THIS IF FOR FOLKS REALLY INTERESTED IN BIBLICAL STUDY:
Your question has baffled biblical scholars for centuries or more. The best explanation I found was written by Fr. Bargil Pixner, a priest and archeologist who lived in Israel and is noted for having uncovered parts of the Essene Quarter in “Old Jerusalem”. His students were both Catholic and Protestant. My apologies if this kind long (not too long), but the answer to your question is really interesting stuff for people interested in biblical apologetics. So if you’re really interested, suffer me a few paragraphs:
According to Pixner the Essene Jews (Dead Sea Scrolls) were well established in the Galilee where Jesus, John the Baptist, and the apostles were reared. They were the ones who practiced baptism, and it is thought they may have raised John the Baptist after his aged parents died, which would account for his coming from the wilderness and the way he was clothed.
The Essenes followed a solar calendar rather than a lunar calendar of the Jerusalem Temple Jews (Pharisees and Sadducees). Consequently they celebrated the Passover on the 14 th day of Nisan (which became the 15 th after sundown) a couple of days earlier than the Temple Jews did the year Jesus died, on a Wednesday according to early historical documents. According to the records, Jesus’ arrest, trial and conviction covered parts of 3 days, not one day overnight (which makes a whole lot more sense). Evidently he observed Passover on the date of the Essenes (Wednesday), was arrested and tried on Thursday, and hung on Friday, dying about 3pm when the first lamb was slaughtered in the temple on the 14 th , before sundown when the Temple Passover began at Sundown, the beginning of Nisan 15.
(JWs celebrate it the 13 th day when evening becomes the 14 th .)
The historical documents are: 1) The Syrian doctrinal teachings of the Apostles, Didascalia Apostolorium of the 3 rd century; 2) Didache (attributed to the apostles, beginning of the 2 nd century); Epiphanium of Salamis (ca. 380 AD); 4) Victorinus of Pettau (died a martyr 304 AD); 5) The Ethiopian book of Adam (Christian aprocryphal writings).
Here’s the quote from the Didache):
The obvious reason why the primitive Church in Jerusalem altered the Jewish weekly fast days (Monday and Thursday) to Wednesday and Friday, was because on Wednesday Jesus was taken prisoner (cf. Jesus’ saying: “When the bridegroom will be taken away, they shall fast on that day” (Mk 2:20 and on Friday when he died.
“Your fasting shall not be at the same time as that of the hypocrits (Pharisees), for they fast on Monday and Thursday. You shall fast on Wednesday and on Friday” (8,1). (Underscore mine)
If this is true, then Jesus observed Passover with his followers with the Essenes in the Essene quarter of Jerusalem on Wednesday evening after sundown, when the 14 th day became the 15 th of Nisan according to their solar calendar. Other circumstantial evidence is that the upper room in Jerusalem today, where it is believed Jesus observed his last Passover, is in the old Essene quarter.
* Bethany where he stayed just prior was an Essene-influenced village.
* This would be his last Passover—he knew it, and he wanted to inaugurate the emblems of his ransom.
* Also, the person carrying water in the city, whom the apostles were told to follow to the home where they would prepare the Passover, was a man.
Carrying water was generally a woman’s work, but the Essenes were celibate.
* And there is no mention of them eating lamb (which were not allowed to be slaughtered in the Temple until the day celebrated by the Temple Jews).
If all of this is true, it allowed Jesus to die on Passover, with the first lamb slaughtered by the high priest in the temple, in fulfillment of prophecy.
And here is a gem that none of the Gospel writers picked up on (Paul later did):
Regardless which day of the week that Nisan 14/15 fell on, which varied, according to the Law the following Sunday must begin the Festival of First Fruits (Feast of Weeks) which began the counting of 50 days to Pentecost. This particular year, Nisan 14/15 fell on Friday, which made Sunday the third day later. Jesus rose on the the third day, which was the first day of the Festival of First Fruits. Fifty days later was Pentecost.
Tradition held that the first Pentecost was when Moses came down from the mountain and found the Israelites making a golden calf. According to the scripture, he threw down the stone tablets and ordered the Levites to slaughter the idolatrous Jews. It says that 3000 died on that day.
On the last Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus death, when the spirit was poured out, it says 3000 were saved.
Paul later wrote that the Law kills but the spirit gives life (words to that effect).
Sorry it was so long, but it’s fascinating stuff for bible study.
~Binadub
