"After the Day of Preparation"

“The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard” (Matthew 27:62-66 ESV)

In the first century, the very next day, after the burial of Christ, which would have been the Sabbath day, the Pharisees, still unbelieving, went to Pilate to have Pilate secure the tomb to prevent the body from being removed. Pilate conceded to do so, ensuring there would be no further uprisings because of Jesus.

At this point, there is no scripture that details the movements of the apostles. One can only imagine the turmoil they were going through. The death of Jesus was a devastating blow. They were grappling with an uncertain future, facing what they most likely saw as the end of their religious movement.

So, wait, how could Jesus be crucified and in the tomb for three days if we celebrate Good Friday as the crucifixion day? I think the following is a great argument for what was essentially a unique 48-hour Sabbath:

The idea, in brief

I spent time in scripture and this timeline with my Pastor, who agreed with indications of the flow of time based on the Hebrew dates, and the Hebrew beginning and ending of a day.

The Hebrew day is based on the sunset where we typically use our calendar and day beginning and ending based on a time. We will always celebrate Good Friday and its meaning. However, if questioned about the 72 hours, this argument supports Jesus' prophecy and reflection of Jonah, which is correct.

It's crucial to note that Jesus ate the sabbath meal with his disciples in the early hours of the Day of Preparation, which was late evening (because this the Hebrew day had begun at sunset). During the midnight hours, He was betrayed and arrested. That is, within 12 hours (on the same Day of Preparation), He was hanging on the cross, where He died before sunset began the Passover.

The Thursday here was the Day of Preparation. Therefore, the Passover (which starts the First Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and is considered an automatic Sabbath day) began at sunset on Thursday and continued until Friday evening when the "normal" Sabbath had begun. Thus, the Passover (First Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) combined with the "normal" Sabbath created a 48-hour Sabbath since the Passover on this particular year had occurred on the very day just before the "normal" Sabbath.

In other words, the body of Jesus lay in the grave for three days and three nights, while at the same time, according to 1 Peter 3:18-20, His soul remained in Sheol/Hades for three days and three nights.[1]

I think this is pretty clear as to how Jesus was actually in the ground for three days as He prophesied. There may be disagreement and arguments to the contrary. Still, scripture is clear that the actual trial and crucifixion occurred on the day of preparation, which was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the day of preparation, which began the Passover, which by Hebrew tradition initiated a Sabbath Day.

Jesus fulfilled the scriptures and, in His resurrection, opened the door to heaven for all those who believe and place their faith in Him.

Grace and Peace!

1 Matthew - How is it that Jesus could be "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth"? - Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange