3

Before Jesus' arrest:

Mark 14:12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"

After Jesus' arrest:

John 18:28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.

Weren't all the Jews supposed to eat the Passover lamb at the same time?

Exodus 12:5 Your lamb must be an unblemished year-old male, and you may take it from the sheep or the goats. 6You must keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight. 7They are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.
8 They are to eat the meat that night, roasted over the fire, along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
9 Do not eat any of the meat raw or cooked in boiling water, but only roasted over the fire—its head and legs and inner parts. 10 Do not leave any of it until morning; before the morning you must burn up any part that is left over.

When was the lamb killed, before or after Jesus' arrest?

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    Were they so engrossed in condemning Jesus (during the night, before Caiaphas and Herod and Pilate) that they had delayed eating the passover ?
    – Nigel J
    Jul 21 '20 at 23:30
  • 2
    Here is another question that may provide some answers On what day was the Passover lamb slaughtered?
    – agarza
    Jul 22 '20 at 1:39
  • On one hand, one is supposed to abstain from all activity, including preparing meals, on the Sabbath day. On the other hand, one is supposed to sacrifice the Paschal lamb on the eve of the fifteenth of Nissan. The question then inevitably arises what one is supposed to do when the spring full moon coincides with the weekly Sabbath (John 19:31; see also 7:22-23).
    – Lucian
    Jul 22 '20 at 11:42
  • The Passover festival lasted several days and included the so-called feast of unleavened bread. The Jews did want to defile themselves for any of these events as well.
    – Dottard
    Aug 3 '20 at 11:30
2

According to Strack and Billerbeck, in the year of Jesus' death the Sadducees and Pharisees disagreed about the date of the new moon. The Pharisees celebrated Passover on one day and the Sadducees on the next.

Strack, Hermann Leberecht, and Billerbeck, Paul, Kommentar zum Neuen Testament aus Talmud und Midrasch (München: Beck, 1922-1961) vol. II 847-53

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.