To what is the "heart of the earth" referring in Matthew 12:40?
His body would be in the grave three days like Jonah was in the whale three days and then as Jonah reappears from a figure of certain death, Christ would rise on the third day and appear tonthe people as Moses pattern shows us on exodus being witnessed by several disciples
“and be ready against
the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.”
Exodus 19:11 KJV
Jesus is heartening back to Jonah and when he was swallowed by the whale using this example to preach of his death and resurrection three days after in glory.
Later he was taken up into heaven and away from the world but sent his spirit back 40 days after at pentocost being seated on his throne after the figure of Moses and the fourty day flood is fulfilled. The new covenant is now in effect at pentecost after fourty days of doctrine , as it was made with noah after fourty days of rain
See if we read this
“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.”
Matthew 12:40
Preceding it is what leads there
“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:”
Matthew 12:38-39 KJV
he’s saying they will receive the sign of my resurrection after three days in the grave
He was telling them about it plainly but they weren’t supposed to understand yet having no Holy Ghost
“Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them,
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
For he shall be
delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be
mocked, and
spitefully entreated, and
spitted on: and they shall
scourge him, and
put him to death: and
the third day he shall rise again.
And
they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.”
Luke 18:31-34 KJV
later though after he died and people were saying he rose
“He is not here, but
is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And
they remembered his words,”
Luke 24:6-8
They were starting to think about it and remember what he had foretold and what happened to him
my point is he’s just simply using the example of Jonah being swallowed by the whale for three days to teach about his death and burial three days in the tomb within a rock of the earth.
he would be in The grave three days as Jonah was in the whales belly three days and emerged alive after