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Passover—Why it is on the ‘Late’ 14th [Shemote (Exodus) 12:5-6.] [6] "And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then all the assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it between the evenings.” Some teach that the Passover is to be offered on the afternoon of the 13th, and then to be eaten on the evening that begins the 14th of the month of the Aviv. This is sometimes referred to as holding the Passover on the “early 14th;” and the purpose of this teaching is to show why this hypothesis is incorrect. This study will seek to demonstrate why the Passover is properly held on the conjunction of the 14th and 15th of the month of the Aviv (sometimes called "late" 14th). The Exodus Story: “Get Out: Now!” In Exodus Ten, Pharaoh tells Moses (or Moshe) to get out from his presence: [28] And Pharaoh said to Moshe (Moses), "Get away from me! Watch yourself and see my face no more, for in the day that you see my face, you die!" [29] And Moshe said, "You have spoken rightly: never again do I see your face!" Shemote (Exodus) 10:28-29 Those who teach that Passover takes place on the conjunction of the 13th/14th (the “early 14th”) tell us that the reason the Passover had to happen the day before the actual Exodus began is that an extra day was required to plunder Egypt. They claim that Moshe had to be called before Pharaoh again, and told to take the tribute, and go. This hypothesis, however, is contrary to Scripture. Exodus Chapter 10 tells us that Moshe (Moses) and Pharaoh would never see each others’ faces again. Those who teach that Passover happens on the “early 14th” tell us that Pharaoh was wrong: That perhaps Pharaoh thought he and Moshe would never see each other’s faces again; but that since Pharaoh was not Spirit-led, that Pharaoh was mistaken. As we will see later on in this study, it is the assumptions of the “Early 14th” teachers that are mistaken. The Final Plague: By the time the narrative reaches Exodus Chapter Eleven, nine of the ten plagues have already come and gone. In Exodus Chapter Eleven, then, we are told that YHWH will bring a tenth (and final) plague upon Egypt; and that as a result of this final, horrific plague, Pharaoh will DRIVE the children of Israel out of Egypt: [1] And YHWH said to Moshe, "I am bringing yet one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that he is going to let you go from here. When he lets you go, he shall drive you out from here altogether. [Shemote (Exodus) 11:1] That YHWH would use the word DRIVE in this passage seems to indicate that the Exodus would not be a slow event, but a quick one. When was the Plunder Taken? Then, in the very next verse of Exodus Chapter Eleven (long before the actual Exodus), YHWH tells Moshe (Moses) to take plunder from the Egyptians. We are given no indication in the Text that Moshe did not carry this commandment out immediately following YHWH’s Command: [2] "Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, objects of silver and objects of gold." [3] And YHWH gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. And the man Moshe was very great in the land of Egypt (Egypt), in the eyes of Pharaoh's servants and in the eyes of the people. [Shemote (Exodus) 11:2-3] Verse 3 tells us that Moshe was very great in the eyes of the Egyptians. The plain and simple meaning of this verse seems to be that when Moshe directed the children of Israel to ask for objects of silver and gold, that it would have been given to them at that time, simply because of the stature of the man Moshe. Those who argue that the Passover is held on the “early 14th” will insist that an extra day will be needed at the time of the Exodus proper, in order to plunder Egypt. However, this extra day is completely unnecessary, because the Text seems to indicate that the plundering took place at this time (in verse 3 of Exodus Chapter 11). The plundering took place before the Passover Lambs were ever taken. The Paschal Lamb In the next chapter (Exodus 12), YHWH gives the commandment for each family in Israel to take a lamb (on the tenth of the month): [3] "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth day of this month, each one of them is to take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. [Shemote (Exodus) 12:3] Since the narrative account of events in Exodus is sequential, this means that the plundering of the Egyptians transpired many days before the Exodus actually took place. Therefore, there is no need to move the Passover sacrifice forward by a day, to the conjunction of the 13th/14th. What Time of Day is “Between the Evenings”? What most people get confused over is the specific meaning of the phrase “Between the Evenings,” as used in the next two verses of Exodus 12: [5] "Let the lamb be a perfect one, a year old male. Take it from the sheep or from the goats. [6] "And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then all the assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it between the evenings." [Shemote (Exodus) 12:5-6.] The phrase “Between the Evenings” is not a common English phrase, and so most people wonder exactly what it means. In its loosest context, it could mean either around the time of the evening that begins the 14th (the conjunction of the 13th/14th), or it could mean ‘any time in between the evening that begins the 14th to the evening that ends the 14th, or it could mean just the evening that ends the 14th. As this study will show, the phrase “between the evenings” refers to the last of these three possibilities. It refers to the period of time around the evening that ends the 14th (meaning the conjunction of the 14th/15th). This article will further show that the slaughter of the Passover lamb properly takes place on the afternoon ending the 14th, with the Passover meal taking place on the night after the 14th (meaning the evening that begins the 15th). Why? In order to answer this question, first we will need to understand more about the Hebrew Calendar Day. When Does the Hebrew Calendar Day Begin? The account of the Creation in Genesis tells us that one Hebrew day consists of an evening (called an ‘erev’) and a morning (called a ‘boker’). For instance, Genesis 1:5 reads: [Breisheet (Genesis) 1:5] [5] And Elohim called the light "day," and the darkness He called "night." And there came to be evening, and there came to be morning; the first day. The face value of this passage tells us that first Hebrew Calendar Day began at sunset, and then continued through until the next sunset. We find corroborating evidence that this is true in Leviticus 23:32. This verse tells us that the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) begins in the evening, and then lasts through the following evening: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 23:32 32 It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls. On the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath." YHWH is an Elohim (G-d) of order. He would not change the start-and-end points of His days at random. Therefore, Leviticus 23:32 serves as a second witness to show us that the Hebrew Calendar Day begins at evening. What Does ‘Between the Evenings’ Mean? At Exodus 12:6, YHWH commands us to keep the Passover Lamb until the 14th of the month of the Aviv, and then offer it ‘between the evenings’: [6] "And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then all the assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it between the evenings.” [Shemote (Exodus) 12:6.] The phrase ‘between the evenings’ is a Hebrew idiom, meaning something similar to “at sunset.” More accurately, it refers to a period of several hours during which the sun is going to set at the end of one day (i.e., the 14th), through the period of hours that begins the next day (i.e., the 15th). In truth, the term “between the evenings” refers to just one evening; but perhaps for poetic (or whatever other) reasons, YHWH treats this time of conjunction involved two separate evenings. YHWH speaks of it as if the evening which ends the 14th and the evening which begins the 15th are two completely separate evenings (which have nothing to do with each other). In this verse, “between the evenings” means the period of time in between the evening that ends the 14th, and the evening that begins the 15th (i.e., the conjunction of the 14th and 15th). We will show the proof of this in the very next section. Indian Time: Hebrew Time Those who have spent time in the Land of Israel know that Hebrews tend to keep track of time much like the Native American “Indians.” Time is reckoned not at specific stop-start intervals, but in general blocks. For example, in Hebrew time there is early morning, late morning, noon, after noon, early evening, late evening, and so on. While specific times can be mentioned in modern times, this would not have been the case in ancient times. Even today, with the advent of modern digital watches, Hebrews still tend to keep time by general blocks, much like farmers of a century ago. Within this mindset, the phrase “Between the Evenings” refers to the period of time “at evening.” It refers to several hours in between the time when the sun is getting ready to set (i.e., about 3 PM), until after the sun has actually set (i.e., dark). The reason we know that this is the correct interpretation of the phrase “Between the Evenings” is that Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:4 tells us that the Passover is to be eaten on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (which always takes place on the 15th of the month of the Aviv): [Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:3-4] 3 You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 4 And no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory for seven days, nor shall any of the meat which you sacrifice the first day at twilight remain overnight until morning. Verse 4 clearly indicates that the Passover is sacrificed on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at twilight. In other words, this means that the Passover is slaughtered near the end of the 14th, and is then roasted in fire, and subsequently eaten on the night that begins the 15th (the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread). This CANNOT logically allow for a Passover slaughter on the conjunction of the 13th/14th, because it would be impossible to fulfill the command at Deuteronomy 16:3-4 (which is to sacrifice it at twilight, at the start of the 15th). The only time which fulfills all of these requirements is to sacrifice the Passover on the afternoon ending the 14th (the “late” 14th), and then to roast it, and subsequently eat it on the evening beginning the 15th (the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread). Part #2: How to Eat the Passover (And Why) A growing number of believers in Yahushua are turning away from the man-made calendars and tradition of the Church, only to then be misled by the man-made calendars and traditions of the ‘rabbis’, both Orthodox and Messianic. Yahsushua clearly commands us not to call ourselves ‘rabbi’; nor to contradict the Commandments given in the Torah (the first five Books of Moses). “To Whom Should We Listen?” Many of those who have been called out of the Church now revile the Pope (and/or their pastors) for having taught them things that go contrary to the Word. Having reviled their former teachers in the Church, they now turn to the Jewish ‘rabbis’ (both Orthodox and Messianic) for leadership and guidance, only to be sold an equally-false bill of goods. More confusing, some of these Messianic ‘rabbis’ claim to teach the Torah, while actually teaching things that go directly against the Torah. The Passover is only one case in point. “Aren’t These Mistakes Innocent?” Apart from Yahushua, there are no perfect human beings. Anyone who tries to help others rightly divide the Word is capable of making an error; but the important thing is that when one realizes that one has made an error, one must repent of it right away. Sadly, this does not happen in the case of many Messianic ‘rabbis.’ Many Messianic ‘rabbis’ have been caught claiming to teach the Torah, while actually teaching things that directly conflict with the Torah (or seek to replace it). Ironically, these Messianic ‘rabbis’ label themselves as being ‘Torah observant;’ and yet they openly claim the authority to teach things that are in direct violation of the Torah, simply because they have a history of doing so. These Messianic ‘rabbis’ will openly slam the Church for teaching deviations from the Torah (based on tradition), but will loudly defend their own ‘right’ to teach deviations from the Torah, based on their own traditions. Yahushua openly confronted this kind of hypocrisy, identifying it as evil: [Mattithyahu (Matthew) 7:15-20] "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. One of the marks of a false prophet, then, is that he will bear ‘bad fruit.’ That is to say, he will attempt to teach you to do something other than what is written in the Torah. Instead of helping you to keep the Torah, these false prophets will encourage you to do things which go against the Torah, based upon a mixture of Truth versus Error. This is the same old pattern as was found in the Garden of Eden; and Israel is as susceptible to these kinds of half-truths now, as she always was. But what shall we say when man-made ‘rabbis’ teach us to keep man-made ‘commandments,’ instead of the Commandments of Elohim? Is it even logical that these man-made ‘rabbis’ should slam the man-made Church for teaching man-made commandments, while issuing man-made commandments of their own? Why should this be considered in any way acceptable, when one of the very fundaments of Yahushua’s ministry was to speak out against this kind of thing? Messianic-Rabbinic Deviations from the Torah: Many Messianic rabbis claim to teach Torah; and yet they teach something completely different from what is actually commanded in the Torah. These rabbinic traditions, however, are in direct opposition to the Torah. The Torah tells us that the Passover meal should be eaten quickly: [11] "And this is how you eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Passover of YHWH." [Shemote (Exodus) 12:11] Why do the Messianic ‘rabbis’ encourage us to have a long, drawn-out meal, rather than eating the Passover as it is commanded? The number of rituals performed in the Passover celebration and the Passover Seder up until the Roman period in Palestine were not nearly as detailed as the Passover celebration and Passover Seder as we know it today. It was in Talmudic times, about from 10 C.E. to 500 C.E., that the modern Passover celebration and Passover Seder as we know it today began to take shape with the development of a structured framework for conducting the Passover Seder based on the Passover Seder conducted in Bnei Brak, Palestine during the Roman occupation of Palestine by a number of Rabbis. This structured framework became known as...the Passover Haggadah. Can it be because, while they claim to be the ‘teachers’ of Israel, they do not understand what it is they are supposed to be rehearsing? The Symbolism of Eating in Haste: What is the symbolism in eating in haste; and should we do so today? Back in Exodus 11:1, the children of Israel had already plundered the Egyptians before the Passover lambs were ever taken (on the tenth). They then spent the next week packing up their goods, and getting ready to travel, because YHWH had already told Moshe that Israel’s children would be driven from Egypt. The children of Israel had had less than a week to pack up all their belongings, and get ready to flee. They had to be ready to be driven out of Egypt at any time. They had to eat the Passover fully clothed, with their loins girded, their staves in their hands, and their sandals on their feet. They had to be ready to leave. “But wasn't that just a one-time occurrence?” Some Messianic ‘rabbis’ will argue (for a variety of seemingly-convincing and yet totally non-Scriptural reasons) we should not keep the Torah with regards to the Passover service anymore. The most common reason they give is that the Passover in Exodus was supposedly just a one-time event, never to be repeated. But is that really so? Please note that this idea is put forth in the Mishnah from the Talmud. The practice of performing paschal lamb sacrifices and the pouring of the paschal lamb's blood on the base of the altar in the Temple in Jerusalem ended with the establishment of the Mishnah of the Talmud after the destruction of the second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 C.E. According to the Mishnah of the Talmud, the first Passover is known as "Pesach Mitzrayim" or "Pesach Mizrayim", meaning the "Passover of Egypt" in Hebrew. The Mishnah of the Talmud states that the first Passover is distinguished from other Passovers as the "Passover of Egypt" because it was meant to be the only time when: (1) the paschal lamb was to be set aside four days before the start of Passover; (2) the blood of the paschal lamb would be sprinkled on the doorposts and lintel of each Hebrew household; and finally, (3) that the lamb should be eaten in "haste" (Pesachim 9:5). Yet other sources show that lambs were selected and examined on the 10th of the month. Some sources speak of Messiah's entrance on the colt to the accompaniment of hosannas as immediately following the bringing of the lambs from the temple herds so that those who needed to buy a lamb for Passover. Can the Talmud really be trusted?
All the "major" and many of the "minor" prophets speak to a coming "Second Exodus," in which the children of Both Houses of Israel (Judah and Ephraim) will come together out of the lands of the north (meaning Northern Europe, and by extension, America), and out of all the lands where YHWH had driven them (meaning Asia, Africa, Australia, and of all the other lands of the earth). One example of this is given in Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 16:14-15: [14] "Therefore, see, the days are coming," declares YHWH, "When it is no longer said, 'YHWH lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt (Egypt),' [15] "But, 'YHWH lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the North and from all the lands where He had driven them.' For I shall bring them back into their land I gave to their fathers." [Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 16:14-15.] Scripture also tells us that the coming Second Exodus that will be so great, that no one will remember the First Exodus any more: [Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 23:7-8] 7 "Therefore, behold, the days are coming," says YHWH, "that they shall no longer say, 'As YHWH lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,' 8 but, 'As YHWH lives who brought up and led the descendants of the House of Israel from the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them.' And they shall dwell in their own land." This clearly speaks of a coming Second Exodus, for which we need to be rehearsing. Some may argue that this Second Exodus may not be as hasty in nature as the First Exodus, based upon the following verse in Isaiah 52: [Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 52:11-12] 11 Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, you who bear the vessels of YHWH; 12 For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; For YHWH will go before you, And the Elohim of Israel will be your rear guard. Even if this is a correct application of this verse (which is uncertain), it still would not alter the fact that the Commandment in Torah is to eat the Passover meal in haste: [11] "And this is how you eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Passover of YHWH." [Shemote (Exodus) 12:11] It also would not alter the fact that the children of Israel were told to observe this Commandment throughout all of their generations (and not just one time): [Shemote (Exodus) 12:14] 14 'So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to YHWH throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. Some Messianic ‘rabbis’ may argue that because this Commandment has not always been properly kept, that it is OK to substitute the traditions of men for the Commandments of Elohim. This is the kind of un-Scriptural reasoning one can expect from the man-made ‘rabbis.’ Certainly a balance can be found here. It all comes down to how Matthew 5:17-19 is understood. Mat 5:19 “Whoever, then, breaks one of the least of these commands, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the reign of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.Many will say they believe Our Messiah meant what He said in this passage. Yet, they will then immediately insist that filling to the full is akin to destroying. That is one reason it is said that "we pick and choose what we want to believe." Not one really has been able to quote a scripture that actually says the commands for the first Passover were a one time command only. And based on verse 19, caution ought certainly be exercised before teaching such. More Proof of the ‘Late 14th’: The Feast of Unleavened For more proof that the Passover happens on the “Late 14th”, we need only to consider the Feast of Unleavened Bread: Shemote (Exodus) 12:18-19 18 "In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening (meaning on the conjunction of the 14th and the 15th), you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month in the evening (meaning to the conjunction of the 21st/22nd.) 19 "For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, that same being shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether sojourner or native in the land." There are several stipulations here:
If we take a moment to map this out, we will see that it is only possible to fulfill all these commandments if we begin to eat unleavened bread on the conjunction of the 14th/15th:
13 {} 14 P 15 1 16 2 17 3 18 4 19 5 20 6 21 7 22 If anyone still feels that the Passover should be slaughtered on the conjunction of the 13th/14th, I encourage him or her to first verify the language of Exodus 12:18, and then to verify the count in the chart above. Such a reader may notice that if one begins to eat Unleavened Bread on the conjunction of the 13th/14th, one then needs to eat unleavened bread for eight days (rather than just the commanded seven) to make it to the conjunction of the 21st/22nd. This would be a departure from the Text. Passover and Unleavened: Not Two Separate Festivals: Some times those who support a Passover on the 13th/14th argue that the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are actually two separate festivals, with a day in between them. This, however, would be a violation of Deuteronomy 16:3-4, which tells us that the First Day of Unleavened Bread adjoins the evening the Passover is killed (meaning there is no day in between): [Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:3-4] 3 You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 4 And no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory for seven days, nor shall any of the meat which you sacrifice the first day at twilight remain overnight until morning. Further, the idea that the children of Israel hung around Egypt all day on the fourteenth is impossible, because YHWH Himself told us that Pharaoh was going to drive the Israelites out of Egypt, just as YHWH had said: Back to the Story: The Passing Over [22] "And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And you; none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning." [Shemote (Exodus) 12:22] YHWH ordered Moshe and the children of Israel not to come out of their houses until morning (Hebrew: "boker"). And being an obedient servant, Moshe would have obeyed this command. Thus saith Pharaoh: "Get out: Now!" The narrative in Exodus 12 tells us that the Exodus was a hasty event: [31] Then he (Pharaoh) called for Moshe and Aharon by night, and said, "Arise, go out from the midst of my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve YHWH as you have said. [32] "Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go. Then you shall bless me too." [33] And the Egyptians urged the people, to hasten to send them away out of the land. For they said, "We are all dying!" [34] And the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their garments on their shoulders. [35] And the children of Israel had (already) done according to the word of Moshe, and they had asked from the Egyptians objects of silver, and objects of gold, and garments. [36] And YHWH gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians (back in Exodus Eleven), so that they gave them what they asked (back in Exodus Eleven). And they (had already) plundered the Egyptians. [37] And the children of Israel set out from Rameses to Sukkoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides little ones. [38] And a mixed multitude went up with them too, also flocks and herds, very much livestock. [39] And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, since they were driven out of Egypt, and had not been able to delay, nor had they prepared food for themselves. [Shemote (Exodus) 12:31-39.] Notice that the actual Exodus happens so quickly that there is not time even to prepare food. This is the origin of the holes in unleavened bread, is that these patterns were made in the bread because the dough was pressed into the sack cloth (which in those days looked very much like burlap). It is true that Pharaoh ‘sent’ for Moshe by night. Moshe, however, did not come out of his house until morning, because of YHWH’s Command. Therefore, Moshe and Pharaoh did not meet again. So how was Moshe ‘sent’ for? “Hear Ye, Hear Ye!” Back in olden times, the way a king ‘sent’ for someone was to send a messenger (a ‘sent’ one). One might imagine a ‘town crier’, or a ‘bill poster’ of sorts. Pharaoh ‘sent’ someone to tell Moshe to get out. This did not require Moshe to come to Pharaoh: It only required Moshe to ‘hear’ what the ‘sent one’ had to say to him (which was to get out). This is what Moshe and the children of Israel were waiting for. Plundered: Past Tense Read verse 35 of chapter 12 (above) carefully, and you will see that the children of Israel had already plundered the Egyptians: [35] And the children of Israel had (already) done according to the word of Moshe, and they had (already) asked from the Egyptians objects of silver, and objects of gold, and garments. Further, read verse 39 carefully, and you will see that since the children of Israel were being driven out, they were not able to delay. They were being driven: [39] And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, since they were driven out of Egypt, and had not been able to delay, nor had they prepared food for themselves. They were being driven so hard that they had to quickly sling their mixing bowls up on their backs, rather than even take enough time to put their mixing bowls up on a pack animal. This speaks of departing from Egypt in extreme haste; all of which is entirely inconsistent with the “Early 14th” hypothesis. Still More Evidence for a "Late 14th" Passover We are told in verse 51 that YHWH brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt ‘on the same day’ as the morning after the Passover (the 15th): [51] And it came to be on that same day that YHWH brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their divisions. [Shemote (Exodus) 12:51) The "same day" that we are speaking of here can only be the 15th. After the Passover was killed and cooked “between the evenings” (on the conjunction of the 14th/15th), the children of Israel brought the cooked Passover inside, ate it quickly, and then did not come out until morning. Then, in the middle of the night, YHWH struck Egypt: [Shemote (Exodus) 12:29-30] And it came to pass at midnight that YHWH struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. Shortly after this, Pharaoh sent his messenger to Moshe, and gave the order to begin driving the Israelites out. "But Why Not Eat a Casual Seder Meal?" The Commandment in Torah is not to eat a comfortable sit-down Seder meal, but to eat the Passover in haste, so as to be ready to leave Egypt at any time. Contrary to the traditions of the Messianic ‘rabbis’, this Commandment was not done away with at Yeshua’s death: [14] "And it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is this?' then you shall say to him, 'By strength of hand YHWH brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [15] "'And it came to be, when Pharaoh was too hardened to let us go, that YHWH killed every first born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man and the first-born of beast. Therefore I am slaughtering to YHWH every male that opens the womb, but every first-born of sons I ransom.' [16] "And it shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand YHWH brought us out of Egypt (Egypt)." [Shemote (Exodus) 13:14-16] This festival is to be as a sign on our hands, and as frontlets between our eyes. Along with the Sabbath and physical circumcision, it is one of the three ‘eternal’ signs of the Covenant. Why do the Messianic ‘rabbis’ want us not to keep one of the three eternal signs of the Covenant? Or why do they want us to keep it in a way OTHER than what YHWH commanded? Part Three: The Late 14th in the New Covenant: Many readers wonder what significance the Passover has to the New or Renewed Covenant times; and what happened on the ‘early’ and ‘late’ 14th’s. These are very good questions. “Was the Last Supper the Passover?” This section will show that the Last Supper was not exactly the Passover. The Last Supper was held the evening before the Passover, (ironically) on the conjunction of the 13th/14th. Yahushua’s slaughter took place on the Passover itself, on the conjunction of the 14th/15th. During the Second Temple Period, it was traditional for rabbis to hold a graduation supper for their students the evening before the Passover (on the conjunction of the thirteenth/fourteenth, or the "early" fourteenth). Since Hebrews generally go by time periods, rather than specific pinpoint times, this graduation ceremony is often referred to as happening on "The Passover," because while it does not take place on the actual Passover itself, it takes place during the Passover season. The synoptic accounts (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) all state that the Last Supper was the Passover, even though the Last Supper was really only Yahushua’s traditional graduation banquet (which He, as the Rabbi, was holding for His students on the ‘early 14th’). Even though the actual Passover slaughter (of both the literal four-legged lambs and Yahushua) took place at about three in the afternoon on the afternoon of the 14th (the “late” 14th), in Hebraic idiom, the Last Supper still qualifies to be called "the Passover" because it took place on-or-about the Passover time frame. The Account in John In contrast to the synoptic accounts, but still completely compatible with them, the account in Yochanan (John) tells us that the Last Supper took place the night before the Passover (proper); and that the Passover (proper) slaughter happened the next "day" (boker). This is also correct: [Yochanan (John) 13:1-4] 1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Yahushua knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, 3 Yahushua, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from Elohim and was going to Elohim, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. This accounting tells us that the Last Supper happened on the evening before the Passover (on the conjunction of the 13th/14th). This accounting is technically more correct, but still it does not invalidate the accounting in the synoptic accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, because while Matthew, Mark and Luke are speaking generally, Yochanan (John) is speaking specifically. Therefore, what might at first look like an apparent conflict between the synoptic accounts and Yochanan (John) turns out to be nothing more than a common misunderstanding of how time is reckoned in Hebraic idiom. Does 1st Corinthians speak of the Passover, or the Last Supper? Both the Church and many Messianic ‘rabbis’ tell us that Shaul’s writings in 1st Corinthians 11 inform us that Yahushua came to do away with the ‘old’ Passover service that was given in the Torah, instituting instead a ‘new’ ritual in its place. We know this cannot be, because Yahushua told us that nothing in the Torah would fall, until heaven and earth pass away. He also tells us (in verse 19) what will befall these Messianic ‘rabbis’ who try to alter the Torah Passover service: [Mattithyahu (Matthew) 5:17-19] 17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to complete. 18 “For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done. 19 “Whoever, then, breaks one of the least of these commands, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the reign of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.” Anyone who tries to teach you to do ANYTHING that goes contrary to the Torah, they are teaching falsehood; and therefore they are false prophets. [Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 8:20] 20 To the Torah and to the Testimony (of Yahushua)! If they do not speak according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them. It is not possible that Yahushua instituted any new ritual that went against the Torah, because He clearly said He had not been sent to do so. The Master’s Supper: NOT a New Passover Ritual Since the Passover was on the 14th/15th and the Last Supper was on the 13th/14th, the ritual that Yahushua instituted at the Last Supper (and which Shaul commands in 1st Corinthians 11) is not related to the Passover in any way. Rather, the new ritual that Yahushua instituted pertains only to OTHER gatherings or fellowship meetings, in which bread is broken, and/or wine is shared. In other words, while the Torah regarding the Passover was not altered in any way, shape or form, Yahushua asks of us that any time we gather together to break bread or share wine, we should remember Him, and His sacrifice for our sakes. Is this really such a big surprise? The Yahudim (Jewish) people have been breading bread and sharing wine at the regular weekly Sabbath for centuries. Is it so odd that Yahushua would ask that when we observe any similar ritual, that we remember Him, and His sacrifice? We can also break bread and enjoy wine at the Passover Feast as well; just so long as we remember to eat the meal itself in haste, fully girded, and ready to go. If we choose to relax and fellowship AFTER the meal is eaten, and to share Scripture verses, and to break more bread, then who can fault us? But the main point is that Yahushua did not come to alter or replace the Passover Instructions as found in the Torah, in any way. Nor do Shaul’s writings in First Corinthians 11 constitute any kind of license for Messianic ‘rabbis’ to institute a Passover Seder service. The Master’s Supper: NOT a New Passover Ritual Speaking of the Master's Supper, Shaul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11, [23] For I received from the Master that which I also delivered to you: that the Master Yahushua in the night in which He was delivered (the conjunction of the 13th/14th), took up bread, [24] And having given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat, this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." [25] In the same way also the cup, after (the Last) Supper, saying, "This cup is the renewed covenant in My blood. As often as you drink it, do this in remembrance of Me." [26] For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup (at Sabbath fellowships, or whenever you gather), you proclaim the death of the Master until He comes. [Qurintaus Aleph (1st Corinthians) 11:23-26] The thing to note here is that the language of 1st Corinthians makes no mention of the Passover itself (which occurred on the conjunction of the 14th/15th). Rather, this passage refers only to the Last Supper, which occurred on the conjunction of the 13th/14th (or the ‘early’ 14th); and therefore it has nothing to say about how the Passover is properly observed. Only the Torah does that. Let no one steal your crown. Additional Thoughts Concerning Passover
1 Cor.11:18-34
Historical
Evidence to Support a Passover Sacrifice
The Book of
Jubilees
- (2nd Century B.C.E.) - "Let the children of Israel come and observe Passover on the day of its fixed time, on the fourteenth day of the first month, between the evenings, from the third part of the day to the third part of the night, for two portions of the day are given to light, and a third part to the evening."
"This is that
which the Lord commanded thee that thou shouldst observe it between the
evenings. And it is not permissible to slay it during any period of the light,
but during the period bordering on the evening, and let them eat it at the time
of the evening until the third part of the night, and whatever is left over of
all its flesh from the third part of the night and onwards, let them burn with
fire." (Each 'part' was approximately 4 hours long). 'Apocrypha and
Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English' by R.H. Charles, chapter 49.
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