Brother Ed Allen

THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING JEHOVAH/YAHWEH’S PASSOVER AND JESUS/YAHSHUA’S MEMORIAL “LAST SUPPER”

The pass-over (Pesah) is the first part of the "feast of Unleavened bread.” It lasts seven days, from Nisan/Abib 15 thru Nisan/Abib 21 of Jehovah/Yahweh's holy calendar. Nisan/Abib 14 was set aside as a "day of preparation" for the Passover Festival. Just as putting sin (leaven) out of OUR lives, as Christians is a part of OUR PASSOVER, so was the cleaning out of the Israelites houses of all leaven and leavened products. They also had to clean and purge themselves ceremonially with sacrifices and ritual bathing. This had to be done before the pass-over lamb could be sacrificed and before they could hold the pass-over festival. This was all in obedience to the law (Torah). The ancient Jews did this on "the day of preparation." That is the day before the seven day pass-over festival began. Later, some Jews included this day [preparation day] as an eighth day of the pass-over celebration and “feast of Unleavened bread.”

THE DAY OF PREPARATION ~ IT'S IMPORTANCE

The day of preparation is so important that the apostle John started in chapter twelve, six days before the Passover as an introduction to chapter thirteen which began his discussion of the events on the day of preparation. John then wrote seven more chapters, from chapter thirteen thru chapter nineteen, about what happened on that fateful day. He concluded with verse 42 saying, "So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there." RV. Thru-out this discussion, WE must remember that the Jewish day starts at sundown, in the evening. This is in harmony with what Jehovah/Yahweh said in Genesis 1:5, "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." KJV.

To Christians the "feast of unleavened bread" pictures our willingness to put sin out of our lives. This feast or festival was preceded by the "preparation day." This "day" is of great importance to understand when Jesus/Yahshua had the "last supper" with his disciples, and to understand the difference between "Jesus/Yahshua's Memorial supper" and "Jehovah/Yahweh's Passover" seven day festival, still held by the Jews. IT gives us the true understanding of the three synoptic gospel writers words of Mathew 26:17, Mark 14:12 and Luke 22:7. By this study, we can easily identify the day and time period they spoke about. So, the key to understanding those words are made clear when we study just what the "the day of preparation" was for and when it occurred.

Because we put sin out of our lives and accept that "Christ OUR Passover has been sacrificed", the death penalty has been commuted in our case, and has been passed over in our lives. 1 Cor. 5:7. But, not that of the world at this time. Therefore, WE have "passed over from death to life." John 5:24. Also, WE as the Jews did, must continually rid OURSELVES of sin. This is especially so during a period of preparation, to purge or sanctify OURSELVES from sin and be able to take of the memorial emblems [the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine] "worthily" with a clean heart and mind.

OUR brother Paul/Shaul said about this matter, "First let a man approve himself after scrutiny, and thus let him eat of the loaf and drink of the cup." And, "if we would discern what WE OURSELVES ARE, we would not be judged. However, when we are judged we are disciplined by Jehovah [Yahweh], that we may not be condemned with the world." 1Cor. 11:28,31,32 NW. See Heb.9:14; 2 Cor 7:1.

The Jews did this purging of sin, by ritual bathing and sacrificing as a symbolic act of sanctification on their preparation day that started the evening of the 13th of Nisan/Abib, which began the 14th day of Nisan/Abib and ended the next evening at sunset which began the 15th day of Nisan/Abib, the Passover night. As most all of the early Christians were Jews, they could easily understand the significance of John the Baptist "preaching baptism [in symbol] of repentance, for forgiveness of sins." Luke 3:3 NW.

These are the roots of baptism. Speaking of Noah's family being saved thru the flood, Peter explains Christian baptism saying, "this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand." 1Peter 3:21;Ps. 110:1 NIV.

The "day of preparation," on Nisan/Abib 14, was known as the day "before" [Gr. proto, Strongs G 4253 "foremost", "before", see Matt.26:17 NW footnote and Diaglott footnote] the feast of pass-over and of "unleavened bread" started. This "feast of unleavened bread" began at sundown of Nisan/Abib 14, which started the beginning of Nisan/Abib 15, on which night the pass-over meal (pesach) was eaten. The next day, still Nisan/Abib 15, the Israelites left Egypt.

Today, to many Jews the day of preparation (cleaning the leaven [chomez] from their houses) includes Nisan/Abib 13th. And the Jews in the diaspora or dispersion have an eight day festival of "unfermented cakes" [which includes Nisan/Abib 14], while the Jews living in Israel celebrate it for seven days; which would have been the case in the first century. Nisan/Abib 14, the day of preparation, was and is a traditional fast day for all of the Jewish first born sons. So IT is still understood and participated in by those in Israel and else-where. Few Christians know of the Jewish preparation day and fewer still bother to study and understand it. We should, for this day Nisan/Abib 14, gives US a great deal of information for under-standing the basis of much Christian symbolism and doctrine.

The preparation day on the 14th day of Nisan/Abib was when the lamb was to be sacrificed, "between the two evenings." Ex. 12:6. (This is one of the thousands of KJV mis-translations, see Rotherham's Emphasized Bible or New World Translation) They were to start examining themselves that evening, particularly the priests who did the sacrificing and officiating, and after approving themselves were to prepare the HOUSE by cleaning it of all leaven [which signifies sin]. This was all to be done before the lamb was sacrificed the next day, starting at about three p.m. according to the tradition of the Jewish sect of the Sadducees who controlled the temple in those days.

Preparation day included all inside and outside activities, including splattering the blood on the door frames, which had to be done before sundown, or sunset on Nisan/ Abib 14. They were not allowed outside of their houses after they splattered the pass-over victims blood on their door post and lintels, which began Nisan/Abib 15 when the sun went down. See, Ex. 12:7, 22. This occurred at the end of the day of "preparation", when Nisan/Abib 14 was over at sunset. Then they were to roast the lamb whole and eat it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread after sunset of the 14th which began Nisan/Abib 15. "And they must eat the flesh on this night." Ex. 12: 8,9. That night was Nisan/Abib the 15th.

The day after "preparation day", Nisan/Abib 15, was always a Sabbath, (regardless of the day of the week it occurred) and started the seven day feast of unleavened bread that concluded on the 21st day which also was always a Sabbath. "In the first month [Nisan/Abib], on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening [which began the 15th] you are to eat unfermented cakes down till the twenty-first day of the month in the evening. Seven days no sourdough is to be found in your houses, because anyone tasting what is leavened ..... that soul must be cut off from the assembly of Israel. Nothing leavened are you to eat. In all of your dwellings you are to eat unfermented cakes." Ex. 12:18-20 NW.

"And on the fifteenth day of this month [Nisan/Abib] is Jehovah's [Yahweh's] festival of unfermented cakes. Seven days you should eat unfermented cakes. On the first day [Nisan/Abib 15] you will have a holy convention [a Sabbath]. No sort of laborious work may you do. You must present an offering made by fire to Jehovah [Yahweh] seven days. On the seventh day [Nisan/Abib 21] there will be a holy convention [Sabbath]. No sort of laborious work may you do. Lev. 23:6-8 NW.

Jesus died on preparation day, the 14th of Nisan/Abib at about the 9th hour, about three in the afternoon. He was sacrificed as all of the other Passover lambs had been. This happened about the same time that the priests started sacrificing their "pass-over victims." That evening, the PASSOVER NIGHT of the 15th of Nisan/Abib, was a high holy day and it, itself was a Sabbath occurring on the regular Sabbath day that year. This day, the 15th, which started at sundown on the 14th, was to be a "memorial forever" to Jehovah/Yahweh. [Heb. "olam", vanishing point, or to 'time indefinite'] Ex. 12:14-20 "This selfsame" night was to be observed by the Israelites. Compare Ex. 12:40-42 and Num. 33:3,4.

John 13:1,2 reports that Jesus knew before the pass-over, his hour had come. "Now, because he knew before the festival of the pass-over that his hour had come for him to move out of this world to the Father ..... So, while the evening meal was going on .....", Judas, went out "into the night" to betray him. John 13:30 NW, This was not the Passover night of Nisan 15, as it was against the law for anyone to go outside and/or be buying or selling on any Sabbath. To verify this, Exodus 12:22 says that on that night, "none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning." KJV.

Since it was not the Pass-over night, the disciples did not think it unusual that Jesus would send Judas outside that night. '"Some, in fact, were imagining, since Judas was holding the money box, that Jesus was telling him: "Buy what things you need for the festival."' John13:29 NW. Meaning that the Pass-over festival had not started, as yet. It was still before the Pass-over festival. The Pass-over was not that night, but rather, in the future. For Jesus would certainly not have "unlawfully" sent Judas out into the Pass-over night to be killed. Nor would Jesus disciples be going outside that night. On the Passover night of Nisan 15 it was against the law for anyone to go outside by God's command. Pass-over night was a high holy day and a Sabbath.

"it was early morning"

Further information on this preparation 'day' is given in John 18:28, 29. The Jews had already cleaned their houses of leaven and taken their ritual baths, performed their ritual prayers and sacrifices to cleanse themselves of person and spirit. Being in this condition, they could not go anywhere deemed traditionally unclean. That same night of Nisan/Abib 14, preparation day, the 'chief priests and Pharisees' had Jesus arrested. John says, "Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor [Pontius Pilate]. By now it was early morning and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace, they wanted to be able to eat the Passover [the next evening which began Nisan/Abib 15]. So Pilate came out to them." NIV.

They had already gone to considerable effort to make themselves ceremonially clean and did not want to defile themselves so that they could eat the Passover. For this purpose, there were ritual bathing pools scattered all over Jerusalem. John 11:55 says about this practice, "And the Jews pass-over was nigh at hand and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem, before the pass-over, to purify them-selves." KJV. This was done by all religious Jews in obedience to Jehovah/Yahweh's command to purify themselves, before the pass-over festival.

"Now it was the day of Preparation"

Examining John 19:14-16 from the Amplified Bible, we see more events happening later on that same day of Nisan/Abib 14, the "preparation day." "Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover, and it was about the sixth hour [about twelve o'clock noon, as the Jews started their time from daybreak or dawn]. He [Pilate] said to the Jews see [here is] your king!" The Jews shouted, take him away and crucify him, impale him. "We have no king but Caesar." Finally Pilate handed Jesus "over to them to be crucified."

Still later that day, of Nisan/Abib 14, preparation day, Jesus was now dying on the torture stake. '"Knowing that all was now completed ..... Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."' John 19:28-39. NIV. John now continues, "Now it was the day of preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. [Jewish high holy day] Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have their legs broken and the bodies be taken down ..... But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs." John 19:31-33 NIV.

"Later", still on Nisan/Abib 14, preparation day, "Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus ..... with Pilate's permission he came back and took the body away ..... accompanied by Nicodemus ..... Taking Jesus body, the two of them wrapped it with the spices in strips of linen. This was all in accordance with the Jewish burial custom." There, "was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there." John 19:38-42. NIV.

PREPARATION DAY AND THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS

With the foregoing information WE KNOW when Jesus/Yahshua the Christ/Messiah was impaled and died. It was on the same day in which all of the other "pass-over victims" were sacrificed. Mathew 27:40; Mark 15:34 and Luke 23:44-46 ALL agree that the Lord died about the ninth hour (3:00 PM) on Nisan/Abib 14, "the day of preparation", when the Jews sacrificed the Passover "victims." The apostle John agrees with this as seen above. The historian Josephus also says that the Jews sacrificed from 3 PM to 5 PM. He says that during the last pass-over festival held at the temple in Jerusalem in 69-70 A.D., "their feast which is called Pass-over, when they slay their sacrifices from the ninth hour to the eleventh, [about 3PM to 5PM] found the number of sacrifices was 256,500." Wars 6, 9, 3.

MATHEWS ACCOUNT

A seeming problem is brought up by some when reading three passages in the gospels that appear on the surface to contradict John's gospel. However, they disappear when investigated. The first one is at Matt. 26:17, which says, '"On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the pass-over?"' NIV.

Let US examine the ancient Greek word for that text. The word translated "first" in the King James Version bible is the word "protos". Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance says that protos, G4413, is a contractive superlative of G4253; [meanings] "foremost in time, place order, importance -- before, beginning, best chief(est), first (of all), former" So, it could be rendered any of these meanings. But, it appears that with all of the fore-going information from John's gospel, that the word would best be translated before rather than "first", altho both are correct. The information contained below will help us to determine the correct meaning of G4413.

"When evening came"

In Matt. 26:19 and 20 it says, "So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Pass-over [Roman Thrusday, during the day] ..... When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve." Verse 30 says, "When they had sung a hymn they went out to the mount of Olives." If this was Passover night, Jesus and his disciples would have violated the law, because they went outside that night. But, we know that Jesus kept the law perfectly and would NOT have violated the law by going outside on Passover night nor would he have sent anyone else out. So G4413 must be rendered as before not first. The concluding part of Mathew chapter 26 tells of things that happened the rest of that night.

Later that evening, Matt. 26:47-55 NIV, gives information about Jesus arrest by those "sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people." That would make the "chief priests and elders also in violation of the Law and subject to death. It simply could not happen after the Pass-over meal. The scripture says they "sent a large crowd armed with swords and clubs. Sending such a "large crowd would mean that they would not be able to hide it. Everyone would have known about such Unlawfulness!! This would make the elders and chief priests worthy of death. They would not have risked it.

"Early in the morning"

Mathew chapter 27 gives US some enlightening information. Verse one says, "Early in the morning [Roman Friday], all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death." It was still the same day, that started the evening before. It was still "preparation day". That day, "From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour [3PM] Jesus cried out...." and died. Verse 45.

" As evening approached"

"As evening approached, [that same day, preparation day, Nisan 14] there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate he asked for Jesus' body." He "took the body" ..... "and placed it in his own new tomb." Matt. 27:57-60 NIV. This was still on "preparation day", BEFORE the Pass-over night.

The religious leaders of the Jews were guilty of bribery, conspiracy, perversion of justice, terrorism and mob action, all in violation of Yahweh's divine laws. Ex. 23:1-3; Deut. 16:19; They bore false witness against one more righteous than themselves. Ex. 20:16. They unlawfully incited to riot demanding Jesus' death on the Roman torture stake and set the murderer Barabbas free in place of Jesus. Matt. 27:15-26. All this happened on Preparation Day before Jehovah/Yahweh’s pass-over occurred. While they violated the Law (Torah) in those ways they could still cover it up. So, they would not have blatantly went out their houses on the night of the Pass-over celebration.

"The next day" they WENT TO PILATE

Even more enlightening information is presented in Matt. 27:62-65 NIV. Because they could not go out on Passover night [Nisan/Abib 15] they had to wait until the next day. So, "The next day, [Roman Saturday] the one after Preparation Day [Nisan 15}, the chief priest and Pharisees went to Pilate." Altho this was their "Sabbath", they did this in order for the tomb to be made secure so that Jesus' "disciples could not come and steal the body and tell the people that he had been raised from the dead." Matt. 27:62-65.

They said, "This last deception will be worse than the first." "So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard." Also, they could now go to Pilate, and not become ceremonially unclean, because they had already eaten the Passover meal the night before. For it was now after preparation day [Nisan/Abib 14]. It was "the next day" [the 15th], the Sabbath.

"After the Sabbath"

Mathew further identifies this time period saying, "After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, [That is Roman Sunday] Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb." An angel was there who told them that Jesus was risen from the dead and to go tell his disciples. Matt. 28:1-7 NIV.

MARK'S ACCOUNT

Mark 14:1 introduces us to when the Passover was to begin. That being Nisan/Abib 15. "Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away ...." One day later, in verse 12, Mark uses the same word, protos, that Mathew used for the same event. But, Mark gives US more information for understanding "when" it was. Mark includes the "preparation day" with the seven day Passover festival saying, '"On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, [which was always on Nisan/Abib 14, Preparation day] Jesus disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover.?"' Mark 14:12 NIV. The disciples wanted to prepare the Passover location, by cleaning it of all leaven as it was prescribed in the Law (Torah), because it was the time for it, the preparation day.

Jesus disciples were God fearing Jews and wanted to obey the Law (Torah). That is why His disciples asked where Jesus wanted them to "make preparations for you to eat the Pass-over." They had to go to the place and clean it up from all leaven. As Jews they would naturally do this on the day prescribed for it. That is/was on preparation day. After that they could legally hold the Pass-over festival at the prescribed time; But not before. Exodus 12:15-20, gives Jehovah/Yahweh's command regarding the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days it was and is held. From the evening of Nisan/ Abib 15, when the pass-over lamb was eaten thru the evening of Nisan/Abib 21. Both Nisan/ Abib 15th and the 21st were Sabbaths.

So Mark is telling US that it was not yet the Passover date of Nisan/Abib 15. He is telling US that it was the day before the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread. It was the beginning of the "day of preparation". The day set aside for cleaning out of all leaven and leaven products and the day of sacrificing the Passover lamb.

From Mark 14:12 thru Mark 15:41 WE find a running description of what went on that night and the next day. Mark continues, and gives US the EXACT DAY that he has been describing. He says, "It was preparation day (that is, the day before the Sabbath)" [This Sabbath was two Sabbaths on the same day. The normal seventh day Sabbath and the Passover date of Nisan/Abib 15 which was always a Sabbath]. "Joseph of Arimathea .... asked for Jesus body.... bought some linen cloth ... took down the body, wrapped it in linen, and placed it in a tomb." Mark 15:42-46 NIV.

Mark has told US that Jesus/Yahshua DIED on preparation day. The day before the Passover festival on Nisan/Abib 15, which was always a Sabbath. And certainly Joseph could not have "bought" any linen on the Passover night, as it was not only a Sabbath, but a double Sabbath, making IT A HIGH HOLY DAY . This scripture at Mark 15:42 also explains Exodus 12:6 where the King James Version is again guilty of mistranslations saying that "Israel shall kill it [the Pass-over lamb] in the evening." Using only Strongs H6153, Hebrew, "ereb", from 6150 meaning: dusk, - + day even (ing, tide) night. The same words are correctly translated from the Hebrew as, "between the two evenings." That would indicate that a day would intervene “between the two evenings” which would correctly make the sacrifice on the day of preparation.  That was Nisan 14, the day of preparation.

The same Hebrew expression, "Bane Ha-Erebim" [literally between the evenings] is also found at Exodus 16:12; Ex. 30:8; Ex. 29:39, 41; Lev.23:5; Num. 9:3; as "between the two evenings." Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament, pp. 652 gives the whole definition of the word #6153 as "between the two evenings." Even the King James Version translate Mark 15:42, "And now when the even [evening] was come, because it was the preparation, that is the day before the Sabbath." That is, the day before, Nisan/Abib 15, when the Passover victim was eaten..

LUKE'S ACCOUNT

Luke 22:1 gives us the setting for his account. '"Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus." NIV.

Next Luke identifies just "when" the events were taking place. "Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover."' "So they prepared the Passover." Luke 22:7 NIV. A better translations of this text would be, So they prepared FOR the Passover. The day that the lamb had to be sacrificed was Nisan/Abib 14. As shown above this was preparation day, as Jehovah/Yahweh's Pass-over Feast was not to start until the next evening of Nisan/Abib 15, at sundown.

"This Passover" ~ JESUS/YAHSHUA'S PASSOVER

Luke 22:15,16 Jesus said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will not eat of it, till it shall be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." Diaglott, original Greek= "I say to you, that [no more] not not I may eat of it till it may be fulfilled in the kingdom of the God." Jesus knew he was to give his life as the ransom the next afternoon, when the symbolic lambs were sacrificed. So, just when did Jesus say those words?

The answer is in Luke 22:7 where it says, "The day of the unfermented cakes now arrived, on which the pass-over victim must be sacrificed." The "pass-over victim" prefigured what Jesus/Yahshua would be. That is, what John the Baptist said, “ see the "lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world." John 1:29 NW. He died on the same day at about the same time that the Pass-over lambs were sacrificed.

Jesus/Yahshua was sacrificed on that day of Nisan/Abib 14. Jehovah/ Yahweh's Pass-over Feast was not to start until the next evening, Nisan/Abib 15. You may also notice that NONE of the four gospel writers refers to any sacrificial LAMB being on the table during Jesus last supper. But, there would be unleavened bread, as the disciples had just cleaned the place of all leaven and leavened products. They would have wanted to keep it clean for Jehovah/Yahweh's Pass-over meal, to be held the next evening, on Nisan 15.

So, just what Passover was Jesus talking about, when he said "this pass-over?"  It was not Jehovah's Passover!! That festival was to be held the next night on Nisan 15. "This Pass-over" was His Pass-over for HIS FOLLOWERS!! Jesus was instituting something entirely NEW. He became, not only the sacrifice as the “lamb of God” but also "the mediator of a new covenant " Heb. 12:23, 24 NW. A new covenant? Yes, Jesus "Pass-over", to be held as His Memorial, was to institute a new covenant and also a second covenant for a kingdom. Two distinct and separate covenants instituted by the same ceremony.

Luke 22:19 and 20 gives us the particulars of instituting the new covenant: '"Also, he took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them saying: "This mean’s my body which is to be given in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me. Also, the cup, in the same way after they had the evening meal, he saying: "This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood which is to be poured out in your behalf."' Luke 22:19,20 NW. See prophecy of Jeremiah 31:31-34 and compare Heb. 9:15-20. All of this in distinct contrast to the Law covenant of Moses.

The Lord continues in Luke's account about the second [new] covenant saying, "YOU are the ones that have stuck with me in my trials; and I make a covenant with YOU [the disciples representing Jesus bride and the Abrahamic covenant] just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom." Why? "that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom [not David’s kingdom], and sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel." Luke 22:28-30 NW. This will be Kingdom rule from heaven by those "redeemed, bought, purchased from the earth." See Psalm 89:3,4; Psalm 110:1-8; Dan. 2:44; Rev.14:1-5. David’s promised kingdom is to be one here on the earth, not it heaven.

Thus his bride or "little flock" as heavenly "rulers" over the earth, would be able to judge the earthly "rulers" of the twelve tribes of Israel. (Compare Rev. 7:2-8 who will be the earthly Rulers) Why? Because that would insure a just, righteous and wise rule on the earth by those on the earth, appointed as a "faithful and wise" steward [slave] "over all of my belongings." In Revelation 7:2-8, Yahshua, thru John, identifies the earthly rulers as “Sons of Israel.” In Matt. 24:45-51 He says that these earthly rulers would become that "faithful and wise steward” spoken of above. And then in Matt. 25:31-46 He gives reasons for their appointment, as Kings to an earthly "kingdom, prepared for them from the founding of the world" [the Hebrew world, due to Jehovah/Yahweh’s promise to Abraham], when Jesus/ Yahshua returns.

"This Passover", that Jesus "greatly desired to eat" with his disciples, was for what Jehovah/Yahweh's Passover represented, namely, the saving of the first born. Specifically, His sacrifice was for what He called, "the little flock", His Bride!! He said, "Have no fear, little flock, because YOUR Father has approved of giving YOU the kingdom." Luke 12:32. NW. Of course it was also for the purpose of buying mankind for himself by means of the sacrifice that he provided as a "ransom" for the human race. Matt. 20:28.

That is why the Apostle Paul differentiated between Jesus' Passover and the Jews Passover by saying, "Clear away the old leaven, [the sin of the old law covenant] that YOU may be a new lump, according as YOU are free from ferment. For indeed, Christ OUR Passover, has been sacrificed. So, let US keep the festival [of Christ OUR Passover's sacrifice], not with old leaven [of the sin old law covenant] ..... but with unfermented cakes of sincerity and truth." 1Cor. 5:7,8 NW.

Luke 23:54 agrees with both Mark and John as to "when" Jesus Passover was held. "It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin." It was still the 14th day of Nisan/Abib, the "preparation day” of the Jews, when the "pass-over victim" was sacrificed. The Sabbath was nigh as it came at sunset which commenced the 15th of Nisan/Abib the actual pass-over date, when the pass-over meal was eaten.

On the next night was Jehovah/Yahweh's Passover. On Nisan/Abib 15, 1513 BCE the angel of death passed over the Israelites houses. Ex. 12:17. But those without the blood on their door posts and lintels were not passed over. The first born of every human and animal were killed by the same angel of death, that "selfsame" night.

CONCLUSION

Does the memorial of Jesus/Yahshua's death replace or supplant the Passover memorial of Jehovah/Yahweh? That is for you to decide, but realize this: Paul said, "Christ OUR PASSOVER has been sacrificed." That must mean that HIS SACRIFICE replaces the Passover for His followers, as He has become OUR PASSOVER. That is, He is taking the place of the Passover lamb in OUR case. The Memorial supper itself does not replace the Passover meal. It is a different memorial celebration entirely. For it is a REMINDER for US [to be held at least annually] to keep remembering what He has done for US by His death. "For as often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives." 1Cor. 11:26.

The foregoing shows conclusively that Nisan/Abib 14 was the "preparation day" of the Jews and was the day that Jesus/Yahshua was sacrificed as "the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!". John 1:29

It shows that Jesus/Yahshua instituted His Memorial on the evening of Nisan/Abib 14 and died the next afternoon of that "self-same day."

It shows that Jesus/Yahshua's "last supper" was not eaten on the pass-over night, but rather the "day before", that is the evening before the "pass-over" began, on the day of "preparation."

It shows that later that day, that is the next afternoon, He died for OUR sins and not only our but for the whole world of mankind.

It shows that the Jews ate the pass-over meal on Nisan/Abib 15, after the pass-over 'victim' was slain, on Nisan/Abib 14.

It shows that there are two different memorials being spoken of:

 (1) Jehovah/Yahweh's memorial of the pass-over, held on Nisan/Abib 15. Ex. 12:14

 (2) Jesus/Yahshua's "last supper" memorial of his death on Nisan/Abib 14, preparation day. Luke 22:19b.

It is hoped that this essay will stir everyone's interest in this subject and give it more study and appreciation.

Your brother in Christ, Ed Allen, [email protected]