It is a common belief that the Last Supper was a Passover feast, but this cannot be correct according to Scripture. The Gospel of John records that the Last Supper was held before the feast of the Passover:
John 13
1 Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
Passover is held on the 14th day of the first month, which is the month of Nissan or Nisan on today’s Jewish calendars:
Leviticus 23
5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is Yahweh’s Passover.
At the time of Jesus (Yeshua), as it was during all the years before the Temple was destroyed, a lamb or a kid was sacrificed to Yahweh during the eve or afternoon hours on the 14th day of Nisan:
The animal was slain on the eve of the Passover, on the afternoon of the 14th of Nisan, after the Tamid sacrifice had been killed, i.e., at three o’clock, or, in case the eve of the Passover fell on Friday, at two.
https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11926-paschal-sacrifice
After the offering, the remains of the Passover sacrifice were consumed at a feast held at dusk. This feast marks the beginning of a seven-day festival called the “Feast of Unleavened Bread:”
Leviticus 23
6 On the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to Yahweh. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work. 8 But you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh seven days. In the seventh day is a holy convocation: you shall do no regular work.'”
The feast of the Passover is the feast of unleavened bread. While the Bible indicates that the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are two separate events (the Passover being a special offering and the Feast of Unleavened Bread being a festival), sometime in history the Jews began to call the Feast of Unleavened Bread by the title “the Passover.” Thereafter, the 14th day of the month came to be considered a preparation day for the feast on the 15th. This change happened after the Babylonian exile and sometime before Rome ruled Judea.
The Bible shows there was a clear distinction between the two events when the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity:
Ezra 6
19 The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 Because the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. 21 The children of Israel who had returned out of the captivity, and all who had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate, 22 and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; because Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God, the God of Israel’s house.
However, by the time of the Herodian dynasty, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was called “the Passover” by the Jews.
This is reflected in the writings of the Roman historian Josephus, who was Jewish. He pointed out the change in names when he wrote of the events surrounding the death of Herod the Great (c. 4 BC). Thousands of Jews were killed in Jerusalem during the civil unrest, and the high death count was because the streets were crowded with people who traveled to the city for the Passover. He wrote, “…the feast of unleavened bread …. is by the Jews called the Passover.” [1]
Luke also explained that the Jews called the “feast of unleavened bread” by the title “the Passover:”
Luke 22
1 Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.
Even today, almost 2000 years later, the Jews refer to the festival of unleavened bread by the name “Passover” and make no separate distinction for the 14th day:
“The eight-day Jewish holiday of Passover is celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan”
According to John, the Last Supper was before the feast of the Passover, before the sacrifice was slain at 3 PM in the afternoon on the 14th.
John 13
1 Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
Mark and Luke record that on “the first day of unleavened bread when the Passover is sacrificed,” the disciples obtained the room to prepare to eat the Passover:
Mark 14
12 On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?” 13 He sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the city, and there you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters in, tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’15 He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Get ready for us there.” 16 His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.
Luke 22
7 The day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.” 9 They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare?” 10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12 He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.” 13 They went, found things as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
How can the accounts be reconciled? The answer lies in how a 24-hour period is reckoned according to Jewish customs.
Unlike our calendar, which considers a 24-hour period to be from midnight to midnight, the Jewish day is from dusk to dusk. Therefore, a new day on the Jewish calendar starts during the typical dinner hours. Thus, the 14th of Nissan starts when the sun begins its descent on the 13th day of the month.
Likewise, the 15th of Nisan begins as the sun goes down on the 14th.
Since the disciples obtained the room to prepare for the Passover and then sat down with Jesus to eat supper, it must of been during the first hours of the 14th day. Supper is an evening meal. Plus, the apostles told us it was night when they ate the meal:
Matthew 26
20 Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. 21 As they were eating, he said, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.”
John 13
26 Jesus therefore answered, “It is he to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 Now no man at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus said to him, “Buy what things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Therefore having received that morsel, he went out immediately. It was night.
Since it was night when the Last Supper was held— It was the start of new day. There is no other explanation.
The Last Supper was held at the start of the 14th day, the day called Passover in the time of Moses but also referred to as Preparation Day during the lifetime of Jesus. This was the period of time set aside to be sure everything needed for the feast was ready, to shop and to clean the home of all leavened products. All leavening had to be removed from the home during the Feast of Unleavened Bread:
Deuteronomy 16
4 No yeast shall be seen with you in all your borders seven days; neither shall any of the meat, which you sacrifice the first day at evening, remain all night until the morning.
Even today, the 14th day of Nisan remains a day of preparation for the feast and is the day in which all leaven must be removed from the home:
“On the night before the holiday begins (14th of Nissan), a formal search of the house is undertaken – this is called B’dikat Chametz (Searching for Leavened Bread). A custom to disperse ten pieces of chametz throughout one’s house before the search is widely followed and the actual search is ceremonially done with a candle and a feather (though most people today use a flashlight and dustpan).….The morning before Passover begins any remaining chametz in one’s possession must be burned, a commandment called Biyur Chametz (Burning of Leavened Bread).”
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/passover-history-and-overview
All yeast must be removed from the home the morning of the 14th, thus it is considered to be the first day of unleavened bread but its not the first day of the feast. The Feast of Unleavened Bread arrives with the evening hours. Once evening arrives, it is now the 15th and the Passover meal is eaten.
We know the Last Supper was on Preparation Day (also called the first day of unleavened bread) because the disciples asked Jesus where he wanted them to start preparing for the Passover:
Mark 14
12 On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?”Luke 22
7 The day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.” 9 They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare?”Matthew 26
17 Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
Additional proof that it was on Preparation Day is because John described Judas leaving the room and taking the money box with him:
John 13
27 After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 Now no man at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus said to him, “Buy what things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.
Some of the disciples thought Judas may have left to buy things needed for the feast. Why would they have thought he left to purchase items for the feast if they were already eating the feast? Plus, the first day of the feast is a high holy day and no stores would be open. The stores were still open on Passover/Preparation Day.
They weren’t eating a Passover feast. That feast would be eaten at the start of the next 24 hour period, on the 15th day of the month.
In the coming daylight hours, as the hours of Preparation Day ticked by, Yeshua was arrested, tried, and crucified:
John 19
14 Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, at about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” 16 So then he delivered him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led him away.
It was still Preparation Day when he died on the cross:
Matthew 27
46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ….50 Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.Mark 15
34 At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”…37 Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit.Luke 23
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 45 The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.
It was still Preparation Day when Jesus died. He died at the ninth hour of the daylight hours on the 14th day of Nisan, a time which corresponds to 3PM. His death occurred at the exact same time the Passover lambs were being sacrificed by the priests at the Temple:
The animal was slain on the eve of the Passover, on the afternoon of the 14th of Nisan, after the Tamid sacrifice had been killed, i.e., at three o’clock, or, in case the eve of the Passover fell on Friday, at two. https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11926-paschal-sacrifice
It was still Preparation Day when he was placed in the tomb as the last daylight hours of the 14th slipped away:
Mark 15
42 When evening had now come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for God’s Kingdom, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate marveled if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead long. 45 When he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
Luke 23
50 Behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man 51 (he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for God’s Kingdom: 52 this man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 He took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid. 54 It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near.
John 19
40 So they took Jesus’ body, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb in which no man had ever yet been laid. 42 Then because of the Jews’ Preparation Day (for the tomb was near at hand) they laid Jesus there
Jesus was in the tomb by the time dusk arrived marking the start of the 15th day of the month, a date set aside as a high Sabbath known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It was not the weekly Sabbath but an appointed time. In the next few hours the Passover meal would be eaten commemorating the first passover:
Exodus 12
24 You shall observe this thing for an ordinance to you and to your sons forever. 25 It shall happen when you have come to the land which Yahweh will give you, according as he has promised, that you shall keep this service. 26 It will happen, when your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 that you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of Yahweh’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians, and spared our houses.’” The people bowed their heads and worshiped.
The Last Supper could not have been the Passover feast because Jesus died before the Passover feast was held. He died at the same moment a perfect unblemished lamb was being sacrificed at the Temple. This is why Paul said that Christ Messiah was our Passover:
1 Corinthians 5
7 Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.
1. Josephus, Flavius. The Wars of the Jews, 2.1.3.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2850/2850-h/2850-h.htm#link22HCH0001
Scripture quotations are taken from the World English Bible, Public Domain.
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