Wedding Pattern in Bible Holydays (2)

This Part 2 is the continuation and conclusion to “Wedding Pattern in Bible Holydays (1)”.  Part 1 should be read first.  Most of the symbolic material in Part 1 won’t be repeated here in Part 2.

This two-part topic is tying ancient Israel’s traditional wedding pattern for betrothal & marriage to the sequence of the Lord’s Old Testament (OT) holydays, and to New Testament (NT) writings.  We’re discussing their wedding customs, and typing them to Christ and His church.   

In the NT, Jesus portrays Himself figuratively as a Groom or bridegroom (Mk.2:20), and the church is His Bride.  In 2Co.11:2, Paul the apostle figuratively betroths the church/Bride to Christ.  (I’ll capitalize the words Groom and Bride when they refer to Christ marrying His church.)

There were seven annual God-ordained holy occasions for Israel.  Here’s a list of the Lord’s annual days and the time of year in which they occurred, from Leviticus 23:

Their sacred year began near the spring equinox of March 20.  Le.23:5 Passover was 14 days later, in early April.  v.6 Passover began the seven Days of Unleavened Bread.  v.15-16, 21 Pentecost/Shavúot occurred 50 days later, near June 1.  v.24 the Day of Trumpets/Shouting, Rosh Hashánah (“Beginning of the [civil] Year”, Ezk.40:1a), occurs near the autumnal equinox of September 21.  v.26-28 the Day of Atonement or Yom Kíppur fast is ten days later, around October 1.  v.33-36a the 7-day Feast of Tabernacles (FOT)/Sukkót/Booths began in October, five days after Yom Kippur.  v.36b the Last Great Day 8, called Shémini Atzerét, culminated the FOT.  (also see the topics “Days Israel Observed – God-Ordained” and “Feasts of the Lord and the Jews”.)

So far, in Part 1 we tied the traditional Jewish wedding pattern only to the OT sequence of Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost/Shavuot.  A shared cup of wine, to seal the betrothal or érusin, linked to Passover.  After the prospective groom went away to “prepare a place” for his betrothed at or near his father’s house (Jn.14:1-3), she would begin purifying herself.  That loosely ties to the Days of Unleavened Bread.  While the groom was away, he would send gifts to her.  That custom is reflected in Pentecost, when the gift of the Holy Spirit (HS) was given to the church/Bride, Ac.2:38 etc.  see Part 1.   

However, the betrothed groom & bride didn’t know the date of the actual wedding or nisúin.  It was for the father of the groom to decide when his son had the wedding chamber (húppah Strongs h2646, Hebrew) and house sufficiently prepared for her.  Only the father knows the time for his son/groom to come back for her!  Jesus said of His return in Mk.13:26, 32 “No one knows the day or hour, but My Father only”. 

{Sidelight: Paul said he was taught by Christ’s revelation (Ga.1:12).  Did Paul ever ask or wonder, ‘When are you coming back, Lord’?  If Paul did, he wasn’t told the date.  For that matter, none of the apostles knew the date.  Though in 2Pe.1:14, Peter knew he himself would soon die.  Mk.13:32 Jesus Himself didn’t know an exact date for His return; only Father God knows!  After Jesus’ resurrection, He told His disciples in Ac.1:5-7…it’s in His Father’s authority.  Those verses indicate that the date of Jesus’ coming was something He did not then know.  Israelites and saints, such as Peter, have kept fulfilling the number of their given days on earth, Ex.23:26b.  (However, as Jesus prophesied in Mk.13, Jerusalem & the temple were destroyed in 70 AD when Jesus ‘came’ as Judge, Ja.5:9b.)}

The betrothed Jewish bride would wait in faith that her groom will return and take her to the place he’d prepared.  He.11:1 “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.”  Though he was absent, she trusted that he would come for her!  We in the church too must maintain faith.

It’s said that ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’.  She may not have known him all that well.  Peter wrote of Jesus in 1Pe.1:8. “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you don’t see Him now, you believe in Him.”  The betrothed bride believed her groom would return to take her away.

Customarily the groom came at midnight!  Mt.25:1, 5-6 “In the middle of the night there was a shout, ‘Behold the groom! Come out to meet him.”  The shout would identify that her groom wasn’t a real thief stealthily intruding.  Mt.25:10-13 “Watch therefore, for you do not know the day or the hour.”  Lk.12:40 “Be you also ready, for the Son of Man comes at an hour when you think not.”  The groom usually would return at a late night-time hour.  But leading up to his return….

As the months elapsed with the groom absent, the bride would lie awake watching for him night after night.  Then she’d fall asleep!  Paul wrote the church in 1Th.5:1-2, 10 “You know the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. That whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.”

At last…her groom would come and ‘steal’ her away!  She’d been veiled since betrothal.

At betrothal, customarily the marriage contract or ketúbah was signed by two witnesses. cf. Re.11:3.  John the Baptizer was a witness for the Groom, Jesus (Jn.1:6-7, 15, 32).  Jn.3:26-29 John called himself the “friend of the Groom [bridegroom]”.  At the groom’s return, one of the two witnesses or the groom himself would shout (Mt.25:6).  Her family then knew he’s not a real thief on her father’s property!

1Th.4:16 “The Lord Himself [Jesus] will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.”  v.15 the saints who are alive shall not precede those who had “fallen asleep”.  That is, the saints who’d died precede those who will read Paul’s letter.  Jesus said in Jn.5:25, “An hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live”.  Deceased saints, “fallen asleep”, are taken away by Jesus the Groom.

This coming of the groom was typed by the Day of Trumpets/Shouting.  Le.23:24 Yom Téruah.  This holyday occurs on the 1^st day/new moon of the sacred 7^th month, 1 Tíshri.  They knew the season, but didn’t know whether the moon’s first visible crescent to mark the new month would appear on the 29^th or 30^th day of the old month.  Our Ancient Days: Yom Teruah “The day and the hour that no man knows.”  Jesus said in Mk.13:32, “But of that day and hour no one knows”.  Only the Groom’s Father.

Ancient Israel would watch…then a new moon sighting traditionally had to be confirmed by two witnesses.  The new moon is almost entirely dark.  It’s just a thin sliver.  cf. Mt.24:29-31 “…The moon will not give its light. Then they will see the Son of Man [Jesus] coming.”  The Day of Trumpets/Shouting was also known as the ‘Day of the Concealed Moon’, Yom Kéhseh, the ‘hidden day’.

Mal.4:2 “For you who fear My name, the Sun of righteousness [Christ] will arise with healing in His wings, and you will go forth.”  Jesus is here depicted by the Sun, and the moon’s first visible crescent too reflects the light of the Sun/Son!  Benson Commentary Mal.4:2 “Christ, who is fitly compared to the sun. The church is described as ‘clothed with the sun’, Re.12:1, adorned with graces communicated to her from Christ.”  Again, the groom while absent would send gifts to his betrothed bride.  (see Part 1.) 

{{Sidelight: The 1^st day of the 7^th month, Rosh HaShanah, was also known as the ‘Day of Remembrance’, Yom HaZíkaron (Le.23:24 memorial/zikarón h2146), as birthday of the world.  And as Yom HaDín, the ‘Day of Judgment’.  The sealing/execution of the judgment was then signified by Yom Kippur, ‘Day of Atonement’, occurring ten days later.  see the topic “Day of Atonement (2)”.  (Note: Also there are plural layers of meaning within the concept of Jesus’ Coming.)}}

It’s dark when the saints close their eyes in sleep or death!  A symbolic Day of Trumpets/Shouting is typed in 1Co.15:51-52. “We will not all sleep…for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible.”  Although it wasn’t known exactly when the first sliver of the moon will be visible, the very ill and those advanced in age know that death is near.  (ref 2Pe.1:14 Peter, 2Ti.4:6 Paul.)

Again, the Groom comes in the night for His Bride.  Then she will no longer reside in her father’s house.  Ps.45:10-11 Septúagint “Hear, daughter. Forget your people and your father’s house. Because the King has desired your beauty.”  When the Father of the Groom decided, He would send His Son to take the Bride from her childhood home (earth).  Paul the aged said of himself in Php.1:23, “To depart and be with Christ is much better”.  SSol.2:10 “Arise, My darling, come away with Me.”  She is veiled. 

With a procession, the bride was taken to the huppah bridal canopy, at/near his father’s house.  The ketubah marriage contract was read at a night ceremony.  Customarily included in the reading was Ps.118:26 (Mt.21:9). “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”  The contract was given to the bride by the groom or by the two witnesses.  (see Joel 2:16 for more groom/bride/huppah language.) 

Is.61:10 the groom decks himself with ornaments and the bride is adorned with jewels.  Gill Exposition Is.61:10 “A bridegroom puts on the best clothes he has on his wedding day.” 

Now her veil is removed.  At the wedding nisuin…the bride and groom finally stand face-to-face! 

Ge.32:24, 29-30 “Jacob said, ‘I have seen God face to face, yet I am still alive.”  Traditionally, Jacob saw the face of Christ the Messenger of YHVH on Yom Kipper.  ltradio.org “Face-to-face’ is an idiom for the Day of Atonement.”  Only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, did Israel’s High Priest dimly come face-to-face with the mercy seat of Christ (Le.16:2), amid smoke in the Most Holy Place.    

The typological Day of Atonement (At-One-ment) holyday was the 10^th day of the 7^th month, 10 Tishri.  (It follows Rosh HaShanah.)  Ge.2:24 a husband and wife become one flesh; they become figuratively as one.  Paul wrote of the espoused church/Bride in 1Co.13:12, “Now we see dimly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.”  When the Bride is face-to-face with Jesus, she then really gets to know the Groom!   

David wrote in Ps.17:15, “I shall behold Thy face in righteousness”.  Behold the face of the Lord.  The disciple John wrote in 1Jn.3:2b, “We will see Him as He really is”.  The Groom/Son of God.  SSol.6:3 “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.”  v.3-9 represents a type of Christ and His gifted Bride(s).

After the wedding, the bride and groom would spend 7 days in the wedding chamber or booth.  Only then was the marriage consummated!  (They’d been apart from the betrothal date until he came for her.)  Laban spoke of his daughter to his son-in-law Jacob in Ge.29:27, “Complete the week of this one”.  Jdg.14:17 Samson was with his new bride for 7 days. 

Weddings were often held either in June or near the 7-day Feast of Booths in the 7^th month, after the Day of Atonement.  The 7 days in the canopied huppah or chamber is typed by the FOT/Booths. 

A wedding was a big celebration!  Mt.22:9-11 guests were expected to wear attire customarily suitable.  A wedding feast was held (cf. Ge.29:21-22, Jdg.14:12).    

The marriage feast for Jesus and His Bride(s) culminates at His Father’s house in heaven.  Re.19:1, 7-9 “I heard a loud voice of a multitude in heaven. The marriage of the Lamb [Jesus] has come and His Bride has made herself ready. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”  

After the celebratory wedding feast, the couple would go to their new home, usually built at/near the house of the groom’s father.  They hope to live ‘happily ever after’.

The 8th Day Shemini Atzeret was the next day (22 Tishri), immediately following the FOT.  That ends God’s sacred holydays for the year.  That day is thought to foreshadow the new heaven and the new earth.  (Note: There were some traditional variations in wedding custom details and typologies.)

After Christ’s marriage feast of Re.19…Re.21:1 “I saw a new heaven and a new earth.”  The Bride(s) will live forever with her/(their) Husband, the Lord Christ.  (see “Polygyny – Lawful in God’s Eyes?”.)

And for those presently alive on this earth, Re.22:17 “The Spirit and the Bride say come”.  All should believe in Jesus for salvation!

Few of us know in advance the total number of our days/years.  But elderly saints and the terminally ill are closer to completing their days here.  Then they, and eventually we too, will close our eyes for the last time, as have all the saints who went before. 

We anticipate then becoming part of that great cloud of witnesses who preceded us!  He.12:1, 22-24 “We have a great cloud of witnesses. The general assembly and church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and Jesus.”  cf. Ec.12:7.  (1Co.15:44 we too will have a spiritual body.  see “Life and Death – for Saints” and “Rebirth to Physical Life”.)

In OT times, the Lord was the figurative Husband of ancient Israel, Je.3:14.  (see “Jesus Was the Old Testament God”.)  His name YHVH was engraved upon the mitre plate on the high priest’s forehead, Ex.28:36-38.  Re.22:4 then we shall see His face and His name shall be in our foreheads.  A bride is given the name of her husband.    

The ancient wedding typology presents a beautiful and meaningful picture!  Only Father God knows when to say to His Son, ‘The hour has come, go get your Bride’.  At the time we take our final breath, may each of us be ready.

 

Wedding Pattern in Bible Holydays (1)

Marriage is ordained by God.  Ge.2:18 “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a suitable companion to help him.”  Adam & Eve were husband & wife.  A relationship between Christ & ancient Israel and Christ & the church is that of a figurative husband & wife(s).    

Christ the Lord, in type, had married His people Old Testament (OT) Israel.  Je.31:32 “I was a husband to them’, declares the Lord.”  In the New Testament (NT), Jesus referred to Himself as a Groom or bridegroom.  Mk.2:20 “Jesus said, ‘The days will come when the Groom will be taken away from them.”  Jn.3:29 Jesus’ cousin John the Baptizer called himself the “friend of the Groom/bridegroom [Jesus]”.  (I’ll capitalize the words Groom and Bride when they refer to Christ marrying His church.)

Christ, as spiritually joined to Christians, used marriage symbolism.  2Co.11:2 Paul the apostle said, he figuratively “betrothed you [the church] to one Husband, like a pure Bride chosen only for Christ”.  Jesus spiritually marries His church.  Paul wrote in Ep.5:31-32, “A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. This mystery is profound, in regards to Christ and the church.”

Ancient Israel’s wedding model for betrothal & marriage can be seen from the Lord’s OT holydays and NT writings.  This topic discusses Israel’s wedding customs, and types them to Christ and the church.

Archaeologists have found evidence of Jewish wedding customs.  My Jewish Learning: Ancient Jewish Marriage “At the beginning of the 20^th century, an actual Jewish marriage record during the period from the return of the Babylonian exile was discovered – the oldest marriage contract in Jewish history.”  The wedding pattern of Bible times adds symbolic meaning to scripture and God’s holydays.

There were seven annual God-ordained holy occasions for Israel.  Here’s a list of the Lord’s annual days and the time of year in which they occurred, from Leviticus 23:

Their sacred year began near the spring equinox of March 20.  Le.23:5 Passover was 14 days later, in early April.  v.6 Passover began the 7 Days of Unleavened Bread.  v.15-16, 21 Pentecost/Shavúot occurred 50 days later, near June 1.  v.24 the Day of Trumpets/Shouting, Rosh Hashánah (“Beginning of the [civil] Year”, Ezk.40:1a), occurs near the autumnal equinox of September 21.  v.26-28 the Day of Atonement or Yom Kíppur fast is ten days later, around October 1.  v.33-36a the 7-day Feast of Tabernacles (FOT)/Sukkót/Booths began in October, five days after Yom Kippur.  v.36b the Last Great Day 8, called Shémini Atzerét, culminated the FOT.  (also see the topics “Days Israel Observed – God-Ordained” and “Feasts of the Lord and the Jews”.)

We’ll tie the annual sequence of holydays to ancient Israel’s traditional wedding model.  In the model, the Day of Trumpets/Shouting, Yom Kippur, and the FOT are addressed in Part 2 of this topic. 

Jesus, the Son of God the Father, portrayed Himself as a Groom.  Again, the NT church is the Bride (2Co.11:2).  Ro.7:2-4 Paul showed that the church is to be “joined” or Married to the ascended Christ.            

In the ancient Near East, the father of the groom would choose or obtain a bride for his son.  The father of the groom would go to the house of the father of the bride to begin the arrangements.  Ge.24:4 father Abraham sent his servant to the old country to bring back a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac.

Ge.34:4-6 the young man Shechém wanted Jacob’s daughter Dinah.  Shechem asked his father Hamór to make arrangements for their marriage.  Hamor then went to Jacob to discuss the matter.  

Jdg.14:1-7 Samson saw a young Philistine woman in Timnáth and wanted her.  He asked his father and mother to get her as a wife for him.  The three of them went to Timnath to make the arrangements.

The father of the groom (or the groom himself) and the father of the bride were often the matchmakers.  A bride didn’t do the initial choosing, but she’d give consent to the proposed match (cf. Ge.24:58).  A mutual commitment or shíddukin between the bride & groom then led to a formal betrothal or érusin.

When the groom’s father (or the groom) went to the house of the chosen bride’s father, they arranged a binding marriage contract or ketúbah. (cf. Tobit 7:14.)  It set the conditions of the marriage covenant. 

Customarily two witnesses would sign the ketubah contract (cf. Re.11:3).  Jn.1:6-7, 32 John the Baptizer (Elijah, Mt.11:13-14) was a witness for Jesus.  Jn.1:15 “John bore witness of Him.”  Jn.3:26, 29 John, as witness for Jesus, called himself the “friend of the Groom”.  A modern counterpart may be the ‘best man’.  (For Christ’s marriage to OT Israel, Moses was traditionally the ‘friend/witness of the Bride’.  Mt.17:3 the two witnesses, Moses and Elijah, were seen in the Transfiguration.)

The prospective bride was a productive member of her father’s household.  Her marriage will result in a loss of labor/income for the household.  So a bride price or móhar was determined, and then paid to her father/family.  It could be items of gold or silver money, or service.  Ge.24:53 precious things were given to Rebekah’s family to ‘purchase’ her for Isaac.  Ge.29:20 Jacob served Rachel’s father Laban for 7 years, as her bride price.  A free wife brought a dowry into the marriage, a bond wife didn’t.  Ge.29:24, 29 some Bible interpreters view the maids Zilpah & Bilháh as the dowry of Leah & Rachel.

Shared cups of wine (or bírkat érusin) confirmed that her bride price was accepted by the groom, and sealed the betrothal, the erusin.  Commonly the betrothed groom was age 16-20, the bride age 13-16.

In this imagery, Father God is both the Father of the Groom (Jesus) and the Father of the Bride (the church).  Father God is the Father of all, of everyone, including Jesus. 

Jesus the man was Jewish, from the tribe of Judah (He.7:14).  This Groom came to earth, the home of the Bride(s).  Jesus’ heavenly Father chooses us as a Bride for His Son.  Ep.1:3-4 “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…chose us.”  The elect (Brides) then consent to the future Marriage.  1Jn.4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us.”  Father God, as Father of the Bride, gives His elect to Jesus.

The Bride was purchased.  Ep.1:14 KJV the Bride is Jesus’ “purchased possession”.  Paul wrote of the church in 1Co.6:20, “You have been bought with a price”.  This Bride price was exceedingly costly!    

This Bride price was the Groom’s lifeblood!  1Pe.1:18-19 the price wasn’t “perishable things like silver or gold, but the precious blood of Christ”.  At Jesus’ final Passover meal, His Last Supper, Jesus took a cup of wine and said to His disciples in Lk.22:20, “This is the new covenant in My blood”.

The New Covenant (marriage) agreement was made at Passover in Jerusalem.  This was the 1^st holy occasion of the sacred year.  It occurred on 14/15 Abíb, the 1^st month.  Traditionally, the groom drank from a cup of wine.  If the chosen bride accepted His offer, she then drank from the cup.  Their action sealed the marriage covenant.  Although the Lord hadn’t commanded wine at Passover, wine was added as a traditional custom in the Roman Empire.  The Talmud Pesachim tract about Passover rituals, “They should not give [a man] less than four cups of wine”.  Jesus and His chosen disciples drank the cup.    

A betrothal was thus sealed.  Betrothal was viewed as marriage, unconsummated.  It could be annulled only if he gave her a legal certificate of divorce (De.24:1), traditionally called a “get”.  Mt.1:18-20 Joseph’s betrothed Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit; initially he wanted to divorce her.

After the betrothal ceremony and the mohar or bride price paid, the groom would return to his father’s house for an indefinite time (even up to two years).  At or near his father’s house, the groom would prepare an addition or home for his bride.  Some Israelites lived in cluster homes with a courtyard.  Also the groom would build there the wedding chamber, the húppah (Strongs h2646, Hebrew).  

Jn.14:1-3 was the promise commonly spoken by Jewish grooms after betrothal, “I go to prepare a place for you”!  Jesus the (resurrected) Groom then went to His Father’s house.  Jn.20:17 “I ascend to My Father and your Father.”  God is Father of the Groom and Bride both.  Jn.14:2-3 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. I will come back and take you to be with Me.”  Jesus promised to come back for His Bride and take her to the place He’s prepared for her in the heavenlies, where His Father dwells.

The betrothed bride, now veiled, begins to purify herself.  Est.2:12 Esther’s beautification process to prepare her for the king consisted of one year of oils & fragrant spices.  Is.1:18 “Says the Lord, ‘Though your sins were as scarlet, they will be white as snow.”  SSol.4:7 “You are altogether beautiful my love, and there is no blemish in you.”  The Bride/church is portrayed as purified, clothed in pure white linen.  Re.19:7-8 the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints, those invited to the marriage.

This cleansing process of the bride is loosely typed by the Days/Feast of Unleavened Bread (which began at Passover).  Paul wrote in 1Co.5:7-8, “Cleanse out the old leaven, even as you are unleavened. For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us. Let us therefore keep the feast, not with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with unleavened sincerity and truth.”  Sin can spread in a person’s life.  Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary: Leaven “Here, leaven symbolizes sin that defiles the believer.”  The Bride is to put out sin and pride which puffs us up, as leaven.

While betrothed, the groom and bride lived separately.  After the groom returned to his father’s house to prepare the place for his bride, he would customarily send gifts to her.  Jesus told His disciples in Jn.16:7, “It is to your advantage that I go away”.  After Jesus paid the Bride price (His lifeblood!), He ascended to His Father in heaven.  Ep.4:8 “When He ascended on high…He gave gifts to humanity.” 

The bride’s mother would teach her the wifely responsibilities.  Mother and daughter usually would become closer during this time while the groom is absent. 

Jesus, in heaven, now sends the Holy Spirit (HS) or Comforter to His betrothed Bride.  Ac.2:1, 4 at the Pentecost following Jesus’ ascension, the gift of the HS was sent to the Bride.  Ac.2:38-39 at Pentecost Peter proclaimed, “Repent and be baptized, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”.  Paul wrote of spiritual gifts to the church.  1Co.12:4 “There are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.”  1Co.12:7-11 Paul then lists several gifts of the HS which are distributed to the church/Bride(s).  Like a good mother, the indwelling HS teaches & leads Christians while our betrothed Lord is away in heaven.

This gift-giving was typified by Pentecost, which occurred near June 1^st, 50 days or so after Passover.

However, the groom and bride didn’t know the date of the actual wedding or nisúin.  It was for the father of the groom to decide when his son had the huppah wedding chamber & house sufficiently prepared for the bride.  Only the father knows the proper time for the son/groom to return to get his bride!  Jesus said of His return in Mk.13:26, 32 “No one knows the day or hour, but My Father only”.

The betrothed bride would wait in faith that her groom will return and take her to the place he’d prepared.  He.11:1 “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.”  Her longing and anticipation would grow.  Though he was absent, she trusted that he would come for her!  Likewise, we in the church are to keep the faith (Col.1:2-4); we continue to trust Jesus…as we wait.

The topic is continued and concluded in “Wedding Pattern in Bible Holydays (2)”.  Part 2 links ancient Israel’s wedding model to the latter four God-ordained holy occasions of the sacred year.

Doctrinal Disunity Impacts Evangelism (2)

This Part 2 is the continuation and conclusion to “Doctrinal Disunity Impacts Evangelism (1)”.  Part 1 should be read first.

There are presently more than 2.2 billion Christians worldwide.  But they are divided into more than 40,000 denominations, sects, or groups!  Disunity within Christendom not only divides the body of Christ, but the perception of Christian disunity also hinders evangelism both here and abroad.

Answers.com How Many Christian Denominations Are There? “Different people have different beliefs in Christianity. Unfortunately, those differences lead to divisions. God requires unity. Jesus’ last prayer was for His disciples to remain united (John 17). The Lord never intended for His church to be divided into competing groups teaching different doctrines. The Lord is not the Lord of confusion. Much of Christianity has been polluted by other false pagan religions, which has led to differing beliefs and unscriptural practices which has caused them to break apart.”  Unscriptural practices cause division!

The apostle Paul exhorted Titus in Ti.2:7, “Be an example of good works, with soundness in doctrine”.

The question was posed: What if all Christian beliefs and practices were based on scriptural doctrine, with no pagan or contradicting unscriptural practices based on man’s traditions that cause disunity?

Most Christian churches make the claim that their beliefs, teachings and practices are based on the Holy Bible.  The late Dr. Myles Munroe wrote in 2008, “The Bible is the Constitution of the Kingdom of God”.  Pastor Benny Hinn says, “The Holy Spirit authored the Bible”.  That’s the written scriptures.

The inspired word of God, the holy scriptures of the Bible, is the true standard for our faith!  1Ti.4:13 Paul told Timothy to do public reading of Old Testament (OT) scriptures in church.  The written word of God is the basis, the foundation, of true knowledge…unlike various dogmatic traditions of men.

Our topic is addressing four points of Bible doctrine which impact Christian unity and evangelism.  Part 1 addressed two causes of disunity…controversy concerning #1) Clean vs Unclean and #2) Blood.  (also see the topics “Unclean versus Clean Food” and “Acts 15 – Four Prohibitions”.)  Now in Part 2, we’ll address two other causes of disunity, #3) and #4), also pertaining to doctrine.

#3) 7^th DAY SABBATH rest:  There’s been much controversy in the church over whether Christians should keep the 7^th day sabbath of scripture, or the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and Protestant Sunday of tradition, or neither.  Let’s see what the scriptures reveal.

The 7^th day sabbath has its beginnings at Creation.  The Holy Spirit and Christ, the Spirit and the Word, are the Creators (ref Ge.1:1-2, 26; Jb.33:4; Jn.1:1-3; Col.1:16), being the divine agents of Father God.   

When Creation was finished, Christ ceased (shabáth Strongs h7673, Hebrew verb) or rested.  Ge.2:1-3 “By the 7^th day God finished His work which He had done, and He ceased on the 7^th day. Then God blessed the 7^th day and sanctified it, because in it He ceased from all His work which He had created and made.”  Although the first six days were all good, only the 7^th Day did Christ bless and sanctify or make holy!  This is the great prototype of the weekly 7^th day sabbath, an intermission dedicated to God.

The 7^th day sabbath is a sign which identifies God as the Creator of all.  No other day of the week so reflects God as Creator.  By resting on the 7^th day, the believer shows that his God is the Creator.  We may choose to rest or worship God on other days too.  But as Lord of the 7^th day sabbath, Christ ordained at creation (when there were no Jews!) the 7^th day as holy or sanctified…and no other day of the week.  And throughout the Bible, Christ nowhere rescinded His 7^th day as holy time!

“Sabbath” is a holy day/period of cessation from certain activities.  JFB Commentary Ge.2:3 “The institution of the Sabbath is as old as creation.”  Benson Commentary Ge.2:3 “God blessed the seventh day’. He…separated it from common use…that it should be spent in His worship. It appears evidently by this, that the observation of the sabbath was not first enjoined when the law [Mosaic] was given, but it was an ordinance of God from the creation of the world.”

Theóphilus, bishop of Antioch (175 AD) To Autolýcus 2:12 “The 7^th day, which all men acknowledge.”  The 7^th day rest time is universal, from Ge.2:3.  Not Sunday, not any other day of the week is holy.

RCC Archbishop James Gibbons wrote in The Faith of Our Fathers, 1876, p.89 “You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.”

Irish RCC Father Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism, 1851, p.174 “She [RCC] substituted the observance of Sunday the 1^st day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the 7^th day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.”  The RCC admits the RCC made the change!  Christ didn’t.

Jesuit Father Martin J. Scott, Things Catholics Are Asked About, 1927, p.136 “Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday. The Church…instituted, by God’s authority, Sunday as the day of worship.”  These RCC admissions are surprising!?  Also non-RCC:

Evangelist Dwight L. Moody, Weighed and Wanting, p.47 “The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. This 4^th commandment begins with the word ‘remember’, showing that the Sabbath already existed when God wrote the law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away when they will admit the other nine are still binding?”

Methodist theologian Harris F. Rall Christian Advocate, 1942, p.26 “The matter of Sunday…There are indications in the New Testament [NT] how the church came to keep the first day of the week as its day, but there is no passage telling Christians to keep that day, or transfer the Jewish Sabbath to that day.”

Pulpit Commentary 1Co.16:2 “This verse can hardly be said to imply any religious observance of the Sunday.”  Cambridge Bible Ga.4:10 “There is clearly no exemption here from the obligation of the observance of ‘the 7^th day’. The law of the Sabbath…is as old as the Creation.”

Adam Clark Commentary Co.2:16 “There is no intimation here that the Sabbath was done away, or that its moral use was superseded, by the introduction of Christianity. ‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy’, is a command of perpetual obligation.”  JFB Commentary Col.2:16 “The weekly sabbath rests on a more permanent foundation, having been instituted in Paradise to commemorate the completion of Creation in six days.”  And Jesus Himself, the Creator in the flesh, observed the sabbath day (Lk.4:16).

Lutheran August Neander, The History of the Christian Religion and Church, p.186 “The festival of Sunday, was always only a human ordinance, and it was far from the intentions of the apostles to establish a Divine command in this respect…to transfer the laws of the Sabbath to Sunday.”  Jesus’ apostles didn’t try to change the 7^th day sabbath.  The NT never says Sunday is the church or gentiles’ sabbath, in the manner that Saturday is sabbath holy time.  It shouldn’t be about gentiles vs Jews racism!

Anglican priest and scholar Joseph Bingham, Antiquities of the Christian Church “The ancient Christians were very careful in the observation of Saturday, or the 7^th day. It is plain that all the Oriental churches, and the greatest part of the world, observed the Sabbath as a festival. Epíphanius says the same.” (v.2, b.20, ch.3, sec 1, 66)  “Athanásius says: They met on the Sabbath, not because they were infected with Judaism, but to worship Jesus, the Lord of the sabbath.” (b.13, ch.9, sec 3.)  The 7^th day sabbath and its observance long predates Judaism.

Many other reputable theologians say the 7^th day sabbath is holy time, unchanged by God since Creation.  (see “Sabbath 7^th Day” series, and “Sabbath Day Became Sunday in Rome” for man’s steps of change.)

Christ said in Ex.20:8, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy”.  Since it was holy at Creation.

The customary practice of setting aside Sunday as the day of Christian worship is man’s tradition.  But some Christians have rightly viewed God’s word, not the traditions of men, as the true authority!  Church traditions have divided Christ’s body.  Jesus accused the Pharisees in Mk.7:8-9, “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men”.  The Pharisees were popular.  Yet Jesus was against their wrong traditional dogmatic views (and their burdensome minutiae of sabbath observance).

The RCC Sunday tradition is a form of Phariseeism.  And most Christians ignore Christ’s holy time that has come & gone every 7^th day since Creation…to keep the RCC (and ensuing Protestant) tradition.  Dr. Dave Miller Unbelief and a Divided Christendom “When people introduce personal creeds, human interpretations, and religious additions to God’s doctrine, disunity inevitably results.”

Sabbath is cessation, rest.  Even most of those who customarily attend church on Sunday don’t really rest on that day.  We want Jews to be converted to Christ.  But mainstream Christianity appears false to them.  Christians eat the unclean (unlike Jews and many Muslims), and don’t fully rest (on Sunday) as religious Jews rest on Saturday.  Christian efforts at evangelism are thereby hindered.

There’s a health benefit too in sabbath rest.  The need for rest every 7 days is built into our human bodies, as Christ created us.  Wikipedia: Circaseptan “A circaseptan rhythm is a cycle consisting of 7 days in which many biological processes of life evolve.”  Several of our bodily processes and defenses reset approximately every 7 days.  For example: Immune response to infections, blood & urine chemicals, blood pressure, heartbeat, coping hormones.  (ref Erhard Haus Chronobiology in the Endocrine System.)

Mankind’s body clock is ticking to the ‘beat of 7’…we can’t annul it!  But we can violate it by not resting every 7 days.  Jesus said in Mk.2:27-28, “The sabbath was made for man”.  He’s the Creator of it; and He knows our physical and spiritual needs.  (I’m not Seventh Day Adventist.)

#4) FEASTS observance:  Some minority groups today think Christians should observe the OT pilgrim feasts which the Lord gave to ancient Israel…Passover, Péntecost/Shavúot, Booths/Tabernacles/Sukkót.

Scriptural guidelines regarding #1) Clean vs unclean, #2) Blood, #3) 7^th Day Sabbath rest…are seen in Genesis before there was ever a nation of Israel or Jews or the Mosaic Law.  But not so with the Feasts.  Unlike the weekly sabbath rest day of Ge.2:1-3, there were no pilgrim feasts prior to Moses.

The three pilgrim feasts of Israel were to be kept only at the location where God placed His Name, the site of the physical tabernacle/temple sanctuary.  De.16:5-6 “You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of the towns which the Lord your God is giving you, but at the place where the Lord chooses to establish His name.”  ref also De.12:5, 14, 17-18, 26, 14:23-25, 16:1-2, 10-11, 15-16, concerning keeping pilgrim feasts in that one place only.  God’s one place was in the Holy Land, not elsewhere in other nations!  The timing of the feasts was based on the agricultural cycle in Israel.

God’s people were to keep the feasts solely at the city where the sanctuary was, never at two or more locations simultaneously!  (see the topics “Feasts of the Lord and the Jews” and “Ark of the Testimony – Journeys”.)

Neither in the OT nor in the NT do we read of people, with or without the Holy Spirit, keeping pilgrim feasts in a town away from the environs of the central sanctuary in Israel where God had put His Name!  All NT passages about pilgrim feasts show them being kept only at Jerusalem, where the temple was.

Another of God’s requirements for keeping the ceremonial feasts was physical circumcision.  ref Ex.12:48, Ezk.44:9, Lam.1:10, Ac.21:28-29.  Uncircumcised gentiles weren’t allowed in the temple where the Passover and other pilgrim feasts were kept by circumcised Israelites/Jews & Jewish proselytes!  Outsiders could come no closer than the Court of the Gentiles.  (Note: Physical circumcision isn’t necessary for salvation.  see “Circumcision in the Bible” and “Passover and Peace Offerings”.)

G.J. Goldberg wrote, “With the destruction of the Temple, the pilgrimage festivals could no longer be observed in their prescribed forms.”  It’s impossible to really keep a scriptural pilgrim feast today!  For nearly 2,000 years, the required singular earthly sanctuary where God’s Name was…hasn’t existed!

Jews today do a ritual seder (‘order’) for a traditional retelling of ancient Israel’s exodus from Egypt.  But the seder isn’t an actual Passover feast (and isn’t meant to be), as the scriptures define Passover.  And 90% of Jews normally work during the pilgrim feast days of Sukkot/Booths and Shavuot/Pentecost.  Also, Muslims don’t keep these feasts.  (I’m not Jewish or Muslim.)

And in scripture, pilgrim feasts weren’t authorized to be kept just anywhere by people whose bodies are the temple of God via the Holy Spirit (1Co.3:16).  Without that one place available (Jerusalem temple), there was no lawful pilgrim feast!  Other simultaneous sites would be counterfeit pseudo-feasts.

In Ro.10:2, Paul wrote of those who “have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge”.  Although there are well-meaning ‘Hebrew roots’ groups and Christians who think they’re observing pilgrim feasts in other cities simultaneously…scripturally, such practice isn’t to be done (cf. 1Ki.12:32–13:5).

Christian groups who traditionally promote pilgrim feast-keeping today may pharisaically cause other Christians, who don’t claim to be observing pilgrim feasts, to feel less righteous or perhaps lacking in Bible understanding.  This harms the body of Christ and causes division.  And disunity is further caused by calendar differences even among the groups trying to promote and pinpoint the exact when for their pseudo-feast observances.  It is confusion.  (also see “Days Israel Observed – God-Ordained”.)

Concluding: The four scriptural points of doctrine addressed in Part 1 and Part 2…most (mainstream) churches rarely examine in-depth.  Yet these points contribute to our living a harmonious healthy life in Christ (Jn.10:10).  Perks of His Kingdom!  Jn.17:17 “Thy word is truth.”  That’s all the written scripture of the OT too.  Again, ref “Doctrinal Disunity Impacts Evangelism (1)”.  (for more on early evangelism, see the topic “Evangelism in the Apostolic Church”.)

I like to believe that, as time goes on, more of the church at large will honor these four points.  This will increase unity in Christendom.  A fractured Christianity has hindered evangelism.  Dr. Dave Miller op. cit. “Disunity confuses and discourages honest searchers of truth.”  Jn.17:11 Jesus prayed that His disciples would be unified, as one.  And this unity should contribute to furthering our evangelistic success…making Christians, Jews and Muslims more like-minded in these truths of God’s word.

As we and mankind learns the Lord’s principles of life (De.30:14-16), the church as a whole will benefit from less disunity and better (table) fellowship.  And when our days are fulfilled, we’ll live with Jesus in eternity!  Praise the Lord!

Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup? (2)

This topic was begun in “Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup? (1)”.  Part 2 here is the conclusion.

Part 1 identified the two most-used Hebrew Old Testament (OT) terms for “wine”…yáhyin (Strongs h3196) and tiroshé (h8492).  Yayin was fermented wine.  Tirosh usually referred to unfermented grape juice.  Tirosh is called “new wine” in many Bibles.  (Other terms for alcoholic drink were less-used.)

Part 1 also discussed the customary Jewish practice of using wine to celebrate Passover in 1^st century Jerusalem.  Jesus the man was Jewish, and He observed God’s annual Passover (Lk.2:41-42).

In the Greek New Testament (NT) and Greek OT Septúagint/LXX, the term for “wine” is oínos g3631.  It occurs 33 times in the NT.  However, yayin (fermented) and tirosh (unfermented) were both translated as oinos in the OT LXX!  No differentiation was made.  The context determined its meaning.

The NT writers didn’t identify the type of liquid in the “cup” at Jesus’ Last Supper.  “Cup” is potáyreeon g4221, occurring 33 times.  “Cup” as a drinking vessel is seen at the Lord’s Supper: Mt.26:27; Mk.14:23; Lk.22:17, 20; 1Co.10:16, 21, 11:25-28.  No beverage is specified (not oinos).

In Part 2 we’ll discuss uses, concerns, and symbolism of wine from the Bible; also when Christian churches started using grape juice in communion or the eucharist.  (Part 1 material won’t be repeated.)

In Bible times, wine (mixed with water) was used for other celebrations besides Passover.  Jn.2:1-11 Jesus’ first miracle was, He changed water into wine (oinos g3631) at a wedding celebration.  Probably His miracle wine was undiluted.  In Is.1:22, the Lord had negatively compared debased ancient Israel to pure wine diluted with water.  And Jesus didn’t change the Jn.2 water into grape juice.  Jn.2:10 after the guests had drank, they wouldn’t notice any quality difference if it was grape juice.  But they would notice a difference if it was wine.  Jesus wasn’t opposed to wine (in moderation)!

Lk.7:33-35 Jesus was exaggeratedly even called a glutton and a ‘wino’ (oinopótes g3630), a friend of tax collectors & sinners.  Winos drink fermented wine.  In contrast, John the Baptizer didn’t drink wine.

De.14:25-27 rejoicing with wine (h3196 yayin) to celebrate the Lord’s OT feasts was fine!  Included were Levites too.  But priests weren’t allowed to drink wine while on duty (Le.10:8-9; Ezk.44:21).

Wine symbolized Jesus’ blood!  The 19^th century German theologian Augustus Neander wrote of Jesus’ Last Supper (Lk.22:17-20). “The broken bread was to represent His body. The wine is to represent His blood, about to be shed for them.”  Got Questions: What is the Meaning of the Blood of Christ? “The pouring of wine in the cup symbolized the blood of Christ.”  Answers.com: What is the Symbolic Meaning of Wine? “Wine signifies blood and blood signifies life, ‘the life is in the blood’ (Lev.17:14).”

Fermented wine yayin h3196 (not unfermented tirosh h8492) was called the blood of grapes.  Ge.49:10-12 is a prophecy about the future King Messiah Jesus. “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until He comes to whom it belongs. He will wash His garments in wine [h3196], His robes in the blood of grapes.”  That’s meaningful.  Henry Commentary Ge.49:11 “He is the true Vine, wine is the appointed symbol of His blood.”  Poole Commentary “The ‘blood of grapes,’ so the wine is called in Deu.32:14.”  (De.32:14 has a less-used term for fermented red wine, chémer h2561-2.  Chemer wine was at the feast of Babylon’s King Belshazzár in Da.5:1-4, e.g.)

Wine also symbolized God’s divine wrath.  Re.14:9-10 “If anyone worships the beast…he will drink of the wine [g3631] of the wrath of God, which is unmixed in the cup [g4221] of His anger.”  Pure wine of intoxication is in His metaphorical cup of judgment.  Barnes Notes Re.14:10 “Without being diluted with water.”  Re.16:19 “Babylon the great’ was remembered before God, to give her the cup [g4221] of the wine [g3631] of His fierce wrath.”  Also ref Ps.75:8; Is.51:17-22, 63:6; Je.25:15-ff; Ezk.23:31-33.

Is.63:1-6 symbolically reflects blood as the wine of His wrath, not as celebration.  v.6 “drunk”.  v.2 “winepress” (gath h1660) is somewhat a misnomer.  As grapes were pressed, it was grape juice, not wine, which flowed down the drain.  (Usually grapes in the upper vat/receptacle were trodden by a team; but interestingly, in v.3 only One solely does the treading.)

{Sidelight: Just before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, He prayed at a place called “Gethsemane”, g1068 (Mt.26:36).  It’s from the OT h1660 gath/winepress and h8081 oil, on the Mount of Olives.  The later olive harvest was perhaps pressed into the same vats as grapes were recently pressed.  Laura Reynolds “Why Are Olive Trees Planted Around Vineyards? “The two crops used a similar processing procedure. As wine press works ends, olive pressing begins.”  Lk.22:42-44 in agony, Jesus sweated drops of blood (cf. hematidrósis) at the place of the press.  Jesus Himself felt so pressed, shedding His blood for us!}

Ex.29:38-42 the twice-daily sacrifice at God’s tent of meeting included a drink offering of fermented wine (yayin h3196).  The drink offering wasn’t grape juice!  In Nu.28:7 this drink offering is called “strong drink” (shekár h7941).  Also see Le.23:13.  ATS Bible Dictionary: Drink Offering “A small quantity of wine, part of which was poured on the sacrifice, and the residue given to the priests.”  It was part of the sacrificial system, prefiguring Christ’s blood sacrifice.

This drink offering libation of wine was poured out (cf. Ezr.7:17), as was Jesus’ shed blood (Jn.19:34; Lk.22:44).  Jesus said in Lk.22:20, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood”.  (The apostle Paul also compared his own life to a drink offering poured out, Php.2:17, 2Ti.4:6.)

1Ch.9:29 Levites had charge over the fermented wine (h3196) kept in the temple.  The tirosh h8492 grape juice firstfruits initially tithed to the Levites (Nu.18:12; De.18:4; Ne.10:37) fermented into wine.

Again, there were restrictions for wine-drinking placed upon Aaron and his sons (the priests).  Priests weren’t allowed to serve God in the tabernacle/temple if they’re intoxicated!  Is.28:7 priests and prophets erred through their misuse of wine (h3196) and strong drink (h7941).  1Ti.3:8 deacons in the NT church aren’t to be heavy drinkers.  (Paul advised only a little wine for Timothy, 1Ti.5:23.)

Jewish Christian historian Alfred Edersheim wrote of Jesus’ Last Supper, held in a large furnished upper room of a house (Lk.22:12).  There Jesus instituted the eucharist.  The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, p.809 “Peter and John would find there the wine for the four cups, the cakes of unleavened bread, and probably also ‘the bitter herbs’. The wine was…red, mixed with water, generally in the proportion of one part to two of water.”  Peter, John, and Jesus the man were Jews, here at Passover.

David Stern Jewish New Testament Commentary [JNTC] Lk.22:17a, p.144 “Luke is the only one of the four [gospel] writers describing the establishing of the New Covenant who mentions both a cup of wine before the meal (here) and another after (v.20).”  Wine-drinking was customary at the Lord’s feasts.

The ingathering of the grape harvest occurred in the later summer, prior to the Feast of Ingathering or Booths of the early autumn.  Back then it was something of an ordeal to preserve pure grape juice for 7 months until the Passover next spring!  Joe Thorn A Theology of Wine “Drinking wine was normative.”

However, it was possible to maintain unfermented grape juice (albeit more difficult).  Wayne Jackson Was the Fruit of the Vine Fermented? “It is known from ancient sources, that there were ways of preserving juice, thus preventing fermentation. The ancient Roman statesman, Cato, said: ‘If you wish to have ‘must’ (grape juice) all year, put grape juice in an amphora [narrow-necked jar] and seal the cork with pitch; sink it in a fish pond. After 30 days take it out. It will be grape juice for a whole year.’ (De Agri Cultura CXX)”  Steve Shirley Should Wine or Grape Juice Be Used For Communion? “Heating it [juice] to 150–180° would result in a syrup which could be diluted with water, then drank as unfermented grape juice. Also, keeping it in temperatures below 40° would prevent fermentation.”

Which beverage was used by the church?  Jennifer Tait New Wine, New Wineskins “The early Western church maintained the use of wine and unleavened bread. The Eastern church soon began to use leavened bread. From the 16^th until the 19^th century, the majority of Protestants communed using wine from a common cup and leavened bread. However, in the 19^th century, temperance became teetotalism or total abstinence, moving all alcohol (wine included) into the list of forbidden beverages. Many began to question why a beverage considered dangerous to drink was still used on the Communion table.”

Joe Iovino Methodist History: Controversy, Communion, & Welch’s Grape Juice “In the 1800s, churches faced a dilemma. To combat the epidemic of alcoholism, the temperance movement advocated total abstinence from all alcohol. Raw grape juice stored at room temperature (home refrigerators weren’t available until 1913) naturally ferments into wine. This caused a problem for congregations [taking the Lord’s Supper] not wanting to use anything containing alcohol. ‘Lots of churches just didn’t have communion when grapes were out of season,’ reports Roger Scull.”

Welch Foods, Inc. is named for Thomas Bramwell Welch (1825-1903).  He was a dentist, Methodist minister and “communion steward”, and Prohibitionist.  Wikipedia “In 1869, Welch invented a method of pasteurizing grape juice so that fermentation was stopped, and the drink was non-alcoholic. He persuaded local churches [in Vineland, NJ] to adopt this non-alcoholic ‘wine’ for communion services, calling it ‘Dr. Welch’s Unfermented Wine.”  It became the well-known Welch’s Grape Juice in 1893.

Thus pasteurization made it possible for churches to use grape juice year-round for the Lord’s Supper eucharist.  Most Protestant churches today use grape juice when serving communion.  Over the past 150 years, this relatively recent deviation from the practice of Bible times has become their church tradition.

However, there is evidence that Jewish religious bread and wine meals were held to honor the Messiah in the decades even prior to Jesus’ human birth and His Last Supper.  JNTC Appendix, p.931 says the Jewish community at Qumrán had regular meals in honor of the Messiah, who they expected soon.  Quoting their Dead Sea Scrolls: “When they gather for the Community table…let no man stretch out his hand over the bread and wine before the priest. He shall first stretch out his hand. And afterwards the Messiah of Israel shall stretch out His hands. They shall process according to this rite at every meal where at least ten persons are assembled.”  These were frequent meals.

These Qumran Community meals weren’t Passover meals!  Yet they partook of bread and wine, not grape juice, to honor the Messiah.  Jesus is the Messiah.  Traditionally, wine celebrated Him.

But the representative bread and wine is much more ancient than the 1^st century BC!  In Ge.14:18-19 “Melchisedek the king brought out bread and wine [yayin h3196]; He was priest of the Most High God.”  He served wine, not grape juice (tirosh h8492)!  He shared a (leavened?) bread and wine meal with the uncircumcised gentile/non-Jew Abrám.  The Ps.110:1-4 prophecy is about Jesus. “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedek.” (also see He.6:20.)

Jesus, the Priest-King, is of the order of Melchisedek (not of the in-between Levitical order)!  So way back in the days of father Abraham, even prior to Jacob/Israel and the Jews, a bread and wine meal foreshadowed Christ’s priesthood and rule.  This is significant…we are of the order of Melchisedek!  The archetypal meal wasn’t tied to a recurring religious date or season of the year, e.g. Passover.  Its timing may or may not coincide with other religious observances.  (see “Melchisedek Order Priesthood”.)

Pr.9:1-5 “Wisdom has built her house. She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine [h3196, fermented], she has set her table. ‘Come, eat of the bread and drink of the wine [h3196] I have mixed.”  It is wisdom to partake of (symbolic) bread and wine.  Melchisedek did so with Abraham.

In 1Co.11:20-34, drunkenness was a problem in the Corinthian church (v.21).  They were consuming too much wine while celebrating the eucharist at regular love feasts.  Drunkenness can have bad consequences (cf. Ge.9:20-27).  But wine-drinking in moderation is fine (except for Levites on duty).

To conclude…Jesus and His disciples drank wine with His Last Supper (Passover) meal.  International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [ISBE]: Wine “The wine of the Last Supper may be described in modern terms as sweet, red, fermented wine, rather highly diluted.”  Wine was in Jesus’ “cup”.

As a representation of Jesus’ blood and body, taking wine with bread is scripturally acceptable.  Joe Thorn The Lord’s Supper – Wine or Welch’s? “Regarding children, in most of the United States it is not illegal for children to consume alcohol ‘in the performance of a religious ceremony or service.”

However, conscience matters!  Je.35:5-8, 16-19 Jonadáb the son of Recháb commanded the Rechabites to be nomads, enduring hardship and abstaining from wine.  His descendants obeyed their forefather.  Some Christians abstain from wine, meat, card-playing, etc., as a matter of conscience or from fear of excess.  They only use grape juice, not wine, for communion.  We should respect their consciences.

Recovering alcoholics who become Christians, those with health problems and/or taking medications which could conflict with alcohol…should substitute grape juice for wine when taking communion.

Christians celebrate the Lord’s Supper with either wine or grape juice!  Over the years, I’ve used both.  (Again, the NT writers didn’t specify the beverage in the “cup” at Jesus’ Last Supper.)  When taking the eucharist, more important is our attitude of heart.  Yet division may occur when a perhaps well-meaning church custom/tradition becomes a modern form of pharisaic oral law and promotes exclusivism.  Jesus castigated the Pharisees for their oral traditions that contradicted OT scripture.

For more, see “Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup? (1)” and the separate topic “Bread and Wine in the Church”.  Also related is “Jesus’ Last Supper Timing”.

Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup? (1)

Bread and wine are symbols which represent the body and blood of Jesus the Savior.  The partaking of these symbols as the eucharist or communion in the early New Testament (NT) church is addressed in the topic “Bread and Wine in the Church”.  Little of the material covered in that topic is repeated here.

At Jesus’ Last Supper before His crucifixion, He instructed His disciples in the symbolic ceremony. Mt.26:26-28 “Jesus took some bread…and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body’. And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the [new] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”  This became the eucharist.

Accordingly, after Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection, in the 30s AD a communal sharing of consecrated bread and wine became a regular practice or sacramental rite at church gatherings.

However, there is controversy among church denominations (mostly since the 1800s AD) about what form of beverage should be in the communion “cup”.  This topic addresses the contents of Jesus’ “cup”.

Wikipedia: Sacramental Wine “The majority of mainstream liturgical churches require that sacramental wine be pure grape wine. In most liturgical rites, a small quantity of water is added to the wine when the chalice [cup] is prepared. However, some Christian churches disapprove of the consumption of alcohol, especially by children, and hold that it is acceptable to substitute grape juice for wine. These denominations include Pentecostals, Baptists, Methodists, some Churches of Christ, and other evangelical groups. In this case, generally only pasteurized grape juice is used. In some Protestant churches each communicant drinks from a small individual cup.”  Well-known liturgical churches using wine for communion are the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic.

What is wine?  Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s present definition of wine: “The alcoholic fermented juice of fresh grapes used as a beverage. From Latin vinum.”  If it’s unfermented, it’s not actual wine.

Steve Shirley Should Wine or Grape Juice Be Used For Communion? “Juice becomes fermented when yeast is added to it and it begins to break down the sugars that are present in the juice, producing carbon dioxide and alcohol. However, grape juice does contain small amounts of naturally occurring yeast, and can ferment naturally over time.”

In our Greek NT, “cup” is potáyreeon, Strongs g4221.  It occurs 33 times.  In the NT, cup g4221 refers to: a drinking vessel; or metaphorically, one’s lot or experience, joyous or adverse.  “Cup” as a drinking vessel is seen in: Mt.26:27; Mk.14:23; Lk.22:17, 20; 1Co.10:16, 21, 11:25-28.  What was in Jesus’ cup?

Wikipedia: History of Wine “Consumption of ritual wine was part of Jewish practice since Biblical times and, as part of the eucharist commemorating Jesus’ Last Supper, became even more essential to the Christian Church.”  Reid Mitenbuler What Did Wine Taste Like Thousands of Years Ago? “Priests, monks, and nuns cultivated vineyards to make wine an everyday drink in places where it hadn’t existed before.”  Christian religion actually promoted and increased the knowledge of wine (production)!

In the NT and Old Testament (OT) Septúagint/LXX, the Greek term for “wine” is oínos g3631.  It occurs 33 times in the NT.

In the OT, the most-used Hebrew term for fermented wine is yáhyin h3196.  It occurs 140 times.

But OT “wine” prior to the fermentation process, grape juice, is tiroshé h8492, occurring 38 times.  Tiroshe is translated as “new wine”, in many Bibles.  This “new wine” was unfermented, or less fermented.  Grape juice.  (A half dozen less-used Hebrew terms also relate to wine or alcoholic drink.)

Rex M.D. Russell What the Bible Says About Healthy Living “Some Biblical commentaries suggest that yayin is wine fermented from the previous year, and tirosh is a somewhat less fermented drink from the recent harvest. Others concede that yayin is a fermented and intoxicating beverage, but tirosh is simply freshly squeezed juice from grapes.”  (Ho.4:11 may indicate a fermented tirosh.)

Tirosh would naturally ferment into wine, unless (impractical) steps were taken to preserve it as juice.  Mitenbuler op. cit. “Preservation efforts are the most noticeable culinary difference between ancient and modern wine.”  Wine was a valued product of agriculture.  Let’s compare tirosh and yayin in the OT:

Pr.3:10 “Your vats [yéhqeb h3342] will overflow with new wine [tirosh h8492].”  Ellicott Commentary Pr.3:10 “Vats, into which the newly pressed [grape] juice flowed.”  ref “wine vat” in Mk.12:1.  Cambridge Bible Pr.3:10 “The wine-press of the Jews consisted of two receptacles or vats placed at different elevations; in the upper the grapes were trodden, while the lower one received the expressed [grape] juice.”  (cf. Joel 3:13 “The press [gath h1660] is full, the vats [h3342] overflow.”)  Unfermented grape juice, not wine, flowed from the “winepress” (so called).  Mic.6:15 ESV “You shall tread grapes [or new wine h8492], but not drink wine [h3196].”  Is.65:8 the Lord says new wine (h8492) is found in the cluster of grapes.  Fermented wine/yayin h3196 isn’t found in grapes.  Quora What is Tirosh? “It’s literally grape juice in Hebrew.”  However, word meanings in languages can change over the centuries.

University of Chicago Biblical Notes, 1891, p.181 “Tirosh and Yayin denote not two kinds of wine but the same wine at different stages, before and after fermentation. The juice of the grape is tithed as tirosh [ref 2Ch.31:4-5] but drunk as yayin. At first it is a simple product of husbandry and valued for the promise that is in it. Finally it is treated as a drink, and praised or condemned as it is used or abused.”

Right use of fermented wine can be of benefit.  Ps.104:15 “Wine [yahyin h3196] makes glad the heart of man.”  De.14:25-26 “Go to the place the Lord chooses. You may spend the money for…wine [h3196] or strong drink [h7941 shekár], or whatever your heart desires…and rejoice.”  God encouraged wine-drinking (in moderation) to aid Israel’s rejoicing at His pilgrim feasts.  In Is.25:6 KJV, the prophetic banquet the Lord prepares includes aged wine on the lees h8105 of yeast sediment (from fermentation).

The Jews mixed wine in their water.  2Mac.15:39 “It is hurtful to drink wine or water alone. Wine mingled with water is pleasant, and delights the taste.”  In Bible times, water by itself was often dirty, contaminated with pathogens.  Charles Swindoll Dirty Water, Prohibition, and the Bible “Pure drinking water was often unavailable.”  Mitenbuler op. cit. “Ancient wine provided valuable nutrients and was used to sanitize water well past the Middle Ages.”  Also, Israel would water down their wine.

Paul told Timothy in the NT, 1Ti.5:23 “No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine [oinos g3631] for your stomach’s sake and your frequent ailments”.  But excessive alcohol consumption could worsen ailments, and lead to drunkenness.  Paul also wrote, Ep.5:18 “Be not drunk with wine [g3631]”.  Due to its alcoholic content, drinking wine to excess can cause intoxication.  Moderation is key.

Professor R. Laird Harris wrote, “All the wine [of Bible times] was light wine, i.e., not fortified with extra alcohol. Concentrated alcohol was only known in the Middle Ages when the Arabs invented distillation (‘alcohol’ is an Arab word) so…20% fortified wines were unknown in Bible times. Probably ancient wines were 7–10%. To avoid the sin of drunkenness, mingling of water with wine was practiced.”  The blend of water and wine was 50/50–65/35?  Prior to Is.1:22, 700s BC…wine undiluted?

Alfred Edersheim described 1^st century Jewish practices. The Temple, p.187 “Red wine alone was to be used at the Páschal [Passover] Supper, and always mixed with water.”  Cups containing wine were customary at Passover in Jerusalem.  Benson Commentary Pr.23:31 “Red, the color of the best wines in that country, which therefore are called blood, Ge.49:11; De.32:14; and used by them in the Passover.”

Mishnah Pesachim 10:1 “Even the poorest person in Israel must not eat (on the night of the Passover) until he reclines [cf. Lk.22:14]. And they must give him no fewer than four cups of wine.”  Even the poor who couldn’t afford the cost of wine at other times were given wine at Passover.

The Biblical expression “fruit of the vine” (ref Mt.26:29; Mk.14:25; Lk.22:18; Is.32:12; Hab.3:17; Zec.8:12) referred to grapes from the grapevine, common in Palestine.

Wayne Jackson Was the Fruit of the Vine Fermented? “There is considerable historical evidence that the common Passover beverage used in the 1^st century was wine.”  Jesus kept Passover (Lk.2:41-42).

Dr. Jack Lewis states, “Wine was ordinarily used at the Passover and is called ‘fruit of the vine’ in Berakoth 6:1 [Talmud].”  Berakoth 6:1 “Over wine one recites: Who creates fruit of the vine.”

And Jesus’ Last Supper was also a Passover meal celebration!  Jesus told His disciples to prepare it.  Mk.14:12 “On the first day of unleavened bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, ‘Where do want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”  Lk.22:7-8 “Then came the first day of unleavened bread, when the Passover lamb must be killed. ‘Go and prepare the Passover for us to eat.”  This would be His Last Supper.  (see the topic “Jesus’ Last Supper Timing”.)

In the OT the Lord didn’t command wine or any drink at Passover.  But we read from the above sources that wine was the “fruit of the vine”, and was customarily consumed in 1^st century Judea at Passover.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [ISBE]: Wine “The wine of the Last Supper may be described in modern terms as sweet, red, fermented wine, rather highly diluted.”

The annual Passover was 6 months after the grape harvest in the Land.  Grape juice would’ve naturally undergone some fermentation during that time, even if yeast wasn’t added.  David C. Hopkins Life on the Land, p.186 “Stored [new] wine naturally fermented unless it was boiled down or kept cool.”

Again, in the Greek NT, “wine” is oinos g3631, occurring 33 times.  In the OT Greek LXX, oinos g3631 was used to translate the Hebrew yayin h3196 in 130 of its 140 occurrences.  And the LXX also used oinos to translate the Hebrew tiroshe h8492 in 37 of its 38 occurrences (all except Is.65:8)!  Therefore, we see that the Greek oinos g3631 in the LXX referred to either fermented or unfermented drink.

{Sidelight: The Greek term for vinegar and “sour wine” is óxos g3690.  It occurs in 6 NT verses, all relating to Jesus’ crucifixion (Mt.27:34, 48; Mk.15:36; Lk.23:36; Jn.19:29-30).  Oxos/sour wine g3690 was a variety, quality or adulteration of oinos/wine g3631, such as acrid wine or vinegar.  This cheap “wine” was a common beverage.  It was a stimulant, and had standard wine/oinos and water as a base.  “Wine” and “sour wine” and pure vinegar differed.  (see the topic “Jesus’ Death – the Physical Cause”.)

Vinegar was made by the oxidation of wine or fermented fruit juice, or a mix of barley and wine.  It is highly acidic (acetic acid), and harms the teeth (Pr.10:26).  It wasn’t drank straight.  Livestrong.com What Are the Dangers of Drinking Vinegar? “Drinking vinegar can have unpleasant and dangerous side effects.”  ISBE: Vinegar “Undiluted vinegar was of course undrinkable, but a mixture of water and vinegar makes a beverage that was very popular among the poor.”  It was also popular among soldiers.

The Hebrew OT term for vinegar is chométs h2558, occurring 5 times (Nu.6:3; Ru.2:14; Ps.69:21; Pr.10:26, 25:20).  Nu.6:3 has both chomets h2558 vinegar and yayin h3196 wine.  They’re different Hebrew terms, representing different things.  (Nu.6:3 LXX has oxos g3690 and oinos g3631).  There’s no indication that oxos “sour wine” or vinegar was in the cup at Jesus’ Last Supper Passover meal!}

Also, in Ac.2:13 disciples were mocked, supposedly full of sweet wine (or ‘must’?), g1098 gleúkos.  In the OT LXX, this term is found only in Jb.32:19.  Bible linguists differ regarding what gleukos meant back then.  Callixenus wrote (300s BC), “They were trampling on the grapes and the new wine (gleukos) ran out over the whole road”.  Greek Bible scholar Dr. Spiros Zódiates, “Some believe that it [gleukos] is what distills of its own accord from the grapes which is the sweetest and smoothest. It was mentioned at Pentecost (Ac.2:13) indicating that the ancients probably had a method of preserving the sweetness, and by consequence the strongly inebriating quality of the gleukos for a long time.”

In the NT, oinos g3631 usually referred to fermented wine.  Lk.10:33-34 the good Samaritan poured oil and wine (oinos)…not grape juice…into the traveler’s wounds!  Red wine is an antiseptic.  Mt.9:17 Jesus said new wine (g3631) would cause brittle old wineskins to break (due to the fermentation process).

This topic is continued and concluded in “Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup? (2)”.  In it, we’ll discuss concerns and symbolism of wine in Bible times, and when the use of grape juice for communion began.

Days Israel Observed – God-Ordained

This topic identifies the days/occasions which God commanded His people ancient Israel to observe.

In the Old Testament (OT), these occasions are divided into three categories…feasts, new moons, sábbaths.  Concerning Israel, the Lord declared in Ho.2:11 LXX, “I will turn away all her gladness, her feasts [Strongs g1859 hehortáy, Greek], her new moons [g3561 noumenía], her sabbaths [g4521 sábbaton], all her public assemblies”.  (God would send away Israel captive to Assyria in 721 BC.)

Those days/occasions are entered in the two Tables below.  On the left side of the Tables, the sabbaths, new moons, and feast days are listed in rows.  The four columns across the top of each Table show the various Aspects of the Days/Occasions, and their differing characteristics.  A bullet dot ● means an Aspect applies to a Day or Occasion.  Analysis and discussion of the data is below the Tables.

DAYS ISRAEL OBSERVED – Table 1

Aspects (across):	Sábbath	No Work	Holiday	No Work
	Cessation	At All	Semi-Rest	“Servile”
Strongs numbers:	sábbaton	érgon	anápausis	latréutos
Greek = g	g4521	g2041	g372	g2999.1
Hebrew = h	shabáwth	melakáh	shabathón	abodáh
	h7676	h4399	h7677	h5656
DAYS/OCCASIONS:
Weekly 7th Day Sábbath	●	●	●
Day of Atonement	●	●	●
Land Sabbath – Year 7	●		●
New Moons
New Moon – Month 7			●	●
Passover Sacrifice
Unleavened Bread Day 1				●
Unleavened Days 2-6
Unleavened Day 7				●
Péntecost/Weeks				●
Feast of Booths Day 1			●	●
Booths Days 2-7
Last Great Day 8			●	●

DAYS ISRAEL OBSERVED – Table 2

Aspects (across):	Feast/	Do Only By	Assembly	Assembly
	Festival	God‘s Place	Summons	Feast Exit
Strongs numbers:	hehortáy	God‘s tópos	klaytós	éxodios
Greek = g	g1859	g5117	g2822	g1840.5
Hebrew = h	chag	mawkomé	miqrá	atzerét
	h2282	h4725	h4744	h6116
DAYS/OCCASIONS:
Weekly 7th Day Sabbath			●
Day of Atonement			●
Land Sabbath – Year 7
New Moons	●		●
New Moon – Month 7	●		●
Passover Sacrifice	●	●
Unleavened Bread Day 1	●	●	●
Unleavened Days 2-6	●
Unleavened Day 7	●		●	●
Pentecost/Weeks	●	●	●
Feast of Booths Day 1	●	●	●
Booths Days 2-7	●	●
Last Great Day 8		●	●	●

The above two Tables/grids reflect the days and occasions which the Lord gave to ancient Israel.  There are three categories of occasions…sabbaths, new moons, feasts.

The three categories were evident in the prophecy of Ezk.45:17 JPS Tanakh. “It shall be the prince’s part… in the feasts [Strongs h2250 chag, Hebrew], the new moons [h2320 chódesh], the sabbaths [h7676 shabáwth], in all the appointed seasons [h4150 móed] of the house of Israel.”

The apostle Paul wrote in the Greek New Testament (NT) Col.2:16, “Don’t let anyone judge you…with respect to a feast [g1859 hehortay] day, a new moon [g3561 noumenia], or a sabbath [g4521 sabbaton] day”.  (False teachers and Pharisees were acting as judges of how to keep various occasions.)

All days in my two Tables were an appointed time/season, h4150 moed.  There are 220 occurrences of this Hebrew term in the OT.  Moed h4150 had various meanings: Occasions both God-ordained and man-ordained (Zec.8:19), a personal meeting time (David & Jonathán in 1Sm.20:35, Amasá in 2Sm.20:5), a set meeting place (140 occurrences, Ex.27:21 tent of meeting), a signal (Jg.20:38), the regularity of migratory birds (Je.8:7), a period of years (Da.12:7).  The Greek LXX translation in English is season, time, assembly, signal, etc.  Moed h4150 didn’t refer solely to religious days/times of God.

Following is detail about the three categories of days, and a comparison:

1. Sabbath Strongs h7676 shabawth noun occurs 100 times in the OT Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT).  In the OT Greek Septúagint/LXX the corresponding term is sabbaton g4521.  In the NT, sabbaton g4521 occurs 60 times.  I commonly refer to the Hebrew shabawth & Greek sabbaton as “sabbath” in English.

The root of the Hebrew shabawth h7676 is shabáth h7673 verb, meaning ‘to cease, rest’.  Ge.2:2 “On the 7^th day God ended His work which He had made, and He ceased [h7673, g2664 katapáuo] on the 7^th day.”

Sabbath h7676 was a near-full cessation.  The only occasions which are sabbaths: The weekly 7^th day sabbath, the annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kíppur), and the land sabbath every 7 years (Le.25:1-7).  Although the land sabbath year of rest isn’t a ‘day’, I’ve included it among God’s other OT occasions.

Pertinent OT LXX and NT verses about the 7^th day sabbath g4521: Ex.16:23-29, 20:8-11; De.5:12-15; Ne.13:15-22; Is.56:1-6; Je.17:21-27; Mt.24:20; Mk.2:27-28, 6:2; Lk.4:16, 23:56; Ac.13:42, 16:13.

The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur was a double sabbath, according to the LXX (Le.16:31, 23:32).  It was the holiest day of the year.  Verses pertaining to the Day of Atonement: Le.16:1-34, 23:26-32, 25:9; Nu.29:7; Is.58:5, 13; Ezk.40:1-ff; He.9:6-7.

2. New Moons Strongs h2320 chodesh Hebrew noun, meaning moon or month.  As a new moon (the 1^st day or beginning or head of a month), it occurs 30 times in the Hebrew MT: Ex.40:2, 17; Le.23:24; Nu.1:1, 18, 10:10, 28:11, 29:1, 6; De.1:3; 1Sm.20:5, 18, 24; 2Ki.4:23; 1Ch.23:31; 2Ch.2:4, 8:13, 29:17, 31:3; Ezr.3:5-6; Ne.8:2, 10:33; Ps.81:3; Is.1:13-14; Ezk.45:17-18, 46:1-6; Ho.2:11; Am.8:5; Hag.1:1.  In the Greek LXX, the 1^st/beginning of the month is often rendered as “new moon”/noumenia g3561.  In the NT, “new moon” (noumenia g3561) occurs only in Col.2:16.

In the OT, there’s no direct command for the general populace of Israel to observe all new moons.  However, a combining of the above verses (in bold) regarding new moons indicates they were kept.  The new moon traditionally was sort of a mini-holiday for women in some respects.  The religious importance of new moons (Rosh Hashánah excepted) was less than that for sabbaths and pilgrim feasts.  Recognizing each passing new moon maintained awareness of God’s calendar for annual festivals.

Rosh Hashanah was New Year’s Day.  It traditionally commemorated the ‘birthday of the world’ of Genesis 1 at creation.  Le.23:24 Rosh Hashanah is the new moon (day 1) of Month 7 (as in the above Tables), according to Israel’s sacred year/calendar which begins near the spring equinox.  However, Rosh Hashanah is the new moon of Month 1, according to Israel’s civil year/calendar which begins near the autumnal equinox.  The Month 7 new moon references in Le.23:24; Nu.29:1; Ezr.3:6; Ne.8:2…are according to the sacred calendar occasion of Rosh Hashanah which is around Sep 22.  Barnes Notes Le.23:24 “The 1^st day’ of this month was the 1^st day of the Civil year…and was observed as the festival of the New year.”  JFB Commentary “That was the 1^st day of the ancient civil year.”

Rosh Hashanah means ‘head of the year’.  Rosh Hashanah precedes the Day of Atonement by 10 days and the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles/Ingathering by 15 days; these were at the “end of the year” (Ex.23:16).  That is, when the old civil year ended and the new civil year began.  The onset of a Jubilee year was proclaimed on the Day of Atonement (Le.25:9-10).  cf. Ezk.40:1 (“beginning of the [civil] year”).

3. Feasts Strongs h2282 chag Hebrew noun, occurs 60 times in the OT.  The corresponding LXX term is hehortay g1859, which also occurs 27 times in the NT.

The three pilgrim feasts were Passover/Unleavened Bread, Péntecost/Weeks, Tabernacles/Sukkót.

Pilgrim feasts were based on the agricultural cycle in Israel.  The Lord commanded they be kept only at the one place where He dwelt, De.12:5, 16:16; 2Sm.6:2…never at two or more locations simultaneously.  Passover wasn’t allowed in their other various towns, De.16:5.  Those who didn’t come to Jerusalem for Booths/Tabernacles were to get no rain, Zec.14:16-19.  No location of man’s choosing was authorized.  (King Jeroboám’s attempted feast elsewhere failed, 1Ki.12:32–13:5.)  Pilgrim feasts, with their required offerings, were done only near/by God’s place (it was only in Israel).  see Table 2.

Israelite males were to attend three times each year.  ref Ex.34:22-24, De.16:16.  Benson Commentary Le.23:3 “Feasts were to be kept before the Lord in Jerusalem only, where all the males were to come for that end; but the sabbath was to be kept in all places, in synagogues, and in their private houses.”

Unlike the feasts, the weekly 7^th day sabbath and the Day of Atonement were observed in all their dwellings/towns.  see Le.23:3, 31-32.

Passover h6453 pésach occurs nearly 50 times in the MT.  The corresponding LXX term is g3957 pásha, which also occurs nearly 30 times in the NT.  ref Ex.12:1-11, 43-48; Le.23:5; Nu.9:1-14; De.16:1-8; Mk.14:12; Lk.22:1, 7; Jn.11:55.  Passover and the 7 Days of Unleavened Bread began on Abíb 14-15.

Passover was done only at one location (at a time).  Lk.2:41-42 Jesus’ parents took Him to Jerusalem every year.  It would have been sin for them to try to ‘keep’ Passover in a Galilee town, De.16:5.  (A man unable to do Passover at God’s sole place was allowed to keep it there the next month, Nu.9:9-14.)

After the initial Passover meals (and the Wave Sheaf ceremony, Le.23:9-14), the remainder of the seven days of Unleavened Bread can be kept in their home dwellings.  ref Lk.24:13-ff where two people were leaving Jerusalem on Sunday a few days after Passover, but still during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

During Israel’s history, the Passover became somewhat synonymous with the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  Ezk.45:21 “Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.”  Lk.22:1 “The Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover….”  Interchangeable terms.

Unleavened bread h4682 matzáh occurs 50 times in the OT.  The corresponding LXX term, ázumos g106, also occurs 9 times in the NT.  ref Ge.19:3; Ex.12:15-20; Jdg.6:19-21; Ac.12:3, 20:6; 1Co.5:7-8.

The feast of Pentecost or Weeks (Ex.34:22-23) or Shavúot was 50 days later, Le.23:15-21.  Some may interpret v.21 as Pentecost can be kept “wherever you live” (CSB) in some circumstances?  Barnes Notes Le.23:21 “The Feast of Weeks was distinguished from the two other great annual [pilgrim] feasts by its consisting, according to the Law, of only a single day.”  In the OT, there’s no clear example of anyone traveling to the temple to observe Pentecost (there is in the NT, Ac.2:1-14, 20:16).  The apocryphal book of Tobit 2:1 shows him eating a meal in the land of Assyria at the time of Pentecost.  As Israelites migrated from captivity, many couldn’t afford the trip back to Jerusalem for this one-day observance.

The annual seven-day Feast of Booths/Tabernacles/Ingathering/Sukkot h5521 was very early in each new civil year (5 days after Atonement).  At the culmination of this feast was the 8^th Last Great Day called Shémini Atzerét.  ref Le.23:33-43; De.16:13-16; Ne.8:14-18; Zec.14:16-19; Jn.7:2, 37-39.  The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles too was kept only at the sole place in Israel where God’s Name dwelt.

Feasts and new moons weren’t complete rests…they weren’t shabawth h7676 or sabbaton g4521.  (see Table 1.)  Rather, extensive work could be done preparing the food they’d feast on.  No “servile” work was done.  They were holidays or semi-rests/near-rests, in that sense.  Assemblies/convocations were held at the tabernacle or temple during feast days.  (Assembly days for Occasions are noted with a ● in Table 2.)  Some days were shabathón h7677 or anápausis g372 rest (noun)…not a near-full cessation.

The Hebrew term shabathon h7677 noun occurs 10 times in the OT (all in Exodus and Leviticus): Ex.16:23, 31:15, 35:2; Le.16:31, 23:3, 24, 32, 39 (2), 25:5.  The LXX term is anapausis g372, which also occurs 5 times in the NT as “rest” KJV (not as “sabbath”/sabbaton g4521!).

Harvard grad William Converse Wood Sabbath Essays, p.130-131 “Sabbath days’ does not refer to Jewish festivals….feasts are often spoken of in the NT, but not one of them anywhere is called a sabbath, or credited with the nature of the sabbath….The feasts of trumpets [Rosh Hashanah] and tabernacles are termed merely shabathon….The Septuagint notes this distinction, not translating these feasts by the Greek sabbaton [sabbath], but by anapausis, rest.”  Shabathons were like sabbatóids.

Bible translations don’t always reflect the distinction between (Hebrew) shabawth h7676 and shabathon h7677.  They wrongly translate shabathon as “sabbath”.  e.g. Le.23:24, 39 KJV incorrectly rendered shabathon as “sabbath” for Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Booths Day 1, and Last Great Day 8.

Sabbaths did encompass the concept of semi-rest or near-rest, so they too were h7677/g372.  Yet more than that…sabbaths were near-total cessations.  Le.23:3 “Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work therein.”  The “sabbath” is a holy day/period of cessation from certain activities, most (tiring) activities.  see Table 1.

Pulpit Commentary Le.23:3 “The sabbath and the Day of Atonement were the only days in which no work might be done, whereas on the other festivals it was only no servile work that might be done.”  No work at all was done on the 7^th day sabbath h7676/g4521 (De.5:14).

Again, sabbaths weren’t feasts and feasts weren’t sabbaths.  The Lord prohibited extensive food preparation on the sabbaths (unlike the feasts).  The Day of Atonement sabbath was even a fast day!  Israel was taught the lesson in Ex.16 by gathering manna six days each week…for 40 years!  But they didn’t gather on the 7^th day.  No work of any kind was permitted on sabbath (other than priests may do God’s work, Mt.12:5).

Bible translations in English differ.  But God’s various occasions (with their Aspects) can be accurately identified by the Strongs numbers which are associated with the old Hebrew & Greek source terms.

The Hebrew OT Ex.20:8, “Remember the shabawth [h7676] day, to keep it holy”.  It doesn’t say, ‘Remember the shabathon [h7677] (semi-rest) day, to keep it holy’.  The Hebrew/Greek terms shabawth h7676/sabbaton g4521…aren’t shabathon h7677/anapausis g372.

In Mt.11:28-30, Jesus exhorts believers to come be yoked to Him and find “rest”.  v.29 the Greek term here is anapausis g372…not sabbaton g4521 sabbath.  Jesus didn’t say He is the sabbath/shabawth!  To see Jesus as the sabbath is wrongly adding to His words.  Jesus isn’t our sabbath.  God/Jesus is greater than the sabbath and all else He created or ordained!  Thus Jesus is Lord of the sabbath (Mk.2:27-28), and of all creation.  Since Christ ceased from creating on the 7^th day, the weekly sabbath identifies God as Creator.  Vincent’s Word Studies Mt.11:29 “By coming to the Savior, they would first take on them the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, and then that of the commandments, finding this yoke easy and the burden light.”  A rest from the Pharisees’ oral law yoke of bondage; cf. Ac.15:10, Ga.5:1.

Of all the days in the Tables, the 7^th day sabbath is the only occasion made holy (Gen.2:1-3) prior to Moses, the Old Covenant, and the Levitical order.  JFB Commentary Le.23:3 “The sabbath has the precedence given to it.”  Presbyterian scholar Ligon Duncan acknowledges in The First Things – The Creation Ordinances “In Genesis 1 and 2…there are four great creation mandates given….our four Creation ordinances are procreation [Ge.1:28], labor [Ge.1:28, 2:15], Sabbath [Ge.2:1-3] and marriage [Ge.2:21-25].”  Not Old Covenant Levitical feasts or new moon celebrations.  God’s four Creation ordinances supersede both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, and all priestly orders!  Therefore, the 7^th day sabbath is the only day in the Tables which may be applied to the present Christian order of Melchisedek.  Let’s not forget…the 7^th day has been holy time since Creation!

{Sidelight: My own personal practice for decades is to observe the 7^th day sabbath as a day of rest.  (I’m not Seventh Day Adventist.)  I may also worship the Lord and traditionally go to church on Sunday or any day.  I’ve found that putting out leavened bread for seven days each spring helps renew my resolve to put/keep sin out of my life.  (cf. Ac.20:6.  Paul figuratively related leaven to sin, 1Co.5:6-8.)  Also I fast on the Day of Atonement (cf. Ac.27:9) and may attend a church meeting on that day or on Rosh Hashanah.  Doing these things can help a Christian stay focused on God.  This isn’t to say that honoring the annual Days of Unleavened Bread, Yom Kippur, or Rosh Hashanah is a substitute for Jesus’ sacrifice.  “Repent and be baptized” (Ac.2:38), and belief in His blood…is vital.}

Much more can be said about God’s occasions (and other observances) and their timing on the calendar.  For more detail, see the topics: “Sabbath 7^th Day” (series), “Sabbath Day Became Sunday in Rome”, “Day of Atonement”, “Feasts of the Lord and the Jews”, “Passover and Peace Offerings”, “Passover and the Exodus Timing”, “Feast of Booths”, “Jesus’ Last Supper Timing”, “Christmas and Jesus’ Birth Month”, “Halloween All Souls Day”, “Wedding Pattern in Bible Holydays”.

Day of Atonement (1) – Sacrificial Blood

Atonement has to do with expiation for sin and reconciliation with a holy God.  In this topic we’ll preview the gospel of salvation through the Old Testament (OT) Day of Atonement and sin offerings.

In ancient Israel, only the weekly 7^th day sabbath and the annual Day of Atonement (approximately Oct 1) were full sabbath days.  The Day of Atonement was the holiest day.  The Septúagint/LXX identifies the Day of Atonement as a double sabbath.  Le.23:26-32 LXX “On the 10^th day of the 7^th month is the day of atonement, holy to you. It is a perpetual precept throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be to you a sabbath [Strongs g4521, Greek] of sabbaths [g4521].”  Le.16:29-31 LXX “On this day he [high priest] shall make atonement for you to cleanse you from all your sins before the Lord, and you shall be clean. It is a sabbath [g4521] of sabbaths [g4521] to you; you shall afflict your souls [fast].”

The Lord Christ authorized His OT pilgrim feasts to be kept only in the environs of the tabernacle or temple; ref De.16:5-6, 15-16.  (see “Feasts of the Lord and the Jews”.)  Unlike the temple feasts, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kíppur, in Hebrew) was to be kept in all their dwellings.  Luke wrote in Ac.27:9, “Sailing was now dangerous, since the fast was already past”.  The Day of Atonement was then being observed within the Roman Empire.  Benson Commentary “The fast here spoken of was the day of atonement.”  Cambridge Bible “The fast here meant is that of the great Day of Atonement.”  Ellicott Commentary “The date may have been fixed on St Luke’s memory by St Paul’s observance of the Fast.”  The fact that Luke refers to it indicates the Day was being kept by Jews, and probably by many Christians too, outside the Holy Land.  Adam Becker The Ways That Never Parted, p.268 “Gentile Christians from Syria-Palestine continued to celebrate Yom Kippur together with their Jewish neighbors until at least the 4^th century, as sermons by Origen and Chrýsostom prove.”

Some Christians today still honor the day.  Pastor Don Finto said on Sunday 9/15/2007, “The [upcoming] Day of Atonement is the holiest day of the year”.  Benny Hinn “Join Pastor Benny Hinn in fasting on the Day of Atonement on Monday 9/28/2009.”  Those pastors aren’t Jewish.

The Day of Atonement (h3725 kippur) is also known as Yom Kippur by Jews.  Yom Kippur means ‘day of covering’.  Sins were covered by blood on Yom Kippur.  Let’s look at forgiveness in the OT:

At the annual temple service, Yom Kippur was the national sin offering day for ancient Israel.  Blood was brought into the Most Holy Place by the high priest (Le.16:14-16) only on this holiest day of the year.  The Lord commanded a fast on this day (Le.23:27).  The offerer wasn’t authorized to eat his own sin offering (Le.6:30)!  The slain goat wasn’t eaten (Le.16:27).  It is appropriately a day of fasting.  (This was unlike the Passover animals, which were peace offerings, not sin offerings.  The spring Passover sacrifice from the flock and herd, De.16:2-3, was eaten.  see “Passover and Peace Offerings”.)

The Lord said in Le.17:11, “The life [or soul, h5315 néphesh] of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls. The blood by reason of the life makes atonement.”  Blood is the principal carrier of life in the body.  De.12:23 “The blood is the life [soul].”  Ge.9:4 “Its life [soul h5315], that is, the blood.”  The lifeblood.

Sin is so serious…God required the death of His creatures, clean domestic animals, to expiate lesser (menial) human sin.  Sin kills.  Sin offerings were accepted at the tabernacle/temple during the year.

Blood was necessary for forgiveness, to atone.  Le.4:1, 2-35 shows sin offerings for unintentional sins.  Le.4:11-12, He.13:11 the animal was afterwards burned, not eaten.  Le.5:1-19 shows sin/guilt/trespass offerings.  These were for sins of ignorance, omission, and against holy things.  (Le.5:11-13 the poor may offer birds…or grain.  He.9:22 “Almost all things are cleansed by blood.”  But not quite all…God allowed the very poor, who didn’t have an animal/bird or couldn’t pay for one, to offer grain.)

Le.6:1-7, 19:20-22 shows intentional sins (and the guilt/trespass offering).  They’re more serious than unintentional, accidental or inadvertent sins.  But these sins in Le.6 also aren’t capital sins.

Individuals made sin/guilt offerings during the year…but they weren’t made for unknown (secret) sins.

Le.16 reflects the annual Day of Atonement service for the nation of ancient Israel as a whole.  It was a day of national repentance.  Only on this most solemn day was the high priest allowed into the Holiest Place behind the veil.  To atone for Israel’s sins, known and unknown, the Lord required that blood be sprinkled at the mercy seat on the Ark of the testimony.  To avert God’s wrath.  So that Israel could be forgiven, remain the people among whom God dwelt, and not be sent into captivity or cease as a nation.

The Lord instructed Moses/Israel in Ex.30:10, “Aaron shall make atonement…on it [altar of incense in Holy Place] with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”  This was the holiest ceremony of the year.  God is very holy; He won’t dwell with sin!  He.9:7 refers to the Day of Atonement. “Only the high priest enters, once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.”

In the annual service, the high priest first atoned for his own sins with the blood of a bull, Le.16:11-14.  Two goats were involved in the ceremony, for the people.  The high priest offered the blood of one goat (v.15-19).  Then he laid his hands on the head of the second goat and transferred the sins, iniquities and transgressions of the people onto this goat.  The goat, bearing all their wrongs, was released alive into the wilderness (v.20-22).  One goat was slain to atone, the second lived to carry away their sins.  David wrote in Ps.103:12, “As far as east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us”.

But there was no animal blood sacrifice/substitute to expiate major capital sins!  The penalty for capital offenses was death, upon the testimony of two witnesses (De.17:6-7, 2Co.13:1).  From personal, and circumstantial, evidence.  Capital sins are, e.g….murder, adultery, kidnapping, blasphemy, false witness in capital cases.  Also Nu.15:28-31, the person who rebelliously defied God and despised His word was utterly cut off.  No sacrifice for these sins.  The prescribed penalty was death without mercy (He.10:28).  Though usually a commensurate fine was instead paid, except in cases of 1^st degree murder, Nu.35:31.

For capital wrongs, the sinner’s own blood is required by a just God.  Harvard University’s Jacob Neusner Judaism When Christianity Began, p.153, 158 “Offerings then expiate those sins which are not committed as an act of rebellion against God. The ones that embody an attitude of rebellion, by contrast, cannot be expiated through the surrogate, the blood of the beast, but through the sinner, who is put to death by the court or is flogged by the court’s agents or is cut off in the prime of life. So God sees into man’s heart….Above all, death marks the final atonement for sin.”

The end of a person’s biological life, death, is the consequences of sin for everyone (eventually).  De.24:16 “Everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.”  (cf. Ro.6:23 “The wages of sin is death.”)

The Day of Atonement service reflected the highest mediatorial work of the high priest (Encyclopedia of the Bible).  This OT service did remove sins and “sent them away”…but it didn’t remove the sin nature from people’s hearts (He.10:1-4).

Along with animal sacrifices for sins, a sequence of repentance, confession, restitution was required for forgiveness (cf. Le.6:1-7).  This mindset/action was concurrent with the ‘work’ of doing sacrifices.  Philo The Special Laws 1:43:236 “Pardon shall be given to such a man…by works.”

It wasn’t choosing one or the other!  But today there’s no temple at which to expiate (lesser) sins.  Many (non-Christian) Jews have said the non-sacrificial elements alone are sufficient to cover sin.  But that’s not what the word of God reveals and requires!  Without a physical temple, what did the Lord provide as a just blood substitute to expiate sins?  (To pay the penalty for, or to make amends.)

Is.53:1-12 reflected a prophesied future sinless human sacrifice.  v.12 “He poured out His life [soul h5315] unto death…He bore the sins of many.”  This will be Jesus.  Benson Commentary “He willingly laid down His life.”  JFB Commentary “His life, which was considered as residing in the blood.”

Paul wrote in 1Co.15:3-4, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried and was raised.”  He.4:14-15 Jesus, our great high priest in the order of Melchisedek, was sinless.  1Pe.1:18-19 Christ’s precious lifeblood redeemed mankind.  He.9:28 “Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many.”

Jesus bore our sins on the cross.  He died…and yet He lives at Father God’s right hand in heaven (Ac.2:32-33).  The OT type was in the Day of Atonement temple service…the one goat was slain, and the second scapegoat or escape-goat bore Israel’s sins and lived (Le.16:21-22).  They pictured Christ who died, was resurrected, and now lives!

The New Testament writers and early Jewish Christians had faith that Yeshúa’s (Jesus’) sacrifice was sufficient to cover their sins.  We don’t read of them bringing any offerings for sin or guilt to the temple, which existed until 70 AD.  (Nu.6:13-21 the sacrifices for voluntary vows did include a sin offering, cf. Ac.21:23-26.)  Jesus’ sinless Divine life (via the virgin birth) is worth more than the sum of all human lives…and much more than animals’ lives!  His blood is enough.  see “Jesus’ Virgin Birth”.

But “Jesus” isn’t a name magically invoked, and then we merely return to willingly commit more sins or carelessly ignore God’s laws that identify sin…the violation of which animal sacrifice was required by Christ for forgiveness in the OT.  That kind of cheap grace, so-called, is a sham.  We’re to obey the Lord.  God gives the indwelling Holy Spirit, enabling us to overcome the sin nature (Ro.8:4-14).

What about the more serious capital sins for which death was prescribed, upon the testimony of two witnesses?  e.g. 2Sm.12:7-14 no animal blood could atone for David’s adultery, murder and despising of God’s word (Nu.15:30-31)!  Whether or not witnesses came forward…the Lord knew what David had done.  Neither the Day of Atonement sacrifice, nor an individual sin offering, could expiate David’s major sin!  Only David’s own life, or the life of a sinless human victim, could atone/substitute.

2Sm.12:15-18, 24 David’s capital sins were covered by the death of his innocent newborn son.  The baby was sinless, knowing no sin which later would be atoned by his own death.  The Lord chose to take his life in place of David’s life.  This little one was a type of Christ, if you will.  David was forgiven.

2Co.5:19-21 “He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf.”  Christ became that which He did not know.  Jesus was completely sinless.  He’d committed no sins for which His own death on the cross must atone.  His life as Creator God (Jn.1:1-3, He.1:2) is worth more than the sum of all our lives…so Jesus’ sacrificial death was sufficient to atone for our sins in the eyes of God.  (Though we all still die physically, we’ll live forever in eternal life!  see “Life After Death – for Saints”.)

Ac.13:38-39 “Through Him [Jesus] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him all who believe are justified in all things from which you couldn’t be justified by the Law of Moses.”  Capital sins couldn’t be justified by the Yom Kippur goats or sin offerings, according to the Law of Moses.

Matthew Poole Commentary Ac.13:39 “There were some sins which by the ceremonial law there was no sacrifice appointed for.”  Major sins/crimes.  Matthew Henry Commentary “By Jesus Christ we obtain a complete justification; for by him a complete atonement was made for sin.”

After our belief, confession of sin, and repentance…through Christ’s sacrifice we stand justified from all kinds/categories of sin.  We’re not condemned by God.  Pulpit Commentary “Upon the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, a free and full forgiveness of sins to all that repent and believe the gospel.”

Reading through the chapters of Hebrews 9–10 will provide a more complete understanding.  They go into more detail about Jesus’ sacrifice as related to the Day of Atonement.

We’ve all sinned.  Christ is our atonement or propitiation through His blood.  Ro.3:23-26 “He [God] passed over our sins previously committed.”  We receive the gift of total expiation for all sins we’d done.  Ro.5:8-9 “Much more then, having now been justified by His [Christ’s] blood, we shall be saved from God’s wrath [condemnation] through Him.”

Human courts may (justly) condemn a criminal to physical death.  But upon repentance and belief in Christ’s sacrifice, the condemned man stands un-condemned by God.  Thank You, Lord!

Lk.23:39-43 shows that a criminal, condemned by the courts, can be forgiven and be with the Lord.  Unrepentant thieves, kidnappers, murderers, adulterers, haters of God, etc. won’t inherit the Kingdom of God, 1Co.6:9-10.  v.11 “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”  All the repentant who believe in His sacrifice!

Ro.8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  No eternal condemnation.  Jesus/Yeshua has atoned for all our sins.

Ti.2:11-14 “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.”  Gentiles too can be redeemed from all wrongs and be saved!  People who didn’t know of Yom Kippur.

1Jn.1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us.”  Our confession is still required, including sins and transgressions in the future.

The song title has it…Nothing But The Blood of Jesus.  Christ’s precious blood/life/soul is our atonement…even for capital offenses repented of (such as David’s)!

Jesus fulfills both atonement goats of Yom Kippur.  (For that matter, He fulfills the Passover, the burnt offerings, etc….Christ fulfills all the OT sacrificial types.  also see “Sacrifices and Burnt Offerings”.)

Father God saw Christ’s atoning blood poured out.  God’s justice has been upheld.  We stand reconciled to the Father.  The ancient Day of Atonement service and sin offerings foreshadowed the real living gospel…the gospel of eternal salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord!  He is the propitiation, the appeasing, the atonement, for the sins of the whole world (1Jn.2:2).

This topic is continued in “Day of Atonement (2) – in Revelation”.

Jesus’ Last Supper Timing

The timing of Jesus’ Last Supper (His final Passover meal) needn’t cause confusion or division among Christians.  Most Christians believe that Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled the Passover and all the Old Testament (OT) types of sacrifices, which were offered anciently in Israel (and some elsewhere).

Jesus has been called the ‘Passover Lamb’.  But some Christians carry this analogy a step further, thinking that Jesus died at the very time the Passover lambs were being sacrificed at the temple.  Others think Jesus ate the annual Passover lamb meal with His disciples at the Last Supper, before He died the next afternoon.  Which is it?  It can’t be both ways!  Also, although Jesus is called the “Lamb of God” in scripture (Jn.1:29, 36), no verse actually calls Him the ‘Passover Lamb’.

The term “Passover” has different meanings in the Bible.  I see five different but related ways the term Passover is used in scripture:

Passover can refer to: #1 the sacrificial lamb/kid from the flock (Ex.12:5, 21, De.16:2); #2 the festival offering/Chagigáh meal from the herd on the afternoon of Abíb 15 (De.16:2, 2Ch.35:8); #3 the initial 24-hour occasion (Nu.33:3); #4 the entire Feast period (Ezk.45:21, Lk.22:1); #5 Christ, the Lord who passed-over Egypt (1Co.5:7, Ex.12:27).  Of these five, Passover most often referred to #1 the sacrificial lamb, #3 the initial 24-hour occasion, or #4 the entire feast period of Abib 14-15 to Abib 21 inclusively.

To provide the scriptural background, let’s review a few aspects of historical OT Passovers.  The first Passover occurred in Egypt in Ex.12:1-ff.  v.4-8 “Your lamb…the whole assembly of Israel shall kill it between the evenings. And they shall eat the flesh that night roasted with fire, with unleavened bread.”  The lambs must be roasted, not boiled in water.  v.10-11 “You shall not leave any of it over until morning. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover [péhsak Strongs h6453, Hebrew].”  It was eaten as one holy meal.  There wasn’t time for leavened bread to rise…by dawn the exodus would begin (v.30-37).  For further detail, see the topic “Passover and the Exodus Timing”.

The Lord later gave more instructions to Israel for the Passover.  Ex.12 isn’t the complete picture!  De.16:1-2 “You shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where the Lord chooses to establish His Name.”  For future Passovers, God commanded them to sacrifice more than a lamb/kid from the flock.  v.3-6 “You aren’t allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of your towns.”  Again, the roasted lamb/kid must be gone by morning.  Yet they’d keep feasting for the few days during which they must appear at the central sanctuary where God placed His Name (v.16).  The Passover from the herd was always eaten there in the day(s) following the lamb meal.

King Josiah obeyed.  2Ch.35:1 they “Celebrated the Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem.”  The temple in Jerusalem was the place of God’s name in those days.  v.7-9 “Josiah contributed flocks of lambs & kids, plus 3,000 bulls. His officers contributed for the Passover offerings, 2,600 from the flock, 300 bulls.”  Passover bulls are from the herd, not the flock.  v.13 “They roasted the Passover lambs as prescribed, and boiled the holy offerings in pots.”  The Passover from the herd could be boiled.  v.16-18 “The sons of Israel celebrated the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread 7 days.” (Le.23:5-6.)

The Passover from the herd was called a chagigah or festival offering.  Ex.23:15 “Seven days you must eat unleavened bread in the month Abib. None may appear before Me empty without an offering.”

Theologian Joachim Jeremias The Eucharistic Words of Jesus, p.20 “It is true that Páschal sacrifices [chagigah] were eaten during the seven days of the feast (Nisán 15–21).”  Alfred Edersheim The Temple, p.170-171 “The Chagigah was a peace offering. The Chagigah for the 15^th of Nisan [Abib] was obligatory.”  Again, the Passover sacrifice from the herd was commanded by the Lord in De.16:2.  The offerer would share in eating the chagigah at the environs of the temple.

Days in ancient Israel began at sunset.  Jews in Jerusalem would remove leaven by candlelight from dwellings early on the night beginning Abib 14, before the Passover lambs were killed in the afternoon of Abib 14 (ref Ex.34:25).  So leaven was actually out for 8 days, Abib 14–21.  Josephus acknowledged this in Antiquities of the Jews 2:15:1. “We keep a Feast for 8 days, of Unleavened Bread.”

The wave sheaf was offered after the weekly sabbath during the feast, or on Abib 16.  Josephus op. cit. 3:10:5 “On the 16^th day of the month they offer the firstfruits of their barley, a sheaf of the ears.”  Only then could the barley harvest in Israel begin (Le.23:9-14).  Israelite men would remain at the city of the central sanctuary/temple for 7–8 days, or at least until the sheaf was waved to begin the harvest.  While there, they ate the Passover sacrifice from the herd for the chagigah.  Chag (h2282) meant “feast”.

The term “Passover” could also refer to the entire feast period.  The context determines the meaning.  Ezk.45:21 “In the first month on the 14^th day you shall have the Passover, a feast of 7 days, unleavened bread shall be eaten.”  As we’ve seen, the feast included the Passover from the herd too.  Lk.22:1 “The feast of unleavened bread drew near, which is called the Passover [páscha g3957, Greek].”  “Passover” and “Feast of Unleavened” were somewhat synonymous expressions in Jesus’ day.  The term “unleavened” (ázumos g106) was common in the old Greek, which became the Septúagint/LXX.

The timing of Jesus’ Last Supper and crucifixion parallels the Passover proceedings done Abib 14–15!

Mk.14:12 “On the first day of unleavened bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, ‘Where do want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”  Again, leaven was customarily removed in advance, so dwellings were free of leaven for 8 days.  Barnes Commentary “The feast continued for 8 days, including the day the paschal lamb was killed.”  That’s Abib 14–21 inclusively.  It was mandatory that the lamb/kid be killed and its blood sprinkled at the altar on Abib 14 (Ex.12:6), not Abib 13 or Abib 15.  All leaven had been removed by the afternoon of Abib 14.

The synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke…all use the two terms “Passover” and “unleavened”.  But the term “unleavened” never appears in John’s writings.  When John refers to the entire feast period, he calls it the “Passover”!  For example, Jn.6:4 “Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.”  Again, the meaning of the term Passover wasn’t limited to the beginning sacrificial lamb meal.  John’s usage is significant…as we examine the (incorrect) claim of some that John’s timing of Jesus’ crucifixion date differs from that of the three synoptics!

In Mk.14:12-17, Jesus’ Jewish disciples knew this was the correct time (Abib/Nisan 14) to sacrifice the Passover lamb they would eat with Him that night.  So they asked which house to prepare for the meal.  It would’ve been sin if Jesus (and they) had killed or eaten it at the wrong time!  But Jesus is a sinless Savior.  This day is their ‘preparation day’, so to speak, for the Passover lamb.  Gill Exposition Mk.14:12 “It was now Thursday morning, and the Passover was to be slain after the middle of the day, between the two evenings, and eaten in Jerusalem that night.”  (The lamb couldn’t remain overnight, Ex.12:6-10.)  Fourfold Gospel Commentary “The feast of unleavened bread began properly on the 15^th, and lasted 7 days, but this was the 14^th, on which the paschal lamb was slain. However, it was common to blend the names Passover and unleavened bread interchangeably to describe the entire 8 days.”

Mk.14:18-21 Jesus ate the Passover lamb meal with them that night (sunset began Abib/Nisan 15) at His Last Supper.  “One of you will betray Me. One who dips with Me in the bowl.”  His betrayal is addressed while they eat.  v.22-26 bread & wine is served.  They exit.

The inclusion of the betrayal discussion in all four gospel accounts is key to our understanding the timing and harmony in the four gospels!

Luke’s account of the Last Supper timing agrees with Mark’s.  Lk.22:7 “Then came the first day of unleavened bread, when the Passover lamb must be killed.”  Again, it was mandatory that the lamb be killed on Abib 14!  v.8 Jesus said, “Go and prepare the Passover lamb for us to eat”.  v.14-20 they partook of bread & wine.  (also see the topic “Bread and Wine in the Church”.)  v.21-23 “The hand of the one betraying Me is on the table.”  Luke’s account also includes the betrayal discussion at the meal.

Let’s compare Matthew’s account.  Mt.26:17 “On the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Where do you want us to prepare the Passover for you to eat.”  v.20 “When evening came [sunset began Abib 15], He was at table with the twelve disciples.”  Jesus said in v.21-25, “One of you will betray Me”.  v.26-30 they share the bread & wine (later it’s also symbolic), and exit.

The synoptic gospels of Mark, Luke, Matthew all address the betrayal and the bread & wine at supper.

Jesus had known He would die.  Even before He sent out the 70 missionaries, Jesus had said in Lk.9:22 (some time before His last Passover), “The Son of Man must be killed and raised up on the third day”.  Jn.13:1 “Before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world.”

Again, John never calls the 7–8 day feast the “Feast of Unleavened (Bread)”.  In John, the entire Feast period is the Passover (g3957).  But Jesus’ last meal in John’s gospel differs somewhat from the synoptic gospel accounts of His last meal.  In Jn.13, there’s no bread & wine mentioned at the meal.  And John’s account adds that Jesus washed His disciples’ feet during supper (Jn.13:4-ff).

Some Bible readers think the meal in Jn.13 was eaten one day earlier than the meal in Mk.14, Lk.22, Mt.26.  But in all four gospels it’s the same Passover lamb meal, the same Last Supper (also called the Lord’s Supper, 1Co.11:20).  How do we know it is, since John omits the account of bread & wine (and never uses the term “unleavened”)?  (also see “Wine or Grape Juice in Jesus’ Cup?”.)

We know it’s the same because…John’s meal includes the betrayal discussion too, as do the synoptics!  Jn.13:21-30 “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray Me. He it is, to whom I will give a morsel, when I have dipped it.”  If the betrayal discussion in John 13 was at a previous meal (one day earlier), there’d be no need to address this issue again in Mk.14, Lk.22, Mt.26 (at Passover)!

As the Jn.13 Passover lamb meal is ending, Jesus continues to speak at length to His disciples in Jn.14-17.  Then in Jn.18, Jesus is in the (exit) garden…the same as in Mk.14, Lk.22, Mt.26!  It’s the night of Abib/Nisan 15 (cf. Est.3:7).  As Judas betrays Him, Jesus is apprehended by a Roman cohort and taken to the high priest’s court.  Peter denies Jesus.  Jesus is awake all night.  This sequence is in Jn.18:1-27.

Then after dawn (during Abib 15) the Jews take Jesus to the government headquarters of Pontius Pilate.  Jn.18:28 “It was early morning; and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness, His accusers didn’t enter, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.”  Those Jews feared possible (rabbinic) defilement in the headquarters of gentiles, the Praetórium.  How is the term “Passover” used here in Jn.18:28?

David Stern Jewish New Testament Commentary, p.206 “The Pesach [Passover] in this verse refers to other food eaten during Pesach, specifically the chagigah (festival sacrifice). This is the Pesach meal they would have been unable to eat, because their defilement would have lasted till sundown. If ‘the Pesach’ meant the Passover lamb, defilement in the morning might not have been a problem.”  Not a problem because…most uncleanness/defilement (ref Ac.10:28a) would’ve lasted only until evening of a day…and the Passover lamb was eaten after sunset at the beginning of a new day!

Gill Exposition Jn.18:28 “Not the Passover lamb, for that they had eaten the night before. But the ‘Chagigah’, or feast on the 15^th day of the month.”  Robertson’s NT Word Pictures “In 2Ch.30:22 we read, ‘And they did eat the festival 7 days’, when the paschal festival is meant, not the paschal lamb or paschal supper. There are eight other examples of Passover in John’s gospel, and in all of them the feast is meant, not the supper. Not the meal of Jn.13:2, which was the regular Passover meal.”

Talmud Pes.vi.3 “One Levitically defiled cannot offer the Chagigah.”  Edersheim The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, p.866 “Entrance into the Praetorium on the morning of the first Passover day would have rendered it impossible for them to offer the Chagigah, which was also designated by the term Pesach [Passover].”  The chagigah meal from the herd/boiled things would be that day, Abib 15!  The Bible didn’t specify exactly when to eat from the herd (e.g. 2pm Abib 15)…but De.16:2, 2Chr, John’s gospel, the Talmud, etc. is historical evidence of this Passover week custom!  Jn.18:28 doesn’t refer to a lamb meal as upcoming that night…supposed defilement would end at sunset! (e.g. Le.15:7-8)

Jn.19:13-14 “Pilate brought Jesus out to them. It was the preparation of the Passover.”  “Preparation” doesn’t refer to the Passover lamb meal.  We saw in Mt.26:17, Mk.14:12, Lk.22:8 that Jesus’ disciples had prepared the Passover lamb meal the previous day (and Jesus ate it that night).  The koiné Greek term for preparation was paraskeué g3904.  For the Jews, every Friday is the “preparation”, and every Saturday is the sabbath.  Mk.15:42 “It was the preparation [g3904 paraskeue], that is, the day before the sabbath.”

JFB Commentary Jn.19:14 “It was the preparation, the day before the Jewish sabbath.”  Edersheim The Temple, p.138 “Friday is called in the gospels ‘the preparation.”  The term for Friday in modern Greek is Paraskevi, and the term for Saturday is sabbato/(sabbath)!  In Jn.19:14, it is the “preparation day” (Friday) which fell during the 7–8 day feast period/Passover.  Again, John never uses the term “Feast of Unleavened”…it’s all the “Passover” in John.

Jesus was then crucified. (also see “Jesus’ Death – The Physical Cause”.)  Jn.19:31 “It was the preparation, and the next day was to be a great [g3173 mégas] sabbath because it was the Passover. The Jews asked Pilate that their bodies be taken down.”  That Saturday was a “great” sabbath, not a “high” sabbath.  cf. Re.21:12 “The city wall was great [g3173 megas] and high [g5308 hupselós].”  The Greek term in Jn.19:31 is megas/great, not hupselos/high!  The sabbath in Jn.19:31 was great because it was the sabbath of Passover week when possibly a million people were in Jerusalem, or…Abib 16 was the annual wave sheaf day, according to the LXX, Josephus, Philo, Edersheim, Gill, Chief Rabbi Dr. J.H. Hertz.

Jn.19:41-42 Jesus’ body was laid in the tomb towards the end of the “preparation”.  Lk.23:52-56 “It was the preparation day, and the sabbath [g4521] was about to begin. The women saw the tomb. They returned and rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.”  The weekly sabbath command in Ex.20:8, “Remember the sabbath [h7676] day, to keep it holy”.  In scripture, the only “sabbath” (h7676, g4521) days are the weekly sabbath and Day of Atonement.  Other occasions are shabathóns (h7677), like sabbatoids.  As Jesus ‘rested’ in the tomb, the righteous women ‘rested’ on Saturday.

Then…He is risen (Mt.28:6)!  At dawn Sunday Abib 17, Jesus is alive; the tomb was empty (Lk.24:1-3)!

The Passover lamb was a type of Christ’s sacrificial death.  The annual Day of Atonement sacrifice too was a type of Christ (1Jn.2:2, 4:10; LXX Le.23:28 & 25:9)…but He wasn’t crucified on Atonement.  Nor on all typical morning/evening sacrifices, needless to say.  The Chagigah offering of Abib 15 was also a type of Christ…on which day He was crucified.  All sacrifices, sin offerings, etc. prefigured Him.

Recap: Days began & ended at sunset.  Wednesday night Abib 14 the Jews searched to remove leaven.  Thursday afternoon Abib 14 Jesus’ Passover lamb was properly killed, its blood to be sprinkled on the altar (2Ch.35:11, Le.3:7-8).  He ate the lamb Thursday night, early on Abib 15.  That very night, Abib 15, was an historic night of vigil, a “watch” (Mk.14:37, Ex.12:42).  Jesus was apprehended.  The crucifixion process began Friday Abib 15 (their “preparation”) between 9am and noon.  Jesus died before sunset began the weekly sabbath of Abib 16.

All four gospel accounts agree on the timing, and in them we also see glimpses of God’s OT Passover requirements.  Christ at His Last Supper/Passover didn’t violate any Passover commands which Christ as the Word of God (who “passed-over” Egypt) gave to Moses & Israel.  Again, “Passover and the Exodus Timing” details the timing of Israel’s first Passover and exodus from Egypt.  To further examine the timing issue, there is another topic which focuses on the “Three Days and Three Nights” (Mt.12:40).

Passover and the Exodus Timing

This topic focuses primarily on only two days in the history of ancient Israel.  It details the timing of their first Passover sacrifice in Góshen, with their ensuing exodus from Egypt.

The annual Passover occurred in the first month, Abíb, of Israel’s sacred year.  De.16:1 “Observe the new moon [or month, Strongs h2320 khódesh, Hebrew] of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God.”  (Abib is also called Nisán, Est.3:7.)  How was the new moon/month reckoned anciently?

The 1^st day of Abib, and the 1^st of every month, was determined by the new moon.  Although new moon terminology is Biblical, the Lord didn’t say how the new moon is determined.  In De.16:1, “observe” as translated is significant, if it’s taken literally…to see with the eye.

Today the new moon may be reckoned by: Hillel II’s calculated lunisolar Hebrew calendar of the 300s AD; the astronomical conjunction (when the moon is unseen between the earth and sun); sighting the first visible crescent of the moon.  The three methods result in 2 or 3 different days to begin the month.

Which method was used in Bible times?  The 1^st century Jewish historian Philo The Special Laws 2:26: 141 “At the time of the new moon, the sun begins to illumine the moon with a light which is visible to the outward senses.”  Theological Workbook of the Old Testament, v.1, p.266 “The new moon began when the thin crescent of the new moon was first visible at sunset.”  Many sources confirm this.

How to sight a first visible crescent: Stand on a hill.  It can be faintly seen just above a clear western horizon, 25 minutes or so after sunset.  The horns of the crescent/sickle point south.  After several minutes, the moon disappears below the horizon.  Their new month and day #1 began then, near sunset.

Most Bible scholars believe days in ancient Israel began at sunset or dusk, when 3 stars become visible or when the fowls come home to roost.  The scriptural backing is in Le.23:32 and Ne.13:19.  Luke also used this reckoning in Acts 27:27, 33, where he indicated the 14^th night preceded the 14^th day.

Josephus Wars of the Jews 4:9:12 “At the beginning of every seventh day, in the evening twilight.”  Josephus wrote in the 1^st century AD, and sunset still marked their beginning of the new day.

Our modern days begin at midnight.  But unlike our 24-hour day of 12am to 12am, ancient Israel’s 24-hour day was more like 6pm to 6pm.  So their daily 24-hour periods don’t precisely line up with ours.  Due to the overlap, below I’ll assign Gregorian calendar dates to the two days in Israel’s history, to help put the Passover/exodus timing in modern perspective.

This first Passover in Egypt was a one-time event and a partial model, having some instructions which wouldn’t apply to any subsequent Passover (according to Dr. J.H. Hertz, late Chief Rabbi of the British Empire).  For example: In Egypt they were to eat this one Passover in haste with their loins girded and staff in their hand (Ex.12:11).  The animal blood was put on the doorposts of houses, rather than sprinkled at the altar (Ex.12:7 versus Le.3:8, 2Ch.35:11).  This Passover was taken only from the flock, and not also from the herd (Ex.12:5 versus De.16:2 & 2Ch.35:7-8).  In Egypt, there was no conditional allowance to keep the Passover in the 2^nd month of the year (later allowed in Nu.9:1-14, 2Ch.30:15-16).

Let’s now examine the order for this first Passover lamb or kid sacrifice, and then the events of the two days, as the ancient Israelites were departing Egypt.

Ex.12:1, 5-6 “This month shall be the beginning of months….You shall take it [the animal] from the sheep or goats. Keep it until the 14^th day of this same month. Kill it between [beyn h996] the evenings [h6153].” (Young’s and Green’s literal translations.)  In Hebrew, “beyn ha arbáyim”.

Israel’s first month of Abib began near the time of the vernal equinox.  To put the timing in Gregorian calendar terms, let’s presume the new moon of Abib was sighted near 6pm on our Mar 20.  So it was Abib 1 until sunset Mar 21.  With a presumed Mar 20 month start, then Abib 14 began at sunset Apr 2 and ended at sunset Apr 3.  The next day, Abib 15, was from sunset Apr 3 until sunset Apr 4.

What time of day on Abib 14 were the Passover lambs/kids killed?  Was it after sunset (6–9pm on our presumed Apr 2), or in the mid-afternoon (1–5pm of our Apr 3)?  Apr 2 sunset time in Cairo, Egypt is 6:14pm.  This issue is disputed.  Some people think it was killed, gutted and skinned after sunset (at the start of Abib 14), as it was getting dark.  Most think it was killed later in the mid-afternoon (towards the end of Abib 14).  The difference is approximately 20 hours.

Dr. Hertz says the Hebrew text regarding the Passover sacrifice in Ex.12:6 means literally “between the two evenings”.  The text of the related Le.23:5 & Nu.9:5 also has the idiom “between the evenings”.

According to Jewish sages, the first evening or ‘setting’ of the sun was at noon or so, when the sun starts to descend from high noon; and the second evening or ‘setting’ was at sunset or dusk (when the new day begins).  Those were the two evenings for the Israelites…at noon and at sunset.

Barnes Notes Ex.12:6 “The Hebrew has between the two evenings…The most probable explanation is that it includes the time from afternoon, or early eventide, until sunset.”  JFB Commentary “The interval between the sun’s beginning to decline and sunset, corresponding to our three o’clock in the afternoon.”

Josephus (37–100 AD) was born in Jerusalem a few years after Jesus’ crucifixion.  His mother was descended from Jewish Hasmónean royalty, and his father was a priest.  Josephus was intimately familiar with the Jerusalem Temple, its observances and their timing.

Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 2:14:6 “When the 14^th day was come…they offered the [Passover] sacrifice.”  The Passover lamb was killed on Abib 14, not the 13^th or 15^th (ref 2Ch.35:1).  Josephus Wars 6:9:3 “Passover, when they slay their sacrifices from the 9^th hour to the 11^th.”  That was 3pm to 5pm, between the first evening (12 pm) and second evening (6 pm sunset/dusk).  Philo op. cit., 27:145-149 said the Passover was sacrificed in the afternoon of the 14^th day of the month.  The 2^nd century BC Book of Jubilees 49:1, “Kill it before it is evening”.  Before the second evening of 6pm.

Yeshiva.co Ask the Rabbi: Bein HaArbayim “Between the evenings’ or ‘between the settings’, when the first setting of the sun is its descent after noon, and the second is sundown. Here, the phrase means ‘the afternoon.”  The Hebrew ‘beyn ha arbayim’ means ‘the afternoon’ of modern English parlance.

McClintock and Strong, v.7, p.735 “Eustathíus [Greek scholar in Thessalonica]…shows that the Greeks too held that there were two evenings; one they called the latter evening [sunset] at the close of the day, and the other the former evening, which commenced immediately after noon.”  Not only Israel.

‘Morning’ was the time period of the sun’s ascension; ‘Evening’ was the period of the sun’s decline.

Years ago I searched the Bible to find other activities which likewise occurred between the evenings.  Such passages reflect whether it was daylight or dark!  That’s revealing!  Three such incidents follow:

(1) Nu.28:3-8 is about their daily sacrifice, offered twice-a-day, every day of the year.  v.4 “You shall offer one lamb in the morning and the other lamb between [h996] the evenings [h6153].”  Young’s, Green’s literals confirm the Hebrew means “between the evenings”.  The Jubilee Bible 2000 and KJV margins read “between the two evenings.”  Ex.29:38-42 is the same guidelines for the daily sacrifice.

The above passages of Nu.28 & Ex.29, commanding the daily sacrifice, both refer to the morning sacrifice first, and then the other sacrifice.  The daily order enjoins for the second sacrifice of the pair to be offered later during that same day, and before a new day begins at sunset.

Josephus Antiquities 14:4:3 “The Jews…did still twice each day, in the morning and about the 9^th hour, offer their sacrifices upon the altar.”  The 9^th hour was 3pm in the evening/afternoon.

Other Jews too say the daily morning & evening sacrifice was around 9am & 3pm.  Alfred Edersheim The Temple, p.108, 174, 165 “The morning sacrifice… it coincided with the 3^rd hour of the day, or 9am…The evening sacrifice ordinarily was slain at 2:30 pm, and offered at about 3:30pm…on the eve of the Passover the evening sacrifice was offered an hour before its usual time.”

Jewish Encyclopedia: Passover Sacrifice “The paschal lamb was slain on the eve of the Passover, the afternoon of the 14^th of Nisan, after the Támid [evening] sacrifice had been killed, i.e., three o’clock.”

(2) The incident in 1Ki.18:19-46 where Elijah confronted the prophets of Báal, in the 800s BC.  v.19-26 the prophets of Baal called on Baal “from morning until noon”.  v.27-29 “When mid-day was past, they raved until the time of the evening sacrifice.”  Again, the daily evening sacrifice was to be offered between the evenings (Nu.28:4, Ex.29:39).  v.36 then at the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah offered his prayer.  v.38 Fire fell!  Notice all that next transpired…before it got dark!

1Ki.18:40 Elijah orders the execution of all the false prophets.  The people go to the brook Kishón and slay those 450 men.  It took some time to kill 450 men (unwilling to die)!  v.41-43 then Elijah ascends to the top of Mt. Carmél (1,500 ft. high) and tells his servant to go look toward the sea. The servant goes back & forth seven times!  v.44 finally, on the seventh time the servant sees a small cloud…it must still be daylight for him to see it!  v.45 then the sky grew black with visible storm clouds (not with night).

Obviously that entire sequence couldn’t have been observed if sunset had occurred prior to when fire fell from God back in v.38.  This incident is strong evidence that there was plenty of daylight remaining after the hour of the evening sacrifice…in 850 BC Israel (long predating Talmúdic interpretations).

(3) The incident of confession and reconciliation in Ezra 9 & 10.  (It’s too long to quote in full here.)  Ezr.9:4-5 “I sat appalled until the evening offering.”  Here was Ezra at the time of the evening offering, which was offered every day “between the evenings”, at 3pm in the mid-afternoon.  v.6-15 Ezra’s lengthy prayer follows.  Ezr.10:1 “While Ezra was praying, a very large assembly of men, women and children came to him from Israel, weeping bitterly.”  v.2-4 Shecaniáh then addressed Ezra.  v.5 Ezra arose; priests and all Israel swore they would comply.  v.6 then Ezra went into Jehohanán’s chamber.  This incident occurred in early December during the colder rainy season (v.9, 13).

Ancient Israel was an agricultural society.  MDHarris Institute Daily Life in 1^st Century Israel “The early Jew rose before the sun [Pr.31:15]…and tilled the fields for several hours before his morning meal.”  biblegateway.com Everyday Meals “Only two meals a day were usually eaten (Ex.16:12, 1Ki.17:6). The chief meal of the day (and probably the only one for the poor) was served in the early evening, an hour or two before sunset when the duties of the day were over. After the meal for an hour or two before bedtime the men sat around and talked.”  From this, we can ascertain that they started getting ready for bed at sunset, as darkness was setting in.  Dec 1 sunset time in Jerusalem is 4:34pm.  (Sunset times in Jerusalem: Mar 21 5:50pm, Apr 3 6:00pm, Jun 21 6:47pm w/o DST, Sep 21 5:37pm.)

It’s quite unlikely that women and children would have gathered to Ezra after dark, especially at that cold wet season!  These actions of Ezra et all, done after the time of the evening sacrifice, indicate that the daily sacrifice, done “between the evenings”…wasn’t at dusk, but in full daylight of mid-afternoon.

All three of the above incidents reflect the time of the evening sacrifice, slain “between the evenings”, was mid-afternoon.  And the Passover lamb/kid was likewise offered between the evenings (Ex.12:6).

{Sidelight: Rendering the Ex.12:6 & Nu.28:4 “between the evenings” as “twilight”, confuses the issue.  In middle English, “twi” meant two or double.  As twi-tongued.  We have the English words twi-ns and twi-ce.  Also: a twibil is a double-bladed ax, a twinter is a domestic animal two winters old, a twicer is a person who does two things.  But “twilight” now indicates half (half-light at dusk or early dawn), not two or double.  The ancient Jewish (and Greek) understanding resembles the older English twi, since Israelites identified two evenings.  And the ancient Passover sacrifice occurred in-between.}

Edersheim’s The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, p.813 “The period ‘between the two evenings’ when the Paschal lamb was slain. There can be no question that, in the time of Christ, it was understood to refer to the interval between the commencement of the sun’s decline and what was reckoned as the hour of final disappearance (about 6 pm).”  “Between the evenings” = our “afternoon”.

In the 1^st century, the priests at the Jerusalem temple didn’t sprinkle the blood of hundreds of Passover lambs on the altar at night (2Ch.30:15-16, 35:11)!  That ritual took a few hours in afternoon daylight.

The Biblical and historical evidence is…the Passover lamb was killed in the afternoon of Abib 14 (in our calendar scenario, Apr 3).  However, by the time it was roasted and the Passover meal prepared, sunset would’ve occurred to begin Abib 15, and it’s about dark (our early night of Apr 3).

Ex.12:8 commanded unleavened bread with the Passover meal.  Ex.12:17-19 “In the first month, on the 14^th day at evening [h6153], you shall eat unleavened bread, until the 21^st day of the month at evening [h6153]. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses.”  That 7–day period of Abib 14 to Abib 21 didn’t start between the evenings.  The Hebrew term beyn (h996 between) isn’t in the text.  When or at/from which “evening” did it begin?  Notice two other passages as frame of reference:

Le.23:27 “On exactly the 10^th day of the seventh month is the day of atonement.”  These parameters define their 10^th day…v.32 “It is a sabbath of complete rest, on the 9^th of the month at evening [h6153], from evening [h6153] until evening [h6153] you shall keep your sabbath.”  The day of atonement, the 10^th day, was specifically from the evening or sunset which ended the 9^th day until the next evening or sunset (ending the 10^th day).  Again, a sunset (the ‘second evening’) ended an old day and began the new day.  ref 2Ch.18:34 “The king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot until evening [h6153]. He died at sunset.”  Again…sunset, 3 visible stars or fowls roosting…signified the evening date change.  The seven days of unleavened bread began at the sunset which ended Abib 14 and started Abib 15.

{{Sidelight: However, Jews traditionally removed leaven from houses before the lamb was slain on the afternoon of Abib 14, applying Ex.34:25 to the Passover. “You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread.”  The clean-out process must begin well before the sunset ending Abib 14.  So in practice, their dwellings were without leaven for more like 8 days, not 7.  Josephus Antiquities 2:15:1 “We keep a feast for 8 days, of unleavened bread.”  (He affirmed the 7 days of scripture; see below.)

Any timing differences the 1^st century Sádducee sect may have had are unproven.  No actual Sadducee writings survive.  We only know of the sect from their being mentioned in the Bible (14 times) and in (opposing) historical writings.  Káraite Judaism may or may not share Sadducáic views; it is uncertain.  Whereas Josephus, born in Jerusalem and governor of Galilee, was an eyewitness to the timing of the rituals done at the Temple, including those performed “between the evenings” (beyn ha arbayim).  Philo too made pilgrimage to the Jerusalem Temple, at least once (Philo op. cit., On Providence 2:64).}}

Nu.28:17 “On the 15^th of the month is the feast. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.”  Days #15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21…that’s seven.  They feasted until the sunset which ended Abib 21 and began Abib 22.  (Starting at sunset on our projected Apr 3, ending at sunset on Apr 10.)  Josephus Wars 3:10:5 “The feast of unleavened bread falls on the 15^th day of the month and continues for 7 days. The second day of unleavened bread is the 16^th day of the month.”  Jsh.5:10 “At Gilgál the sons of Israel celebrated the Passover on the 14^th day of the month at evening [h6153].”  The tabernacle with God’s Name was there in those days.  After the lamb was slain in the mid-afternoon of Abib 14, they prepared the Passover meal and began celebrating/feasting at evening or sunset ending Abib 14/beginning Abib 15.  (cf. Le.23:32, as the day of atonement, the 10^th day of the 7^th month, began “on the 9^th day at evening”.)

Now let’s see the timing of the final events of the exodus, from Ex.12:

In Ex.3:21-22, the Lord said they would take silver, gold and clothing from the Egyptians.  This spoiling of them was done in Ex.11:2-3, prior to that first Passover and 10^th plague on Egypt (ref Ex.12:35-36).

Ex.12:1-21 the Passover lamb was slain in the afternoon of Abib 14 “between the evenings”.  Its blood was obediently put on the doorposts.  The lamb was roasted & eaten with unleavened bread a few hours later after Abib 15 had begun at sunset.  v.11 they ate it in haste.  Bread could take many hours or even two days to rise.  There wasn’t time (v.33-34), since they must make ready to depart before dawn!

Ex.12:22-28 Israelites must wait inside their dwellings until morning (firstborns are protected by the blood), while God the Word “passed over” Egypt (Christ, the Jews’ “Passover”, 1Co.5:7) with the 10^th plague.  v.29-32 this occurred at midnight of Abib 15 (beginning our Apr 4).  Egyptian firstborn males died.  Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron (a firstborn son, Ex.6:20) at night (it was now safe to go outside), saying, “Rise up! Go from among my people!”  v.33-34 the Israelites took their unleavened dough…and exited.  v.37 “Israel journeyed from Ramesés to Succóth.”  A few other verses:

De.16:1 “In the month of Abib the Lord brought you out of Egypt by night.”  The exodus began late in the night of Abib 15, before bread could have fermented.  It was still dark, about the time when dawn begins to lighten the sky with ‘morning’.  Nu.33:3 “They journeyed from Rameses on the 15^th day of the first month, on the next day after the Passover.”  Again, the Passover was killed on Abib 14 (2Ch.35:1).  Ex.12:17, 41 on that “very day” of Abib 15, which began the seven days of unleavened bread, they marched out.  The scriptures are in agreement!

A related sequel to this topic is “Jesus’ Last Supper Timing”.  To segue or preview it: Mt.26:17-19, Mk.14:12-16, Lk.22:7-14 when the day came, Jesus’ disciples asked Jesus where they should prepare the Passover meal for Him and their group.  As obedient Jews, they’d been keeping Passover all their lives.  As Jesus had (Lk.2:41).  They knew it was the day and the time when the Passover lambs must be killed at the Temple, and the blood sprinkled on the altar (Le.3:7-8).  Again, that was Abib 14…not Abib 13, not Abib 15!  Jesus didn’t sin regarding the day/time the lamb was killed.  He never sinned; if He had, we’d have no Savior!  However, the disciples didn’t know that Jesus will soon die; this would be His last Passover meal.  Peter & John went to the Temple, the lamb’s blood was sprinkled; they then brought the lamb to the upper room where their meal was roasted/prepared.

Ex.12:42 “It was a night of vigil for the Lord to bring them out from Egypt, so that on this night all Israel is to keep vigil to the Lord for generations to come.”  It was a night to be “much observed”.  The night of Abib 15 was to become a night of vigil or a watch, for all generations to honor what the Lord did that night.  It is significant what Jesus said on that night after His last (Passover) supper.  Mt.26:40 Apostolic Bible Pólyglot “Could you not be vigilant with me one hour!”

Mk.15:25-37 Jesus, as the sacrificial lamb, was placed on the cross around 9am (the “3^rd hour”) and He died on the cross around 3pm (the “9^th hour”)…the times of the daily morning and evening lamb sacrifice!  And Jesus’ sacrifice for us is effective day after day, year after year…Praise the Lord!

For more on Passover, see the topics: “Passover and Peace Offerings”, “Feasts of the Lord and the Jews”, “Days Israel Observed – God-Ordained”, “Jesus’ Last Supper Timing”.

Jesus Obeyed God’s Written Laws

In the Old Testament (OT), the Hebrew term which is usually translated “law” in our Bibles is toráh (Strongs h8451).  It occurs 220 times.  Torah is instructive teaching with a wide range of meaning.  The BC Jewish translators of the OT into Greek (now become the Septúagint/LXX) translated torah as nómos (g3551), which means ‘law’.  Nomos occurs 240 times in the LXX, and 200 times in the New Testament (NT) where it usually refers to a body of law or the first five books (Péntateuch) of the OT.

God’s OT written word includes: laws, the Lord’s Testimony (edúth h5715) Decalogue on Mt Sinai, commandments (mitzváh h4687), judgments/legal decisions (mishpát h4941), ceremonial statutes or ordinances & civil decrees (choq h2706 & chuqqáh h2708).  Ne.9:13 the Lord God “Came down on Mt Sinai and spoke to them from heaven; and gave them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments”.  In De.4:8, “this whole law” includes all the above. However, by NT times most of God’s precepts were generally called commandments (entoláy g1785, Greek).

According to Jewish rabbinic tradition, there are 613 laws or commandments in the Pentateuch.  Of these, 248 are positive ‘do’s’ and 365 are negative ‘don’ts’.  Rámbam (1138-1204 AD) listed 613.  That number is disputed.  Wikipedia: 613 Commandments “Some rabbis declared…that it was not logically possible to come up with a systematic count. A number of authorities denied that it was normative.”

Theologians have divided God’s laws into three broad categories: moral, civil or judicial, ceremonial.  There’s some overlap.  Did Jesus disobey any of the Lord’s written injunctions, His requirements?

God’s foundational moral code was the Testimony of Ex.20 & De.5, the ‘10 Commandments’ so-called.  Actually, the expression ‘10 Commandments/10 Mitzvót’ (h4687) never occurs in the Hebrew Masoretic text!  The Decalogue was the ‘10 Words’ (dabár h1697) or ’10 Sayings’.  ref De.4:13.

From the Decalogue the Lord gave to Israel…Jesus affirmed in Mt.19:18-19 that you shouldn’t commit murder or adultery, you shouldn’t steal or bear false witness; and honor your father & mother.

Jesus honored His heavenly Father.  Jn.8:29 “I do always those things which please Him.”  Lk.2:49-51 Jesus said He must be about His heavenly Father’s house/affairs/business.  Yet Jesus continued to be in subjection to Mary & Joseph, His earthly parents.  Jn.19:26-27 while hanging on the cross, Jesus entrusted the care of Mary to His cousin the apostle John.

Jesus didn’t commit murder or adultery.  Jesus didn’t steal.  Lk.19:30-35 Jesus needed a colt.  Without objecting, the colt’s owners let two of Jesus’ disciples take the colt.  It wasn’t a criminal act.

Jesus didn’t lie.  Jn.7:8-10 although Jesus delayed leaving for the Feast right then with them, He did go to it.  Gill Exposition Jn.7:10 “The Ethiopic version reads, ‘He went up that day’; which is very likely, Jn.7:14 though He didn’t go to the temple to teach till the middle of the feast.”  He is the truth, Jn.14:6.

Neither did Jesus wrongly covet/desire.  Ex.20:17 “You shall not covet.”  Jn.6:15 Jesus even withdrew from the multitude who wanted to make Him a temporal King Messiah then.

It doesn’t appear that Jesus disobeyed any of God’s Testimony, the 10 Words, the 10 Commandments!

Some may think that Jesus neglected to perform all the applicable ceremonial or sacrificial aspects of God’s written word given to Moses/Israel.  Most Christians aren’t knowledgeable about details of ancient Israel’s ritualistic practices, though we do see references & glimpses of them in the NT.

Jesus Christ wasn’t remiss in ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic Law.  Christ Himself, as the Word of God (Jn.1:1, 14) and Rock of Israel (De.32:18 & 1Co.10:4), had sanctioned it for Israel!  (see the topic “Jesus Was the Old Testament God”.)  There’s no scriptural evidence which indicates that Jesus sinned or violated this aspect of His written Law or torah.

What is sin?  Scriptural ‘definitions’ of sin:  Ro.14:23 “Whatever is not of faith is sin [hamartía g266].”  Ja.4:17 “The person who knows the right thing to do, and does it not, to him it is sin.”  1Jn.5:17 “All unrighteousness is sin.”  And 1Jn.3:4, “Sin is the transgression of the Law [or lawlessness].”  That’s four NT descriptions of sin.  Also Pr.24:9 “The thought of foolishness is sin [chattáh h2403].”

Did Jesus the Christ commit any sins?  The Jewish NT writers said Jesus didn’t sin in any manner!  The apostle Peter wrote in 1Pe.2:22, “Christ did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth”.  John wrote in 1Jn.3:5, “In Him is no sin”.  He.4:15 “Jesus was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”  That’s the assertion coming down to us from three Jewish Christian writers!  Jesus didn’t transgress the Lord’s written Law/torah.

And well Jesus should have obeyed written torah.  Mary/Miriám, the young woman who bore Him, was a Jewess from the Israelite tribe of Judah.  He.7:14 “It is evident that our Lord [Jesus] sprang from Judah.”  In Jn.4:22, Jesus Himself indicated He was a Jew. “We worship that which we know, for salvation is of the Jews.”  God’s written laws were for Israelites, including the Jewish Mary and Jesus.

Jesus/Yeshúa must obey the laws for male non-Levites, that is.  Laws which applied only to females, or to the service of Levites and priests, didn’t apply to Jesus.  Jesus wasn’t a priest from the tribe of Levi.

Let’s examine the gospel narratives in some detail, and in so doing compare Jesus’ words & actions with other laws of God which were given to Moses/Israel.  The following is from the scriptural record:

Beginning with the family of the infant Jesus before His human birth, His Uncle Zacharias and Aunt Elizabeth were blameless (Lk.1:5-6).  Mary was favored by God, and she believed the amazing words of the angel Gabriel spoken to her about her Son (Lk.1:30-38)!  Her husband Joseph, Jesus’ Jewish legal father, was a just man (Mt.1:18-19).  These relatives weren’t habitual breakers of written torah.

After Jesus was born, Joseph & Mary had Him physically circumcised on the 8^th day (Lk.2:21).  This was in obedience to the command given to Moses in Le.12:3 for Israelite male newborns. “On the 8^th day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.”

Lk.2:22 after the male birth, Mary was away from the temple during her required days of purification, in obedience to Le.12:4.  Then appearing at the temple, in Lk.2:23-24 they offered a required sacrifice to obey Le.12:8. “She shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons.”  Jesus the firstborn son was presented to the Lord (Lk.2:22) in accordance with Ex.13:2. “Sanctify to Me every firstborn among the sons of Israel.”  Written torah was closely adhered to by them.

Then during Jesus’ childhood, Lk.2:41-42 “His parents used to go to Jerusalem every year for the Passover”.  This in obedience to De.16:5-6. “You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of your towns; but at the place where the Lord chooses to establish His name.”  Later as an adult, Jesus’ disciples made preparation in Mk.14:12 to eat the sacrificial Passover with Him as commanded. “When the Passover was being sacrificed.”  In Jerusalem, not in Galilee.  Another ceremonial observance was reflected in Jn.7:2, 10-14 where Jesus was attending the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkót at Jerusalem.  In obedience to De.16:16, “All your males shall appear” at the one singular place of the Lord’s choice.

Some Bible readers regard God’s dietary laws as a mixture of moral and ceremonial directives.  It’s not loving one’s neighbor to feed them unclean parasitic or carcinogenic creatures.  (see the topic “Unclean versus Clean Food”.)  Jesus said in His parable of Mt.13:47-48 that they gathered-in the good fish but cast away the bad fish.  Pulpit Commentary Mt.13:48 “This included the legally unclean.”  Obeying the Lord’s guidelines of Le.11:9-10 which defined clean & unclean, “All [sea creatures] that have fins and scales you may eat”.

In Mt.17:24-27, Jesus paid the poll/temple tax for Peter (and Himself).  Ex.30:13-14 had required this tax.  And in Mt.23:23, Jesus told Jewish Pharisees they should pay tithes stipulated by written torah, even on their garden crops…tithes holy to God (Le.27:30).

What about sacrifices?  Some OT sacrifices were voluntary options, others were commanded.  In Mk.7:11-13, Jesus reprimanded scribes & Pharisees for their having chosen to do voluntary sacrifice (korbán, Hebrew, e.g. Le.1:2) to God, instead of responsibly honoring their aging parents (Ex.20:12).  Individual burnt offerings were voluntary (Le.1).  Many grain offerings were voluntary (Le.2).  Many peace offerings were voluntary (Le.3).  Three types of peace offerings are identified in Le.7:11-ff; thank, votive, freewill.  (also see “Passover and Peace Offerings”.)

As to whether or not Jesus brought such individual offerings…is a non-issue.  Because…those offerings were voluntary, not commanded.  (That is, unless some incidental matter such as a Nazarite vow was involved, of which there’s no NT account of Jesus ever taking such a vow.)

The individual sacrifices of Le.4-6 for sin & guilt weren’t voluntary or optional in the sense other types were.  These were offered by the offending Israelite for atonement and forgiveness, e.g. Le.6:1-7!  (see “Day of Atonement”.)  Although sin & guilt offerings were expiatory for forgiveness, they too were a personal non-issue for the person who hadn’t sinned.  And the NT writers said Jesus never sinned.

In Nu.15:37-39, the Lord commanded Israelite men to wear fringe or tassels (g2899 LXX) on their garment hem.  (ref De.22:12, Zec.8:23.)  This was to help them remember His commandments/mitzvot.  Mt.23:5 scribes & Pharisees pridefully lengthened their tassels (g2899), perhaps to show their supposed ‘rank’.  In Mt.9:20-22, a woman diseased with an issue of blood touched the tassels (g2899) on Jesus’ garment.  Jesus didn’t disobey this ceremonial tassels requirement.  And He healed the woman.  (cf. Lk.8:44, Mt.14:36, Mk.6:56.)

If Jesus had close physical contact with someone He healed from an issue of blood, then perhaps He became ritually unclean…until He washed at evening (Le.15:25-27).  But such ritual uncleanness wasn’t sin.  Becoming ritually unclean could even be mandatory!  A man must properly attend to his father’s dead body, for example.  Even priests did so (Le.21:1-3).  A corpse is unclean (Nu.19:11).  Attending to a close relative’s corpse reflects compassion and honor for the deceased…which isn’t sin.

In Mk.1:40-44, Jesus healed a leper and told the healed leper to “Go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded”.  This was to obey that which God had instructed Moses in Le.13:1-2, 17. “If the infection has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean”.

Leprosy was infectious and lepers were to be quarantined (ref Le.13:44-46, 5:3).  The priest was a type of ‘health inspector’.  However, I know of no written torah which clearly forbad touching a leper.  Again, it wasn’t always a violation to touch an unclean person.  Doing so could just make you unclean until you went through the proper ceremonial procedure and the required time elapsed.

In the OT, only two individuals are named who were healed of leprosy…Miriam the Israelitess (Nu.12:10-15) and the gentile Naamán, general of the opposing Syrian army (2Ki.5:1-14).  But not one Israelite man!  (Moses’ brief ordeal was a sign, Ex.4:5-7.)  Bible historians say 1^st century Jews therefore came to believe that only the Messiah could heal an Israelite man from leprosy.  Jesus did so!

Also 1^st century Jews believed only the Messiah could heal a man blind from birth.  In Jn.9:1-7 there was a man blind from birth.  Jesus’ disciples thought the man was born blind because he’d sinned in a prior life, or else his parents had sinned.  But Jesus said this blindness was so the works of God would be displayed in him.  Perhaps the man had blind faith…the Son of God healed him!  Praise God!

But it is understood that Jesus didn’t observe all the Jews’ oral law traditions.  And in Mk.7:7-9, Jesus castigated scribes & Pharisees for favoring the traditions of men above the written commands of God!

Returning to the account of the man born blind…out of love and compassion, Jesus gave him sight, applying clay & spittle.  But after questioning the man who now could see, Pharisees said in Jn.9:13-16, “This man [Jesus] is not from God, because He doesn’t keep the Sabbath”.  Because Jesus had “made” clay on the sabbath (v.6, 14), those Pharisees viewed His act as a breach of rabbinic sabbath laws.  T. Hieros Sabbat 14.4 “It is forbidden to put fasting spittle even on the eyelid on a sabbath day.”

Historians say the Jews had 39 categories of burdensome man-made sabbath laws (with even further detail)!  But those were merely the commandments of men.  Jesus’ action didn’t violate the written law of God.  And even the famous 1^st century rabbinic schools of Hillél and Shammái differed over points of traditional observance.  (Ti.1:14 Paul too warned about Jewish “commandments of men”.)

Jesus healed a man with a withered hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath.  Jesus asked those who would accuse Him in Mk.3:1-5, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?’ But they kept silent.”  They failed to give Jesus a good answer.  Matthew Henry Commentary Jn.9:16 “On the sabbath…works of necessity and mercy are allowed.”

Jesus customarily went to synagogue on the sabbath day.  Le.23:3 “On the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation.”  Jesus obeyed God’s Decalogue sabbath command.  And of Jesus’ commitment in Lk.4:16, “As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read”.  Jesus regularly attended synagogue on the 7^th day sabbath.

It’s not that all traditional observances are wrong.  Most every culture has some good traditions.  In Jn.10:22-23 e.g., Jesus is seen in Jerusalem at the temple during the man-made festival of Hánukkah.  This “Feast of Dedication” or ‘Festival of Lights’ was ordained by the Jews in the 160s BC to commemorate the re-dedication of the temple.  Hanukkah is a tradition which doesn’t contradict God’s written word.  So Jesus the “Light of the World” (Jn.8:12) was at the ‘Festival of Lights’.

To conclude…I find nothing in the Bible that clearly indicates Jesus ever sinned by violating God’s written word or torah/Law.  And Jesus Himself said in Jn.15:10, “I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love”.

Previously I quoted Jewish NT writers who said Jesus never sinned.  Also Paul wrote in 2Co.5:21 that God…“Made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us”.  Jesus knew no sin.  So Christ became that which He did not know…sin!  He became a sin offering.  Jesus became sin and the offering for sin…both.  For our sake.  In the OT type, the substitute animal sacrifice was regarded as sin-bearing.

OT sacrifices have ended (He.10:5).  They, and ceremonial rituals of the Mosaic law, are unnecessary for Christians!  Without a physical temple, it’s no longer possible to perform most rituals correctly.

The Bible indicates Jesus didn’t break any of God’s written laws!  Jesus affirmed them.  Jesus didn’t disobey God’s written torah or Father God.  The fact that Jesus never sinned is crucial to our salvation!  If Jesus had transgressed God’s law and sinned, we’d have no Savior.  But we have a legitimate Savior!  The sinless Christ died for the sins of the Israelites, and for the sins of all mankind.  Thanks be to God for His Son!