Final Thoughts
As we read the text more carefully, what day was Jesus condemned and crucified? Was it on Passover or was it on the Day of Preparation?
Matthew 27:62 says this, “62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate” (NIV). Citations are in the NIV.
Mark 14:12 says this, “On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
Luke 22:7 says this, “Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
9 “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.
10 He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.” 13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
John 18:28 says this, “Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.”
Jesus celebrated the Passover meal/Last Supper with his disciples on the Day of Preparation (The Jewish day begins at sunset. As such, the first meal of the day would be the evening meal). The text states that the Jewish leaders didn’t enter Pilate’s palace so that they could eat the Passover meal. Thus, the Passover celebration didn’t happen for the nation yet. Everything had to be done before sunset so that the Passover celebration could begin that evening for the Jews.
The religious leaders and the Israelites went home to celebrate the Passover after Jesus died. The lamb for the Passover meal had been slain the day before so that it could be prepared and eaten after sunset. Thus, Jesus and his disciples celebrated the Passover/Last Supper on the Day of Preparation, not on Passover Day.
Jesus is The Passover Lamb. His death was on the Day of Preparation. Did the Jews remember that the lamb had to be sacrificed and its blood placed on the doorway of their homes so that that the angel of death would pass over them? Did it dawn on the disciples of Jesus, that Jesus, The Perfect Lamb was going to slain and His shed blood on the cross was for those who believe in him so that they could escape judgment?
Whenever we celebrate Holy Communion, let us remember that the Lamb of God was slain so that we would not have to face eternal judgment. It is the Lamb’s blood that protects us from the judgment of God upon the world. We didn’t put the blood of Jesus on our “doorway” of our life, but the Spirit of God who allowed us to understand and respond to that truth. Remember to take time to prepare for Holy Communion. While it is good prepare yourself the moment before you take the elements of Christ blood and body, consider having a day of preparation, taking a day before Communion to prepare for it.
-Kingston