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untenable for more than one reason. In the first place the Hebrews did not name their weekdays af-
ter the planets, but indicated them by ordinal numbers. In the second place Saturn's Day [Saturday]
BEGAN the planetary week, while the Jewish Sabbath was regarded as the LAST day of the
seven, a suitable position for a rest day. And in the third place neither the Hebrews nor any other
Oriental people ever worshipped the planet Saturn as god and observed his day as a festival" (p.
243).

Later in his book, on page 307, Hutton concludes: "Human nature, it has been said, is al-
ways ready for the SHIFT from fast to feast, FROM SABBATH TO SATURNALIA."

Read our article Have We Been Keeping the Sabbath At the Wrong Time All These
Years? for further proof.

Continues Dankenbring:

Does this verse -- by itself -- contradict the plain and clear verses we have already dis-
cussed? Does it contradict Matthew 12:40 and the "three days and three nights" Jesus
spent in the grave? Not at all! First of all, let us notice clearly what Jesus and the two dis-
ciples are talking about. They were discussing ALL the events of that troubling, awesome
week, surrounding the trials, death, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus Christ. This was all
considered "News." And this "stranger" they were talking to seemed not to be aware of all
that had been happening! So they attempted to "clue Him in," as the saying goes.

They finally said to Him, "Beside ALL THIS, today is the third day since THESE
THINGS were done."
What things?

Now here, at this juncture, is where Dankenbring, with a sleight of hand that stretches our
credulity to a near breaking point, goes on to say --

Let us not assume, as human nature is wont to do. Notice! Matthew records in true se-
quence the FINAL THINGS that were done, concerning the crucifixion, and burial, of Je-
sus Christ. He gives us the details. He leaves nothing out! He tells us of the death of Jesus
on the cross (Matt.27:50), the veil of the Temple being split in two and a great earth
quake, at his death (verse 51), and the coming of Joseph of Arimathea at evening to claim
the body of Jesus from Pilate (verse 57-58), how Joseph then buried Jesus' body in his
own newly hewn tomb (verses 59-60), with Mary and the other Mary watching (v.61).
Now notice what else occurs, BEFORE this story reaches a conclusion!

"NOW THE NEXT DAY, that FOLLOWED the day of preparation..."

Now this would have been the day AFTER the crucifixion and death of Christ, which
occurred on Nisan 14, just before sunset. What happened on THIS day?

...the chief priests and Pharisses came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that
the deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command

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