The Greek word translated in this verse as "heart" is "kardia" (Strong's NT#2588), which is similar to the English terms "cardia" or "cardiac." The King James Version translates it consistently; 159 times as "heart" and once as "broken hearted." Here are the major meanings provided by the Online Bible Greek Lexicon:
- That organ in the animal body which is the centre of the circulation of the blood, and hence was regarded as the seat of physical life.
- Denotes the centre of all physical and spiritual life.
- Of the middle or central or inmost part of anything, even though inanimate.
In modern English, "heart" is also used to mean the center of something, but did Bible writers have that understanding, and more specifically, did they ever use the word "kardia" with that meaning?
An examination, including the context, of all 160 uses of the Greek word "kardia" in the New Testament will show that there is not another verse where it has been used in the sense of the "middle" or "center" of anything.
The only meaning listed among the Greek Lexicon definitions for kardia that might relate to being in the earth is the last one, and it specifies "the middle or central or inmost part." If the phrase "in the heart of the earth" (Matt 12:40) is understood to be referring to the heart of the physical earth - it doesn't work because Jesus, while in the grave, wasn't anywhere near "the middle, or central, or inmost part" of the earth, which was a few thousand kilometers away. Rather, He was near the surface of the earth, in a cave, probably laid on a slab of stone prepared for that purpose, wrapped in burial clothes and not even directly covered by any earth or dirt.
We understand "in the heart of the earth" to mean in the middle of, or at least somewhere in the earth, for two reasons. One is because that is one way we use the word "heart." The second reason is because of tradition that has been passed down to us. However, there is no justification for the common understanding that "in the heart of the earth" means in the grave. This is a good case of letting the Bible define its own terms through examining the context, to see how the Bible itself uses words.
We understand that "heart" can mean the physical middle of something,
but when did that meaning come into use in the English language?
There actually is another Greek word, "mesos," (Strong's NT#3319) that could have been used to refer to being "in the center of the earth" if that was the intent of the phrase. Its definitions as given by the Online Bible Greek Lexicon are:
- middle
- the midst
- in the midst of, amongst
Here are some examples where the Greek word "mesos" is translated as "midst" in the King James Version:
"But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary." (Matt 14:24) "Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst." (John 19:18) "Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious." (Acts 17:22)
This would have been the word to use in a phrase referring to being buried in the midst of some location. For more on the Biblical use of "kardia" see Appendix 2 - Cases of "Kardia" Translated "Heart" as Understood in this Study, p. 121.
Appendix 2. Cases of "Kardia" Translated "Heart" as Understood in this Study
To help with the correct understanding of the word "heart," as an example of letting the Bible define its own terms, the following verses are listed. They (and many others) use "heart" from the original Greek word "kardia" (Strong's NT#2588) in a way that is consistent with this study:
"O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things." (Matt 12:34-35)
"When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side." (Matt 13:19)
"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:" (Matt 15:18-19)
"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders," (Mark 7:21)
"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh." (Luke 6:45)
"But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." (Luke 8:15)
"And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth." (1 Cor 14:25)
These examples all use "kardia" in the sense of the mind, the thinking part of man. We commonly use it that way also but have added other meanings. A good exercise would be to use a concordance to find, and then carefully read every verse that includes a translation from the Greek word "kardia" (Strong's NT#2588). Ask yourself if any of them have the meaning of the middle of anything. The context should be considered. If there is only one verse where it is commonly understand to mean that and every other verse has a different meaning, isn't it logical to question the suggested meaning in the one verse, and see if it can be understood with the meaning in all the other verses? This is letting the Bible define its own words.
This page contains a section from the book In the Heart of the Earth: The Secret Code that Reveals What is in the Heart of God.
Let's now consider the other important word in the phrase, "in the heart of the earth." The word "earth" used here is translated from the Greek word "ge" (Strong's NT#1093) for which the possible meanings given in Strong's Concordance are:
"soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application):-country, earth (-ly), ground, land, world."
This is reasonable, that the same word could mean either the earth or its occupants. Remember, as the following verses say, that we are made from the dust of the earth:
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Gen 3:19)
"All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust." (Job 34:15)
There are other verses that suggest a connection between the earth and its inhabitants:
"Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth." (Deut 32:1)
"Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me." (Isa 1:2)
"O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD." (Jer 22:29)
These verses are not talking about the literal earth or heavens hearing, but the occupants of them. Here is another verse:
"And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world ("ge," Strong's NT#1093) wondered after the beast." (Rev 13:3)
It is people who are wondering after the beast, not the world as in the planet. The Greek word "ge" that is here translated "world" - and meaning people - is the same word that is translated "earth" in the phrase "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Notice carefully that which is being stated. We are told that the two Mary's came to the sepulcher at the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn [G2020] towards the first day of the week. This clearly indicates that the end of the Sabbath came just before dawn [G2020] on the first day of the week! The word "dawn [G2020]" in Matt 28:1 continues to confirm this Biblical truism. "Dawn" is translated from the Greek word "epiphosko" and could be translated as: "begin to grow light, dawn." Matt 28:1 could be translated as follows:
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to grow light toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher."
Is it not so clear that the end of the Sabbath (or the end of any day) came as it began to grow light the next day? In other words, the Sabbath did NOT end before sunset, but before the following sunrise! Notice the following translations of this same scripture:
"Now late on the Sabbath ... as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week ..." (Matt 28:1, American Standard Version)
"Now late on Sabbath, as it was the dusk of the next day after Sabbath ... " (Matt 28:1, Darby)
If it was "late on the Sabbath" and beginning "to dawn toward the first day of the week" when the two Mary's went to the sepulcher, it should be plainly obvious that the Sabbath does not end at sunset! Meditate deeply on this important Truth, and allow the Bible to interpret itself!
Following is my commentary on the above. This commentary represents my best understanding of the subject of the timing of the Biblical day of rest but please note that it is just that. I do not claim to be completely correct. You need to study this and any subject for yourself and make your own decision.
Indeed Matthew 28:1 is interesting:
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher." (Matt 28:1)
First Fruits was the day after the first Sabbath after Passover (Leviticus 23:11). John tells us that Jesus was crucified the day of Passover (John 19:14, 31,42). And all four gospel writers tell us that Jesus rose from the grave three days later on the day “after the Sabbath” (Matthew 28:1); “when the Sabbath was over” (Mark 16:1); “on the first day of the week” (Luke 24:1; John 20:1). This makes the day that Jesus rose from the dead the same day as First Fruits.
When discussing the centrality of the resurrection to the believers in Corinth, the Apostle Paul uses the Festival of First Fruits to explain the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20-24):
“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.”
(1 Corinthians 5:20)
Jesus is the first of many who will return to life. Jesus is the first “harvest” of new life. There will be more. Paul explains, how just as death came through a man, so too has resurrection come through a man (1 Corinthians 5:21), “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 5:22).
“Christ [is] the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming”
(1 Corinthians 5:23)
In other words, as believers in Jesus we have hope that we will continue to live after we die. Jesus said something like this to the disciples: “because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19). Christ’s substitutionary death as the Passover lamb accomplished our forgiveness of sins. Christ’s resurrection as the first fruits from the dead yields our eternal life. “Unless a grain of wheat fall into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, bears much fruit” (John 12:24). As believers, we are the fruit that comes after Christ, the first fruit. Jesus is the first born of the dead (Colossians 1:18). And Jesus is not just the firstborn of the dead among men, He is the first fruits of all creation. Creation itself is groaning for its redemption (Romans 8:22-23).
“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”
(John 11:25-26).
There also may be some significance to the particular Jewish date on which Jesus rose from the dead.
There are two possible timelines of Jesus’s Passion that are most Biblically plausible. Despite the Church’s traditional celebration of these events on certain days (i.e. “Good Friday”), the Bible is not clear on which of these two timelines it is. (Note Jewish days begin at sunset).
Jewish Date Roman Day Passion Event Jewish Holy Day
Nisan 10 Saturday Triumphal Entry Selection Day/Sabbath
Nisan 13 Wednesday Last Seder
Nisan 14 Thursday Crucifixion Passover
Nisan 15 Thursday Evening Burial Unleavened Bread
Nisan 15 Friday In the Grave Unleavened Bread
Nisan 16 Sabbath In the Grave Sabbath
Nisan 17 Sunday Resurrection First Fruits
If Jesus’s resurrection took place on Nisan 16, there is at least one event in the Old Testament that also took place on Nisan 16 that foreshadows it.
- Manna ceased to come from Heaven
Before entering the Promised Land, the sons of Israel observed Passover on the plains of Jericho on Nisan 14 (Joshua 5:10). On the day after the Passover [Nisan 15], on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain (Joshua 5:11). Then, “the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land [Nisan 16], so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year” (Joshua 5:12).
Resurrection Parallel: Jesus is the bread from Heaven (John 6:51). The Old Manna stopped on the same date that the New Manna came back to life. Also, the Wilderness Manna stopped appearing once the Israelites had access to the grain of the Promised Land.
If Jesus’s resurrection took place on Nisan 17, there are at least two events in the Old Testament that also took place on Nisan 17 that foreshadow it.
- Noah’s Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat
Genesis 8:4 says that the Ark stopped floating “on the seventeenth day” of “the seventh month.” So, we know it was the seventeenth. However, Nisan is the first month, not the seventh. But just before the first Passover, God changed the ordering of the months (Exodus 12:1).
Resurrection Parallel: Just as God had rescued Noah from the flood and gave humanity through Noah a fresh start, God rescued Jesus from the grave and gave humanity a new beginning.
- God delivers the Jews from Haman’s evil plot
When the Jews lived under Persian rule, the king’s evil advisor Haman plotted genocide against the Jews to wipe them out. He announced his wicked decree to the officials on Nisan 13 (Esther 3:7, 12). Mordecai learned of the treachery and quickly informed Queen Esther, who called upon the Jews to fast for three days (over Passover no less!)—the days of Nisan 14, 15, 16 (Esther 4:15-16). On the third day (Nisan 16), Esther went to the King to make her fateful and famous petition to him to host a banquet with Haman (Esther 5:1). The banquet was that same day (Esther 5:4). At that banquet, the King and Queen Esther invited Haman to a second banquet the next day (Esther 5:7-8). On the next day (Nisan 17), Haman attends the second banquet, is ordered to publicly praise the Jew, Mordecai, and is executed on his own gallows. Israel is delivered the next day (Esther 6:1-7:10)
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