Passover Puzzle

Passover Puzzle

Jesus Came to Bethany on a Friday

Is Mrs. White correct that Jesus arrived in Bethany six days before the Passover on a Friday to rest there over the Sabbath? She used our method of reckoning. If she is correct, then we need to rethink some issues. Let us reevaluate the gemstone patchwork because a piece has been misplaced over the ages, impairing its overall beauty. The Bible supplies all the information necessary to piece together a magnificent puzzle. Let us reinspect the pieces through the lens of biblical, historical, and astronomical evidence to repaint the Passover picture.

Many Christians believe that Jesus was crucified on the Hebrew date, Friday, Nisan 14, but is that true? We must also ask: Did Nisan 14, when Israel always killed the Passover sacrifice, fall on Thursday of Passover Week? Or did Passover Day fall on the next Friday, and the Bible is silent about any Seder occurring after Christ’s death? Does the correct day even matter to God?

The current Israeli calendar originated at a time of a global calendar consciousness, three centuries after Christ. Its creation was dominated by descendants of Jews who had remained in Babylonia after the captivity ended. The Hebrews did use the Elephantine calendar in their history, so some onus rests on dissenters to produce evidence of a different system. As the caretakers of prophecy, we must fix the correct crucifixion date based on evidence. Otherwise, we allow a vacuum to exist, and counterfeit interpretations, like lunar sabbaths, 30 AD and 33 AD Passovers, and other errors will rush in to fill the void.

Rested over the Sabbath in Bethany

Some say Mrs. White is mistaken to say Jesus rested over the Sabbath at the home of Lazarus six days before Passover because He would have arrived on Friday before sunset. Since He arrived six days before the Passover, then Passover fell on the next Thursday, not on the next Friday. They realize that if Passover fell on the next Friday, then Jesus and the caravan would have traveled to Jerusalem during the Sabbath, which was forbidden. Therefore, some assert that John meant to say Jesus came to Simon’s feast six days before the Passover, not to “where Lazarus was.” They say Simon’s feast was held after sundown on Saturday night, the first day of the week, and Passover began six inclusive days later, on Friday, the sixth day of the week.

Simon's Feast

Simon’s feast was a liturgical meal that began before sunset on Friday night and transitioned into the Sabbath. John only used one transitional phrase, “the next day” in his account because the Preparation Day had transitioned to Sabbath during the meal. Mary had been filled with gratitude when Jesus came to her home, so she went to buy a costly gift. When she returned, she heard everyone had been invited to Simon’s feast. Temple wives prepared the showbread each Friday. Laity women prepared a meal to welcome the onset of the Sabbath, and they prepared another meal to be eaten at noon³⁸ on the Sabbath day. Simon invited many prominent guests to his feast on late Friday afternoon.

John timed Simon’s feast correctly, but he skimmed through Passover week quickly in John 12 because the other Gospels already covered the subject. John only covered a few events during the week.

Matthew and Mark seem to place the feast on late Tuesday, after the Olivet Discourse, but they wrote thematically. They were at the point in their narration where Judas Iscariot met with the council again on Tuesday night, so they paused briefly to tell what happened earlier at Simon’s feast that caused the betrayal: Judas had murmured against Mary for giving Jesus an extravagant gift, and the Lord rebuked him. Then he turned bitter. He left the feast before dark to initially meet with the nervous³⁹ council. Then, he met with the council again Tuesday night. Mark and Matthew only cover this aspect of the supper.

Luke, in chapter 7, seems to place this supper early in Christ՚s ministry. Luke wrote chronologically but at a glacial pace. He borrowed events from other times as he moved along to expound themes. Simon was a Pharisee, many of whom rejected John՚s baptism. He was pitiless to those who were beneath his outward piety. This attitude has caused harm to Christ’s church. Jesus did not revel with sinners, but He will sup with any man who hears His voice and responds (Rev. 3:20).

Jesus had cured Simon of leprosy, a disease that marked him as a loathsome sinner, and he became a casual follower. However, his sinful arrogance had not changed, as evidenced by his attitude towards Mary. Simon was the suspect character at the supper, not Mary. But Jesus showed him his sin, and he responded. He became a humble fellow in the kingdom. Luke paused his running narrative briefly to contrast the opposing attitudes about supping and fellowship.

Nevertheless, those few who say Simon’s feast occurred on Saturday night, the first day of the week, six inclusive days before Friday, the sixth day of the week, are mistaken because their assertion overlooks the word before. Bible writers counted differently than us, but their concept of before and after is the same. Pro and meta are not inclusive modifiers. They exclude the object of the phrase. They both modify a time phrase equally, just in opposite directions. John’s inclusive count began on the day before the Passover (Wednesday), and he included that day in the count. Tuesday fell two days before; Monday fell three days before, and the Friday that Jesus arrived in Bethany fell six days before Thursday when the Paschal sacrifice was slain.