Is Three days and three nights" an idiomatic phrase?

Facebook: If Jesus was in the grave a literal three days and a literal three nights, that means he was raised the fourth day. "Three days and three nights" is an idiomatic phrase that is not to be taken literally.

Reply: This is not correct. The reason why is that Matthew, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said;

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Matthew 28:1

First Matthew says "After the sabbaton" is this in the genitive plural and means "sabbaths" and supports that there was two Sabbaths during Jesus' final days.

Thursday, Nisan 15, Special Sabbath, First Day of the Feast of Unleaven Bread

The first Sabbath was the special Sabbath after Passover on Nisan 15 (John 19:31). This was the day the Pharisee's went to Pilate to have the tomb secured (Matthew 27:62-66). Notice that the Pharisee's took Jesus' "three days" literally and were concerned. The women prepared spices and rested on this Sabbath day (Luke 23:55 & 56). Remember Jesus had already resurrected and decended to the heart of the earth after sunset that began Nisan 15.

The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Matthew 27:52 & 53

It was this event that caused the Pharisees to come to Pilate to beg for Jesus' tomb to be guarded. They did not know that the tomb was already empty.

Friday: Nisan 16; Second Day of the Feast of Unleaven Bread

After this Special Sabbath was over the women bring their spices to further embalm Jesus' body.

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Mark 16:1

Between Mark 16:1 and 2 we have to infer that the women find the tomb under guard and return home disappointed that they could not prepare His body. God providentially used the guards as a way to preserve His suprise that Jesus had already risen. His Son was in the heart of the earth with the Old Testament saints to prepare to lead them out of captivity (Ephesians 4:8-10).

Saturday, Nisan 17; third Day of the Feast of Unleaven Bread, regular Sabbath Day

This is the Sabbath that Matthew mentions. It pass uneventfully...hence no revelation until the tomb is opened.

Matthew is concerned with the timing of this event rather than the chronology. He says;

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week..."

Being a Jew...Matthew was writing his gospel for the Jews. This means everything he writes operates from the understanding of a Jew. The language Matthew gives here for the timing is very precise. We as Gentiles tend to miss what he said. A.T. Robertson holds to a Friday to Sunday view...so I disagree with him. But on the language part...when I separate his opinion from facts...I do agree. He says..

This careful chronological statement according to Jewish days clearly means that before the sabbath was over, that is before six P.M... Both Matthew here and Luke (Luke 23:54) use dawn (epipwskw) for the dawning of the twenty-four hour-day at sunset, not of the dawning of the twelve-hour day at sunrise. The Aramaic used the verb for dawn in both senses. Apparently the Jewish sense of "dawn" is here expressed by this Greek verb.

This means that at the precise moment when the Jewish seventh day ended at sunset on Saturday...and the first day of the week began (under Roman time Sunday did not begin until midnight)...this means Jesus' third day in the heart of the earth was fulfilled after the Sabbath's were finished on sunset of Satuday...and before the fourth that would begin the first day of the week...Nisan 18, the third day of the Feast of Unleaven Bread. Additionally, this first day of the week is when the first fruits are brought to the temple.

He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. Levitcus 23:11

Jesus took His first fruit offering to His Father when He emptied the comfort side of Sheol/Hade (Ephesians 4:8-10).

This means that Jesus' words in Matthew 12:40 about being three days and three nights in the heart of the earth is not an idiomatic phrase, rather Jesus meant it literally.