|
Online Truth
|
|
Which Day Was the Quartodeciman Passover?
Throughout the Scriptures, the divine law clearly commands one specific day as the day of the Passover sacrifice; that day is the fourteenth of Abib. That is why this day and only this day is called the Passover. The fourteenth of Abib is the day the Passover was commanded to be killed and prepared. Since modern calendars indicate the 15th instead of the 14th, many assume the Jews changed the appointed time of the Passover. Not so. This never happened. The Jews always understood that the Passover was to be slain on Abib 14, as the sun began to set (Deut.16:6). Therefore, they knew it had to be eaten on Abib 15, the First Day of Unleavened Bread, after it was properly roasted by fire. We will examine the ancient records of church history and prove that the ancients recognized that the fourteenth of Abib was the day when the Jews sacrificed the Passover lamb, and that this day was being rightly maintained by them. We will see from the Paschal Canon of Anatolius of Alexandria written in the third century AD how the Romans reckoned the day of the moon in conjunction with the fourteenth of Abib. From this it will become very clear that the Asia Minor Christians observed the appointed time of the Jewish Passover which is always on the fourteenth of Abib according to Jewish reckoning. IRENAEUS BISHOP OF LYONS The early church from A.D. 35 to A.D. 135 very clearly understood that Christ did not eat the Passover lamb at its correct appointed time before his crucifixion. They also knew that Christ died at the ninth hour of Abib fourteen fulfilling the Passover sacrifice typology. However it was not until the end of the second century A.D. that this view was slowly being supplanted. Signs of confusion had arisen in the harmony of the synoptic accounts of the crucifixion and that of John's. John had been the only surviving apostle who knew exactly what had happened, and he was now dead: "During the first centuries after Christ there is not the least indication in the writings of the church fathers that during the first hundred and fifty years A.D. any problem (and still less a contradiction) was seen in the four Gospels in connection with the dating of the crucifixion. Only about A.D. 170 do we come across signs for the first time that indicate that confusion arose concerning the evidence of the four Gospels for the dating of the crucifixion. It was about at that time that a conflict arose in Asia minor as to the day and date of the celebration of the Christian Passover" (New International Commentary, Gospel of Luke, page 652, emphasis mine throughout). This of course is true. There was no confusion in the early church as to which day the crucifixion occurred. It was common knowledge that Christ's crucifixion occurred on the fourteenth of Abib early in the morning at the third hour of the day. The conflict in Asia minor alluded to in this passage is of course the Quartodeciman controversy. I would like to examine references from someone who was actually alive when this controversy broke out in A.D. 155, that being Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons: Polycarp and Anicetus had different days and manners in observing the Passover. The former claimed John's authority for observing it at the appointed time of the Jewish Passover. The latter claimed that Peter and Paul had given them the observance of Christ's resurrection on the Sunday after the Jewish Passover: "On the contrary, these Presbyters who preceded thee, and who did not observe [this custom; the Jewish Passover] sent the Eucharist to those of other dioceses who did observe it. And when the blessed Polycarp was sojourning in Rome at the time of Anicetus, although a slight controversy had arisen among them as to certain points, they were at once well inclined towards each other (with regard to the matter in hand), not willing that any quarrel should arise between them upon this head." During the time of Polycarp and Polycrates, the non-sacrificial emblems of the bread and wine were commonly called the Eucharist, which simply means thanks giving, because Christ blessed and gave thanks over these emblems the night of his betrayal. In the above passage the Eucharist was partaken of by other churches who did observe the appointed time of the Jewish Passover as well as those who did not. "For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarp to forego the observance (in his own way), in as much as these things had been always (so) observed by John the disciple of our Lord, and by other Apostles with whom he had been conversant; nor, on the other hand, could Polycarp succeed in persuading Anicetus to keep (the observance in his way), for he maintained that he was bound to adhere to the usage of the Presbyters who preceded him." 'And in this state of affairs they held fellowship with each other; and Anicetus conceded to Polycarp in the church the celebration of the Eucharist, by way of showing him respect; so that they parted in peace one from the other, maintaining peace with the whole church, both those who did observe (this custom) and those who did not" (Fragments from the lost writings of Irenaeus, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol 1, pages 568-569). "Moreover the Quartodecimans affirm that the observance of the fourteenth day was delivered to them by the Apostle John: while the Romans and those in the western parts assure us that their usage originated with the Apostles Peter and Paul. NEITHER OF THESE PARTIES HOWEVER CAN PRODUCE ANY WRITTEN TESTIMONY IN CONFIRMATION OF WHAT THEY ASSERT" (Sozomen's Ecclesiastical History, Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Series 2 Vol 2, pages 131). I do not think we need to doubt that this custom was handed down to Polycarp by the Apostle John. It should also be noted that from these passages of Irenaeus that Anicetus conceded to Polycarp the Eucharist, that is the bread and wine symbols, that there is no indication that this had anything to do with the Passover. APOLLINARIS BISHOP OF HIERAPOLIS Polycarp was martyred shortly after his visit to Rome in A.D. 156. The view that Christ was crucified on the fifteenth of Abib was attacked and refuted by Claudius Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis A.D. 160-180. He was known by Polycarp and was influenced by Polycarp's example and his teachings. Apollinaris was also a contemporary of Melito and Polycrates. Here is what Apollinaris says in regards to this view: '"There are, then, some who through ignorance raise disputes about these things (though their conduct is pardonable: for ignorance is no subject for blame -- it rather needs further instruction), and say that ON THE FOURTEENTH DAY THE LORD ATE THE LAMB WITH THE DISCIPLES, AND THAT ON THE GREAT DAY OF THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD HE HIMSELF SUFFERED; and they quote Matthew as speaking in accordance with their view. WHEREFORE THEIR OPINION IS CONTRARY TO THE LAW, AND THE GOSPELS SEEMS TO BE AT VARIANCE WITH THEM." Please notice that Apollinaris categorically says that this view is contrary to the law and the Gospels. The truth is, Christ did not eat the legal Passover before his crucifixion, because He had to fulfill the Passover sacrifice typology Himself, and DIE as our Passover Lamb. Therefore, HE COULD NOT EAT THE LAMB THAT PASSOVER. Christ fulfilled that typology at the correct appointed time, late in the afternoon of Abib fourteen; that is why Apollinaris says this view is contrary TO THE LAW AND THE GOSPELS! Keep in mind also that Apollinaris was influenced in his teachings by Polycarp, and that his contemporaries were Melito and Polycrates, who held the same views as Apollinaris.
In Eusebius' Eccesiastical History, there is the record of the following letter written by Polycrates to Victor of the Church of Rome: "We, therefore, observe the genuine day; neither adding thereto nor taking therefrom. For in Asia great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again in the day of the (Rabbi's) appearing, in which He will come with esteem from Shamayim (heaven), and will raise up all the saints; Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who sleeps in Hierapolis, and his two aged virgin daughters. His other daughter, also, who having lived under the influence of the Ruach ha Qodesh, now likewise rests in Ephesus. Moreover, Yahachanon, who rested on the bosom of our (Rabbi); who also was a priest, and bore the sacerdotal plate, both a martyr of Eumenia, who is buried at Smyra. Why should I mention Sagaris, elder and martyr, who rests at Laodicea? Moreover, the blessed Papirius; and Melito, the eunuch, whose walk and conversation was altogether under the influence of the Ruach ha Qodesh, who now rests at Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from Shamayim, when he shall rise from the dead. All these observed the 14th day of the Passover according to the Word, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. Moreover, I, Polycrates, who am the least of all of you, according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have followed. For there were seven, my relatives elders, and I am the eighth; and my relatives always observe the day when the people threw away the leaven."
The view of the Quartodecimans was that Christ fulfilled the Passover sacrifice typology, that he did not eat the legal Passover prescribed by the law before his crucifixion. In another passage, Apollinaris states the views of the Quartodecimans: "The fourteenth day the true Passover of the Lord; THE GREAT SACRIFICE, THE SON OF GOD INSTEAD OF THE LAMB, who was bound, who bound the strong, and who judged, though judge of living and dead, and who was delivered into the hands of sinners to be crucified, who was lifted up on the horns of the Unicorn, and who was pierced in his holy side, who poured forth from his side the two purifying elements, water and blood, word and spirit, AND WHO WAS BURIED ON THE DAY OF THE PASSOVER, the stone being place upon the tomb" (writings of Claudius Apollinaris, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol 8, pages 772-773). I believe that there is simply no way to misunderstand these plain statements by Apollinaris; he clearly states that Christ fulfilled the Passover sacrifice typology on the fourteenth of Abib. He also states that Christ was buried on the day of the Passover which is always the fourteenth of Abib. It is never the daylight part of the thirteenth and never the daylight part of the fifteenth. PETER BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA Another bishop, Peter of Alexandria who lived around A.D. 260-311 confirms this truth. Christ, during his public ministry did indeed celebrate and eat the typical Passover prescribed in the law, but prior to his crucifixion he did not eat the legal Passover -- instead HE was sacrificed as the real Passover lamb ON THE PASSOVER DAY. In the afternoon of that same day that He was killed, at that same time the lambs were being slaughtered. That was the afternoon of the preparation of the high day Sabbath: "Himself also, with the people, in the years before his public ministry and during his public ministry, did celebrate the legal and shadowy Passover, eating the typical lamb for, 'I came not to destroy the law, or the prophets, but to fulfill them.' The savior himself said in the gospel. . . HE DID NOT EAT OF THE LEGAL PASSOVER; but as I have said, he himself, as the true lamb, was sacrificed for us IN THE FEAST OF THE TYPICAL PASSOVER, ON THE DAY OF PREPARATION, THE FOURTEENTH OF THE FIRST LUNAR MONTH" (writings of Peter Bishop of Alexandria, Ante-Nicene Fathers, v.ol 6, pages 282). These passages are true and faithful to the TRUTH, and it is important that we establish these facts because these were the original beliefs held by the early Quartodecimans. Shortly we will see why the Quartodecimans in observing the appointed time of the Jewish Passover were called fourteenthers instead of fifteenthers, it has everything to do with the way the Romans reckoned the day of the month. This will be established from the Paschal Canon of Anatolius of Alexandria. The original beliefs of the Quartodecimans must be established; they knew Christ did not eat the legal Passover before his crucifixion; they knew Christ was crucified on the fourteenth of Abib on the day of the Passover, fulfilling the Passover sacrifice typology. These are important facts to know because into the late second century and early third century A.D. some of the Quartodecimans were adopting the unscriptural view that Christ actually did eat the Passover at its correct appointed time with the Jews and that he was crucified on the fifteenth of Abib. HYPPOLYTUS BISHOP OF PORTUS This unscriptural view adopted by some of the Quartodecimans, instead of helping to justify their custom, only served to work against them. For example, Hyppolytus (A.D. 170-236), who was a disciple of Irenaeus, wrote his Refutation of all Heresies around A.D. 222-230 had this to say about this view being adopted by some of the Quartodecimans: "I perceive, then, that the matter is one of contention for he speaks thus: Christ kept the supper, then, on that day, and then suffered, whence it is needful that I too should keep it in the same manner as the Lord did but he has fallen into error by not perceiving that at the time when Christ suffered HE DID NOT EAT THE PASSOVER OF THE LAW for he was the Passover that had been of old proclaimed, AND THAT WAS FULFILLED ON THAT DETERMINATE DAY." The determinate day Hyppolytus refers to of course is the fourteenth of Abib, but notice he very clearly says that Christ DID NOT EAT THE PASSOVER REQUIRED BY THE LAW, simply because it would be impossible for him to do so. He states further: "And again the same (authority), in the first book of his treatise on the holy supper speak thus: now that neither in the first nor in the last there was anything that was evident; for he who said of old, 'I will not any more eat the Passover' probably partook of supper before the Passover. BUT THE PASSOVER HE DID NOT EAT, BUT HE SUFFERED; FOR IT WAS NOT THE TIME FOR HIM TO EAT" (Hyppolytus: Refutation of all Heresies, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5, pages 240). It should be noted and understood that the Quartodeciman Christians in general were right in observing the appointed time of the Passover. However Hyppolytus is also right in upbraiding some of them for trying to justify their custom by saying Christ ate the Passover with lamb along with the Jews before he was executed on the fifteenth. This of course was not true. Hyppolytus knew this, but it should also be mentioned that Hyppolytus was not sympathetic toward the Quartodecimans because he himself had an anti-Jewish bias against following this "Jewish Custom," in fact, since the Quartodecimans made an issue of observing the same day as the Jews he refers to them as Heretics: "And certain other (Heretics), CONTENTIOUS BY NATURE, (and) wholly uninformed as regards knowledge, as well as in their manner more (than usually) QUARRELSOME, combine (in maintaining) that Easter should be kept on the fourteenth day of the first month, according to the commandment of the law, on what ever day (of the week) it should occur, but in this they only regard what has been written in the law, that he will be accursed who does not so keep (the commandment) as it is enjoined. They do not however attend to this (fact), THAT THE LEGAL ENACTMENT WAS MADE FOR THE JEWS, WHO IN TIMES TO COME SHOULD KILL THE REAL PASSOVER. "And this (Paschal sacrifice, in its efficacy), has spread unto the Gentiles, and is discerned by faith, and not now observed in letter (merely). THEY ATTEND TO THIS ONE COMMANDMENT, and do not look unto what has been spoken by the Apostle: "'For I testify to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to the whole law' in other respects, however, these consent to all the traditions of the church by the Apostles" (Hyppolytus: Refutation of all Heresies, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5, pages 123). Unfortunately, Hyppolytus's attitude is much like the attitude prevalent today against any law observance as being "Jewish" or "Legalism." Admittedly his argument is an effective one against the Quartodecimans for observing the appointed time of the Jewish Passover. The truth is, Hyppolytus's attitude is one of lawlessness. His argument is similar to those used today by those who are misguided and who teach against the Passover, against the Sabbath, against God's law in general and against the correct calendar. By the end of the third century A.D., the Quartodecimans were losing sight of why they kept the appointed time of the Passover, as established by the apostle John, as is our understanding, through Polycarp. It was because of this lost knowledge that confusion began to reign in regards to the crucifixion accounts. The Quartodecimans were also losing sight of the fact that Christ died on the fourteenth of Abib and that he did not eat the legal Passover required by the law. Even so, their persistence in observing the same appointed time of the Passover as the Jews in the midst of growing anti-Jewish sentiments served to brand them as Heretics from the truth, in the eyes of conventional Gentile church leaders. SOZOMEN OF GAZA We have now come to the point where we need to establish the fact that the Quartodecimans did indeed keep the Passover on the same day as the Jews. There is absolutely no mention from the ancients of any change in the Passover which is always on the fourteenth of Abib. In fact, all are in agreement that the Jews have faithfully preserved this ancient custom. I want to quote some references that prove this and then we will examine the Paschal Canon of Anatolius of Alexandria and prove beyond doubt that the Jews and Quartodecimans kept the Passover on exactly the same day according to the Roman reckoning of the day, in conjunction with the fourteenth of Abib. The first reference that shows the Quartodecimans keeping the same day as the Jews is from Sozomen's ecclesiastical history, a native of Gaza. He was born in A.D. 370-380 and wrote during the fifth century, around A.D . 440. Preserved in his writings, we have during the fifth century the Novations who began adopting the Quartodeciman practice of celebrating the Passover on the same day as the Quartodecimans and the Jews: "About this period, the Novations of Phrygia, contrary to their ancient custom, began to celebrate the festival of the Passover ON THE SAME DAY AS THE JEWS. NOVATIUS the originator of their HERESY, refused to receive those who repented of their sins into communion and it was in this respect alone that he innovated upon established doctrine. But he and those who succeeded him celebrated the feast of the Passover after the vernal equinox, according to the custom of the Roman church. "Some Novation bishops, however, assembled about this time at Pazi, a town of Phrygia, near the source of the river Sangarus, and agreeing not to follow, in this of discipline, the practice of those who differed in doctrine from them established a new law: they determined upon keeping the feast of unleavened bread, AND UPON CELEBRATING THE PASSOVER ON THE SAME DAY AS THE JEWS" (Sozomen's Ecclesiastical History, Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 2, pages 361). Technically speaking, the Novations of Phrygia would now be numbered among the Quartodecimans for abandoning the custom of the Egyptian and Roman churches and celebrating the Passover on the same day as the Jews, as was the custom of the Quartodeciman Christians. The next reference is from the writings of Bishop Peter of Alexandria, who shows that the Jews from ancient times had accurately preserved and observed the Passover in its proper season AND ON THE RIGHT DAY. "Much more ruthless is he who, in this respect, ventures to bring a charge against Moses, that mighty servant of God or Joshua, the son of Nun, who succeeded him, or those who in succession rightly followed them and ruled; the judges I mean, and the kings who appeared or the prophets whom the Holy Spirit inspired, and those who amongst the priests were blameless, and those who, in following the traditions, CHANGED NOTHING, BUT AGREED AS TO THE OBSERVANCE OF THE PASSOVER IN ITS SEASON, AS ALSO OF THE REST OF THEIR FEASTS. "And after other things, but oughtest rather to have pursued a safer and more auspicious course, and not to have written rashly and slanderously, that they seem from the beginning, and always, to have been in error about the Passover, which you cannot prove, whatever charge you may wish to bring against those who, at the present time, having fallen away from the commandment of the law concerning the Passover and other things. FOR THE ANCIENTS SEEM TO HAVE KEPT IT AFTER THE VERNAL EQUINOX, which you can discover if you read the ancient books, and those especially which were written by the learned Hebrews. "That therefore up to the period of the Lord's passion and at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, which happened under Vespacian the Roman emperor, THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, RIGHTLY OBSERVING THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE FIRST LUNAR MONTH, CELEBRATED THE PASSOVER OF THE LAW, has been briefly demonstrated" (writings of Peter Bishop of Alexandria, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 6, pages 282). In these fragments, bishop Peter clearly says that the Jews have faithfully been observing the Passover in its season and that they rightly observed the fourteenth day of the first month as the Passover, no change, no deviation from the divine commandments of the law. "Hence arises my astonishment THAT THOSE WHO PROFESS TO ADOPT THE JEWISH CUSTOM in the celebration of this feast, do not confirm to the ANCIENT PRACTICE OF THE JEWS with the exception of the people above mentioned, and the Quartodecimans of Asia, all Heresies, I believe, celebrate the Passover in the same manner as the Romans and the Egyptians (after the vernal equinox). THE QUARTODECIMANS OBSERVE THIS FESTIVAL, LIKE THE JEWS ON THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE MOON AND HENCE THEIR NAME" (Sozomen's Ecclesiastical History, Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 2, pages 389). From this last reference, Sozomen testifies to the fact that the Quartodemicans observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the moon LIKE THE JEWS and hence their name. This leads right into the problem we have today: Some think that if the Quartodecimans observed the appointed time of the Jewish Passover, the same night the Jews observed it, would not they be called "fifteenthers" instead of "fourteenthers"? The answer is no -- and there is a good reason why. It has to do with how the Romans themselves (the Essenes a sect in Judea at the time of Christ also reckoned the day from dawn to dawn) reckoned the day of the month in conjunction with the fourteenth day of Abib. The fourteenth day of Abib from sunrise to sunrise of Abib fifteen is the fourteen day of the month according to Roman reckoning. Now, even though the fourteenth day of Abib according to Jewish reckoning ends at sunset, the Roman reckoning of the fourteenth day of the month is from sunrise of the fourteenth of Abib, until sunrise of the fifteenth of Abib! This was the fourteenth day of the month according to Roman reckoning. So from this reckoning you can see why the Quartodeciman Christians were called fourteenthers instead of fifteenthers and that they kept the Passover WITH THE JEWS and were labeled Quartodecimans according to this reckoning of the Roman month. THE PASCHAL CANON OF ANATOLIUS This logically leads us now into examining the Paschal Canon by Anatolius, a native of Alexandria, (born in A.D. 230, about six years before Hyppolytus was martyred), had written during the mid to late third century A.D. In this canon there were some in Gaul (France) who said that the Passover festival can be celebrated as far as the twenty first day of the moon according to EXODUS 12:18: "Accordingly, it is not the case, as certain calculators of Gaul allege, that this assertion is opposed by that passage in Exodus, where we read: 'in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the first month, at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses.' "From this they maintain it is quite permissible to celebrate the Passover ON THE TWENTY FIRST DAY OF THE MOON; understanding that if the TWENTY SECOND DAY were added, there would be found eight days of unleavened bread, a thing which cannot be found with any probability, indeed, in the Old Testament. In order to grasp and follow what Anatolius is saying, I have given a diagram below showing the Jewish reckoning of the day which ends at sunset and the Roman reckoning of the day of the month which ends at sunrise. This will help explain in simple terms how the Romans reckoned the day of the month. For example those in Gaul were saying the Passover (really the Days of Unleavened Bread) until THE TWENTY FIRST day of the moon according to Roman reckoning. If you refer to the diagram, this will automatically add THE TWENTY SECOND DAY according to the Jewish civil day and Roman civil day, because the twenty second of Abib up until sunrise is the twenty first according to the Roman day of the month. Anatolius says this is simply impossible because now you will have EIGHT DAYS of unleavened bread both in the Jewish reckoning from the fifteenth to the twenty second and from the fourteenth to the twenty-first according to Roman reckoning. He says that this is impossible since the Scriptures do not sanction eight days of unleavened bread. "As the Lord, through Moses, gives charge: 'Seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.' Unless perchance the fourteenth day is not reckoned by them among the days of unleavened bread with the celebration of the feast, which however, is contrary to the word of the Gospel which says: 'Moreover, on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus,' and there is no doubt as to its being the fourteenth day on which the disciples asked the Lord, in accordance with the custom established for them of old, 'where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover?'" At this point, it should be pointed out that Anatolius is right in his understanding that the Passover was always sacrificed by the Jews late in the afternoon of the fourteenth -- that is, between the hours of noon and sunset, which ends the day according to Jewish reckoning. But according to Roman reckoning, at sunrise of the fourteenth of Abib begins -- the fourteenth day of the month. The view that he adopts here is the unscriptural view that Christ did eat the Passover with lamb along with the Jews at its correct appointed time before his crucifixion, which he knew was being correctly observed by the Jews and the Quartodeciman Christians. He is right in when the appointed time of the Passover is, however, he is wrong in assuming the first day of unleavened bread means the fourteenth. The fourteenth, which is the day of the Passover sacrifice (Lev.23:5), is, strictly speaking, NOT the first day of unleavened bread. The First Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is the fifteenth (Lev.23:6-7). Although Mark refers to "the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover" (Mark 14:12), he is using the term "first day" in a general sense, referring not to the first day of the Feast at all, but to the day or time when leavening was put out of the homes -- that is, the time period during which the Passover lambs were killed. The implied meaning of first day, as used by Mark in this case, is meant in a general sense of an unspecified length of time before the feast of unleavened bread. Do not forget, it was toward the end of the second century A.D. that the view of Christ eating the Passover lamb at its correct appointed time with the Jews was being adopted by some of the Quartodecimans. However, this point aside, you will notice that the fourteenth day of the month according to Roman reckoning, is technically half of the thirteenth of Abib. That is why those who observed the fourteenth of Abib as the Passover did so with the Jews. We have the many testimonies of various bishops who clearly say the Quartodecimans kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the moon, the same day the Jews celebrate the Passover, which according to the Roman reckoning of the day of the month is the fourteenth. That is why the Quartodecimans along with the Jews were called fourteenthers and not thirteenthers! Anatolius goes on to explain further in his Canon, exactly how the day of the month is reckoned: "But they who are deceived with this error maintain this addition (the twenty second day), because they do not know that the 13th and 14th; the 14th and 15th; the 15th and 16th; 16th and 17th; the 17th and 18th; the 18th and 19th; the 19th and 20th; the 20th and the 21st days OF THE MOON ARE EACH FOUND, AS MAY BE MOST SURELY PROVED, WITHIN A SINGLE DAY." The day of the month in this case is reckoned from sunrise till sunrise according to the Romans. "For every day in the reckoning of the moon DOES NOT END IN THE EVENING as the same day in respect of number as it is at its beginning in the morning. FOR THE DAY WHICH IN THE MORNING THAT IS UP TO THE SIXTH HOUR AND A HALF, IS NUMBERED THE 13TH DAY OF THE MONTH, IS FOUND AT EVENING TO BE THE 14TH" (Paschal Canon of Anatolius Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol.6, pages 148-149). Is it any wonder, then, that today so many assume the Quartodecimans kept the Passover a night before the Jews, when all church history proves the Quartodecimans kept the same night as the Jews! When you consider the fact that the time of the Passover sacrifice, and the night's Passover celebrations, fell all within the fourteenth day of the month according to Roman reckoning, if the Christians had been observing the "Passover" at the beginning of the 14th of Abib, as so many think today, the Romans and church historians would have referred to them as the thirteenthers! NO CHANGE EVER OCCURRED IN THE APPOINTED TIME OF THE PASSOVER, THE JEWS HAVE FAITHFULLY PRESERVED THIS CUSTOM RIGHT DOWN TO THIS DAY! Anatolius explains the Roman reckoning further: "Wherefore, also, the Passover is enjoined to be extended on to the 21st day at even; which day, without doubt, in the morning, that is up to that term of hours which we have mentioned, was reckoned the 20th. Calculate, then, from the end of the 13th day of the moon, which marks the beginning of the 14th on to the end of the 20th, at which the 21st day also begins, and you will have only seven days of unleavened bread, in which, by the guidance of the Lord, it has been determined that the most true feast of the Passover ought to be celebrated. Now count the Roman reckoning of the day of the moon and you will have seven days from the fourteenth day of the moon until the twentieth day of the moon which is on the twenty first of Abib. The reason why he counts the seven days of unleavened bread from and including the fourteenth is because he mistakenly believes Christ ate the Passover lamb with the Jews prior to his crucifixion. The bottom line is simply this: All the ancients knew the Jews and the Christians of Asia Minor celebrated the Passover as seen through this Roman reckoning of the fourteenth day of the moon, which in reality is the end of the fourteenth of Abib and night of the fifteenth of Abib, by Jewish reckoning. That is why throughout church history the Christians of Asia Minor are constantly referred to as celebrating the Passover ON THE SAME DAY AS THE JEWS -- which was, according to the Roman reckoning of the moon, the fourteenth of Abib -- and that is why they are called Quartodecimans. From Anatolius's Paschal Canon we have the essential knowledge that he knew the Jewish Passover was celebrated at the going down of the sun ON THE FOURTEENTH OF ABIB, even though he is wrong in assuming Christ ate the Passover with lamb at its correct appointed time with the Jews, prior to his crucifixion. This however is not surprising. When he wrote this Canon in the mid to late third century A.D., this view was becoming fashionable. It is clear from Anatolius's Paschal Canon that the custom of the Jews and Quartodecimans was that they celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of Abib according to Jewish reckoning; which fell on the same day of the Roman reckoning of the fourteenth day of the month. Anatolius also testifies to the reliability of the Jews keeping the festival in its season on the fourteenth of Abib according to Jewish reckoning which is the fourteenth day of the moon according to Roman reckoning, and he then goes on to say that all of the bishops of Asia Minor were observing the Passover ON THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE MOON. The important details in this Paschal Canon bear witness to the fact that the Asian bishops celebrated the Passover at the appointed time of the Jewish Passover, the day on which the lambs were sacrificed, being the fourteenth day of the moon according to Roman reckoning, and that this tradition was handed down to the Asian churches via the apostle John. Anatolius explains in very elucidating terms the custom of the eastern churches and he explains exactly what POLYCRATES means in his letter to Victor which is so often misquoted today by those who erroneously believe that since the Quartodecimans were called fourteenthers that they kept the Passover before the Jews. It is simply amazing that the important facts that have been shown, proving the Quartodecimans kept the Passover at the appointed time of the Jewish Passover celebrating WITH THE JEWS ON THE SAME FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE MOON according to Roman reckoning, is always overlooked by those today who are mistaken in believing the Jews changed the appointed time of the Passover, thinking that Christ ate the Passover on the night of his betrayal! CONCLUSION In conclusion then, we can deduce the following FACT'S about the Quartodecimans: That is, first, that they believed Christ had died on the fourteenth of Abib fulfilling the Passover sacrifice typology. Also, second, that Christ did not eat the Passover at its correct appointed time prior to his crucifixion, simply because it would be impossible for him to do so, especially when he had to fulfill that very sacrifice at its correct appointed time because it pictured HIS sacrifice. Third, that between the period of the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the second Jewish revolt A.D. 132-135, these facts were common knowledge for the early church. But, fourth, after the time of the second Jewish revolt this knowledge about Christ's trial and crucifixion became lost and after A.D. 135 toward the late second century A.D., signs of confusions over the date of the crucifixion and the harmony of the Gospels was evident. Some Quartodecimans began to adopt the view that Christ had actually eaten the Passover with lamb at its correct appointed time. This view, however, did not gain a substantial foot hold until the third century A.D. Even though by this time most were deceived about the accounts of the crucifixion and what actually happened, some bishops continued to refute the unscriptural view that Christ ate the Passover with lamb and was then killed on the fifteenth, because it meant he did not fulfill the Passover sacrifice typology which would have been contrary to the law. Such bishops who refuted this view were Apollinaris, a contemporary of Polycrates, A.D. 180, and Hyppolytus, who refutes this view in his refutation of all Heresies written about A.D. 222, and Peter, bishop of Alexandria who wrote in the mid to late third century A.D. By the third century A.D., some of the Quartodecimans were adopting the unscriptural view that Christ ate the Passover with lamb at its correct appointed time and that he was crucified and died on the fifteenth. And finally, we were able to conclusively prove from the Paschal Canon of Anatolius of Alexandria, written mid to late third century A.D., that the Quartodecimans were called fourteenthers and not thirteenthers because in the reckoning of the Roman day of the month the fourteenth of the moon, Roman time, began on Abib fourteen, at sunrise, and lasted until Abib fifteen, sunrise -- Jewish reckoning. Since the Christians were celebrating the eating of the Passover at the same time as the Jews, this was done on Abib fifteen, Jewish reckoning, but still the fourteenth, by the Roman calendar. This is why the Romans called them "fourteenthers." But if they had been celebrating Passover a night before the Jews, the Romans, using their own calendar, would have called them thirteenthers! The Roman day was from sunrise to sunrise, and the Jewish day from evening to evening. Understanding this fact, we can see that the Jewish Passover, which fell on the fourteenth of the lunar month, and was eaten on the fifteenth, was according to the Roman calendar eaten on the fourteenth, which did not end until the next sunrise. Therefore, the fourteenth day of Abib, along with the evening celebration of Passover on Abib fifteenth, which was observed by the Quartodecimans, all fell within the fourteenth day of the moon according to Roman reckoning. That is why the Christians of Asia Minor who followed the custom of the Jewish Passover were labelled as QUARTODECIMANS, fourteenthers, according to the Roman reckoning of the moon. The Quartodeciman controversy is well documented and there is no evidence to suggest that the Jewish people changed the appointed time of the Passover. There is equally no evidence to suggest that anyone in Asia Minor kept the night of Abib fourteen, after sunset which began that day, as Passover. All the evidence, both scripturally and historically proves the Quartodecimans kept the Passover on the same day as the Jews. The hope is that this study will clarify the misunderstanding that is so prevalent among many today, who falsely assume and believe that the Jews changed the appointed time of the Passover. That simply never happened. It is simply not true. SOURCES New International Commentary Gospel of Luke. Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 1. Apollinaris Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 8. Bishop Peter of Alexandria Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 6. Hyppolytus Refutation of all Heresies Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 5. Sozomens Ecclesiastical History Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers Series 2 Vol 2. Paschal Canon of Anatolius of Alexandria Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 6.
|
