בס”ד
Discover How True Reconciliation is Achieved.
The story of Jonah being in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights is used by Jesus as evidence to demonstrate that he is the Messiah, indicating that he would also spend three days and three nights in the tomb. However, this comparison overlooks the fact that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and resurrected on Easter Sunday, leading to deception.
In Matthew 12:38-40 (KJV), we read:
“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 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.”
This is the “proof” that Jesus himself provides to the people that he is the Messiah, namely, that he would be in the grave for 3 days and 3 nights.
As a child, I remember not understanding this comparison. But then hearing from adults that you had to be an adult to understand it. Now that I am an adult, I can only conclude that a child who can count to 10 has more wisdom than adults who cannot count to 3 because they are blinded by old traditions indoctrinated by the church.
The church teaches that Jesus died on “Good Friday” and rose on Sunday. But when we simply count, we cannot reach 3 days and 3 nights:
- Good Friday – the first day
- The night from Friday to Saturday – the first night
- Saturday – the second day
- The night from Saturday to Sunday – the second night
- Sunday morning – the morning of the resurrection, at least according to the story of Matthew.
Because if we look at John’s story, the tomb is already empty on Sunday morning, and we cannot even count the second night. It is remarkable that Jesus uses this example of the story of Jonah to show that he is the Messiah, because precisely the story of Jonah teaches us that humans do not need a blood sacrifice – in any form – to receive forgiveness of sins.
After all, we read that when Jonah tells Nineveh that G-d will punish them for their sinful behavior, the people are forgiven without a blood sacrifice but by repenting.
Join me in reading Jonah 3:5-10.
We all make mistakes in our lives, mistakes for which we need forgiveness. But we should not place our hope in intermediaries, sons of men, as we can read in Psalm 146:3.
3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. | אַל־תִּבְטְח֥וּ בִנְדִיבִ֑ים בְּבֶן־אָדָ֓ם | שֶׁ֚אֵ֖ין ל֥וֹ תְשׁוּעָֽה |
But we lift our eyes to G-d, and like the people of Nineveh, we confess our sins to Him. They did not need a blood sacrifice, we do not need a blood sacrifice. In fact, at the dedication of the Temple by King Solomon, an alternative was already given to forgive the sins of the people if the sacrifices could no longer be made. Let’s see what Solomon, the wise king, tells us in I Kings 8:47-50:
The world rests, among other things, on the pillars of Avodah (meaning prayers or service) and Gemilut Chassadim (acts of loving-kindness and charity). These are tools we can use when seeking forgiveness from G-d.
Avodah: We replace the sacrificial “service of G‑d” with prayer, the service of the heart articulated in words. In the words of the prophet Hosea 14:3
Gemilut Chassadim: Giving charity, giving of oneself, is also considered to be a method of finding atonement. One who gives his hard-earned money to charity is, in a sense, truly giving of himself—sacrificing himself for the greater good. This might be the ultimate form of sacrifice, as he is really giving something of himself—money that could have been spent for his personal benefit and gain.
The above is confirmed by, among others:
Proverbs: 10:2
2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; but righteousness delivereth from death. | לֹא־י֖וֹעִילוּ אוֹצְר֣וֹת רֶ֑שַׁע וּ֜צְדָקָ֗ה תַּצִּ֥יל מִמָּֽוֶת |
6 For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings. | כִּ֛י חֶ֥סֶד חָפַ֖צְתִּי וְלֹא־זָ֑בַח וְדַ֥עַת אֱלֹהִ֖ים מֵֽעֹלֽוֹת |
4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath; but righteousness delivereth from death. | לֹא־יוֹעִ֣יל ה֭וֹן בְּי֣וֹם עֶבְרָ֑ה וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה תַּצִּ֥יל מִמָּֽוֶת׃ |
Learning Points
- Traditional interpretations of the events between Good Friday and Easter are misleading.
- Reconciliation is not necessarily achieved through ritual sacrifices, but rather through sincere prayers, repentance, and acts of charity.
- It is vital to uncover the truth and base our faith on thorough understanding and reflection, rather than on traditional assumptions.
By Angelique Sijbolts
Sources;
See also the blog:
REPENTANCE – TESHUVA
Sources:
Lets Get Biblical Volume 1, Part III by Rabbi Tovia Singer
Judaism and Christianity: A Contrast by Rabbi Stuart Federow
Atonement in the Absence of Sacrifices?
By Shmuel Kogan
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