Luke 9:22

Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.

Many things ... This announcement of the Lord's Passion was given three times by Matthew, each in a different context, and disclosing, in the aggregate, a score of events and conditions categorically foretold by the Lord. Jesus repeatedly instructed the Twelve regarding the full details of his Passion and Resurrection. For a full summary of this, see my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 20:17-19.

The third day be risen up ... The conviction expressed throughout this series is that Jesus was crucified on Thursday, April 6, A.D. 30, and that he rose on the Sunday following, fulfilling to the letter the divine promise that he would be in the "heart of the earth" three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40). This is the chronology of that fulfillment:

Buried at sunset (shortly before) on THURSDAY.

In the grave THURSDAY night (one night).

In the grave FRIDAY (the first day).

In the grave FRIDAY NIGHT (second night).

In the grave SATURDAY (second day).

In the grave SATURDAY NIGHT (third night).

Rose from the dead SUNDAY morning (the third day).

The above is spelled out, in order for it to be apparent that "third day" harmonizes completely with Matthew 12:40. The expression "third day" as frequently used in the Gospels should therefore be viewed as a qualifier of the "three days and three nights" of Matthew 12:40. Some have insisted that if Jesus actually meant "three days and three nights," he would have said "FULL three days and three nights"; but this would have required the resurrection to have been at sundown, corresponding to the time he was buried. It was indeed three full nights; but he rose "the third day." For dissertation on this subject, see my Commentary on Mark under the heading, "What Day Was Jesus Crucified?" following Mark 15:42.