April 12, 2011

“Nisan 14th, 15th”

Blessings Folk!

Following our last lengthy...sorry ...time together let’s look at one major point today.

As mentioned previously, the Lord was not crucified on Friday.

I know that many say that it was on Friday due to the verse that states that the next day was the sabbath.

The next day was a sabbath, but not the weekly sabbath.

As you saw yesterday, the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread was on Nisan 15th.

So, here is what we have.

Passover - Nisan 14th
Unleavened Bread - Nisan 15th, 7 days long.

The first day of Unleavened Bread was a “holy convocation”...a sabbath day.

This is the day that is referenced.

In communicating the account of Joseph claiming the body of Jesus, Luke says…

 Luke 23
54 It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

The phrase “the preparation day” is a key.

Remember, the Jewish day began at 6 p.m. until 6 p.m. the next day - evening and morning.

The day of preparation was Nisan 14th, the Passover day. On this day they would prepare for the Passover meal. The lamb would be sacrificed by the family in “the evening”...mid-afternoon.

Jesus fulfilled this.

He was on the cross from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Nisan 14th, the day of Passover.

After the Passover meal was prepared, they sat to partake...in the evening, as the calendar day turned to Nisan 15th, the first day of Unleavened Bread - a holy convocation.

This is the reason that we see the phrase “feast of Unleavened Bread” and “Passover” used synonymously in the Gospels. It became somewhat like what we experience when we say “the holidays” - meaning Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year.

So, upon what day was the Lord crucified?
Nisan 14th. Our Wednesday.

Now, some will say “but I thought that the Jews consider a portion of a day to be counted as a day…?”

This is true.

But, the Lord specifically stated…

Matthew 12
39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;
 40 for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jesus speaks of three full days and three full nights.
This is enlightening.
This is not a portion of a day.

Conclusion:

The last week of Jesus’ life contained two sabbaths - the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the weekly sabbath.

Jesus was place in the tomb “before the sabbath” - the Feast of Unleavened Bread (our Wed. 6 p.m. - Thu. 6 p.m.)
Jesus was resurrected on the “morrow after the sabbath” - the weekly sabbath (our Friday 6 p.m. - Saturday 6 p.m.) More on this later.

A question might come to mind...what meal did the Lord have with His disciples? Was the last meal the Passover meal?

Jesus did not eat the traditional “Passover” meal. He was the Passover lamb. He established something else. The sacrifice and eating of the lamb was replaced with the remembrance of His broken Body and shed blood.

A quick word of warning...

Do not get arrogant and puffed up. Do not go out and start the “First Church of Correct Passion Chronology”. Simply rejoice in the Lord and the Glory of His way. Know that there is tremendous fruit and blessing in handling accurately the Word of Truth.

More…

Blessings!