The True Crucifixion Week
The Last Supper Was Not a Passover Seder
It was dinner with friends
Allow me to begin with this point: It was common in those days (and even today) for a teacher, someone who had a following like Messiah, to hold a “rehearsal” Passover (meal) [Seder is a 2nd-century establishment] a night or two before the actual Passover (Meal) so that the followers of said teacher could spend the official Passover Meal with their families. This was common but not mandatory. It is, however, a command that families spend the Passover (meal) together, not necessarily his own (for those who didn’t have any other family, or were traveling, etc), but “prepare by the fathers’ houses”. The old, single, indigent, and poor were always “adopted” by other families for the holiday — a tradition that continues even today. <Exo 12:3–4; 2 Chr 35:3b-4a>
Additional note: Passover is the meal. The sacrifice is the Passover lamb. So anytime I say Passover (meal), the word meal is redundant. It’s like saying meal meal.
At the first Passover, the Passover lamb was slain on the 14th — between the evenings is most specifically understood as during the afternoon of the 14th ~> keeping in mind the end of the 14th is the evening, the start of the 15th. Once in the land, and as the population grew (exponentially) and Jerusalem was finally established (where Elohim said “wherever He sets His Throne”), there were far too many lambs to be slain just in the afternoon on the 14th of Aviv. The sacrificing process stretched into the whole day of the 14th. {My opinion}
Have you ever cooked a whole animal the size of a lamb? Over fire? Without gutting or chopping it apart? <Ex 12:9> It takes several hours at least(over four hours, I have learned, thank you, Brad), most of the day if you really want to do it right.
Remember the first Passover sacrifice and Meal was performed in haste as they escaped Egypt the following morning. Per Torah, the Feast begins with the Passover (meal on the 15th at sunset (evening) — the start of the Biblical day — the end of the 14th day. Rhetorical? Maybe, but grasping that the day ends when the sun sets rather than when the clock rolls past midnight is critical to understand. (Thinking in this way: when the daylight ends is the end of the “day.”)
Also, remember they needed time to prepare their houses in Egypt with the blood on the lintels and posts. Therefore, they needed to kill the lamb with hours to cook and prepare their homes for the passing over of the Spirit.
This means that the “day of preparation” started as the day for sacrificing the Passover lamb, cooking the lamb, and preparing all the food for the Passover (meal). It became the day of slaughterings. Those who could not afford to be at the front of the line (because by the time of Yeshua, the Temple was all about money) needed to show up early to present their sacrifice and (likely) have a lower priest slaughter it.
** — I want to add that recently it was explained to me that only the primary Passover lamb that was sacrificed at the Temple, not every single one. This makes sense, but doesn’t explain the money changers and animal sellers at the Temple.
There are two components to Passover
This is the sacrifice of the Passover lamb and the Passover (the meal). It is during the day of preparation that the Passover is prepared for the start of the Feast of Unleavened Bread that evening, the evening of the 15th, the head of the day (sunset).
If the lamb is to be slaughtered on the 14th day of the month per Torah (multiple references for this), then that means that with cooking the thing, the meal fell at the end of the 14th — RATHER — the beginning of the 15th day of the month, at sunset (end of the day), at the beginning of the 7-day of the Feast of Matzot (Unleavened Bread). The evening of the 15th (the beginning of the 15th) is when the clock starts on the 7-day feast.
Here is a simple little thing that nearly all of Christianity either ignores or simply does not know. The Feast begins and ends with a High Sabbath. Various translations call this all sorts of things: sacred assembly (NIV), set-apart gathering (TS2009), holy convocation (KJV), holy calling together (AMPC), holy occasion (CEB), special meeting (ERV), special service (NIRV)}. The CEV says this: “On the first day of this festival, you must rest from your work and come together for worship.” <Ex 12:16> {I hold the opinion that the CEV is plain wrong. There was no “worship” commanded. It is a gathering, sure, of family units to eat the Passover.}
It’s a High Sabbath
What’s a High Sabbath? They are special Shabbat days that begin and end the Feasts. All of the Shabbat instructions apply (except that meal preparation is allowed — unless it is also a weekly Shabbat. Weekly Shabbat overrides Feast Shabbat.) The “mikra kodesh” (OJB) is the gathering of the family together to remember the passing-over of the Spirit in Egypt and praise the One True Elohim. Obedient believers in the Messiah include thanksgiving and praise of the Messiah, as well. To a lesser extent, but much like families today, families then were spread around as well. So, they came together to celebrate the Feasts of YHVH. The Father instructed the men to come to His Place**. The families came with them.
** — I contend that there is no one place today, as there is no Temple and no designated place for the Throne of Elohim. Without a single designated location, this portion of the command cannot be kept in accordance with Scripture. Therefore, anywhere His faithful gather is a sufficient gathering place. While this is my opinion, I find that this can be supported in Scripture as well. (Look at Second Passover instructions.)
There are 7 High Sabbaths each year. The first and last days of Matzot, Shavuot (Pentecost), Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and the first and last days of Sukkot. Do not forget this little tidbit of information. It is critical information to understanding the crucifixion and the events laid out in the Gospels.
All of that to lay the groundwork for what comes: how the Last Supper was not a Passover Meal (not called a Seder until the 2nd Century).
It is the Day of Preparation, the 14th of Aviv (Nisan). The 14th started at sunset, but then the “day” followed. John tells us that the Priests would not enter the home of Pilate because they did not want to be made impure for the Passover Feast later that night:
John 19:28 — Then they led יהושע from Qayapha {Caiaphas} to the palace, and it was early. And they themselves did not go into the palace, lest they should be defiled, but that they might EAT the Pĕsaḥ. {Eating the lamb at the Passover}
The morning after the Last Supper, at the first trial before Pilate (the 2nd of 4 trials that morning), the Priests are concerned that entering the palace of the Roman (goyim, Gentile) Pilate would “defile” them and they would not be able to EAT the Passover (meal) {the Seder}. While this is a Talmudic command (oral tradition), it is not Torah. John presents us with this information based on the facts he witnessed. The Priests had NOT YET eaten the Passover.
John 19:31 — Therefore, since it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the stake on the Sabbath — for that Sabbath was a high one — the Yehuḏim {Priests/Pharisees} asked Pilate to have their legs broken, and that they be taken away. {This results in suffocation to hasten death.}
Mark 15:42–42) And when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43) Yosĕph of Ramathayim, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the reign of Elohim, came, boldly went into Pilate and asked for the body of יהושע…
Luke 23:54 — And it was Preparation day, and the Sabbath was approaching.
John 19:42 — There, then, because of the Preparation Day [of the Yehuḏim] {3 words inserted by either Eusebius or Jerome}, they laid יהושע, because the tomb was near.
Why do Nikdimon and Yeho’seph have to complete this process before sunset? To Torah:
Leviticus 23:5–7–5) ‘In the first new moon, on the fourteenth day of the new moon, between the evenings, is the Pĕsaḥa to יהוה {the sacrificing of the lamb — performing the Passover}. ‘And on the fifteenth day of this new moon is the Festival of Matzot to יהוה {eating the Passover (meal)} — seven days you eat unleavened bread.‘On the first day, you have a set-apart gathering; you do no servile work.
They cannot deal with a dead body that died before the Shabbat on a Shabbat. They must complete the handling of His body before the beginning of the High Shabbat. This is why the writers keep mentioning this fact. Handling a dead body on the Shabbat (that doesn’t die on Shabbat) is servile work. If somebody dies on Shabbat, it’s a necessity; the Torah permits this. (This also applies if it was already nighttime. Joe and Nick started the work before dark. This may be a technicality, but it is evident in the reading.)
This means that when the verse in Mark states that the Sabbath is approaching, he (Mark writing for Kefa) is indicating that the High Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread will begin that evening at sunset. That means that Nikdimon and Yeho’seph must complete the removal of Yeshua’s body, wrap it, place it in the tomb, and BATHE before sunset (as mentioned, there is some leeway in the timing here) so they can enter their home and participate in the Passover (meal) that evening. Although it is important to note:
Number 9:9–10–9) And יהוה spoke to Moshe, saying, 10) “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘When any male of you or your generations is unclean for a being {dead body}, or is far away on a journey, he shall still perform the Pĕsaḥ of יהוה.
This doesn’t mean they don’t need to bathe. Remember, Nikdimon is a Pharisee, and there are entire chapters in the Talmud (oral traditions) specifically dealing with the uncleanliness of dead bodies. Although Nikdimon was a follower of Yeshua, those oral traditions would have been ingrained into his very being, especially as a Pharisee. Therefore, he and Yeho’seph would have felt the need to bathe before presenting themselves for the Passover meal. And let’s be logical, too: the Messiah’s body was very bloody, and blood was sticky and started to stink quite quickly. They would have wanted to wash no matter what, but still be present for the meal later that evening. There are, however, Torah instructions dealing with the uncleanness of blood.
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Go back to the verse about the Pharisees who would not enter the palace of Pilate. They considered simply entering Pilate’s palace a defilement that would prevent them from EATING the Passover (meal) later — even though this is NOT in the Torah.
What does this mean?
If the Passover Meal comes at the end of the Day of Preparation — the beginning of the Feast of Matzot, and neither Nikdimon nor any of the priests have yet eaten it, then it has not yet happened at the time Messiah is crucified. The Last Supper came the night before the crucifixion.
Therefore… You fill it in for practice.
The Last Supper was not the Passover {Seder}.
Applying basic common sense when presented with the facts that Scripture provides does not allow one to accept that a meal served before the Day of Preparation (technically at its start), before the priests have eaten it, is a Passover {Seder}.
Okay, as I stated at the very beginning, it could have been a rehearsal Meal {Seder} — EXCEPT!
John 13:1–2, 3–5–1) And before the Festival of the Pĕsaḥ, יהושע knowing that His hour had come that He should move out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2) And supper taking place, the devil having already put it into the heart of Yehuḏah from Qerioth, son of Shim‛on, to deliver Him up, 3) יהושע, knowing that the Father had given all into His hands, and that He had come from Elohim and was going to Elohim, 4) rose from supper and laid aside His garments, and having taken a towel, He girded Himself. 5) After that, He put water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the taught ones, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
If it is a Passover Meal, then it is a High Shabbat, and the Messiah would have violated the Torah if He performed the servile work of washing others’ feet. Not to mention John lays it out in plain, simple words: (the KJV renders this) “Now before the Feast of Passover…”
And there’s more.
John 13:26–26) יהושע answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Yehuḏah from Qerioth, son of Shim‛on.
The Greek word is psomion, which is a morsel — a sop. Merriam-Webster defines a sop: a piece of food or bread dipped or steeped in a liquid. (Steeped is cooked, like the dumpling in “chicken and dumplings.”)
If you have ever had matzot (unleavened bread), homemade or factory-produced, you know two things about it: 1) it can be dry and tasteless, and 2) it is not absorbent. It is practically the opposite of absorbent. It falls apart if you get it damp, let alone wet — OR — it maintains a hard, chewy texture (depending on how it is made). Factory-produced matzot is baking soda short of a saltine cracker. What does this mean? You cannot dip matzot and then hand them to anyone. You’d be hard-pressed to get it back to your mouth even if you held the cup in front of your mouth. The word is used 4 times in Scripture, all in this passage.
A sop is a piece of a raised barley loaf that is extremely common in Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, even today. Barley is the first grain harvested in the spring, even in the United States. It is the grain that is presented to YHVH as the First Fruits (haBikarim) <Lev 23:9–10> on the morning of the first day of the week after the weekly Shabbat that falls within the Feast (a whole other lesson) and is not worth the argument over the timing.
You may remember the loaf of bread Jerry Seinfeld stole from the elderly lady on his show — that’s a barley loaf. This type of bread is extremely absorbent (high gluten content) and perfect for dipping into wine, juice, or gravy (yum). This begs the question: what is a raised barley loaf doing at a Passover table — even a rehearsal Meal {Seder}?
Did you practice earlier? Say it with me:
The Last Supper was not a Passover {Seder}.
And there is one last passage:
John 13:27–29–27) And after the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. יהושע, therefore, said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28) But no one at the table knew why He said this to him, 29) for some were supposing, because Yehuḏah had the bag {that carried the group’s money}, that יהושע was saying to him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give somewhat to the poor.
Essentially, after the meal has been eaten — IF — if it was a Passover — then— on the High Shabbat, Yehudah (Judas) is perceived by the other disciples to be headed out to buy the stuff they need for the Feast.
Think about that.
This would mean that all the disciples and the Messiah Yeshua allowed one of them to go out and SPEND MONEY ON SHABBAT! This is not even a possibility. It was not the end of the Day of Preparation; it was the beginning of the Day of Preparation.
(Giving to the poor is still done at the beginning of the Day of Preparation in communities that celebrate the Feast of Matzot. This was and is so that the poor may purchase the goods they need for their Passover. Hmph… Makes you wonder, right?)
Since this lesson was first written and later updated, new information has been brought to my attention. This comes thanks to my friend here on Medium, who has a scholar friend I do not have. It seems circular, but follow it all the way through:
The Seder, as we know it today, did not start until AFTER the Temple was destroyed and Jews needed a way to partake in the Passover meal when they could not offer a sacrifice before the Father in His Temple. It is believed that the late 2nd century to early 3rd century was the first appearance of the Seder Hagaddah. It appears equally unlikely that eating the Passover was accompanied by anything more than the meal, some thanksgiving, and prayer. Even the prayers Messiah says over the bread and wine had been in use for ALL bread and wine blessings for centuries. It wasn’t new.
The Seder plate was developed by incorporating worldly practices associated with spring festivals, particularly the zeroa (shank bone), the egg, and the karpas (vegetable), which were gradually assembled along the way into the Dark Ages before reappearing during the Renaissance.
The four cups come from the concepts within the Exodus:
- Sanctification, Deliverance, Redemption, and Acceptance
Messiah added a prophetic understanding of what He was about to do. He was not creating a new process for the new religion He was starting. (That’s hyperbole.)
This means that the Seder, as it is understood today, did not exist in the days of the Messiah.
This utterly destroys even the possibility that the last meal He ate with His ministry team was anything more than a special dinner with friends.
There you go. Say it with me one last time (and forever): The Last Supper was NOT a Passover {Seder}. (A rehearsal Passover concept is eliminated because of the sop.)
