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Author: Stephen Weller
450 words, 2 minutes read time

Preparations for the Passover Meal

Scripture: Matthew 26:18; Mark 14:16; Luke 22:7-12

In the previous lesson we encountered a conflict with our diagram and with further research discovered a conflict between information found in Matthew, Mark and Luke when compared to information in John. We will look at this further in this lesson.

^{Lk 22:7} Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸ So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.”

It is my opinion and the author of the article at this link that this Passover meal was prepared and eaten on Wednesday evening, a day earlier on the eve of Nisan 14 not the eve of Nisan 15. Another article on this topic is found at this link.

Jesus sent Peter and John to go and prepare the Passover.

^{Lk 22:9} They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?”

Given the instruction to go, they wanted to know where to go.

^{Lk 22:10} He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters ¹¹ and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, ^{Mt 26:18} My time is at hand. ^{Lk 22:11} Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹² And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” ^{Mk 14:16} And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

Jesus explains to them to go into the city of Jerusalem (Passover had to be celebrated within the walls of Jerusalem) and when you enter you will meet a man carrying a jar of water. Go with him to his house and explain to him their need of a room in which to eat the Passover. The master of the house will show you the guest room, a large upper room, that you can use. They went and found what God had provided for them.

Conclusion

Plan are being established to celebrate the Passover one day before everyone else because on preparation day as our Passover Lamb, Jesus would be crucified. If Jesus is our Passover Lamb, then he must be treated as a Passover lamb and die on Thursday with the other lambs and be in the grave when those lambs are being eaten on the eve of Nisan 15, Thursday evening. (Refer to our diagram).