Bitesize Jonah (20)

Three, Third

Three is the minimum number necessary to establish a pattern of occurences. A single event can be pure chance; a pair can be mere coincidence; but three consecutive occurrences of an event serve as a rhetorical signal indicating special significance. (e.g. 1 Samuel 3:8)

Biblical episodes that occur in sequences of three often generate a sense of expectation that something new and significant is about to happen:

• Balaam's ass speaks to him after the third time it turns aside from the path at the arrival of the angel of the LORD (Numbers 22:28)
• Elijah has the sacrifice and altar doused with water 3 times (1 Kings 18:34)
• Jesus prays in Gethsemane 3 times (Matt 26:36-47; Mark 14:32-43)

Three also conveys a sense of completeness

• Peter's denials (Matt 26:74; Mark 14:71; Luke 22:60; John 18:27)
• Pilate tries to release Jesus 3 times (Luke 23:13-25)
• Jesus is raised on the the 3rd day
• Jesus' questions to Peter after resurrection (John 21:15-17)

Jesus told parables involving 3 stewards, 3 types of soil that are inhospitable to crops and 3 degrees of abundance from soils that produce crops, 3 inviations to a banquet, 3 travellers who encounter a wounded man on the road.
The book of Job is structured as 3 symmetrical cycles of speeches.
Peter sees sheets filled with animals and hears an accompanying voice 3 times (Acts 10:16)
3 times are we told of the angels announcemnt regarding Samson (Judges 13)
the Aaronic benediction consists of 3 pairs of statements (Number 6:23-24)

A related motif is '3 plus one':
Delilah's temptation of Samson (Judges 16:4-21)
fable of Jotham (Judges 9:7-15)
ascent of Elijah to heaven (1 Kings 2)
for three....and for four' (Amos 1:3, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6)
three things...and four (Proverbs 30:18-19, 20-23, 29-31)

Third Day (There are around 50 references to 'the third day' in Scripture).
Jonah is released from the belly of the fish on the third day (Jonah 1:7; cf. Matt 12:40)

'Coincidental':

• Laban catches up with the fleeing Jacob (Gen 31:22)
• David comes to Ziglag (1 Sam 30:1)
• Jesus and disciples comes to Cana on 3rd day of journeying (John 2:1)
• cargo is thrown overboard on the 3rd day of the storm (Acts 27:19)
• Jacob's sons take vengeance on the family of Shechem on 3rd day (Gen 34:25)

'Court rituals':

• Joseph imprisons brothers (Gen 42:18)
• Rehoboam asks for this time to consider what his political policy will be (1 Kings 12:12; 2 Chron 10:12)

'Ceremonial significance':

• At Mt Sinai God appeared on the 3rd Day, so Israel performed purification rituals for it (Exodus 19:10-16)
• meat left from sacrifices was to be destroyed (Levit 7:17-18; 19:6-7)
• purification by water on 3rd day (Number 19:12,19)
• sacrifices offered (Numbers 19:20)
• when God heals Hezekiah the king goes up to the temple on the 3rd day (2 Kings 20:8)
• when Esther decideds to confront the king with her plea, she asks for a 3 day fast from her compatriots, after which she dons her royal robes and enters the king's presence (Esther 4:16; 5:1)
• resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:4)

-> which brings us back to Jonah 1:17 and to Genesis 22 and the 3rd day when Abraham comes to the mountain where he and Isaac encounter God and find a substitutionary ram that saves Isaac's life.