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This week we begin chapter 22 of Luke’s Gospel. Please read verses 1-13 every day this week and, if possible, use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 22:1-2 (New International Version – NIV)
‘“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, for they were afraid of the people.’
The 22nd chapter of Luke begins to detail the last few days prior to the crucifixion of Jesus. Here we will read of the plot to kill Jesus and of the agreement between Judas and the religious leaders. Luke also records the account of the Lord’s supper, Peter’s denial and some of the horrific beatings that Jesus endured on our behalf.
Next week we’ll take a more detailed look at the Easter timeline but for this week, we’re going to examine the build-up to the greatest sacrifice ever made. Today we’re also going to briefly give an overview of ‘The Passover’.
So, what is the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread? “Passover (in Hebrew, Pesach) commemorates the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. It originated in the Torah, where the word pesach refers to the ancient Passover sacrifice (known as the Paschal Lamb); it is also said to refer to the idea that God “passed over” (pasach) the houses of the Jews during the 10th plague on the Egyptians, the slaying of the first born. Passover is observed for seven days in Israel. The main event of the Passover holiday is the seder (literally, “order”), a festive meal in which the haggadah (story of the exodus and related writings) is recited in a set order. During the entire duration of the holiday, it is forbidden to eat leavened food products (such as bread, pasta, etc.). The reason for this is that Jewish tradition states that in their haste to escape from Egypt the Jews did not have enough time to wait for bread to rise. (extract from toriavey.com)
We refer to Passover as being one festival but in fact, there are separate feasts:
The Feast of Passover, The Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of First Fruits.
There are many differing opinions as to the exact date of Jesus’ crucifixion and various theories as to the actual days involved. I will give a few different scenarios over the next few weeks and all of them have their own particular problems! While it is mostly conjecture to give a precise date for the crucifixion, we can be sure of some dates:
the Feast of Passover is on the 14th of Nisan (Lev 23:5). The Feast of Unleavened Bread is on the 15th and lasts seven days (Lev 23:6). The Feast of First Fruits is on the morning after the Sabbath after Passover (Lev 23:11, 15). These dates refer to the Jewish calendar and that in itself poses all sorts of challenges for any of us who have been born and raised in a non-Jewish culture.
Suffice to say for today that we have some adjustments to make if we are to understand what is happening during the few days of the crucifixion. One thing is absolutely sure: Jesus is preparing to die on the cross, paying the penalty of sin. Hallelujah, what a Saviour.
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