(sorry for the length, I think I will split this in 2)

It’s confusing! here’s a start, & more anons’ thoughts will be helpful

Matthew 12:40 greek word γῆς (gēs) can mean a) the ground or b) a specific geographic territory

another key word is kardia (heart) https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/12-40.htm

So Christ’s words were that as Jonah spent 3 days & 3 nights (Jonah 1:17)… so Christ would spend 3 days & 3 nights in the kardia “heart* of the gēs.

in the “ground” is the most common interpretation & parallels the story of Jonah.

mainstream: any part of a day counted as part of the whole, so Friday afternoon = day 1 and then that evening = night 1; Saturday light hours = day 2 and then there’s evening = night 2. In Hebrew reckoning, Day 3 began at sundown on what we still call Saturday night? So where is night 3, inclusive in day 3?

possibly. [edit from an anon, yes: “3 day & 3 nights” idiom can mean any part of the 3 days time period” without needing 72 hours]

As an aside, In Roman calendaring, 8 kalends ianuarias was Dec. 25, so counting Jan. 1 back to target date of Dec. 25, all of the days are counted including your ending & dates. The Romans did not say 7 more days before… they did not say 7 more days until it is the 1st of the month of January.

(sorry for the length, I think I will split this in 2)

It’s confusing! here’s a start, & more anons’ thoughts will be helpful

Matthew 12:40 greek word γῆς (gēs) can mean a) the ground or b) a specific geographic territory

another key word is kardia (heart) https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/12-40.htm

So Christ’s words were that as Jonah spent 3 days & 3 nights (Jonah 1:17)… so Christ would spend 3 days & 3 nights in the kardia “heart* of the gēs.

in the “ground” is the most common interpretation & parallels the story of Jonah.

mainstream: any part of a day counted as part of the whole, so Friday afternoon = day 1 and then that evening = night 1; Saturday light hours = day 2 and then there’s evening = night 2. In Hebrew reckoning, Day 3 began at sundown on what we still call Saturday night? So where is night 3, inclusive in day 3?

possibly.

As an aside, In Roman calendaring, 8 kalends ianuarias was Dec. 25, so counting Jan. 1 back to target date of Dec. 25, all of the days are counted including your ending & dates. The Romans did not say 7 more days before… they did not say 7 more days until it is the 1st of the month of January.