Tanakh Prophecy
"After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up."
Fulfillment
"He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."
Rabbinic Sources
"The third day is the day of divine deliverance."
Deep Dive: Resurrection on the third day
Historical Context
The prophecy concerning resurrection on the third day is rooted in the rich tapestry of Hebrew Scripture. The verses in question, primarily from Hosea 6:2 and Jonah 1:17, emerge from a period of profound theological reflection in ancient Israel. Hosea, a prophet active in the Northern Kingdom of Israel around the 8th century BCE, addresses the spiritual infidelity of Israel and calls for repentance and restoration. His prophetic message, steeped in the themes of judgment and grace, is directed towards a people experiencing both physical calamity and spiritual desolation.
In the case of Jonah, written in a later period (likely during or after the Exilic period), the story emphasizes God's mercy and the theme of resurrection through Jonah's own experience. Jonah's three days in the belly of the great fish serve as a vivid metaphor for death and resurrection, thereby reinforcing the prophetic message found in Hosea.
Archaeological evidence from this period, including inscriptions and artifacts, highlights the sociopolitical turmoil faced by Israel, which adds depth to the understanding of these prophetic texts. The Assyrian threats and subsequent exile not only shaped Israel's immediate historical context but also laid the groundwork for their messianic expectations.
Textual Analysis
The key Hebrew phrases in Hosea 6:2—"יְחַיֵּנוּ" (yechayenu - "He will revive us") and "וּבַיּוֹם הַשּׁלִישִׁי" (u'vayom hashlishi - "on the third day")—carry significant theological weight. The verb "יְחַיֵּנוּ" derives from the root "חיה" (chayah), which conveys notions of life, revival, and restoration, closely aligning with the concept of resurrection.
Translation nuances arise in the rendering of "on the third day," which underscores a chronological expectation. The Septuagint translates this as "the third day," indicating a specific temporal fulfillment. The use of "the third day" is echoed in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 15:4), where Paul asserts, "He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures," establishing a direct link between the Hebrew prophecy and Yeshua's resurrection.
In Jonah 1:17, the phrase "שלושה ימים ושלושה לילות" (shlosha yamim u'shlosha leilot - "three days and three nights") presents a parallel to the resurrection narrative, reinforcing the notion of a transformative period that culminates in divine deliverance.
Fulfillment Evidence
The fulfillment of this prophecy in Yeshua's resurrection is a cornerstone of Christian faith and is explicitly affirmed in the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 15:4 serves as a crucial reference, where Paul states, "He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." This assertion connects Yeshua's resurrection not just to the historical event but also to the prophetic tradition established in the Tanakh.
In the Gospels, references to the third day are prominent. For example, in Matthew 16:21, Yeshua predicts His own death and resurrection, stating, "From that time on, Yeshua began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things... and on the third day be raised to life." Such affirmations are supported by early Christian writings, including the accounts of the resurrection in Matthew 28, Mark 16, and Luke 24.
Common objections regarding the fulfillment of this prophecy often center on the interpretation of "the third day." Critics may argue that the resurrection narrative is a later theological construct. However, the consistent early church witness and the alignment with Jewish expectations of resurrection serve as compelling evidence of its authenticity.
Rabbinic Perspectives
Rabbinic sources provide valuable insights into the understanding of resurrection and the significance of the third day. The Midrash, particularly Bereshit Rabbah 56:1, states, "The third day is the day of divine deliverance." This interpretation aligns with the prophetic themes found in Hosea and Jonah, suggesting a collective understanding within Judaism of the third day as a time of hope and restoration.
In Talmudic literature, the concept of resurrection is further explored. For instance, the tractate Sanhedrin discusses the resurrection of the dead, framing it within the messianic age. This rabbinic expectation of resurrection provides a backdrop against which Yeshua’s resurrection can be understood and appreciated, affirming that early Jewish thought included anticipation of a messianic figure who would triumph over death.
Significance for Today
For modern believers and seekers, the prophecy of resurrection on the third day carries profound implications. It signifies not only the fulfillment of ancient prophecies but also the hope of new life and restoration. This message resonates deeply within the broader narrative of redemption, echoing through the ages and inviting individuals into a transformative relationship with the Divine.
In a contemporary context, this prophecy encourages faith in the face of despair and the assurance of divine deliverance. It serves as a reminder that, like the resurrection, new beginnings can emerge from the depths of despair, underscoring the core message of hope that permeates both the Tanakh and the New Testament. Thus, understanding this prophecy enriches the faith journey for believers today, offering a timeless promise of resurrection and renewal.
Two Millennia of Adversary Positions
9 eras of objections to this prophecy, with primary sources and Messianic corrections.
David Kimhi (Radak)
Hosea 6:2 is a Metaphor for National Redemption from Exile
"After two days He will revive us. This is a metaphor for the fact that our salvation will not tarry. It is as if we were dead in exile, and He will revive us from the death of exile... And some interpret 'after two days' as referring to the two Temples that were destroyed, and 'on the third day He will raise us up' refers to the third Temple, may it be built speedily in our days."
Radak interprets Hosea 6:2 not as a prophecy about an individual's resurrection, but as a metaphor for the swiftness of Israel's national salvation from the 'death' of exile. The 'two days' and 'third day' symbolize a short period of suffering before God restores the nation, with some interpretations linking it to the rebuilding of the Third Temple after the destruction of the first two.
Targum Jonathan
Hosea 6:2 Refers to the General Resurrection, Not the Messiah
"He will revive us in the days of consolations which are to come; on the day of the resurrection of the dead He will raise us up, and we shall live before Him."
The Aramaic paraphrase-translation of Hosea, Targum Jonathan, interprets the prophecy of revival 'on the third day' eschatologically. It understands this not as an individual's resurrection, but as God's revival of the righteous dead of Israel on 'the day of the resurrection of the dead' at the end of time.
The Quran
Jesus Was Never Crucified, Thus He Was Not Resurrected
"And [for] their saying, 'Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.' And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain."
The foundational Islamic objection is not to the timing of the resurrection, but to the event of the crucifixion itself. The Quran states that Jesus was not killed or crucified, but that it was made to appear so to his enemies. Instead, God raised Jesus to Himself alive, making a resurrection from the dead unnecessary.
Rashi
The 'Days' in Hosea Refer to Israel's Exiles
"After two days: of the exile of the ten tribes, He will revive us, in the days of Sennacherib... On the third day: of the exile of Judah and Benjamin by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, He will raise us up, and we will live before Him, in the days of the Messiah."
Rashi interprets the 'two days' and 'third day' in Hosea 6:2 as symbolic references to the periods of Israel's suffering in different exiles. He connects the 'two days' to the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, and the 'third day' revival to the final redemption in the days of the Messiah, viewing it as a national restoration, not an individual resurrection.
Bart Ehrman
'According to the Scriptures' is an Interpretive Claim, Not a Direct Prophecy
"What is interesting is that Paul does not cite any passages when he indicates that Christ’s death and resurrection were 'in accordance with the scriptures' (1 Cor. 15:3–4). Why not? Almost certainly because he had no passages to cite. There are no passages in the Jewish scriptures that state that the messiah has to be killed and then raised from the dead. Christians, of course, came to think that there were such passages, but this was after they came to believe that Jesus was the messiah who had been killed and raised from the dead. Once they had this belief, they were able to read the scriptures in a new light and see, in passages that originally meant something else, prophecies of Jesus’ own fate."
Bart Ehrman argues that when Paul says Jesus' death and resurrection were 'according to the Scriptures,' he isn't citing a specific, explicit prophecy. Instead, early Christians searched their scriptures to find passages that could be interpreted as referring to Jesus to make sense of his death. Hosea 6:2 originally referred to the nation of Israel, but Christians reapplied it to Jesus.
Bart Ehrman
No Specific OT Prophecy for a Third-Day Resurrection Exists
"What passages of Scripture is Paul referring to? It is frustrating that he does not say. What is even more frustrating is that we don't know. Nowhere in the Old Testament is there a passage that says that the messiah would be raised on the third day."
Bart Ehrman argues that when Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:4 claims Christ rose 'on the third day according to the Scriptures,' he is not referring to any specific verse. Ehrman asserts that no passage in the Old Testament explicitly predicts this, and that early Christians, believing the event happened, retrospectively searched for texts that could be thematically, but not prophetically, linked to it.
Tovia Singer
No Verse in the Tanakh Predicts a Third-Day Resurrection
"There is no such verse in the Jewish scriptures. It doesn't exist... The New Testament claims that the Jewish scriptures predict that the messiah will be resurrected on the third day. There is no such scripture."
Rabbi Tovia Singer argues forcefully that the New Testament's claim that the Messiah's third-day resurrection was 'according to the Scriptures' is false. He asserts that no such verse exists in the Tanakh (Jewish Scriptures) and that texts like Hosea 6:2 are taken out of their original context of national repentance and restoration for Israel.
Tovia Singer
The New Testament Invents a 'Phantom' Prophecy
"There is no verse in the Jewish scriptures that says that the Messiah will be resurrected on the third day. Not one. It doesn’t exist. When Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, says that the Messiah died and was resurrected on the third day according to the scriptures, he can’t name the chapter and verse... because there is no such verse."
Tovia Singer forcefully argues that the New Testament's claim of a third-day resurrection 'according to the Scriptures' is a fabrication. He states that no verse in the Tanakh predicts the Messiah will rise on the third day, and that texts like Hosea 6:2 are unequivocally about the national repentance and restoration of Israel, not an individual.
IslamQA.info
Jesus Was Never Crucified, Making Resurrection Prophecy Irrelevant
"The Jews did not kill Jesus (peace be upon him) and they did not crucify him for certain. Rather it was a look-alike that was put in his place, and they crucified that person, thinking that it was the Messiah Jesus (peace be upon him). Allah saved him from them and raised him up to heaven alive."
From an Islamic perspective, the entire premise of a resurrection prophecy is invalid because Jesus was never crucified or killed. Islamic doctrine, based on the Qur'an, holds that God saved Jesus by raising him to heaven alive while making someone else appear to be him on the cross. Therefore, any discussion of a resurrection 'on the third day' is based on a false historical event.