When
Should We Observe The Passover?
Early 14th or Late 14th Passover - WHICH?
Written and graphics by Felicia
Trecek.
Revised March 14, 2006
Some people don't believe Messiah's last supper within the New Testament was the Passover meal. And, these same people who say they accept the New Testament, don’t believe Messiah's plain words when He told His disciples to tell the man of the house, "the Teacher says, 'My time is near. I am to observe the Passover at your house with my taught ones.' " And, "He shall show you a large furnished upper room, prepare it there." And, "when the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve disciples with Him. And He said to them, 'With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before my suffering.' " in Matthew 26:17-20, Mark 14:12-17, and Luke 22:7-16. Although, if one accepts and believes Messiah's plain words, the timing of the Passover is evidently at the beginning of the 14th day of the first month based upon the story sequence of events from Messiah’s last Passover to His death and burial.
What about the Old Testament? Some people believe the Passover within the Old Testament was a late 14th observance. And, these same people believe the Passover observance flowed into the 15th day. This belief is erroneous.
The first Passover account in Exodus and all Passover observances recorded within scripture were performed at the beginning of the 14th day of the first month with one exception. The opposing Jews of Messiah's day observed a late 14th Passover (John 18:28).
Many who study the Passover observance within the book of Exodus and Deuteronomy find some of the events and scriptures confusing. Instead of explaining several chapters and large sections of scripture, the early 14th Passover observance is easily proveable in the old testament within 2 Chronicles, chapter 35.
In 2 Chronicles chapter 34, during the eighth year of King Josiah’s reign, he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the pagan idols and high places. During the 18th year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land, he ordered the repair of the House of YHWH. In so doing, Hilkiah, the high priest found the book of the law of YHWH given by Moses within the temple. The book was given to Shaphan, who carried it to King Josiah and read it to him. The King was so moved, he tore his garments, and He gave orders to all the people to observe YHWH’s laws.
Chronicles chapter 35 is a record of King Josiah's first Passover event. The FACTS are as follows:
1) They slaughtered the lambs on the 14th (Reference verse 1)
2) ALL of the service was done on the same day (Reference verse 16)
3) They worked UNTIL NIGHT (Reference verse 14)
2 Chronicles 35:14 and 16 read, "the priests were offering UNTIL NIGHT, and ALL the service and Passover performance was completed THAT DAY." (In other words, in one day.) Most importantly, verses 11 and 14 reveal the priests had no time to prepare for themselves because they were skinning UNTIL NIGHT (after sunset), so the Levites prepared for them. [Strong's #3915 for the word 'night' means: midnight season.] The indication is: prepare to eat the Passover. The priests doing the skinning obviously did not eat of the Passover meal prior to nighttime, because they were too busy skinning animals. Consequently, they ate the Passover meal during the nighttime, after nightfall began which was also clearly after sunset.
As a repeat, all the service by the priests and all the performance of the Passover took place on one day. Thus, if King Josiah kept a late 14th Passover, then all the service (includes skinning of animals) could not have been performed and completed on one day. The service and performance would have been split within two days - the 14th and the 15th. Therefore, according to verse 16 of 2 Chronicles 35, a late 14th Passover is erroneous.
Understand; during King Josiah's reign, they only possessed the books given by Moses. They read the books and understood the correct time to which they were to observe the Passover on the 14th day - the beginning of the 14th. This demonstrates that the commands and the Passover's kept within the books of Moses were also observed at the beginning of the 14th day.