*** START - MEMORIAL - COMPREHENSIVE - 03_Yeshua's Last Week through His Last Supper ***
Brief Review:
Previously it was explained the reasoning behind:
why the Lord God Almighty will be referred to using the Tetragrammaton, YHVH;
why Jesus will be called by His Hebrew name, Yeshua;
why almost all of the Scriptures will be cited from the Young's Literal Translation (YLT); and,
why almost all of the definitions for the words in the English translations will be from the New Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.
Now we are entering Yeshua’s last week on earth as a human – Passover week.
NOTE:
To gain a clear understanding, much of this study not only looks back and expands upon the previous two studies, but it also looks ahead to future studies.
The lunar time and date of Passover, and from that Yeshua’s Remembrance or Memorial, were fixed by YHVH Himself:
Exodus 12:1-3 YLT
(1) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses and unto Aaron, in the land of Egypt, saying,
(2) 'This month is to you the chief of months—it is the first to you of the months of the year;
(3) speak ye unto all the company of Israel, saying, In the tenth of this month—they take to them each man a lamb for the house of the fathers, a lamb for a house.
Exodus 12:5-6 YLT
(5) a lamb, a perfect one, a male, a son of a year, let be to you; from the sheep or from the goats ye do take it .
(6) 'And it hath become a charge to you, until the fourteenth day of this month, and the whole assembly of the company of Israel have slaughtered it between the evenings;
In the days between Yeshua entering Jerusalem exalted as a king, until His execution as a criminal, Yeshua’s final days were of striking contrasts:
from being the people's choice to be their king:
John 12:12-15 YLT
(12) On the morrow, a great multitude that came to the feast, having heard that Yeshua doth come to Jerusalem,
(13) took the branches of the palms, and went forth to meet him, and were crying, 'Hosanna, blessed is he who is coming in the name of the Lord—the king of Israel;'
(14) and Yeshua having found a young ass did sit upon it, according as it is written,
(15) 'Fear not, daughter of Sion, lo, thy king doth come, sitting on an ass' colt.'
to the same people choosing to have Him executed as a criminal;
Mark 15:12-28 YLT
(12) And Pilate answering, again said to them, 'What, then, will ye that I shall do to him whom ye call king of the Jews?'
(13) and they again cried out, 'Crucify him.'
(14) And Pilate said to them, 'Why—what evil did he?' and they cried out the more vehemently, 'Crucify him;'
(15) and Pilate, wishing to content the multitude, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Yeshua—having scourged him —that he might be crucified.
(16) And the soldiers led him away into the hall, which is Praetorium, and call together the whole band,
(17) and clothe him with purple, and having plaited a crown of thorns, they put it on him,
(18) and began to salute him, 'Hail, King of the Jews.'
(19) And they were smiting him on the head with a reed, and were spitting on him, and having bent the knee, were bowing to him,
(20) and when they had mocked him, they took the purple from off him, and clothed him in his own garments, and they led him forth, that they may crucify him.
(21) And they impress a certain one passing by—Simon, a Cyrenian, coming from the field, the father of Alexander and Rufus—that he may bear his cross,
(22) and they bring him to the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, 'Place of a skull;'
(23) and they were giving him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, and he did not receive.
(24) And having crucified him, they were dividing his garments, casting a lot upon them, what each may take;
(25) and it was the third hour, and they crucified him;
(26) and the inscription of his accusation was written above—'The King of the Jews.'
(27) And with him they crucify two robbers, one on the right hand, and one on his left,
(28) and the Writing was fulfilled that is saying, 'And with lawless ones he was numbered.'
from being honored and hailed:
Mark 11:8-10 YLT
(8) and many did spread their garments in the way, and others were cutting down branches from the trees, and were strewing in the way.
(9) And those going before and those following were crying out, saying, 'Hosanna! blessed is he who is coming in the name of the Lord;
(10) blessed is the coming reign, in the name of the Lord, of our father David; Hosanna in the highest.'
to being insulted and reviled;
Matthew 27:39-44 YLT
(39) and those passing by were speaking evil of him, wagging their heads,
(40) and saying, 'Thou that art throwing down the sanctuary, and in three days building it , save thyself; if Son thou art of God, come down from the cross.'
(41) And in like manner also the chief priests mocking, with the scribes and elders, said,
(42) 'Others he saved; himself he is not able to save! If he be King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe him;
(43) he hath trusted on God, let Him now deliver him, if He wish him, because he said—Son of God I am;'
(44) with the same also the robbers, who were crucified with him, were reproaching him.
even by one of the thieves being crucified with Him:
Luke 23:39-43 YLT
(39) And one of the evil-doers who were hanged, was speaking evil of him, saying, 'If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us.'
(40) And the other answering, was rebuking him, saying, 'Dost thou not even fear God, that thou art in the same judgment?
(41) and we indeed righteously, for things worthy of what we did we receive back, but this one did nothing out of place;'
(42) and he said to Yeshua, 'Remember me, lord, when thou mayest come in thy reign;'
(43) and Yeshua said to him, 'Verily I say to thee, To-day with me thou shalt be in the paradise.'
from being united around and protected:
Matthew 26:51-54 YLT
(51) And lo, one of those with Yeshua, having stretched forth the hand, drew his sword, and having struck the servant of the chief priest, he took off his ear.
(52) Then saith Yeshua to him, 'Turn back thy sword to its place; for all who did take the sword, by the sword shall perish;
(53) dost thou think that I am not able now to call upon my Father, and He will place beside me more than twelve legions of messengers?
(54) how then may the Writings be fulfilled, that thus it behoveth to happen?'
to being totally abandoned by those with whom He had shared His life and taught for over three years:
Matthew 26:55-56 YLT
(55) In that hour said Yeshua to the multitudes, 'As against a robber ye did come forth, with swords and sticks, to take me! daily with you I was sitting teaching in the temple, and ye did not lay hold on me;
(56) but all this hath come to pass, that the Writings of the prophets may be fulfilled;' then all the disciples, having left him, fled.
even denied and abandoned by His closest companion:
Matthew 26:33-35 YLT
(33) And Peter answering said to him, 'Even if all shall be stumbled at thee, I will never be stumbled.'
(34) Yeshua said to him, 'Verily I say to thee, that, this night, before cock-crowing, thrice thou wilt deny me.'
(35) Peter saith to him, 'Even if it may be necessary for me to die with thee, I will not deny thee;' in like manner also said all the disciples.
Matthew 26:69-75 YLT
(69) And Peter without was sitting in the court, and there came near to him a certain maid, saying, 'And thou wast with Yeshua of Galilee!'
(70) And he denied before all, saying, 'I have not known what thou sayest.'
(71) And he having gone forth to the porch, another female saw him, and saith to those there, 'And this one was with Yeshua of Nazareth;'
(72) and again did he deny with an oath—'I have not known the man.'
(73) And after a little those standing near having come, said to Peter, 'Truly thou also art of them, for even thy speech doth make thee manifest.'
(74) Then began he to anathematise, and to swear—'I have not known the man;' and immediately did a cock crow,
(75) and Peter remembered the saying of Yeshua, he having said to him—'Before cock-crowing, thrice thou wilt deny me;' and having gone without, he did weep bitterly.
from being anointed in loving adoration:
John 12:1-8 YLT
(1) Yeshua, therefore, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where was Lazarus, who had died, whom he raised out of the dead;
(2) they made, therefore, to him a supper there, and Martha was ministering, and Lazarus was one of those reclining together (at meat) with him;
(3) Mary, therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of spikenard, of great price, anointed the feet of Yeshua and did wipe with her hair his feet, and the house was filled from the fragrance of the ointment.
(4) Therefore saith one of his disciples—Judas Iscariot, of Simon, who is about to deliver him up—
(5) 'Wherefore was not this ointment sold for three hundred denaries, and given to the poor?'
(6) and he said this, not because he was caring for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and what things were put in he was carrying.
(7) Yeshua, therefore, said, 'Suffer her; for the day of my embalming she hath kept it,
(8) for the poor ye have always with yourselves, and me ye have not always.'
to being betrayed - with a kiss:
Matthew 26:45-49 YLT
(45) then cometh he unto his disciples, and saith to them, 'Sleep on henceforth, and rest! lo, the hour hath come nigh, and the Son of Man is delivered up to the hands of sinners.
(46) Rise, let us go; lo, he hath come nigh who is delivering me up.'
(47) And while he is yet speaking, lo, Judas, one of the twelve did come, and with him a great multitude, with swords and sticks, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
(48) And he who did deliver him up did give them a sign, saying, 'Whomsoever I will kiss, it is he: lay hold on him;'
(49) and immediately, having come to Yeshua, he said, 'Hail, Rabbi,' and kissed him;
from being a respected teacher in the temple:
Mark 11:27 YLT
(27) And they come again to Jerusalem, and in the temple, as he is walking, there come unto him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,
Mark 12:28-37 YLT
(28) And one of the scribes having come near, having heard them disputing, knowing that he answered them well, questioned him, 'Which is the first command of all?'
(29) and Yeshua answered him—'The first of all the commands is , Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one;
(30) and thou shalt love the Lord thy God out of all thy heart, and out of thy soul, and out of all thine understanding, and out of all thy strength—this is the first command;
(31) and the second is like it , this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; —greater than these there is no other command.'
(32) And the scribe said to him, 'Well, Teacher, in truth thou hast spoken that there is one God, and there is none other but He;
(33) and to love Him out of all the heart, and out of all the understanding, and out of all the soul, and out of all the strength, and to love one's neighbour as one's self, is more than all the whole burnt-offerings and the sacrifices.'
(34) And Yeshua, having seen him that he answered with understanding, said to him, 'Thou art not far from the reign of God;' and no one any more durst question him.
(35) And Yeshua answering said, teaching in the temple, 'How say the scribes that the Christ is son of David?
(36) for David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said to my lord, Sit thou on My right hand, till I place thine enemies—thy footstool;
(37) therefore David himself saith of him Lord, and whence is he his son?' And the great multitude were hearing him gladly,
to being given the third-degree by the Jewish religious leaders:
Matthew 26:57-68 YLT
(57) And those laying hold on Yeshua led him away unto Caiaphas the chief priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together,
(58) and Peter was following him afar off, unto the court of the chief priest, and having gone in within, he was sitting with the officers, to see the end.
(59) And the chief priests, and the elders, and all the council, were seeking false witness against Yeshua, that they might put him to death,
(60) and they did not find; and many false witnesses having come near, they did not find; and at last two false witnesses having come near,
(61) said, 'This one said, I am able to throw down the sanctuary of God, and after three days to build it.'
(62) And the chief priest having stood up, said to him, 'Nothing thou dost answer! what do these witness against thee?
(63) and Yeshua was silent. And the chief priest answering said to him, 'I adjure thee, by the living God, that thou mayest say to us, if thou art the Christ—the Son of God.'
(64) Yeshua saith to him, 'Thou hast said; nevertheless I say to you, hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power, and coming upon the clouds, of the heaven.'
(65) Then the chief priest rent his garments, saying, —'He hath spoken evil; what need have we yet of witnesses? lo, now ye heard his evil speaking;
(66) what think ye?' and they answering said, 'He is worthy of death.'
(67) Then did they spit in his face and buffet him, and others did slap,
(68) saying, 'Declare to us, O Christ, who he is that struck thee?'
from casting the thieves out of the temple area:
Mark 11:15-18 YLT
(15) And they come to Jerusalem, and Yeshua having gone into the temple, began to cast forth those selling and buying in the temple, and the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those selling the doves, he overthrew,
(16) and he did not suffer that any might bear a vessel through the temple,
(17) and he was teaching, saying to them, 'Hath it not been written—My house a house of prayer shall be called for all the nations, and ye did make it a den of robbers?'
(18) And the scribes and the chief priests heard, and they were seeking how they shall destroy him, for they were afraid of him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching;
to being crucified as a criminal between two thieves:
Matthew 27:38 YLT
(38) Then crucified with him are two robbers, one on the right hand, and one on the left,
from the quiet of Gethsemane’s peacefulness:
Matthew 26:36 YLT
(36) Then come with them doth Yeshua to a place called Gethsemane, and he saith to the disciples, 'Sit ye here, till having gone away, I shall pray yonder.'
to the hysteria of the frenzied mob at Pontius Pilate's judgement seat:
John 19:13-15 YLT
(13) Pilate, therefore, having heard this word, brought Yeshua without—and he sat down upon the tribunal—to a place called, 'Pavement,' and in Hebrew, Gabbatha;
(14) and it was the preparation of the passover, and as it were the sixth hour, and he saith to the Jews, 'Lo, your king!'
(15) and they cried out, 'Take away, take away, crucify him;' Pilate saith to them, 'Your king shall I crucify?' the chief priests answered, 'We have no king except Caesar.'
from the warm fellowship of Simon the Leper’s home:
Matthew 26:6-13 YLT
(6) And Yeshua having been in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
(7) there came to him a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, very precious, and she poured on his head as he is reclining (at meat).
(8) And having seen it , his disciples were much displeased, saying, 'To what purpose is this waste?
(9) for this ointment could have been sold for much, and given to the poor.'
(10) And Yeshua having known, said to them, 'Why do ye give trouble to the woman? for a good work she wrought for me;
(11) for the poor always ye have with you, and me ye have not always;
(12) for she having put this ointment on my body—for my burial she did it .
(13) Verily I say to you, Wherever this good news may be proclaimed in the whole world, what this one did shall also be spoken of—for a memorial of her.'
to the brutal mockings and physical abuse by vicious guards:
Matthew 27:26-31 YLT
(26) Then did he release to them Barabbas, and having scourged Yeshua, he delivered him up that he may be crucified;
(27) then the soldiers of the governor having taken Yeshua to the Praetorium, did gather to him all the band;
(28) and having unclothed him, they put around him a crimson cloak,
(29) and having plaited him a crown out of thorns they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand, and having kneeled before him, they were mocking him, saying, 'Hail, the king of the Jews.'
(30) And having spit on him, they took the reed, and were smiting on his head;
(31) and when they had mocked him, they took off from him the cloak, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify him .
from the reverence and awe of the Lord’s supper:
Luke 22:13-23 YLT
(13) and they, having gone away, found as he hath said to them, and they made ready the passover.
(14) And when the hour come, he reclined (at meat), and the twelve apostles with him,
(15) and he said unto them, 'With desire I did desire to eat this passover with you before my suffering,
(16) for I say to you, that no more may I eat of it till it may be fulfilled in the reign of God.'
(17) And having taken a cup, having given thanks, he said, 'Take this and divide to yourselves,
(18) for I say to you that I may not drink of the produce of the vine till the reign of God may come.'
(19) And having taken bread, having given thanks, he brake and gave to them, saying, 'This is my body, that for you is being given, this do ye—to remembrance of me.'
(20) In like manner, also, the cup after the supping, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, that for you is being poured forth.
(21) 'But, lo, the hand of him delivering me up is with me on the table,
(22) and indeed the Son of Man doth go according to what hath been determined; but woe to that man through whom he is being delivered up.'
(23) And they began to reason among themselves, who then of them it may be, who is about to do this thing.
to the public disgrace of the cruel mockings upon the cross:
Mark 15:22-32 YLT
(22) and they bring him to the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, 'Place of a skull;'
(23) and they were giving him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, and he did not receive.
(24) And having crucified him, they were dividing his garments, casting a lot upon them, what each may take;
(25) and it was the third hour, and they crucified him;
(26) and the inscription of his accusation was written above—'The King of the Jews.'
(27) And with him they crucify two robbers, one on the right hand, and one on his left,
(28) and the Writing was fulfilled that is saying, 'And with lawless ones he was numbered.'
(29) And those passing by were speaking evil of him, shaking their heads, and saying, 'Ah, the thrower down of the sanctuary, and in three days the builder!
(30) save thyself, and come down from the cross!'
(31) And in like manner also the chief priests, mocking with one another, with the scribes, said, 'Others he saved; himself he is not able to save.
(32) The Christ! the king of Israel—let him come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe;' and those crucified with him were reproaching him.
from receiving His Father's comfort through an angel:
Luke 22:39-46 YLT
(39) And having gone forth, he went on, according to custom, to the mount of the Olives, and his disciples also followed him,
(40) and having come to the place, he said to them, 'Pray ye not to enter into temptation.'
(41) And he was withdrawn from them, as it were a stone's cast, and having fallen on the knees he was praying,
(42) saying, 'Father, if Thou be counselling to make this cup pass from me—;but, not my will, but Thine be done.' —
(43) And there appeared to him a messenger from heaven strengthening him;
(44) and having been in agony, he was more earnestly praying, and his sweat became, as it were, great drops of blood falling upon the ground.
(45) And having risen up from the prayer, having come unto the disciples, he found them sleeping from the sorrow,
(46) and he said to them, 'Why do ye sleep? having risen, pray that ye may not enter into temptation.'
to being "forsaken" by YHVH at almost the very end:
Matthew 27:45-46 YLT
(45) And from the sixth hour darkness came over all the land unto the ninth hour,
(46) and about the ninth hour Yeshua cried out with a great voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why didst Thou forsake G1459 me?'
forsake forsaken G1459
- Strong's: From G1722 and G2641; to leave behind in some place that is (in a good sense) let remain over or (in a bad one) to desert: - forsake leave.
from completing His very last earthly obligation, even after enduring the agony of six hours of being nailed to and hanging from the cross:
John 19:25-27 YLT
(25) And there stood by the cross of Yeshua his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleopas, and Mary the Magdalene;
(26) Yeshua, therefore, having seen his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he was loving, he saith to his mother, 'Woman, lo, thy son;'
(27) afterward he saith to the disciple, 'Lo, thy mother;' and from that hour the disciple took her to his own home .
to giving up His earthly life in the knowledge that He had successfully completed every detail (every jot G2503 and tittle G2762 - KJV )of the mission YHVH had given Him on earth:
John 19:28-30 YLT
(28) After this, Yeshua knowing that all things now have been finished, that the Writing may be fulfilled, saith, 'I thirst;'
(29) a vessel, therefore, was placed full of vinegar, and they having filled a sponge with vinegar, and having put it around a hyssop stalk, did put it to his mouth;
(30) when, therefore, Yeshua received the vinegar, he said, 'It hath been finished;' and having bowed the head, gave up the spirit.
Sadly for the chief priests, Sanhedrin, Romans and many others, what "hath been finished" was not the ending that they thought it was.
We all “know?” that Yeshua was, as the Apostles’ Creed claims,
“was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;”
and that the Last Supper was on Maundy Thursday (Passover), Yeshua’s execution on Good Friday and His resurrection at dawn on Easter Sunday (first day of the week).
Really?
To discover what day Yeshua's "Last Supper" and last Passover actually occurred, we have to begin on Easter Sunday - the "first day of the week" in all four gospels.
We also have to recollect the first century Jewish reckoning of a "day", that is, as beginning at sunSET and continuing until the next sunSET approxiamtely 24 hours later.
The Jewish celebration of Passover and the Christian observation of the death and resurrection of Yeshua from the grave (generally called “Easter”) are often observed on the same weekend, Thursday night, Friday and Sunday.
Clearly, Easter happens against the backdrop of Passover.
Yet about 15 percent of the time, the two holidays actually occur a month apart.
What causes this mismatch?
There are two ways of answering this question.
The first is that there’s a basic misalignment between the Christian and the Jewish festival calendars.
Both holidays are supposed to fall on, or near, a full moon in the spring.
Passover (pesach) begins on the 14th day of Nisan and the feast of matza (unleavened bread eaten by Jews during the holiday of Passover (pesach) in commemoration of their Exodus from Egypt) begins on 15th.
Leviticus 23:4-6 YLT
(4) 'These are appointed seasons of Jehovah, holy convocations, which ye proclaim in their appointed seasons:
(5) in the first month, on the fourteenth of the month, between the evenings, is the passover to Jehovah;
(6) and on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast of unleavened things to Jehovah; seven days unleavened things ye do eat;
The pesach sacrifice, while slaughtered on the 14th at evening (just before sunSET) is not eaten until the 15th day with the unleavened bread.
The tradition of seder (the ceremonial evening meal with which pesach begins in Jewish homes. (Matthew 26:17) dates back to the first pesach in (Exodus 12:1-24)
Matthew 26:17 YLT
(17) And on the first day of the unleavened food came the disciples near to Yeshua, saying to him, 'Where wilt thou that we may prepare for thee to eat the passover?'
Exodus 12:1-24 YLT
(1) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses and unto Aaron, in the land of Egypt, saying,
(2) 'This month is to you the chief of months—it is the first to you of the months of the year;
(3) speak ye unto all the company of Israel, saying, In the tenth of this month—they take to them each man a lamb for the house of the fathers, a lamb for a house.
(4) '(And if the household be too few for a lamb, then hath he taken, he and his neighbour who is near unto his house, for the number of persons, each according to his eating ye do count for the lamb,)
(5) a lamb, a perfect one, a male, a son of a year, let be to you; from the sheep or from the goats ye do take it .
(6) 'And it hath become a charge to you, until the fourteenth day of this month, and the whole assembly of the company of Israel have slaughtered it between the evenings;
(7) and they have taken of the blood, and have put on the two side-posts, and on the lintel over the houses in which they eat it.
(8) 'And they have eaten the flesh in this night, roast with fire; with unleavened things and bitters they do eat it;
(9) ye do not eat of it raw, or boiled at all in water, but roast with fire, its head with its legs, and with its inwards;
(10) and ye do not leave of it till morning, and that which is remaining of it till morning with fire ye do burn.
(11) 'And thus ye do eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand, and ye have eaten it in haste; it is Jehovah's passover,
(12) and I have passed over through the land of Egypt during this night, and have smitten every first-born in the land of Egypt, from man even unto beast, and on all the gods of Egypt I do judgments; I am Jehovah.
(13) 'And the blood hath become a sign for you on the houses where ye are , and I have seen the blood, and have passed over you, and a plague is not on you for destruction in My smiting in the land of Egypt.
(14) 'And this day hath become to you a memorial, and ye have kept it a feast to Jehovah to your generations; —a statute age-during; ye keep it a feast.
(15) Seven days ye eat unleavened things; only—in the first day ye cause leaven to cease out of your houses; for any one eating anything fermented from the first day till the seventh day, even that person hath been cut off from Israel.
(16) 'And in the first day is a holy convocation, and in the seventh day ye have a holy convocation; any work is not done in them, only that which is eaten by any person—it alone is done by you,
(17) and ye have observed the unleavened things, for in this self-same day I have brought out your hosts from the land of Egypt, and ye have observed this day to your generations—a statute age-during.
(18) 'In the first month , in the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, ye do eat unleavened things until the one and twentieth day of the month, at evening;
(19) seven days leaven is not found in your houses, for any one eating anything fermented—that person hath been cut off from the company of Israel, among the sojourners or among the natives of the land;
(20) anything fermented ye do not eat, in all your dwellings ye do eat unleavened things.'
(21) And Moses calleth for all the elders of Israel, and saith unto them, 'Draw out and take for yourselves from the flock, for your families, and slaughter the passover-sacrifice;
(22) and ye have taken a bunch of hyssop, and have dipped it in the blood which is in the basin, and have struck it on the lintel, and on the two side-posts, from the blood which is in the basin, and ye, ye go not out each from the opening of his house till morning.
(23) 'And Jehovah hath passed on to smite the Egyptians, and hath seen the blood on the lintel, and on the two side-posts, and Jehovah hath passed over the opening, and doth not permit the destruction to come into your houses to smite.
(24) 'And ye have observed this thing, for a statute to thee, and to thy sons—unto the age;
Much of today’s seder is tradition but some of it is commanded.
The Galileans even had a different seder celebration.
The lamb is chosen ahead of time on Nisan 10 and actually stays in the home with the family before it is taken to slaughter on Nisan 14, "between the evenings" - twilight, the time of approaching darkness when lamps are lighted; Exodus 30:8 (literally, “between H996 the two evenings H6153 ”).
between H996
feminine); properly the constructively contracted form of an otherwise unused noun from H995; a distinction; but used only as a preposition between (repeated before each noun often with other particles); also as a conjugation either... or: - among asunder at between (-twixt . . . and) + from (the widest) X in out of whether (it be... or) within.
evenings H6153
- Strong's: From H6150; dusk: - + day even (-ing tide) night.
dusk H6150
- Strong's: A primitive root (rather identical with H6148 through the idea of covering with a texture); to grow dusky at sundown: - be darkened (toward) evening.
The Pesach, matzah, and firstfruits are all celebrated together as one and are even called simply Passover or matza instead of separating them.
This has been done since before Yeshua’s day as evidenced in the gospels.
Because the Hebrew months are established directly to the lunar cycle, the 15th day of Nisan is always a full moon.
The 15th day begins at sundown, and so is after the 14th day, and the seder meal is eaten that evening.
For a time, early Christians used the Jewish calendar as a reference, celebrating Easter on the first Sunday after Nisan 15.
But at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, the Church decided to set its own date for Easter, independent of the Jewish reckoning.
Today most Christian communities celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21.
But sometimes this full moon isn’t the same as the Jewish one.
This leads to the second, deeper answer.
The lunar mismatch occurs because both calendars must grapple with the same underlying problem: A lunar year is not the same length as a full solar year.
In fact, nothing is exactly the same length as a solar year, because not all solar years are the same length.
This challenge plagues not only both religious calendars, but also every human attempt at timekeeping on Earth.
The Hebrew calendar uses lunar months, and they’re about 29 or 30 days each. If you have 12 of those months, it adds up to 354 days.
But that’s about 11 days too short: As we all recollect from grammar school; a solar year is about 365.2425 days.
If left unaddressed, this would quickly cause the Hebrew calendar to drift out of sync with the solar calendar, violating the biblical commandment to celebrate Passover during the spring, in concert with the rest of the feasts synchronizing with the other crop harvests.
Leviticus 23:1-44 YLT
(1) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
(2) 'Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Appointed seasons of Jehovah, which ye proclaim, holy convocations, are these: they are My appointed seasons:
(3) six days is work done, and in the seventh day is a sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; ye do no work; it is a sabbath to Jehovah in all your dwellings.
(4) 'These are appointed seasons of Jehovah, holy convocations, which ye proclaim in their appointed seasons:
(5) in the first month, on the fourteenth of the month, between the evenings, is the passover to Jehovah;
(6) and on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast of unleavened things to Jehovah; seven days unleavened things ye do eat;
(7) on the first day ye have a holy convocation, ye do no servile work;
(8) and ye have brought near a fire-offering to Jehovah seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye do no servile work.'
(9) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
(10) 'Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When ye come in unto the land which I am giving to you, and have reaped its harvest, and have brought in the sheaf, the beginning of your harvest unto the priest,
(11) then he hath waved the sheaf before Jehovah for your acceptance; on the morrow of the sabbath doth the priest wave it.
(12) 'And ye have prepared in the day of your waving the sheaf a lamb, a perfect one, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering to Jehovah,
(13) and its present two tenth deals of flour mixed with oil, a fire-offering to Jehovah, a sweet fragrance, and its drink-offering, wine, a fourth of the hin.
(14) 'And bread and roasted corn and full ears ye do not eat until this self-same day, until your bringing in the offering of your God—a statute age-during to your generations, in all your dwellings.
(15) 'And ye have numbered to you from the morrow of the sabbath, from the day of your bringing in the sheaf of the wave-offering: they are seven perfect sabbaths;
(16) unto the morrow of the seventh sabbath ye do number fifty days, and ye have brought near a new present to Jehovah;
(17) out of your dwellings ye bring in bread of a wave-offering, two loaves , of two tenth deals of flour they are, with yeast they are baken, first- fruits to Jehovah.
(18) 'And ye have brought near, besides the bread, seven lambs, perfect ones, sons of a year, and one bullock, a son of the herd, and two rams; they are a burnt-offering to Jehovah, with their present and their libations, a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah.
(19) 'And ye have prepared one kid of the goats for a sin-offering, and two lambs, sons of a year, for a sacrifice of peace-offerings,
(20) and the priest hath waved them, besides the bread of the first- fruits —a wave-offering before Jehovah, besides the two lambs; they are holy to Jehovah for the priest;
(21) and ye have proclaimed on this self-same day: a holy convocation is to you, ye do no servile work—a statute age-during in all your dwellings, to your generations.
(22) 'And in your reaping the harvest of your land thou dost not complete the corner of thy field in thy reaping, and the gleaning of thy harvest thou dost not gather, to the poor and to the sojourner thou dost leave them; I Jehovah am your God.'
(23) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
(24) 'Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first of the month, ye have a sabbath, a memorial of shouting, a holy convocation;
(25) ye do no servile work, and ye have brought near a fire-offering to Jehovah.'
(26) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
(27) 'Only—on the tenth of this seventh month is a day of atonements; ye have a holy convocation, and ye have humbled yourselves, and have brought near a fire-offering to Jehovah;
(28) and ye do no work in this self-same day, for it is a day of atonements, to make atonement for you, before Jehovah your God.
(29) 'For any person who is not humbled in this self-same day hath even been cut off from his people;
(30) and any person who doth any work in this self-same day I have even destroyed that person from the midst of his people;
(31) ye do no work—a statute age-during to your generations in all your dwellings.
(32) It is a sabbath of rest to you, and ye have humbled yourselves in the ninth of the month at even; from evening till evening ye do keep your sabbath.'
(33) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
(34) 'Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, In the fifteenth day of this seventh month is a feast of booths seven days to Jehovah;
(35) on the first day is a holy convocation, ye do no servile work,
(36) seven days ye bring near a fire-offering to Jehovah, on the eighth day ye have a holy convocation, and ye have brought near a fire-offering to Jehovah; it is a restraint, ye do no servile work.
(37) 'These are appointed seasons of Jehovah, which ye proclaim holy convocations, to bring near a fire-offering to Jehovah, a burnt-offering, and a present, a sacrifice, and libations, a thing of a day in its day,
(38) apart from the sabbaths of Jehovah, and apart from your gifts, and apart from all your vows, and apart from all your willing-offerings, which ye give to Jehovah.
(39) 'Only—in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, in your gathering the increase of the land, ye do keep the feast of Jehovah seven days; on the first day is a sabbath, and on the eighth day a sabbath;
(40) and ye have taken to yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palms, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of a brook, and have rejoiced before Jehovah your God seven days.
(41) 'And ye have kept it a feast to Jehovah, seven days in a year—a statute age-during to your generations; in the seventh month ye keep it a feast.
(42) 'In booths ye dwell seven days; all who are natives in Israel dwell in booths,
(43) so that your generations do know that in booths I caused the sons of Israel to dwell; in my bringing them out of the land of Egypt; I, Jehovah, am your God.'
(44) And Moses speaketh concerning the appointed seasons of Jehovah unto the sons of Israel.
The timing of Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) is based on the first full sheaf of barley to come ripe in the land of Israel.
That is because 15-21 days after Rosh Hashanah, Jews must cut the very first sheaf of barley firstfruits, and present it to YHVH on what is called Yom HaNafat HaOmer (the Day of the Wave Sheaf Offering).
You can read more about this at:
https://nazareneisrael.org/book/torah-calendar/aviv-barley-the-head-of-the-year/ .
The Hebrew calendar resolves this by periodically adding an extra month to the calendar.
Two thousand years ago, this decision was made pretty much on the fly.
During the month of Adar (which directly precedes the Passover month of Nisan), the ancient rabbinical court would decide if it was "springy" enough outside for Passover.
If spring seemed to be on track, Nisan could occur.
But if it wasn’t warm enough outside yet, the rabbis would tack on another month of Adar.
They called this leap month Adar II.
The harvest helped determine the extra month as well.
The firstfruits of the barley harvest was waved before YHVH before the eating or harvesting of the crop.
Leviticus 23:9-16 YLT
(9) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
(10) 'Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When ye come in unto the land which I am giving to you, and have reaped its harvest, and have brought in the sheaf, the beginning of your harvest unto the priest,
(11) then he hath waved the sheaf before Jehovah for your acceptance; on the morrow of the sabbath doth the priest wave it.
(12) 'And ye have prepared in the day of your waving the sheaf a lamb, a perfect one, a son of a year, for a burnt-offering to Jehovah,
(13) and its present two tenth deals of flour mixed with oil, a fire-offering to Jehovah, a sweet fragrance, and its drink-offering, wine, a fourth of the hin.
(14) 'And bread and roasted corn and full ears ye do not eat until this self-same day, until your bringing in the offering of your God—a statute age-during to your generations, in all your dwellings.
(15) 'And ye have numbered to you from the morrow of the sabbath, from the day of your bringing in the sheaf of the wave-offering: they are seven perfect sabbaths;
(16) unto the morrow of the seventh sabbath ye do number fifty days, and ye have brought near a new present to Jehovah;
This kicked off the countdown to Shavuot – aka, Pentecost - where the first of the wheat harvest would then come in.
Yeshua is resurrected as the firstfruits (1Corinthians 15:20-23) on firstfruits, that being, the first day of the week after the sabbath which occurs after Matza.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23 YLT
(20) And now, Christ hath risen out of the dead—the first-fruits of those sleeping he became,
(21) for since through man is the death, also through man is a rising again of the dead,
(22) for even as in Adam all die, so also in the Christ all shall be made alive,
(23) and each in his proper order, a first-fruit Christ, afterwards those who are the Christ's, in his presence,
The Pharisees counted then, as do the Rabbis today, 14th, 15th, 16th, but the Sadduccees according to the written text did 14th, 15th, then firstfruits on the day after the 7th day sabbath, on whatever date it happened to fall made no difference, it was the Day that was important.
Thus Yeshua was sacrificed on passover as “our passover”:
1 Corinthians 5:7 KJV
(7) Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us
His sinless, unbroken body went into the tomb for Matza, (unleavened bread).
He was raised on firstfruits, and remained 40 days during the countdown to shavuot, where, after 50 days - on Shavuot - the Holy spirit was poured out and the first of the wheat was now planted.
Interesting picture of the future harvest of wheat!
Christians with no knowledge of the appointed times miss this amazing picture and pattern YHVH has given us.
This also helps reconcile the gospel accounts.
Different traditions exist, another that takes into consideration Yeshua's keeping his Fathers appointed times is the Galilean tradition vs. Judean for seder – but that’s another discussion.
Around the third century CE (Common Era), this observational system was replaced with a fixed calendar.
The Hebrew calendar now adds a leap month seven years out of every 19. (Or, more exactly, Adar II is now added in the third, sixth, eighth, 11th, 14th, 17th, and 19th years of the cycle.)
It works out so that over the course of 19 years, that comes out almost to the length of the solar years.
But it doesn’t work perfectly.
The Jewish calendar drifts about one day later every 200 years, and so far there isn’t any mechanism to correct that.
Right now, that means Passover falls a month later than Easter three times in every 19-year cycle.
But the gap is slowly growing.
In about 6,000 years, they’ll be fully out of sync if nothing is done to correct the Jewish calendar.
But right now nobody has the authority to do that for the Jewish world.
This problem - that 12 lunar months do not add up to a full solar year - also ails the Gregorian calendar, the calendar system now used by most of the world.
First proclaimed by Pope Gregory XIII, it uses a standard 365-day year most of the time.
But about 24 times a century, it adds a leap day on February 29.
This nearly, but not totally, brings the calendar year in sync with the solar year.
These days Roman Catholics and most Protestant traditions now celebrate Easter after March 21 on the Gregorian calendar.
But the Eastern Orthodox Church uses the older version of that calendar, known as the Julian, to determine the date of Easter and other festivals.
The result is that in many years, Orthodox Easter is not the same as the other Easter date.
Even the Gregorian isn’t perfect.
In fact, it still requires regular tweaks by hand.
There is still a high rabbinical court of sorts that adjudicates the Gregorian calendar every year, deciding whether it should be adjusted to better match reality - except today the court is staffed not by rabbis, but by physicists.
No solar year, remember, is the same length: Thanks to tiny wobbles in Earth’s orbit, some years are a second or two longer or shorter than others.
The result is that every year, the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service announces whether to add a leap second in order to align Earth time with solar time. (FWIW, The United States officially opposes this practice.)
The three calendars occasionally line up in strange ways.
In 2018 and 2019, the first night of Passover fell on traditional Good Friday.
This won’t happen twice in a row again until 2113 and 2114.
And as it happens, the first night of Passover can NEVER fall on Maundy Thursday, even though that holiday commemorates a seder.
That’s because Passover can never begin on Thursday - EVER.
The calendar is arranged so that seder can fall only on certain days of the week.
If Passover started Thursday night, it would push Rosh Hashanah the following year to start on Saturday night.
And neither Rosh Hashanah nor Yom Kippur, the two High Holidays of the Jewish year, can fall the day after Shabbat.
(As an aside, what’s up with “maundy”, by the way? Despite its contemporary-sounding construction, "maundy" is derived from the Latin word mandatum, which is the Vulgate's translation of Yeshua’ "new commandment" to love one another that He made at the Last Supper:
John 13:34 YLT
(34) 'A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another; according as I did love you, that ye also love one another;
"Maundy” Thursday gets its name from that Latin word "mandatum," the root of the English word mandate, which emerged from several hundred years of medieval Europe’s linguistic spin cycle as maundy, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia.)
The result of all this calendar gerrymandering is that along the path of history Passover and the resurrection of Yeshua have been separated both in meaning and how they are calculated on the calendar.
Which has further resulted in a loss of understanding of the events that surrounded the death and resurrection of Yeshua Messiah as it relates to the Passover.
If we accept the belief of Friday as the day that Yeshua was crucified, how is it possible that He was three days and three nights in the grave?
Granted, those that hold to the view point of Friday as the day that Yeshua was crucified, eagerly point out that Yeshua was in the grave Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – three days.
But, no matter how you do the math, it is only two nights.
Yeshua Himself stated that He would be in the grave for three days and THREE NIGHTS:
Matthew 12:38-40 YLT
(38) Then answered certain of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, 'Teacher, we will to see a sign from thee.'
(39) And he answering said to them, 'A generation, evil and adulterous, doth seek a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet;
(40) for, as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
Jonah 1:17 YLT
(17) And Jehovah appointeth a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah is in the bowels of the fish three days and three nights.
It is clear from Yeshua’s own words that He would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, the grave.
Yeshua could have said three days and two nights but He didn’t.
He said three days and THREE NIGHTS!
What’s the big deal about an extra night?
Aside from the fact that Yeshua explicitly said “three nights”, there is Jewish tradition to consider:
Shemira (H8109 - lit. “watching” or “guarding”) refers to the Jewish religious ritual of watching over the body of a deceased person from the time of death until burial.
A male guardian is called a shomer (H7763) and a female guardian is a shomeret.
Shomrim are people who perform shemira.
According to the Talmud (Genesis Kabbah 100:7), the soul hovers over the body for three days after death.
According to this tradition, the human soul is somewhat lost and confused between death and before burial, and it stays in the general vicinity of the body, until the body is interred.
The shomrim sit and read aloud comforting psalms during the time that they are watching the body.
This serves as a comfort for both the spirit of the departed who is in transition and the shomer or shomeret.
Traditionally, shomrim read Psalms or the book of Job.
Shomrim are also encouraged to meditate, pray, and read spiritual texts, or texts about death.
Shomrim are prohibited from eating, drinking, or smoking in the shemira room out of respect for the dead, who can no longer do these things.
It is not necessary for the shomrim to be literally watching the body. The body may be covered or in a closed casket already, but there should be someone present in the room at all times.
In some cases this may extend to the next room, provided that the door to the room of the deceased is open.
Other traditions consider it acceptable as long as someone is present in the building.
One might ask what this human tradition has to do with the Scriptures.
In the Lazarus resurrection account there is this Scripture:
John 11:17 YLT
(17) Yeshua, therefore, having come, found him having been four days already in the tomb.
Coincidence or intentional consideration of this Jewish tradition?
If Yeshua had been resurrected the morning after just two nights in the grave, His opponents would have had a field day against Him, claiming He had not been resurrected, but instead, resuscitated.
The Scriptures teach us:
Matthew 28:1 YLT
(1) And on the eve of the sabbaths, at the dawn, toward the first of the sabbaths, came Mary the Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre,
Mark 16:2 YLT
(2) and early in the morning of the first of the sabbaths, they come unto the sepulchre, at the rising of the sun,
Luke 24:1 YLT
(1) And on the first of the sabbaths, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bearing the spices they made ready, and certain others with them,
John 20:1 YLT
(1) And on the first of the sabbaths, Mary the Magdalene doth come early (there being yet darkness) to the tomb, and she seeth the stone having been taken away out of the tomb,
Many translations have the word, "day", after the word, "first".
In each and every one of these Scriptures, the word “day” was supplied by the translator, that is, there is no Greek word for “day” in the original text, and the translator added it in himself.
Also, the word, “first” is the Greek word “mia” (mee-ah) G3391 , which can mean either “one” or “first”.
Since we know from the Scriptures that Yeshua was resurrected by YHVH from the grave on the first day of the week, the day after the sabbath, that is, Sunday, there is a problem, because Friday cannot be the day of execution.
Either Yeshua was three days and three nights in the earth and was resurrected on the first day or He wasn’t!
This can be understood through a careful study of YHVH’s Word combined with a proper understanding of Jewish culture and tradition.
Studying the accounts in the Gospels surrounding Yeshua’s final days as a human before He was executed, we read that Yeshua had His disciples prepare a Passover meal:
Matthew 26:17-20 YLT
(17) And on the first day of the unleavened food came the disciples near to Yeshua, saying to him, 'Where wilt thou that we may prepare for thee to eat the passover?'
(18) and he said, 'Go away to the city, unto such a one, and say to him, The Teacher saith, My time is nigh; near thee I keep the passover, with my disciples;'
(19) and the disciples did as Yeshua appointed them, and prepared the passover.
(20) And evening having come, he was reclining (at meat) G345 [sat down - KJV] with the twelve,
reclining (at meat) [sat down - KJV] G345
- Strong's: From G303 and G2749; to recline (as a corpse or at a meal): - guest lean lie sit (down at meat) at the table.
Yeshua sent His disciples to go and prepare a place for them to celebrate the Passover. That same night they ate the Passover meal together.
This was on the same night that Yeshua was arrested.
A similar account is recorded in Mark 14:12-17.
In fact, Mark added an important detail that makes it quite clear that the day that this took place was on the first day of Passover:
Mark 14:12 YLT
(12) And the first day of the unleavened food, when they were killing the passover, his disciples say to him, 'Where wilt thou, that, having gone, we may prepare, that thou mayest eat the passover?'
This is culturally very Israeli, very Middle Eastern.
They waited until just hours before the Passover was to begin to figure out where to celebrate the feast!
It was the 14th of Nisan, according to the Jewish calendar, the day when the Passover lamb was to be slaughtered:
Exodus 12:1-3 YLT
(1) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses and unto Aaron, in the land of Egypt, saying,
(2) 'This month is to you the chief of months—it is the first to you of the months of the year;
(3) speak ye unto all the company of Israel, saying, In the tenth of this month—they take to them each man a lamb for the house of the fathers, a lamb for a house.
Exodus 12:6 YLT
(6) 'And it hath become a charge to you, until the fourteenth day of this month, and the whole assembly of the company of Israel have slaughtered it between the evenings;
That afternoon, just before sunset, would be the evening of Passover followed by the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the 15th of Nisan.
It was on that evening when the day turned from the 14th to the 15th that Yeshua had the Passover meal with His disciples.
Remember, in first century Judaism, as well as in the Bible, a “day” always begins at SUNDOWN.
Genesis 1:5 YLT
(5) and God calleth to the light 'Day,' and to the darkness He hath called 'Night;' and there is an evening, and there is a morning—day one.
The gospel of Luke further clarifies that Yeshua and His disciples ate the Passover meal together:
Luke 22:7-14 YLT
(7) And the day of the unleavened food came, in which it was behoving the passover to be sacrificed,
(8) and he sent Peter and John, saying, 'Having gone on, prepare to us the passover, that we may eat;'
(9) and they said to him, 'Where wilt thou that we might prepare?'
(10) And he said to them, 'Lo, in your entering into the city, there shall meet you a man, bearing a pitcher of water, follow him to the house where he doth go in,
(11) and ye shall say to the master of the house, The Teacher saith to thee, Where is the guest-chamber where the passover with my disciples I may eat?
(12) and he shall show you a large upper room furnished, there make ready;'
(13) and they, having gone away, found as he hath said to them, and they made ready the passover.
(14) And when the hour come, he reclined (at meat), and the twelve apostles with him,
We can conclude from these three accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke that Yeshua ate the Passover meal on Erev Pesach, the evening of the Passover, as is the custom even until today.
John, however, seems to paint a different picture of what happened during these days.
Speaking of the time when Yeshua had the meal with His disciples, we read in the book of John,
John 13:1 YLT
(1) And before the feast of the passover, Yeshua knowing that his hour hath come, that he may remove out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own who are in the world—to the end he loved them.
John seems to be saying that the meal that Yeshua had with his disciples took place before the Passover.
We also read in John that the religious Jews would not enter Pilate’s quarters on the morning when Yeshua was being sentenced because they wanted to eat the Passover:
John 18:28 YLT
(28) They led, therefore, Yeshua from Caiaphas to the praetorium, and it was early, and they themselves did not enter into the praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the passover;
How can they eat the Passover if the evening of Passover had already passed?
Some believe that they were referring to the week of Passover, the week of eating unleavened bread, however, as we continue to read we see evidence of preparation for the Passover after Yeshua had already eaten the Passover with His disciples (John 13) and had already been arrested:
John 18:12 YLT
(12) The band, therefore, and the captain, and the officers of the Jews, took hold on Yeshua, and bound him,
John 19:14 YLT
(14) and it was the preparation of the passover, and as it were the sixth hour, and he saith to the Jews, 'Lo, your king!'
John 19:31 YLT
(31) The Jews, therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, since it was the preparation, (for that sabbath day was a great one,) asked of Pilate that their legs may be broken, and they taken away.
Thus, in John we read that the day that Yeshua was arrested, sentenced, and crucified was called a day of preparation for "a great" Sabbath.
This is where it appears Christian tradition has assumed that this preparation day was for the regular Sabbath day, the seventh day of the week, which in modern English is called Saturday.
It seems to have been concluded that the preparation day was Friday, the day before Saturday, however, this is not consistent with the whole of the text in John 19.
Remember in John 19:14 that it was “the preparation of the passover.”
John also referred to this Passover day as a Sabbath and even emphasized that this particular Sabbath was a “great one.”
So the obvious question for non-Jews is, what is the connection between Passover and the Sabbath day?
It is vital to understand the full meaning of the Sabbath in order to make sense of this whole situation.
To review:
The Sabbath is a foundational teaching in the Bible.
The Sabbath is a continual reminder of creation and of the YHVH of creation as mankind is commanded to work six days a week and rest one day as God did:
Genesis 2:1-3 YLT
(1) And the heavens and the earth are completed, and all their host;
(2) and God completeth by the seventh day His work which He hath made, and ceaseth by the seventh day from all His work which He hath made.
(3) And God blesseth the seventh day, and sanctifieth it, for in it He hath ceased from all His work which God had prepared for making.
Exodus 19:25 through 20:11 YLT
(25) And Moses goeth down unto the people, and saith unto them: —
(1) 'And God speaketh all these words, saying,
(2) I am Jehovah thy God, who hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of a house of servants.
(3) 'Thou hast no other Gods before Me.
(4) 'Thou dost not make to thyself a graven image, or any likeness which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth.
(5) Thou dost not bow thyself to them, nor serve them: for I, Jehovah thy God, am a zealous God, charging iniquity of fathers on sons, on the third generation , and on the fourth, of those hating Me,
(6) and doing kindness to thousands, of those loving Me and keeping My commands.
(7) 'Thou dost not take up the name of Jehovah thy God for a vain thing, for Jehovah acquitteth not him who taketh up His name for a vain thing.
(8) 'Remember the Sabbath-day to sanctify it;
(9) six days thou dost labour, and hast done all thy work,
(10) and the seventh day is a Sabbath to Jehovah thy God; thou dost not do any work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy handmaid, and thy cattle, and thy sojourner who is within thy gates, —
(11) for six days hath Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and resteth in the seventh day; therefore hath Jehovah blessed the Sabbath-day, and doth sanctify it.
The Sabbath is also foundational to understanding all of the Biblical Holidays (or the appointed times of YHVH):
• Passover,
• The First Fruits,
• The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot),
• Rosh Hashannah (The Feast of Trumpets),
• Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), and
• The Feast of Tabernacles.
All of these Jewish Holidays incorporate some aspect of a Sabbath day, meaning a day when work is forbidden and a day when rest is commanded (Leviticus, Chapter 23).
The Scriptures are clear regarding how the Sabbath principle is related to the Passover:
• Leviticus 23:1-2 YLT
(1) And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
(2) 'Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Appointed seasons of Jehovah, which ye proclaim, holy convocations, are these: they are My appointed seasons:
Leviticus 23:5 YLT
(5) in the first month, on the fourteenth of the month, between the evenings, is the passover to Jehovah;
Leviticus 23:6 YLT
(6) and on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast of unleavened things to Jehovah; seven days unleavened things ye do eat;
Leviticus 23:7 YLT
(7) on the first day ye have a holy convocation, ye do no servile work;
Leviticus 23:8 YLT
(8) and ye have brought near a fire-offering to Jehovah seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye do no servile work.'
SUMMARY:
• The first and seventh days of the week of Passover are considered to be “Sabbath days,” days of rest.
• The first day of Passover is considered one of the highest Sabbath days of the year because the Passover is the first holiday on the Jewish calendar and it is the event that defines the Jewish people even until today (Exodus 12:1-20; Exodus 4:18; Numbers 28:16-25).
It is reasonable to conclude that the "great" Sabbath day that John referred to in his gospel account was the Passover day, as he clearly stated:
John 19:31 YLT
(31) The Jews, therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, since it was the preparation, (for that sabbath day was a great one G3173 G588 ,) asked of Pilate that their legs may be broken, and they taken away.
However, if this is so, why does it seem like John is referring to a Passover day which was still to come?
Didn’t all of the Jewish people along with Yeshua and His disciples celebrate Passover the evening before?
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all state in their respective gospel accounts that Yeshua had the Passover with His disciples and was later arrested that night.
According to the account in John, however, Passover was only beginning the day after Yeshua was arrested and crucified.
Is it possible to resolve this supposed “double account” of the Passover?
It turns out that it is possible to celebrate TWO nights of Passover.
Where does this practice of celebrating two nights of Passover originate?
Remember the earlier discussions of the Jewish calendar?
As a reminder:
The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the cycle of the moon.
In ancient times, the Jewish people would determine Rosh Hodesh (the new month) by the testimony of at least two witnesses before the beit din, the Jewish religious court.
After the beit din approved the testimony of the two witnesses, riders would be sent out to alert the Jewish communities regarding the new moon, including the Jews who lived in the diaspora (the scattering of the Jewish people among other nations.).
The moon revolves around the earth in a cycle of approximately 29 days, 12 hours, and 44 minutes.
The new moon will appear either 29 or 30 days after the previous month, only counting full days.
As a result of the irregular nature of the moon cycle and the complicated method of sending messengers on horseback, Jewish communities outside of Jerusalem and Israel (in the diaspora) were often beyond knowing exactly when the new month started until days later.
To compensate for the delay in receiving notification of the New Moon from the beit din, Jewish communities in the diaspora would celebrate two days for each holiday, to ensure that they celebrated the right day, the day which YHVH intended.
This practice is called “Yom tov sheni shel gallut” – “The second day of holiday for the diaspora.”
A second day for every holiday commanded in the Torah is celebrated in the diaspora, except for one holiday, Yom Kippur, which since it is a fast day, it is only observed for one day.
Even today when Jews from the diaspora come to celebrate the Jewish holidays in Jerusalem they will hold to two days of celebration and observance in keeping with tradition.
During the time of Hillel (330-365 AD), the last president of the Sanhedrin (not to be confused with Hillel HaGadol, a sage of Judaism from the time of Yeshua (Yeshua)), another system of calculating the months and determining the holidays was instituted to provide a more consistent and accurate rendering of the new moon.
Despite having this new system, those living outside of Israel still celebrate two festival days because it is “a tradition handed down by our fathers,” even until today.
“This is an example of the role that tradition has in the life of the Jewish people and the importance attached to maintaining the customs and preserving the historical continuity from one generation to the next.” (Lau, Rabbi Israel Meir, Practical Judaism, p, 206-208).
Passover, Sukkot and Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, was celebrated for two days among Diaspora Jewish communities.
In our time, Rosh Hashanah (The Feast of Trumpets) is the only holiday today that is celebrated for two days consistently by all Jews, including those who continuously live in the Land of Israel.
This is because Rosh Hashanah is the only holiday celebrated on the first day of the Hebrew month.
To avoid any confusion regarding when the Rosh Hashanah holiday begins, it is simply celebrated for two days by all Jewish people, just to make sure that the right day is observed.
Tradition!
Tradition is the heart of Judaism.
Tradition seems to be the answer to the supposed dilemma regarding the two days of Passover at the time of Yeshua.
Is it possible that YHVH used Jewish tradition to allow His Son to celebrate the first day of Passover with His disciples to institute the New Covenant that He made?
Yeshua took the cup after the meal, traditionally (Oh, that word again) the third Cup of Redemption (the third cup of the Passover Seder and is the first cup to be drunk after the meal.), together with the unleavened bread to symbolize His blood and His body respectively on the first day of Passover.
Then on the following day, Yeshua Himself actually became the Passover Lamb when He was crucified on the afternoon of the first day of Passover in preparation for the second day of Passover.
Today Jews from outside of Israel still celebrate two days of Passover when they come to Jerusalem.
If anyone still struggles with the thought that YHVH could or would use tradition as part of His plan, even after the Lazarus example, consider another aspect of the Passover Seder of which tradition plays a huge part.
Yeshua used "the cup" to illustrate the New Covenant in His blood and He took the unleavened bread to illustrate His body which would be broken for all of mankind.
The unleavened bread was taken from the biblical mandate of the Passover celebration; however, wine was never commanded to be drunk in connection to Passover.
YHVH commanded the partaking of three elements at the Passover celebration:
Exodus 12:8 YLT
(8) 'And they have eaten the flesh in this night, roast with fire; with unleavened things and bitters they do eat it;
Drinking four cups of wine at Passover is a Jewish tradition that was added somewhere along the way and Yeshua Himself used this tradition to illustrate the New Covenant in His blood.
Tradition!
The understanding of tradition regarding the day of Passover seems to resolve the issue of the two Passovers but what about the problem of the three days and three nights?
The “preparation day” on which Yeshua was crucified appears to have been the preparation day for the second day of Passover, which was also considered a Sabbath day.
Therefore, Friday is not required to being the day of execution and burial.
Here is a timetable that seems to harmonize the biblical account with Jewish tradition:
• Wednesday Before Sunset – The disciples of Yeshua (Yeshua) prepared for the Passover on the day when the Passover lamb was killed.
• Wednesday After Sunset (the Jewish beginning of the new day) – The first evening of Passover. Yeshua celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples.
• Wednesday night/Thursday morning (continuing the first day of Passover): Yeshua was arrested and falsely accused.
• Thursday morning (continuing the first day of Passover): Yeshua was beaten and later sentenced to death.
John 19:14-16 YLT
(14) and it was the preparation of the passover, and as it were the sixth hour, and he saith to the Jews, 'Lo, your king!'
(15) and they cried out, 'Take away, take away, crucify him;' Pilate saith to them, 'Your king shall I crucify?' the chief priests answered, 'We have no king except Caesar.'
(16) Then, therefore, he delivered him up to them, that he may be crucified, and they took Yeshua and led him away,
• Thursday afternoon (continuing the first day of Passover): The first day of Passover was ending and Jews were preparing for the second day of Passover.
John 19:14 YLT
(14) and it was the preparation of the passover, and as it were the sixth hour, and he saith to the Jews, 'Lo, your king!'
John 19:31 YLT
(31) The Jews, therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, since it was the preparation, (for that sabbath day was a great one,) asked of Pilate that their legs may be broken, and they taken away.
At about three o’clock in the afternoon (continuing the first day of Passover) Yeshua gave up His Spirit and died. (Mar_15:34).
Mark 15:34 YLT
(34) and at the ninth hour Yeshua cried with a great voice, saying, 'Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabachthani?' which is, being interpreted, 'My God, my God, why didst Thou forsake me?'
John 19:28-30 YLT
(28) After this, Yeshua knowing that all things now have been finished, that the Writing may be fulfilled, saith, 'I thirst;'
(29) a vessel, therefore, was placed full of vinegar, and they having filled a sponge with vinegar, and having put it around a hyssop stalk, did put it to his mouth;
(30) when, therefore, Yeshua received the vinegar, he said, 'It hath been finished;' and having bowed the head, gave up the spirit.
• Thursday afternoon before sunset (continuing the first day of Passover) – Joseph of Arimathea came to ask Pilate for the body of Yeshua and placed His body in a grave.
• Thursday after sunset (the new day - the second day of Passover).
From Wednesday after sunset through Thursday before sunset were the first day of Passover;
Thursday after sunset through Friday before sunset was the second day of Passover,
and Friday after sunset through Saturday before sunset was the regular Sabbath day.
THANKS to Bro. LEE ANTHONY for his original work.
(for more, please visit Bible Talk with Lee Anthony,)
It was actually a three-day Sabbath; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
This still occurs today in Israel when a Jewish holiday is observed on the day(s) before or after a regular Sabbath day.
The preparation day that the Jews were preparing for was the second day of Passover, which was the continuation of a long weekend.
It appears that since Yeshua was crucified on the first day of Passover, which is considered a Sabbath day, Joseph of Arimathea together with Nicodemus did the minimum in order to properly bury Yeshua before the second day of Passover followed by the regular Sabbath day, the Sabbath day of Passover week.
John 19:38-42 YLT
(38) And after these things did Joseph of Arimathea—being a disciple of Yeshua, but concealed, through the fear of the Jews—ask of Pilate, that he may take away the body of Yeshua, and Pilate gave leave; he came, therefore, and took away the body of Yeshua,
(39) and Nicodemus also came—who came unto Yeshua by night at the first—bearing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, as it were, a hundred pounds.
(40) They took, therefore, the body of Yeshua, and bound it with linen clothes with the spices, according as it was the custom of the Jews to prepare for burial;
(41) and there was in the place where he was crucified a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one was yet laid;
(42) there, therefore, because of the preparation of the Jews, because the tomb was nigh, they laid Yeshua.
According to this rendering of days, Yeshua was in the tomb Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, therefore, Yeshua was in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
Matthew 12:40 YLT
(40) for, as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
For a more in-depth discussion of this, feel free to listen to the podcast at:
AND, for another view, visit:
https://www.torahclass.com/bible-studies/other-studies/985-the-passover-problem-solved
It is written in all four gospels that Yeshua was raised to life on the first [day - SUPPLIED] of the week:
Matthew 28:1-7 YLT
(1) And on the eve of the sabbaths, at the dawn, toward the first of the sabbaths, came Mary the Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre,
(2) and lo, there came a great earthquake, for a messenger of the Lord, having come down out of heaven, having come, did roll away the stone from the door, and was sitting upon it,
(3) and his countenance was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow,
(4) and from the fear of him did the keepers shake, and they became as dead men.
(5) And the messenger answering said to the women, 'Fear not ye, for I have known that Yeshua, who hath been crucified, ye seek;
(6) he is not here, for he rose, as he said; come, see the place where the Lord was lying;
(7) and having gone quickly, say ye to his disciples, that he rose from the dead; and lo, he doth go before you to Galilee, there ye shall see him; lo, I have told you.'
Mark 16:1-6 YLT
(1) And the sabbath having past, Mary the Magdalene, and Mary of James, and Salome, bought spices, that having come, they may anoint him,
(2) and early in the morning of the first of the sabbaths, they come unto the sepulchre, at the rising of the sun,
(3) and they said among themselves, 'Who shall roll away for us the stone out of the door of the sepulchre?'
(4) And having looked, they see that the stone hath been rolled away—for it was very great,
(5) and having entered into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right hand, arrayed in a long white robe, and they were amazed.
(6) And he saith to them, 'Be not amazed, ye seek Yeshua the Nazarene, the crucified: he did rise—he is not here; lo, the place where they laid him!
Luke 24:1-7 YLT
(1) And on the first of the sabbaths, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bearing the spices they made ready, and certain others with them,
(2) and they found the stone having been rolled away from the tomb,
(3) and having gone in, they found not the body of the Lord Yeshua.
(4) And it came to pass, while they are perplexed about this, that lo, two men stood by them in glittering apparel,
(5) and on their having become afraid, and having inclined the face to the earth, they said to them, 'Why do ye seek the living with the dead?
(6) he is not here, but was raised; remember how he spake to you, being yet in Galilee,
(7) saying—It behoveth the Son of Man to be delivered up to the hands of sinful men, and to be crucified, and the third day to rise again.'
John 20:1 YLT
(1) And on the first of the sabbaths, Mary the Magdalene doth come early (there being yet darkness) to the tomb, and she seeth the stone having been taken away out of the tomb,
While it may not seem to really matter on which day of the week that Yeshua had His "Last Supper", celebrated His last Passover, was arrested, tried, tortured, crucified (or impaled), or on which day of the week YHVH resurrected Him, it is very important that these events actually occurred in harmony with the Scriptures.
At the same time, it is important for we who believe in the Bible’s Truth to have a credible understanding of our faith and to come to a harmonious, accurate knowledge of the book that we believe is the Word of YHVH.
Having established a credible timeline in harmony with the Scriptures that:
• Gregorian Wednesday Before Sunset – The disciples of Yeshua (Yeshua) prepared for the Passover on the day when the Passover lamb was killed.
• Gregorian Wednesday After Sunset (the Jewish beginning of the new day) – The first evening of Passover. Yeshua celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples.
What do the Scriptures tell us about Yeshua’s\ feelings towards human beings?
While the Gospels have many references to Yeshua’s love and care for the fallen race of humans, here are just a couple of examples:
John 11:32-35 YLT
(32) Mary, therefore, when she came where Yeshua was, having seen him, fell at his feet, saying to him, 'Sir, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died;'
(33) Yeshua, therefore, when he saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, did groan in the spirit, and troubled himself, and he said,
(34) 'Where have ye laid him?' they say to him, 'Sir, come and see;'
(35) Yeshua wept.
AND
1 John 4:7-10 YLT
(7) Beloved, may we love one another, because the love is of God, and every one who is loving, of God he hath been begotten, and doth know God;
(8) he who is not loving did not know God, because God is love.
(9) In this was manifested the love of God in us, because His Son—the only begotten—hath God sent to the world, that we may live through him;
(10) in this is the love, not that we loved God, but that He did love us, and did send His Son a propitiation G2434 for our sins.
propitiation G2434
- Original: ἱλασμός
- Transliteration: Hilasmos
- Phonetic: hil-as-mos'
- Definition:
1. an appeasing, propitiating
2. the means of appeasing, a propitiation
- Origin: a root word
- TDNT entry: 08:01,4
- Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine
- Strong's: atonement that is (concretely) an expiator: - propitiation.
Total KJV Occurrences: 2
• propitiation, 2
1Jn_2:2; 1Jn_4:10
Expiation
Guilt is said to be expiated when it is visited with punishment falling on a substitute. Expiation is made for our sins when they are punished not in ourselves but in another who consents to stand in our room. It is that by which reconciliation is effected. Sin is thus said to be “covered” by vicarious satisfaction.
The cover or lid of the ark is termed in the LXX [Septuagint], hilasterion G2435 , that which covered or shut out the claims and demands of the law against the sins of YHVH's people, whereby He became “propitious” to them.
The idea of vicarious expiation runs through the whole Old Testament system of sacrifices.
hilasterion G2435
- Strong's: Neuter of a derivative of G2433; an expiatory (place or thing) that is (concretely) an atoning victim or (specifically) the lid of the Ark (in the temple): - mercyseat propitiation.
At the beginning of Yeshua’s last Passover observation with His disciples:
Luke 22:14-15 YLT
(14) And when the hour come, he reclined (at meat), and the twelve apostles with him,
(15) and he said unto them, 'With desire I did desire to eat this passover with you before my suffering,
John 13:1-5 YLT
(1) And before the feast of the passover, Yeshua knowing that his hour hath come, that he may remove out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own who are in the world—to the end he loved them.
(2) And supper being come, the devil already having put it into the heart of Judas of Simon, Iscariot, that he may deliver him up,
(3) Yeshua knowing that all things the Father hath given to him—into his hands, and that from God he came forth, and unto God he goeth,
(4) doth rise from the supper, and doth lay down his garments, and having taken a towel, he girded himself;
(5) afterward he putteth water into the basin, and began to wash the feet of his disciples, and to wipe with the towel with which he was being girded.
John 13:12-18 YLT
(12) When, therefore, he washed their feet, and took his garments, having reclined (at meat) again, he said to them, 'Do ye know what I have done to you?
(13) ye call me, The Teacher and The Lord, and ye say well, for I am;
(14) if then I did wash your feet—the Lord and the Teacher—ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
(15) 'For an example I gave to you, that, according as I did to you, ye also may do;
(16) verily, verily, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his lord, nor an apostle greater than he who sent him;
(17) if these things ye have known, happy are ye, if ye may do them;
(18) not concerning you all do I speak; I have known whom I chose for myself; but that the Writing may be fulfilled: He who is eating the bread with me, did lift up against me his heel.
Zechariah 11:12-13 YLT
(12) And I say unto them: 'If good in your eyes, give my hire, and if not, forbear;' and they weigh out my hire—thirty silverlings.
(13) And Jehovah saith unto me, 'Cast it unto the potter;' the goodly price that I have been prized at by them, and I take the thirty silverlings, and cast them to the house of Jehovah, unto the potter.
Knowing this prophecy:
John 13:21-30 YLT
(21) These things having said, Yeshua was troubled in the spirit, and did testify, and said, 'Verily, verily, I say to you, that one of you will deliver me up;'
(22) the disciples were looking, therefore, one at another, doubting concerning whom he speaketh.
(23) And there was one of his disciples reclining (at meat) in the bosom of Yeshua, whom Yeshua was loving;
(24) Simon Peter, then, doth beckon to this one, to inquire who he may be concerning whom he speaketh,
(25) and that one having leant back on the breast of Yeshua, respondeth to him, 'Sir, who is it?'
(26) Yeshua answereth, 'That one it is to whom I, having dipped the morsel, shall give it;' and having dipped the morsel, he giveth it to Judas of Simon, Iscariot.
(27) And after the morsel, then the Adversary entered into that one, Yeshua, therefore, saith to him, 'What thou dost—do quickly;'
(28) and none of those reclining at meat knew for what intent he said this to him,
(29) for certain were thinking, since Judas had the bag, that Yeshua saith to him, 'Buy what we have need of for the feast;' or that he may give something to the poor;
(30) having received, therefore, the morsel, that one immediately went forth, and it was night.
After Judas had left the room, Yeshua gave His remaining disciples a new commandment:
John 13:34-35 YLT
(34) 'A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another; according as I did love you, that ye also love one another;
(35) in this shall all know that ye are my disciples, if ye may have love one to another.'
And then, an invitation:
Matthew 26:26-29 YLT
(26) And while they were eating, Jesus having taken the bread, and having blessed, did brake, and was giving to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat, this is my body;'
(27) and having taken the cup, and having given thanks, he gave to them, saying, 'Drink ye of it—all;
(28) for this is my blood of the new covenant, that for many is being poured out—to remission of sins;
(29) and I say to you, that I may not drink henceforth on this produce of the vine, till that day when I may drink it with you new in the reign of my Father.'
It should go without saying that the bread and contents of the cup were emblems - typical or representative of His body and blood.
His body had not yet been given, neither had His blood been shed.
Therefore it seems illogical to believe that the emblems were miraculously changed (transubstantiation - the conversion of the substance of the Eucharistic elements into the actual body and blood of Christ at consecration, only the appearances of bread and wine still remaining.) into the realities they represented.
Further, there is Scriptural evidence that the eating of either human flesh or blood was against YHVH's Word:
Exodus 20:13 YLT
(13) 'Thou dost not murder.
Leviticus 17:12-16 YLT
(12) 'Therefore I have said to the sons of Israel, No person among you doth eat blood, and the sojourner who is sojourning in your midst doth not eat blood;
(13) and any man of the sons of Israel, or of the sojourners, who is sojourning in your midst, who hunteth venison, beast or fowl, which is eaten—hath even poured out its blood, and hath covered it with dust;
(14) for it is the life of all flesh, its blood is for its life; and I say to the sons of Israel, Blood of any flesh ye do not eat, for the life of all flesh is its blood; any one eating it is cut off.
(15) 'And any person who eateth a carcase or torn thing, among natives or among sojourners—hath both washed his garments, and hath bathed with water, and hath been unclean until the evening—then he hath been clean;
(16) and if he wash not, and his flesh bathe not—then he hath borne his iniquity.'
Leviticus 24:17-22 YLT
(17) 'And when a man smiteth any soul of man, he is certainly put to death.
(18) 'And he who smiteth a beast repayeth it, body for body.
(19) 'And when a man putteth a blemish in his fellow, as he hath done so it is done to him;
(20) breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he putteth a blemish in a man so it is done in him.
(21) 'And he who smiteth a beast repayeth it, and he who smiteth the life of man is put to death;
(22) one judgment is to you; as a sojourner so is a native; for I am Jehovah your God.'
Deuteronomy 14:1-21 YLT
(1) 'Sons ye are to Jehovah your God; ye do not cut yourselves, nor make baldness between your eyes for the dead;
(2) for a holy people art thou to Jehovah thy God, and on thee hath Jehovah fixed to be to Him for a people, a peculiar treasure, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the ground.
(3) 'Thou dost not eat any abominable thing;
(4) 'this is the beast which ye do eat: ox, lamb of the sheep, or kid of the goats,
(5) hart, and roe, and fallow deer, and wild goat, and pygarg, and wild ox, and chamois;
(6) and every beast dividing the hoof, and cleaving the cleft into two hoofs, bringing up the cud, among the beasts—it ye do eat.
(7) 'Only, this ye do not eat, of those bringing up the cud, and of those dividing the cloven hoof: the camel, and the hare, and the rabbit, for they are bringing up the cud but the hoof have not divided; unclean they are to you;
(8) and the sow, for it is dividing the hoof, and not bringing up the cud, unclean it is to you; of their flesh ye do not eat, and against their carcase ye do not come.
(9) 'This ye do eat of all that are in the waters; all that hath fins and scales ye do eat;
(10) and anything which hath not fins and scales ye do not eat; unclean it is to you.
(11) 'Any clean bird ye do eat;
(12) and these are they of which ye do not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
(13) and the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after its kind,
(14) and every raven after its kind;
(15) and the owl, and the night-hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after its kind;
(16) the little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,
(17) and the pelican, and the gier-eagle, and the cormorant,
(18) and the stork, and the heron after its kind, and the lapwing, and the bat;
(19) and every teeming thing which is flying, unclean it is to you; they are not eaten;
(20) any clean fowl ye do eat.
(21) 'Ye do not eat of any carcase; to the sojourner who is within thy gates thou dost give it, and he hath eaten it; or sell it to a stranger; for a holy people thou art to Jehovah thy God; thou dost not boil a kid in its mother's milk.
2 Kings 6:26-30 YLT
(26) And it cometh to pass, the king of Israel is passing by on the wall, and a woman hath cried unto him, saying, 'Save, my lord, O king.'
(27) And he saith, 'Jehovah doth not save thee—whence do I save thee? out of the threshing-floor, or out of the wine-vat?'
(28) And the king saith to her, 'What—to thee?' and she saith, 'This woman said unto me, Give thy son, and we eat him to-day, and my son we eat to-morrow;
(29) and we boil my son and eat him, and I say unto her on the next day, Give thy son, and we eat him; and she hideth her son.'
(30) And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the words of the woman, that he rendeth his garments, and he is passing by on the wall, and the people see, and lo, the sackcloth is on his flesh within.
Matthew 5:21 YLT
(21) 'Ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not kill, and whoever may kill shall be in danger of the judgment;
Also, the Jewish people were forbidden to eat blood.
Leviticus 7:26-27 YLT
(26) 'And any blood ye do not eat H398 in all your dwellings, of fowl, or of beast;
(27) any person who eateth any blood, even that person hath been cut off from his people.'
eat H398
- Original: אכל
- Transliteration: 'akal
- Phonetic: aw-kal'
- Definition:
1. to eat, devour, burn up, feed
a. (Qal)
1. to eat (human subject)
2. to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)
3. to devour, consume (of fire)
4. to devour, slay (of sword)
5. to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)
6. to devour (of oppression)
b. (Niphal)
1. to be eaten (by men)
2. to be devoured, consumed (of fire)
3. to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)
c. (Pual)
1. to cause to eat, feed with
2. to cause to devour
d. (Hiphil)
1. to feed
2. to cause to eat
e. (Piel)
1. consume
- Origin: a primitive root
- TWOT entry: 85
- Part(s) of speech: Verb
- Strong's: A primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively): - X at all burn up consume devour (-er up) dine eat (-er up) feed (with) food X freely X in . . . wise (-deed plenty) (lay) meat X quite.
Total KJV occurrences: 809
KJV: eat 497, eaten 87, eateth 31, eating 13, eater 3, devour 57, devoured 42, devoureth 6, devouring 5, devourer 1, devourest 1, consumed 21, consume 9, consumeth 2, consuming 2, feed 8, feedest 1, fed 5, meat 5, ate 2, burnt 1, dine 1, food 1, plenty 1.
The disciples must have clearly understood that He was not speaking of literal body and blood, but of that which emblematic of (represented by symbol or emblem - WEBSTER) His body and blood.
Before we proceed, we must first heed Paul's warnings:
1 Corinthians 11:27-29 YLT
(27) so that whoever may eat this bread or may drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, guilty he shall be of the body and blood of the Lord:
(28) and let a man be proving himself, and so of the bread let him eat, and of the cup let him drink;
(29) for he who is eating and drinking unworthily, judgment to himself he doth eat and drink—not discerning the body of the Lord.
On our Remembrance, Observation or Memorial meeting, we are all gathered in humble, joyful and thankful obedience in remembrance of the greatest human life ever lived, to give honor to the Redeemer and life giver of the human race, the "only begotten Son" of YHVH God, Yeshua Messiah.
John 3:13-21 YLT
(13) and no one hath gone up to the heaven, except he who out of the heaven came down—the Son of Man who is in the heaven.
(14) 'And as Moses did lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so it behoveth the Son of Man to be lifted up,
(15) that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during,
(16) for God did so love the world, that His Son—the only begotten—He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.
(17) For God did not send His Son to the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him;
(18) he who is believing in him is not judged, but he who is not believing hath been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
(19) 'And this is the judgment, that the light hath come to the world, and men did love the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil;
(20) for every one who is doing wicked things hateth the light, and doth not come unto the light, that his works may not be detected;
(21) but he who is doing the truth doth come to the light, that his works may be manifested, that in God they are having been wrought.'
We recognize and accept the work of atonement accomplished through Yeshua’s Ransom Sacrifice and Sin-Offering, and through the symbols of bread and the cup, as taught by our Lord and Savior, we honor these precious doctrines.
Matthew 26:26 YLT
(26) And while they were eating, Yeshua having taken the bread, and having blessed, did brake, and was giving to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat, this is my body;'
Even if you are alone reading this on the Memorial night, you can spiritually join us:
Just as Yeshua asked a blessing on the bread before serving it to His disciples, we invite you, from your heart, to ask YHVH to bless the bread in consideration of what it represents.
All those desiring to partake of the bread, please reverently and solemnly partake of your bread at this time.
Before we partake of the cup, we must first understand its significance to Yeshua and His followers.
Drinking four cups of wine at Passover is a Jewish tradition that was added somewhere along the way and Yeshua Himself used this tradition to illustrate the New Covenant in His blood.
This tradition came from first century Jewish marriage proposals, in which wine took on a special significance.
At the end of the marriage proposal, after a marriage covenant was actually drawn up and agreed upon by the groom, father of the bride and the bride, it would be sealed with a toast between the groom and the bride.
The groom would pour wine and offer it to his (hopefully, soon-to-be) bride, with the promise that “This is a covenant in my blood” or something similar.
To accept his proposal, she would drink it, accepting the marriage covenant or contract, and accepting all its terms.
To reject the request (because it was her choice - hers was the final decision) she would simply return the cup.
We read Yeshua' words:
Luke 22:20 YLT
(20) In like manner, also, the cup after the supping, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, that for you is being poured forth.
The groom, after such a proposal was accepted, would promise not to drink wine again until he saw the bride again, on their wedding day.
He would then go to make a bridal suite ready, which was a room attached to his Father’s house.
He would stock it and prepare it to make everything perfect, returning to take his bride for their wedding day at a time she would not expect, to foster a sense of expectation and excitement every day that today might be the day she would see her groom coming for her.
In the meantime, the bride-to-be was encouraged to regularly drink small amounts of wine, each time reminding her that her groom would be coming for her.
Today just might be the day.
Yeshua said:
John 14:2-3 YLT
(2) in the house of my Father are many mansions; and if not, I would have told you; I go on to prepare a place for you;
(3) and if I go on and prepare for you a place, again do I come, and will receive you unto myself, that where I am ye also may be;
And,
Matthew 25:1-13 YLT
(1) 'Then shall the reign of the heavens be likened to ten virgins, who, having taken their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom;
(2) and five of them were prudent, and five foolish;
(3) they who were foolish having taken their lamps, did not take with themselves oil;
(4) and the prudent took oil in their vessels, with their lamps.
(5) 'And the bridegroom tarrying, they all nodded and were sleeping,
(6) and in the middle of the night a cry was made, Lo, the bridegroom doth come; go ye forth to meet him.
(7) 'Then rose all those virgins, and trimmed their lamps,
(8) and the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out;
(9) and the prudent answered, saying—Lest there may not be sufficient for us and you, go ye rather unto those selling, and buy for yourselves.
(10) 'And while they are going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those ready went in with him to the marriage-feasts, and the door was shut;
(11) and afterwards come also do the rest of the virgins, saying, Sir, sir, open to us;
(12) and he answering said, Verily I say to you, I have not known you.
(13) 'Watch therefore, for ye have not known the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man doth come.
AND
Matthew 26:29 YLT
(29) and I say to you, that I may not drink henceforth on this produce of the vine, till that day when I may drink it with you new in the reign of my Father.'
The Cup also plays another role, in that, Yeshua directly prays that the cup of which He must drink, the cup of death, will pass from Him:
Matthew 26:39 YLT
(39) And having gone forward a little, he fell on his face, praying, and saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou.'
If there is ever any doubt that Yeshua knows what it is like to be a human, here is the proof that He really did know and does know.
It is only because He completed His mission, that is, to die as a perfect, unblemished, expiatory sacrificial lamb, as propitiation for humankind that we can have life through His blood.
Hebrews 9:22 YLT
(22) and with blood almost all things are purified according to the law, and apart from blood-shedding forgiveness doth not come.
John 1:29 YLT
(29) on the morrow John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, 'Lo, the Lamb of God, who is taking away the sin of the world;
Hebrews 13:12 YLT
(12) Wherefore, also Jesus—that he might sanctify through his own blood the people—without the gate did suffer;
Without His death of the cross (or stake, if you prefer) there is no resurrection of the dead.
And in Christ’s dying, we also die, so that by His rising, we may find life.
Understanding the meaning this entails, it is no wonder that Yeshua tells His disciples:
Matthew 26:27-28 YLT
(27) and having taken the cup, and having given thanks, he gave to them, saying, 'Drink ye of it—all;
(28) for this is my blood of the new covenant, that for many is being poured out—to remission of sins;
If we drink of His cup, we accept His proposal to become betrothed to Him and to be forgiven of our sins so we can become like He is - sinless, spotless, and without blemish in His presence at the Marriage Supper.
Yet it means far more!
Remember that drinking "of the cup" indicates we accept whatever that cup represents.
When the mother of James and John approaches Yeshua with her request to have her sons sit on each side of Yeshua when He came into His Kingdom, Yeshua replies with a question:
Matthew 20:22 YLT
(22) And Jesus answering said, 'Ye have not known what ye ask for yourselves; are ye able to drink of the cup that I am about to drink? and with the baptism that I am baptized with, to be baptized?' They say to him, 'We are able.'
They did not seem to understand from Yeshua that they may have to drink more than they care to swallow!
They answer affirmatively before they realize what Christ's cup contained.
Yeshua continues:
Matthew 20:23 YLT
(23) And he saith to them, 'Of my cup indeed ye shall drink, and with the baptism that I am baptized with ye shall be baptized; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but—to those for whom it hath been prepared by my father.'
What happened to the brothers?
James the son of Zebedee was the first apostle martyred by Herod.
Acts 12:1-2 YLT
(1) And about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands, to do evil to certain of those of the assembly,
(2) and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword,
Though the other brother, John, was the longest-lived of the twelve, apparently living nearly 100 years, he certainly suffered greatly at the hands of persecutors.
He spent many years in exile on the Isle of Patmos, writing the visions he was given in the Book of Revelation.
And, in his time, he had to watch the first century church disintegrate through apostasy and persecution.
Part of what Yeshua' cup entails is suffering.
When we drink of His cup, we are saying we are willing to suffer with Him and experience with Him whatever He ordains for us.
Matthew 10:16-33 YLT
(16) 'Lo, I do send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, be ye therefore wise as the serpents, and simple as the doves.
(17) And, take ye heed of men, for they will give you up to sanhedrims, and in their synagogues they will scourge you,
(18) and before governors and kings ye shall be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.
(19) 'And whenever they may deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye may speak, for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak;
(20) for ye are not the speakers, but the Spirit of your Father that is speaking in you.
(21) 'And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and father child, and children shall rise up against parents, and shall put them to death,
(22) and ye shall be hated by all because of my name, but he who hath endured to the end, he shall be saved.
(23) 'And whenever they may persecute you in this city, flee to the other, for verily I say to you, ye may not have completed the cities of Israel till the Son of Man may come.
(24) 'A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his lord;
(25) sufficient to the disciple that he may be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord; if the master of the house they did call Beelzeboul, how much more those of his household?
(26) 'Ye may not, therefore, fear them, for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed, and hid, that shall not be known;
(27) that which I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light, and that which you hear at the ear, proclaim on the house-tops.
(28) 'And be not afraid of those killing the body, and are not able to kill the soul, but fear rather Him who is able both soul and body to destroy in gehenna.
(29) 'Are not two sparrows sold for an assar? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father;
(30) and of you—even the hairs of the head are all numbered;
(31) be not therefore afraid, than many sparrows ye are better.
(32) 'Every one, therefore, who shall confess in me before men, I also will confess in him before my Father who is in the heavens;
(33) and whoever shall deny me before men, I also will deny him before my Father who is in the heavens.
By "partaking of the cup", we symbolically pledge that we are willing to walk down the same path He walked, with similar consequences.
We do not just drink the wine at Passover - we drink, as Matthew 20:22 puts it, "of the cup" of Yeshua, that is, we are proclaiming our willingness to share in similar trials as Yeshua had to bear.
We proclaim we are willing to endure whatever He has appointed for us as our lot.
Understanding this, consider this next step carefully.
Matthew 26:27-28 YLT
(27) and having taken the cup, and having given thanks, he gave to them, saying, 'Drink ye of it—all;
(28) for this is my blood of the new covenant, that for many is being poured out—to remission of sins;
As Yeshua gave thanks for the cup before serving it to His disciples, we invite you, from your heart, to ask YHVH to bless the cup in consideration of what it pictures.
All those desiring to partake "of the cup", please reverently and solemnly partake of your cup at this time.
*** END - MEMORIAL - COMPREHENSIVE - 03_Yeshua's Last Week Before Passover through His Last Supper ***