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.
Ver. 40. For as Jonas was three days, &c.] In the history of Jonah, Christ found the mystery of his death, burial, and resurrection; teaching us thereby to search the Scriptures-to search them to the bottom; as those that dig for gold content not themselves with the first or second ore that offers itself, but search on till they have all. This we should the rather do, because we need neither climb up to heaven with these Pharisees nor descend into the deep with Jonah, since "the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thine heart," &c.,Romans 10:7,8 .
So shall the Son of man be three days, &c.] Taking a part for the whole. So Esther lasted three days and three nights, Ezra 4:16, and yet on the third day she went to the king,Ezra 5:1. So, then, the fast lasted not three whole days and nights, but two nights, one full day, and two pieces of days.