Mateus 26

Mateus 26

Hughes adds some additional details on what was involved in the preparation: The day of sacrifice was given entirely to festive preparations. A massive assembly of priests (twenty-four divisions instead of the customary single division) arrived at the temple early. Their first duty was to burn all the leaven that had been ceremonially collected by candlelight and spoon the preceding night (M. Pesahim 1–3). By noon all work ceased. At mid afternoon, 3:00 P.M., the ritual slaughtering began (M. Pesahim 5.1). This was completed in three huge shifts. When the first group entered in and the temple court was filled, the gates of the court were closed. A priest’s shofar played a sustained blast, and the sacrifices began (M. Pesahim 5.5). The pilgrims approached two long rows of priests holding basins of silver and gold. Each Israelite slaughtered his own offering, and the priest caught the blood, which was then tossed at the base of the altar (M. Pesahim 5.5, 6). As the offerer left the temple, the slain lamb and its skin was draped over his shoulder (T.B. Pesahim 6.5b). That evening the Passover was observed in a home or room reserved for the occasion. The lamb was roasted on a pomegranate spit (M. Pesahim 7.1). Inside, the company dressed in festive white and reclined at tables with the leader at the head. In Jesus’ time the celebration had added elements beyond the Old Testament’s prescriptions. There was a seder (See Seder), a set order of service (M. Pesahim 10.1-9). The celebrants reclined while they ate because they were no longer slaves (cf. Ex 12:11+). It was the host’s duty to interpret each of the foods on the table as it related to their deliverance from Egypt. The bitter herbs recalled their bitter slavery. The stewed fruit, by its color and consistency, recalled the misery of making bricks for Pharaoh. The roasted lamb brought to their remembrance the lamb’s blood applied to the doorposts, their eating of the lamb within their house, and the death angel’s passing over them as it destroyed the firstborn of Egypt. The celebration concluded late, but many people returned to the streets to continue celebrating. Others returned to the temple mount to await the reopening of the temple gates at midnight, so they could spend the rest of the evening in worship and prayer (cf. Josephus, Antiquities 18.2.2). (See Luke: That You May Know the Truth) It is interesting to note that the events preceding the Triumphal Entry parallel the events surrounding the preparation for the Last Supper. (1) In both Jesus commissioned two disciples (Mark 11:1+, Lk 19:29+), (2) In both Jesus had foreknowledge of what they would encounter (Mk 11:2-3+, Lk 19:30-31+). (3) In both the response of those encountered by the two disciples is similar (Mk 11:4-6+, See Lk 19:32-34+ cf Lk 22:11-12+). THOUGHT - In summary, in both situations, all was exactly as Jesus had said it would be. Beloved, that is always the case. Every promise Jesus makes to us is true and trustworthy (Read 2 Peter 1:4+). And "all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Him. That is why we say "Amen" when we give glory to God through Christ." (2 Cor 1:20+) CHRONOLOGICAL ISSUES WITH TIMING OF PASSOVER MEAL Now we come to the difficult part -- Warning - the following comments may or may not help you resolve the chronological questions. There is no question (in my mind) that the Last Supper of Jesus with His disciples on Thursday evening was also a Passover meal (Mt. 26:17-19+; Mk 14:12-16+; Lk 22:7-15+). The problem is that John 18:28+ records "Then (THIS IS AFTER THE THURSDAY PASSOVER AND AFTER JESUS' ARREST) they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover." So you can see the potential conflict - Jesus celebrated Passover on the preceding Thursday evening and these Jews would celebrate Passover on Friday evening. The related question arises that if Jesus celebrated Passover on Thursday evening, He would have eaten a roasted lamb that had been sacrificed as a "Passover lamb" on Thursday afternoon (cf Ex 12:9+). So again you can readily see the potential problem for how could Jesus eat the Passover lamb on Thursday and also be the Passover Lamb on Friday when the lambs were slaughtered for the evening Passover meal? There is also a statement in John which is difficult to resolve. John MacArthur give some more background on this apparent conflict... The apostle John notes that after the Passover meal (ED: ON THURSDAY EVENING) Jesus took His disciples out of the city to the Garden of Gethsemane, which was on the western slope of the Mount of Olives. He was arrested there and taken first to the high priest Annas (John 18:13+) and then to the house of his father-in-law, Caiaphas, who also still held the title of high priest (John 18:24+). A few hours later, while it was still early on Friday morning, Jesus was taken to Pilate. But the Jewish leaders would "not enter into the Praetorium in order that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover" (John 18:28+). Unlike Jesus and the disciples, those Jews obviously had not yet eaten the Passover. Some interpreters suggest that because those religious leaders would surely have celebrated the Passover at the proper time, Jesus must have moved His observance up a day. But Jesus was meticulous in His observance of the Mosaic law and would not have desecrated such an important feast by observing it at the wrong time. Even had He wanted to do such a thing, however, He could not have, because the lamb eaten at the Passover meal first had to be slaughtered by a priest in the Temple and have its blood sprinkled on the altar. No priest would have performed that ritual a day earlier; or even an hour earlier, than the law prescribed. Other scholars suggest that the chief priests and elders involved in Jesus' arrest were a day late in their observance. But in spite of their control of the Temple, even those ungodly men would not have dared make an exception for themselves for this most celebrated of all feasts. Not only that, but John recognized Friday as the legitimate Passover day reporting that when Pilate finally agreed to Jesus' crucifixion "it was the day of preparation for the Passover" (John 19:14+). In the same verse he states that "it was about the sixth hour," that is, noon on Friday. Some three hours later, "about the ninth hour;" (ED: NINTH HOUR = 3 PM BY HEBREW TIME, THE HOUR WHEN THE PRIESTS BEGAN TO SACRIFICE THE PASSOVER LAMBS IN THE TEMPLE - "DARKNESS FELL OVER THE WHOLE LAND" FROM NOON UNTIL 3PM, AT WHICH TIME TWO EVENTS OCCURRED - THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS TORN IN TWO AND JESUS' CRIED OUT AND BREATHED HIS LAST JUST AS THE PASSOVER LAMBS WERE BEGINNING TO BE SACRIFICED - Lk 23:44-46+). Jesus cried out from the cross, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46+). Shortly after that, "Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit" (Mt 27:50+). John therefore specifically recounts that our Lord died within the prescribed time of sacrifice for the Passover lambs, from three to five o'clock in the afternoon of Passover day. At the very time those lambs were being sacrificed in the Temple, "Christ our Passover also [was] sacrificed" on Calvary (1 Cor. 5:7+). (See Matthew Commentary) So the question is if Jesus was crucified as the Lamb of God on the Passover on Friday (and He was), why did Jesus observe the Passover meal on the previous Thursday evening? How is it possible to reconcile the Scriptural record? The table below lays out the chronology of the last two days of Jesus' life. A number of sources tell us that there were two ways of reckoning the beginning of the Passover. One is based on the northern Galilean mode of reckoning the Passover from Sunrise to Sunrise. This would explain how Jesus would be able to celebrate the Passover/Last Supper on Thursday evening and still be the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb on Friday afternoon on the day of Passover. The second mode of reckoning the Passover was from Sunset to Sunset. Using this chronology the Jews who held to this timing would be able to kill the Passover Lambs beginning at 3 PM that would then be eaten at their Passover Meal on Friday evening. The killing of the Passover Lambs corresponds to the exact time when Jesus the Lamb of God gave up His life on the Cross. See John MacArthur's explanation below. NISAN 14 NISAN 15 THURSDAY FRIDAY SUNRISE SUNRISE Lambs Sacrificed 3 PM Jesus sacrificed Dies at 3 PM When Lambs were being Sacrificed SUNSET SUNSET Jesus Celebrates Passover/Lord's Supper Jews Celebrate the Passover Meal In the Gospel of John Leon