Matthew 12:40. In the belly of the whale, or ‘great fish.' (Comp. Jonah 1:17, chap. 2) Probably a white shark, which reaches an immense size in the Mediterranean. Our Lord vouches for the main fact.

So shall the Son of man be three days and three nights. In round numbers according to the Jewish mode of reckoning time.

In the heart of the earth. Either in ‘hades' or in the ‘grave.' The first sense accords better with the case of Jonah, although nothing can be inferred from this respecting the locality of the ‘place of departed spirits.' Christ's sepulchre was not strictly in the heart of the earth. ‘The sign of Jonah' may be traced at some length; the following words of our Lord suggest, that as Jonah emerged to preach repentance to the Gentiles, so He rose to send the gospel to all nations.

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Old Testament