The Chronolgy of the Passion Week

The purpose of this brief study is to use scripture to interpret scripture in relation to the spring feasts of the Lord and then to lay out a reasonable timeline pertaining to the passion week of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 Our troubles in understanding the scriptures are often times related to our failing to address the scriptures in their proper context. This is often complicated by a poor understanding of the cultural fabric in which the scriptures were woven. Through preconceived ideas or poorly constructed systematic theology, whether personally developed or learned, we find ourselves at odds with the simple truths as laid out in the scriptures.

An Accurate Account of Revisionist History

Revisionist history is a retelling of history that is not the true and accurate telling of history. Logical fallacies are developed to steer the reader away from reality. An example of this may be found in the arguments concerning the chronological construct of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread as developed by some through interpreting only the accounts as given in the gospels regarding the Passion Week. Developing our understanding of the festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread through the accounts of the gospel writers, rather than developing our understanding of the festival from the instructions found in Torah, corrupts our understanding and ultimately may cause confusion regarding the feasts of the Lord.

 John and the synoptic storytellers have given us an accurate portrayal of the 1^st century pharisaic and culturally accepted interpretation of the Judeans pertaining to the chronology of the spring festival of Passover/Unleavened Bread. The problem is that the storytellers do not give us an accurate biblical account of the days as established in Torah.

 The first problem for modern readers is developed in the Gospel accounts through the introduction of a High Sabbath occurring after the day of Passover. The transferring of the first Sabbath of the festival from the day of Passover changes the initial schedule of the festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread from a seven day festival to that of eight. Support for the development of an eight day festival is found in a narrow interpretation of the Torah instruction pertaining to the festival as found in the books of Leviticus[1] and Numbers[2]. Support for an eight day festival cannot be reconciled without ignoring the instructions of the Passover in Egypt as documented in the book of Exodus[3] and the subsequent instructions regarding the festivals as found in the book of Deuteronomy[4].

 The creation of an eight day festival came along with the development of the Pharisaic sect during the second temple period. The Pharisees rendered Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread to be calendar independent yet consecutive festivals. The Pharisees were known for their belief in adhering to oral tradition and were frequently at odds with Christ over his disregard to adhering to their oral traditions.

 A statement supporting the Pharisees view of oral tradition is summed up in the following statement. “My son, be more careful in the observance of the words of the Scribes than in the words of the Torah (Old Testament).”[5]

Where Did They Go Wrong?

 As mentioned above, looking at Leviticus 23:5-8 and Numbers 28:16-18 without the counsel of Exodus 12:6-16 and Deuteronomy 16:1-8 can leave the reader confused about the length of the festival and the placement of the Sabbaths within the festival.

 “The Lord’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast.  On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present an offering made to the Lord by fire. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.”[6]

 “On the fourteenth day of the first month the Lord’s Passover is to be held. On the fifteenth day of this month there is to be a festival; for seven days eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.” [7]

 Without the full counsel of scripture- the additional instruction of Exodus and Deuteronomy- there is admittedly room to argue that the seven days the Israelites were commanded to eat bread made without yeast may have begun on the 15^th day of Abib, the day after Passover. However, there is no support to extend the festival beyond the evening of the 21^st of Abib. Although ground is given for an argument for an eight day festival, the evidence of Leviticus and Numbers alone cannot be accepted as fully conclusive. These two passages leave ample space to interpret the first day of the command to eat bread made without yeast to have occurred simultaneous to Passover and thereby support a festival that is seven days in length and concluding at the evening of the 21^st.

 The Purpose of Creation

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.[8]

“And there was evening, and there was morning–the first day.” [9]

The Hebraic vs. the Greek Mindset

 The mindset that prevails in our western culture was birthed in Greco-Roman tradition and teaches that our days begin and end at midnight. This is not in harmony with the mindset of God. Reading the account of the first day of creation we see that evening is the first part of the day, “And there was evening, and there was morning–the first day.” Genesis 1:5b. If this account of creation is to be considered true we should be able to agree that the second day of creation began at evening and that the same may hold true for today. 

 “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.  Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.  If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat.  The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats.  Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.”[10]

 Understanding that through God’s reckoning the biblical day begins at evening; it should be indisputable that the Israelites were to slaughter their lamb at the beginning of the 14^th day of Abib, the day known as Passover. It was that very night that the Lord passed through theland ofEgypt striking down the firstborn of all who had not placed the blood of the Passover lamb upon their doorposts.

  “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn–both men and animals–and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord–a lasting ordinance. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat–that is all you may do. “Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born. Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.”[11]

 This account, the Exodus account, the only account that establishes both the dates in which to begin and end the festival cannot be construed to be anything other than a festival to be held for seven days. It is impossible to interpret the scripture consistently and find support for the festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread to be more than seven days.

 Every biblical account of the length of the festival of Passover/Unleavened Bread mentions seven days. Poor interpretation, (or possibly poor memory of the Torah while in exile), supported by the addition of oral tradition is the only way that this festival can have been altered to run greater than seven days.

 Further support is of a seven day festival is found in Deuteronomy, (literally “the second law”),

 “Sacrifice as the Passover to the Lord your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the Lord will choose as a dwelling for his Name. Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste–so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt. Let no yeast be found in your possession in all your land for seven days. Do not let any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain until morning. You must not sacrifice the Passover in any town the Lord your God gives you except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name. There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. Roast it and eat it at the place the Lord your God will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents. For six days eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day hold an assembly to the Lord your God and do no work.”[12]

 Again, it is impossible to find support for a festival exceeding seven days in length without relying on the traditions of man.

How Could That Have Happened?

 Tradition is a powerful foe. Many in the Hebraic Roots/Torah Restoration movement have come to their own realization of the sway that tradition holds over the mainstream church. Mention the sanctity of the Sabbath, the beauty of the festival cycle, or clean foods and wait for the non-biblical and traditional reasoning for why we are no longer “under obligation” to the law. Tradition is not always wrong. But tradition also needs to be examined so that we won’t find ourselves in a well intentioned but difficult mess.

The Gospel Accounts of the Passion Week

 It is important to review the gospel accounts of what is commonly called the Passion Week. Upon review we will see the reality which is Christ in the festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread. We will also see the error within 1^st century Judaism that was accurately described by both the disciple John and the synoptic authors.

 Preparation Day

Each of the gospel accounts makes mention of Preparation Day. What was Preparation Day? The authors describe the day as a day of preparation for the “Sabbath.” What Sabbath are the authors speaking of? Is it the weekly Sabbath or is it one of the special Sabbaths as defined in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy? The Sabbath referred to in Luke 23:54 was a Jewish misunderstanding of the “first day” of Unleavened Bread. As discussed above, the Pharisees interpreted Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread to be independent festivals, not running concurrent to each other. In the Pharisaic tradition, Unleavened Bread followed Passover. Although the new tradition included Passover within the greater festival of Unleavened Bread, Passover was not recognized as the first Sabbath of the festival of Unleavened Bread.

 Passover is presented as the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread by the synoptic authors. Mark 14:12 states,

 “On the first day of the Feast 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?”

 Support for this is found in the gospel of Matthew.

 “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 Passover?”[13]  

 Again, support is found in the gospel of Luke.

 “Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.”[14]

 At the time of the Christ, Passover was considered by many to be Preparation Day.

 “It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached.”[15]

 “It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.”[16]

 “The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.” [17]

 The accounts related above in Mark and Luke pertain to the end of the day on which Yeshua/Jesus was crucified. It is without question that Yeshua was crucified on the day of Passover. He was crucified on the same day in which he participated and celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples in the upper room.

 The Matthew account relates to the day after the crucifixion of Christ and again demonstrates the accepted cultural idea that Passover was also known as Preparation Day.

 What was Preparation Day?

 Preparation Day was developed from the instructions found in Exodus 12. These instructions included the killing of an unblemished year old male from the flock, the placing of its’ blood upon the doorposts of their homes and the removal of the leaven developed inEgyptfrom their kneading bowls and trays. The culture developed inEgyptwas to be left behind.

 The idea of the day of Passover being recognized as Preparation Day is not in itself unacceptable. What is unacceptable is to consider that the day of Passover is not the first day of a seven day festival and therefore, not set it apart as the Sabbath day that the Lord had set apart according to Torah.

 The importance of recognizing the error of the Pharisees reckoning of Passover/ Unleavened Bread is important in that following the Pharisaic tradition obscures Yeshua’s punctilious fulfillment of the spring festivals.

 Some have suggested that Preparation Day was the sixth day of the week; the day before the weekly Sabbath. It is impossible for this day, Preparation Day, to be a day of preparation for the weekly Sabbath without rejecting Yeshua’s prophecy regarding his burial.

 “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”[18]  

 If Preparation Day was a Friday as some have suggested, Yeshua’s declaration to be in the ground “three days and three nights” would have required him to have resurrected on Monday, the second day of the week instead of on the first day of the week. This would conflict with each of the gospel accounts of Yeshua’s’ resurrection. He was found to have been risen from the grave on the first day of the week.

 It should be evident that what we see in the gospel accounts is an accurate description of the prevailing 1^st century school of thought as to the practice of the festival(s) of Passover/Unleavened Bread. This practice was not consistent with the festival as it was established by YHWH in his instructions to Moses. The festival was to begin at the evening of the 14^th of Abib and continue until the evening of the 21^st of Abib.

 Additional God-breathed instructions regarding the length of the festival of Passover is found in the book of Ezekiel.

 “‘In the first month on the fourteenth day you are to observe the Passover, a feast lasting seven days, during which you shall eat bread made without yeast. On that day the prince is to provide a bull as a sin offering for himself and for all the people of the land. Every day during the seven days of the Feast he is to provide seven bulls and seven rams without defect as a burnt offering to the Lord, and a male goat for a sin offering”.[19]

An Additional Error of the Pharisees – Firstfruits

 The errors of the Pharisees regarding the festival of Passover/Unleavened Bread also include their rendering of when the wave offering of the firstfruits was to take place. The Pharisaic rendering placed the day of Firstfruits on the day immediately following the first Sabbath of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, (the day after the Sabbath).

 If Passover/Preparation Day – the day on which Yeshua was crucified – was not the first Sabbath of the festival, but preceded the first Sabbath of the festival of Unleavened Bread, the Pharisaic placement of the day of Firstfruits would have occurred either on the sixth or seventh day of the week. The placement of the day of Firstfruits on the sixth or seventh day of the week would not permit the congruent fulfillment of this aspect of the festival by the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

 Reckoning the firstfruits wave offering to take place on the day after the weekly Sabbath that falls within the parameters of the festival of Unleavened Bread is consistent with the instructions found in Leviticus 23:11-16. This reckoning would place the firstfruits wave offering at the morning of the first day of the week and would accomplish a fulfillment of the offering consistent with the disciples’ recognition of the resurrection of our Lord.

The Day of the Firstfruits Wave Offering

 The day of the firstfruits wave offering, according to the instructions of Leviticus 23, is to occur “after the Sabbath.”[20] If this offering were to occur on the day immediately after the “first” day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the day mistaken presumed in the gospel accounts to have been the day after Passover, it would most likely be referred to as the 16^th of Abib. There would have been no need for any other instructions as to when this offering was to occur. The fact that in order to determine the day of Shavuot, or Pentecost, required the counting of days rather than the identification of a specific numeric day, i.e. the 14^th Abib, clearly identifies the day of the waving of the firstfruits offering to be “floating” day, one that would always occur after the regular weekly Sabbath which occurs during the Festival of Passover/unleavened Bread. 

Passion Week Timeline

 The apostle Paul in his letter to the church at Colossaesaid that the festivals were pictures foretelling the story of Christ.[21] Believing this to be true we may be able to construct a timeline of the Passion Week based on the instructions for Festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread.

 If we believe that Yeshua was resurrected prior to the arrival of the women and disciples, this would place his resurrection either early in the morning of the first day of the week or perhaps even towards the evening/beginning of the day the night before – at the end of the weekly Sabbath and the beginning of the first day of the new week.

 Believing Yeshua correctly understood the time he would spend in the earth to be “three days and three nights” would place his burial at the conclusion of the 4^th day (Passover)/onset of the 5^th day. The scriptures note that he was laid in the ground at the end of the day – the day of Passover.[22] This day during the Passion Week would have been what we know to be Wednesday.

 A burial at the end of the day Wednesday permits Christ to be in the ground for three nights and three days just as he prophesied would occur. His resurrection would then have occurred at the end of the weekly Sabbath/beginning of the first day of the week.

 This timeline is consistent with the gospel writer’s accounts of the events of the Passion Week and Yeshua’s prophecy regarding himself.

“Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.”  He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” [23]

 Summary

 The word of God is more beautiful and than the most intricately woven tapestry. To appreciate a fine tapestry requires that we view it from both a distance and through close scrutiny. It is through both that we forms of examination that we begin to understand the skill of its craftsman. The word of God is similar in that through our examination of it we will be left in awe it both its’ divine intricacies and its majestic power.

 Close examination of the Passion Week through the foundation established in Torah in the instructions for Feast of Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread show us how Christ in his death and resurrection fulfilled the prophecies within these set apart days.

                                                      

 

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[1] Leviticus 23:5-8

[2] Numbers 28:16-18

[3] Exodus 12:6-16

[4] Deuteronomy 16:1-8

[5] Erubin 21b (Soncino edition p. 149)

[6] Leviticus 23:5-8

[7] Numbers 28:16-18

[8] Isaiah 46:10

[9] Genesis 1:5b

[10] Exodus 12:1-6

[11] Exodus 12:12-20

[12] Deuteronomy 16:2-8

[13] Matthew 26:17

[14] Luke 22:7

[15] Mark 15:42

[16] Luke 23:54

[17] Matthew 27:62

[18] Matthew 12:40

[19] Ezekiel 45:21-23 

[20] Leviticus 23:9-16

[21] Colossians 2:16-17

[22] Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54

[23] Matthew 12:38-40

Passover and Unleavened Bread

There are different teachings found on the internet/Facebook/blogosphere that create unnecessary problems for the believer. These problems include a Passover/Unleavened Bread festival of eight days in length. There are also those who are teaching that Yeshua and his disciples did not participate in a “true Passover” celebration because Yeshua could not participate in the Passover before he “became” the Passover lamb. These teachings are formulated by men and women who I pray have the right intentions, but a right intention does not make one “right.” I have considered prayerfully this response and hope that it is a benefit to all who participate in reading it. Shalom!

 The first point is regarding John’s account of what many believe to be the “last supper.” John’s account of this meal is considerably different than the synoptic accounts of the “last supper.” There are enough differences to deduce that what John was describing was an altogether different meal. In fact, the meal that John describes in chapter 13 is called the evening meal. He also notes it was before the Passover Feast.

Another event from this common evening meal that occurred between the time of Yeshua’s triumphal entry and the beginning of Passover  differentiates it from the Passover meal as described by the synoptic – Matthew 26:19; Mark 14:14-16; and Luke 22:8-13.

 Each of the synoptic accounts refers to specific instructions related to the preparation of the Passover meal. John’s account makes no mention of the meal being related to Passover. John’s only reference to Passover regarding the “evening meal” is that it occurred before the Passover. We would do well to accept this as “gospel.”

 Also, in John’s account of the meal, Judas leaves the dining hall and it is assumed by the remaining disciples that Judas was going out to purchase items necessary for the festival. This would not have occurred on a Sabbath, of which Passover is. (I will address objections to this later)

The disciples would never have thought this had it occurred during the  Passoverdinner described in the synoptic gospels. Besides, it is highly likely that it would have been quite difficult for Judas to make a purchase anywhere in Jerusalem on a Sabbath.

 Another significant difference between John’s account and that of Matthew, Mark and Luke is the foot washing ceremony. If this would have taken place during the Passover meal, it is very likely that one it the synoptic authors would have mentioned it in their memoir.

 One of the objections I see brought forward by many people who believe that Yeshua and his disciples were not participating in a true Passover meal is that they believe that Yeshua couldn’t participate in the Passover meal and then later become the Passover lamb. What needs to be understood here is that there was not one specific “national” lamb that was offered by the High Priest. Numbers 28:16-25. The slaughtering of the Passover lamb was not in any way like the slaughtering of the goat on the Day of Atonement. One goat was sacrificed as a sin offering for all of Israel. This is not the case for Passover. In fact, many people falsely believe that the Passover lamb was some sort of sin offering. It is not. The Passover lamb is a type of Fellowship (Sh’lamin) Offering. The offerer and his family participated in the consumption of the Fellowship Offering. Not so, with the sin offering. Nobody consumed any of the sin offering.

 If one were to understand properly the correlation that the author of Hebrews makes between Chapter 13 and Leviticus 4, they would quickly realize that the author does not correlate Yeshua’s death with Passover, but with a sin offering, “burned outside of the camp.” “Outside of the camp” is a subdued reference to Golgotha, which was outside of the camp -Jerusalem. (And this offering, burned outside of the camp, was a bull; offered as a sin offering for the High Priest on the Day of Atonement.)

 The author of Hebrews does not dismiss the fact the Yeshua was crucified on the day of Passover, he merely recognizes that all of the sacrifices were fulfilled through the Anointed One. The beloved disciple, John, (who incidentally causes so much of the calendar problems in his gospel) apparently didn’t recognize Yeshua as ONLY representing the Passover lamb when he stated in his epistle, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2. It is clear from this statement that John saw his Savior as representing more than just one of the sacrifices.

 I raise this point because many brothers in Christ contend that Yeshua could not have participated in the Passover meal before “becoming” the Passover lamb. This is poor conjecture. Using this logic would dismiss John’s assertion, as well as that of the author of Hebrews, that Yeshua was also the atoning sacrifice. After all, he was not crucified on the Day of Atonement, but on Passover.

 The synoptic accounts clearly state that Yeshua participated in the Passover meal with his disciples – not early, not late, but on time.

 The second point I would like to comment on is the length of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Many people are misled to believe that the festival is eight days long. It is not. The festival is to run for a length of seven days. I understand the confusion and how one can be led to believe the festival is eight days long, but close examination of all of the texts pertaining to the feast of Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread will not permit the feast/festival to exceed 7 days. Please bear with me.

 The common error made in extending the festival from 7 to eight days is by not incorporating Passover into the festival of Unleavened Bread. Scripture clearly states that Passover is the first day of Unleavened Bread. It is not a stand alone day followed by seven days of Unleavened Bread. They are concurrent days. Matthew 26:17 states, “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 Passover?” This is supported by the other synoptic accounts, Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7.

 I rarely refer to the Apostolic Scripture before presenting the Torah in support of a position but I feel that the synoptic authors – Matthew, Mark and Luke – were following the lead of their Rabbi, and were not being misled into following a calendar that was contrary to that which our established by our Father.

 The main “culprit” in the misunderstanding of the length of the Festival of Unleavened Bread is found in Leviticus 23:5-8. It states, “The LORD’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD’s Feast of Unleavened Breadbegins; for seven daysyou must eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assemblyand do no regular work. For seven days present an offering made to the LORD by fire.And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.’ ”

 Simply adding seven days of Unleavened Bread, (which this passage states begins on the 15^th), to the Passover, (which this and other passages state begins on the 14^th) leaves the reader with 7 + 1 = 8. We all wish math, and biblical studies, could be so easy!

 The problem with simply examining this passage, Leviticus 23:5-8, and developing the definitive answer to the length of the Feast of Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread, requires the reader to dismiss other texts that give greater detail to the length of the Feast/Festival.

 The first account of the instruction for the Feast of Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread is found in Exodus 12:15-18. “For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast.On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut offfrom Israel.  On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no workat all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat–that is all you may do.  “Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread,because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt.Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.  In the first monthyou are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day.” Italics added.

 The fourteenth day of the month is also the day on which the feast of Passover is to be obsevered. Exodus 12:6, Leviticus 23:5.

 Using our elementary math skills to count from the evening – the beginning – of the fourteenth until the evening – the beginning – of the 21^st is simply 7 days. The time frame described here in Exodus states until the beginning of the 21^st day, it does not include the 21^st day. I use my fingers to count and I always come up with seven days.

 Even if scripture were to afford some wiggle room (which they don’t) as to permit the evening of the 14^th day to mean the start of the 14^th day and the evening of the 21st day to mean the end of the 21^st day – and we were to be able to count the 21^st day as the eighth day, further examination of the Word of God eliminates any possibility of this Feast and Festival to exceed 7 days.

 The student of the word who believes the feast and festival to be eight days in length – one day of Passover followed by seven days of Unleavened Bread – cannot reconcile their belief in an eight day festival with the following scripture.

 Deuteronomy 16:1-8 “Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passoverof the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib he brought you out of Egyptby night. 2 Sacrifice as the Passover to the LORD your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the LORD will choose as a dwelling for his Name.3 Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste–so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt. 4 Let no yeast be found in your possession in all your land for seven days. Do not let any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain until morning. 5 You must not sacrifice the Passover in any town the LORD your God gives you 6 except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name. There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. 7 Roast it and eat it at the place the LORD your God will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents. 8 For six days eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day hold an assembly to the LORD your God and do no work.” Italics added.

 Verse eight of Deuteronomy refers to the six days following Passover, another day in which unleavened bread is to eaten. The six days of verse eight can only refer to the six days that follow Passover. Again, utilizing my elementary math skills to add up the days – the six days referred to in verse 8, in addition to the day of Passover gives me a total of seven days.

 Admittedly, by removing this passage from Torah, one might be able to formulate through a little stretching, a festival that runs for a total of eight days; it is impossible to do so with the counsel of Deuteronomy 16.

 Going back to our understanding that there was not a “national” lamb that was sacrificed – the lambs brought to the temple were slaughtered at the temple and taken home to be prepared in the privacy of homes (they were not placed on Brazen Altar)– should free the student of the Word from the false premise that Yeshua had to die when the High Priest was offering up “the lamb.” There were thousands of Peasch lambs slaughtered on that day.

 As demonstrated by both John and the author of Hebrews’ understanding of Yeshua also fulfilling through his crucifixion the requirements of the sacrifice of atonement, holding to such a literal time sensitive fulfillment of the offering of one particular lamb coinciding with Yeshua’s death is not only unnecessary, but leads the student to create traps and hurdles that are difficult to navigate.

 According to the instructions found in Numbers 28:16-25; two bulls, seven lambs, and one goat were sacrificed to YHWH on the day of Passover. This was in addition to the regular morning and afternoon sacrifices. Which of the nine lambs did Yeshua represent? Close examination of the scriptures will reveal that he is found in each of these sacrifices. Yeshua can be found in each of the sacrifices.

 Holding too tightly to literalism may also create a problem with the day of Firstfruits. How did Yeshua fulfill this? Both James, and the apostle Paul, strongly imply Yeshua’s fulfillment of this portion of the festival by referring to Yeshua as the Firstfruits. James 1:18, Romans 11:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23. Firstfruits was clearly fulfilled through his resurrection.

 The type of literalism held by some when discussing the crucifixion of our Lord creates problems with his fulfillment of the other festivals and their prescribed offerings. Was Firstfruits fulfilled through Yeshua’s resurrection at the time the priests put the barley to the scyth? Was Firstfruits fulfilled through Yeshua’s resurrection at the time they roasted and crushed the heads of grain? Was Firstfruits fulfilled through Yeshua’s resurrection at the time the priest waved the loaves before the Lord? The answer to this question is, “Yes! All of the above.”

 It is the same for Passover, “Yes, he fulfilled it!” as it is for each of the festivals and of their prescribed offering. It is the same for the ‘olah and the minchah offerings, the sh’lamin, chata’ah and the ‘asham offerings, too. These offerings were designed to be a foreshadow of the Christ, Yeshua.

 Last but not least, I would like to address the concept of leaven.

 Leaven, as some insist, can, and in some instances should, be understood as doctrine or teachings; i.e. Matthew 16:6-12. But, leaven is also understood as sinful behavior. It is clear from the apostle Paul’s admonition of the assembly a tCorinth that their sinful behavior was to him like leaven.

 It is important to understand what leaven is in the physical before we can fully understand its’ spiritual application. Leavening agents are living organisms. They are known as living cultures.

 We would do well to understand the instructions given to the Hebrew nation to leave Egypt without adding leaven to their bread was an instruction for them to leave the culture of Egypt behind. It was understood by the redeemed sons of Israel that the leaven they possessed in Egypt represented the culture of Egypt, and that they were to leave the house of bondage and the culture of slavery to become freedmen and develop a new culture, and follow the ways of their new Master. The culture of Egypt was not poor doctrine and teaching, it was idolatry/sin.

Shalom!