Why does it matter that Jesus was dead for three days?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

While Scripture did not specify why Jesus was dead for exactly three days, that period fulfilled Scripture’s prophecies. Jesus Himself repeatedly predicted that He would be killed and rise on the third day (Matthew 16:21, 17:23; John 2:19-22), a detail His opponents even remembered (Matthew 27:63). He linked this timing to Jonah’s three days in the fish (Matthew 12:40). Other prophets also hinted at restoration “on the third day” (Hosea 6:2).

The three days confirm both the reality of His death and the truth of His resurrection. Jesus was buried before the Sabbath and remained in the tomb until the first day of the week, leaving no doubt that He truly died (Luke 23:54-56, 24:1-7). The delay made His rising undeniable, much like Lazarus, whose body had already begun to decay (John 11:39-44).

The timing also ties into God’s plan of salvation. Jesus died at Passover as the Lamb of God (John 19:14; 1 Corinthians 5:7) and rose on the first day, which is connected to the feast of firstfruits and the promise of new creation (John 20:1; 1 Corinthians 15:20).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• In the Old Testament, the third day often signals restoration after a period of loss. For example, God said, “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us, that we may live before him” (Hosea 6:2). In context, the promise referred to Israel’s return to God, yet its wording established an expectation of a third-day revival. Christians have long recognized that this hope finds its fullest meaning in the Messiah, whose resurrection secures the very life that Hosea had envisioned.
• Another Old Testament connection comes from Jonah’s descent beneath the waters. The text says, “And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17). Jonah’s ordeal reads like a living parable of death and deliverance, after which he brought salvation to the Ninevites. In retrospect, that story served as a clear signpost for a future Servant who would pass through judgment and emerge alive for the sake of others.
• Israel’s worship calendar also provided a foundation for a three-day death. Passover focused on a spotless lamb whose blood brought rescue from death (Exodus 12:3-13). The following week included the firstfruits offering “on the day after the Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:11). In this way, the patterns of the sacrificial lamb and the firstfruits are the background that later framed Jesus’ death on Passover and rising on the first day of the week.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Jesus said that He would die and “on the third day be raised” (Matthew 16:21). To help His followers make the connection with the Old Testament, He also drew on Jonah’s story, saying, “just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). By linking His death and resurrection to those earlier patterns, Jesus helped them to see that His death and resurrection was a God appointed moment of history.
• The Sabbath pause partially explains why Jesus’ resurrection was delayed until the third day. Luke recorded that Jesus’ body was laid in a rock-hewn tomb late on the day of Preparation, and that the women “rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment” (Luke 23:54-56). It was early Sunday morning, after the Sabbath ended, that they went and found the stone rolled away.
• The third day also showed that Jesus had truly died. When Jesus raised Lazarus, Martha warned, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days” (John 11:39). Jesus’ resurrection was delayed so that no one could dismiss the miracle as simply Jesus fainting (John 11:6, 11:17, 11:43-44). Being dead for three days carried persuasive weight for eyewitnesses.
• The apostles also preached that the third day confirmed the gospel. Paul said that Christ “was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4). Paul was writing before the Gospels had been written, so he meant according to the Old Testament Scriptures. That is, he was saying that Jesus had to be raised on the third day to fit what had been written. This conformity to prophecy confirmed the entire message of salvation.
• The timing also carries rich meaning in the church’s worship and hope. Paul called Jesus the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) and the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Jesus died at Passover just like the Old Testament lambs were sacrificed on that day; He rose on the first day, echoing the firstfruits offering after the Sabbath that signaled the start of the resurrection harvest.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Because Jesus truly died and rose again, as signified by Him being dead for three days, we can have eternal life in Him. His resurrection means our sins can be forgiven and that death has been defeated. The empty tomb shows that God accepted His sacrifice, so we never have to fear whether our salvation is secure.

How does this impact your life here and now? It means you can face suffering, loss, and even death with confidence. The same power that raised Jesus now gives you new life by His Spirit and promises a future bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20). Your hope is not in avoiding hardship but in belonging to a risen Savior who has overcome the grave.

If you have not yet trusted Christ, His resurrection is your invitation to do so. Jesus is the crucified and risen Lord who offers forgiveness and life that death cannot undo. Everyone who comes to Him finds hope that endures forever.

UNDERSTAND

• Jesus’ three-day death fulfilled Scripture and Old Testament patterns.
• The three days confirmed Jesus’ real death and undeniable resurrection.
• Jesus’ resurrection secures salvation and eternal hope for believers.

REFLECT

• How does knowing Jesus truly died for three days strengthen your trust in God’s promises?
• How does the reality of Jesus’ resurrection give you hope?
• How can the assurance of Jesus’ victory over death shape the way you live each day?

ENGAGE

• Why was the specific timing of “three days” significant in both Old and New Testament contexts?
• How does Jesus’ resurrection on the third day connect to God’s broader plan of salvation and new creation?
• How can our understanding of Jesus’ death and resurrection help us remain faithful and steadfast today?