not from God, not sinless and certainly not the propitiation for humanity's sin!
Contrary to the Pope and others quoted in the above article, Christ did not make a false statement and there is direct Scriptural support for the teaching of 'the third day'. That Christ died, was buried for three days and three nights and then rose from the dead can be proven theologically, prophetically, grammatically, and historically. I would invite you to read, "What Day Did Christ Die?".
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