Jesus in the Heart of the Earth

How long did Jesus spend in the grave? The answer to this seemingly simple question is a matter of heated debate in some circles.
The dilemma comes from an apparent discrepancy in Scripture. Matthew 12:40 says, “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.” But if Jesus was buried late Friday afternoon and rose early Sunday morning, as other Bible passages indicate, He spent barely a day and a half in the grave!