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Passover paper: Apparent contradictions in the Bible - Matthew 26:17 explained«Return to Passover Paper Directory | Printer Friendly
SUBJECT: Passover/Lord's Supper --- Apparent contradictions in the Bible --- Matthew 26:17 explained
QUESTION: Matthew 26:17 seems to state that on the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples had not yet eaten the passover. Can you explain this?
ANSWER:
In the King James Version, notice that the words "day" and "feast of" are in italics. This indicates that these words do not appear in the original Greek. Italicized words were added by the translators either for clarity in English or because they thought the word was necessary. Properly translated, Matthew 26:17 should read, "Now [on] the first [day] of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?" The addition of "day" is required by the Greek; the addition of "feast of" is not required.
The specific day referred to in this passage is the 14th of the month, Passover day. This conversation took place as that day began. Remember that God begins and ends days with sunset [even] (Lev. 23:32). In other words, they talked at sunset [even] at the beginning of the 14th day of the month. Later that evening, Jesus introduced the Christian Passover (Matt. 26:20).
Jesus introduced the 'Christian Passover, which Paul called 'The Lord's Supper' (1 Corinthians 11:20). This supper was eaten as the 14th BEGAN, after sunset [even] on the 13th. Remember, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us"(1 Corinthians 5:7). We do not observe the Old Testament Passover, and there is no requirement to observe the NEW Testament Lord's Supper on the same moment as the old Testament Passover. Instead, Paul said, "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread..." (1 Corinthians 11:23.) The Lord's supper took place on the night of Christ's betrayal, not on the beginning of the 15th, after the paschal lambs had been slaughtered. Thus, Christ died in the late afternoon of the 14th of Abib (Nisan), at the same time as the High Priest began the sacrificing of the lambs. This perfect type is obvious, and shows how God allowed the murderous Jews and Roman soldiers to bring about the death of Christ on the stake just as the lambs were slaughtered. Truly, "Christ OUR PASSOVER is sacrificed for us." Today, we follow HIS EXAMPLE, not the example of pre-exilic Jews in Egypt! Had Jesus wanted His people to observe the Old Testament Passover, He would not have said, as He washed the disciples' feet, broke and distributed bread, and blessed and distributed the wine, "THIS DO, AS I HAVE DONE UNTO YOU." This is why Paul said he had received from the Lord Jesus, and delivered to the gentiles in Corinth how Jesus "THE SAME NIGHT IN WHICH HE WAS BETRAYED took bread, and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, 'Take, eat: this is my body which is broken for you: this DO in remembrance of me." (1 Corinthians 11:23,24). We commemorate important occasions annually, at the exact same time, as in all such celebrations, whether a birthday, an anniversary, or Memorial Day. For centuries, the disciples were called "Quartodecimans," meaning "fourteenthers," because they stubbornly clung to the exact example Christ had set; that of observing the Lord's supper (traditionally called the Passover) on the BEGINNING of the fourteenth, instead of on the 15th, which is the First Day of Unleavened Bread. Today, God's church continues to observe the symbols of Christ's body and blood at the same time as Christ Himself instituted those symbols, after sunset [even] on the beginning of the Fourteenth of Abib.
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