Extracts From Correspondence Between a Muslim and a Christian

Supplement 4

CHRISTIAN: I ask you to describe the con- tradictions and baseless assertions of the Gospels, according to the Islamic point of view.

MUSLIM: Although the previous discourse is enough to show the untrustworthiness of the Gospels (because they were written by persons who were not trustworthy); still to make the subject clearer I note here a few examples of contradictions in the Gospels.

If you have any acceptable explaination, please let me know. How Long Did Christ Remain Buried in his Grave?

Matthew writes:

"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew, 12:40).

But the Gospel according to Mark shows that Jesus did not remain in his grave for more than one day and two nights. The following are his words:-

"And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, . . . went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus ... And ... he gave the body to Joseph." (Mark, 15:42-45).

(It means that the body of Jesus was given to Joseph in the evening of Friday, the day before the sabbath.) "And when the sabbath was past, ...

very early in the morning the first day of the week, . . . entering into sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, . . . and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was...

crucified: he is risen, he is not here ... . Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week ... " (Mark, 16:1-9). (First day of the week means Sunday, according to Jewish system.)

So Jesus was buried in the night preceding Saturday, remained buried that night, and on Saturday and the night preceding Sunday. Early Sunday morning he was not in his grave.

It gives us two nights and one day. It is clear that two nights and one day are not "three days and three nights" mentioned in Matthew above.

CHRISTIAN: The Jews and other people of those days generally used to count a part of the day as .one day. Accordingly, Friday afternoon was first day, the whole Saturday was second day and the early Sunday morning was the third day. Thus three days become complete.

MUSLIM: First of all, Jesus was not buried in the afternoon of Friday, but in the night preceding Saturday. Mark clearly says: "When the even was come."

Therefore, even by your method of reckon- ing, Jesus was not in his grave for more than two days.

Secondly, the word "day" was used for the whole duration, and not for a part of it, The Westminster Dictionary of the Bible says:- "Day 1) An interval of time comprising the period between two successive risings of the sun (Gen. 7:24; Job 3:6).

The Hebrews reckoned it from evening to evening (Ex. 12:18; Lev. 23:32; Jos. War iv. 9, 12) ... 2) The interval between dawn and darkness (Gen. 1:5, 8:22)"

Thirdly, even if we accept, just for the sake of argument, that your meaning of the word "day" is correct, it will account for three days; but in no way for "three nights."

But the writer of the Gospel clearly says that Jesus was to remain "three days and three nights" in his grave.