Passover or the Lord's Supper-2

Last week we reviewed the Lord’s requirements for remembering both the coming out of Egyptian slavery and into His Promised Land and what He is now establishing for remembering Him. He is the true Passover Lamb who came to take away sins and offer forgiveness to all who surrender to Him as their High Priest and King. We will begin in Matthew.

Matthew 26:1  When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, 26:2  "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion." 

We are within two days of His illegal trial and death on a cross.

26:3  Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; 26:4  and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him. 26:5  But they were saying, "Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people." 

As we have studied previously, the people feared the leaders even as the leaders feared them. The leaders feared being found out for who they truly were. They presented themselves as godly men who knew their Bible very well and made sure everyone followed what they taught. As Jesus taught, they taught their truth while denying GOD’s truth.

Mark 7:5  The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?" 7:6  And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 7:7  'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' 

7:8  "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." 7:9  He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 

Matthew 26:17  Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?" 

Remember, the Passover lamb would be killed in the late afternoon, but not be eaten until after sundown, which is now the next day.

26:18  And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'" 26:19  The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. 26:20  Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. 

Clearly, Jesus in this passage has told His disciples to prepare the Passover meal and where it was to be held.

26:47  While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 26:48  Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him." 26:49  Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. 

After the meal, Jesus took His disciples to the Mount of Olives where He prayed alone, as the disciples slept. Knowing exactly when He would be arrested, He went out to greet this large crowd. It is now close to midnight and the ‘people’ the leaders feared were all in bed.

26:50  And Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. 

Jesus would be tried and convicted by dawn in an illegal trial. Trials aren’t held in the middle of the night. He would be brought to Pilate at dawn and be on the cross by 9 am. He would give up His Spirit at the 9th hour or 3 pm.

27:57  When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 27:58  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 27:59  And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 27:60  and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. 

Here the Gospels don’t all agree on every detail. We will study this in the next study, but what is clear is that the day of His death was the Day of Preparation.

27:61  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave. 27:62  Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, 27:63  and said, "Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I am to rise again.' 

So the ‘next’ day was the day after the Day of Preparation or a Sabbath. Every day, before a ‘Sabbath’ day whether at week end or surrounding a feast,was a day to prepare to rest from your work on the Sabbath. Since according to the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins after sundown following the killing of the Lamb, then Jesus was also killed on the Day of Preparation before the Feast began at sundown.

With all that being said, Jesus could not have eaten a Passover meal as described in Matthew. The Passover Meal is eaten after sundown. Jesus was in the tomb by sundown, which will be clearer in the other gospels.