Scriptures on the Timing of Passover in the New Testament

Something is very special about the sacrifice of Christ

Fred R. Coulter—March 11, 2017

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Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services. I just want to review something very important. The reason that I'm doing this is to make a point very clear. If you would ask any Jew today: When was the Passover lamb slain? They would tell you on the afternoon of the 14th at the temple. We saw in Num. 9 that after the temple was dedicated, everything was setup and the priesthood was all dedicated and ready to go. All the Levities were ready to go and the children of Israel kept the Passover, but there isn't one word about them taking the lambs to the tabernacle to be slain.

When you come to Num. 28 and 29, you have all of the commanded offerings that God asked them to give at the temple—morning and evening sacrifice. Morning was at 'boqer' and evening was 'ben ha arbayim.' Then also, the priest was to light the wick for the candelabra between the two evenings. That's only logical, because you don't need lights burning in the daytime.

Num. 28 lists every single one of them: daily sacrifice, morning and evening, and the drink offering, the meal offering and so forth. Then you come to the Sabbath Day.

Numbers 28:9—every Sabbath Day give the offering for that

• v 11 is "…the beginning of your months…"
• v 16: "And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the LORD."

How many commanded offerings do you see given there? None! That becomes very important, especially when we get to the New Testament. To add into that, what did we learn concerning Deut. 16 and Exo. 13?

The reason that these things have to be explained is because the most readily available Bibles know nothing about the calendar or the timing of what God is saying, and they know very little about Judaism.

Therefore, the King James Version and other translations are responsible for the mix-up and all of the confusion concerning what is required in the Old Testament. We saw that with the printouts.

Let's come to the New Testament. Again, they did the same thing in the New Testament, because they did not know what was taking place. They did not understand it. They thought that they did.

John 12 leads up to the Passover, John 12:1: "Now, six days before the Passover…"

In A Harmony of the Gospels, we have each day listed out and everything that took place on each day. There's another Harmony of the Gospels out there by A.T. Robertson, and he doesn't know anything about the timing of the calendar and has everything all mixed up when you get to what happened on the most important event in the history of the world up to that point. It's very important.

After Jesus was anointed for His burial there, let's come to v 12: "On the next day, a great crowd of people who had come for the Feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming into Jerusalem, took branches from palm trees and went out to meet Him, and were shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.' Now, after finding a young donkey, Jesus sat upon it, exactly as it is written: 'Fear not, daughter of Sion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a colt of a donkey.' And His disciples did not understand these things at the beginning; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him…" (vs 12-16)—after He was raised from the dead.

Let's see what the setting is here. I'm going to read some things from The Christian Passover book. There are a lot of quotes in here, because this is very thorough and we cover everything.

During the days of Jesus, when were the Passover sacrifices given? We saw the difference that the Passover Offering (Deut. 16) is not a Passover Sacrifice. The Passover Offering is redemption of the firstborn, man and beast. Keep that in mind.

from: The Christian Passover, pg 209-210, 2nd edition: Philo Records Domestic Observance of Passover:

Philo was a Jewish philosopher who wrote at the time of the compilation of the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke. His writings describer the Passover as observed in New Testament times. Here is what he records: "…the day called by the Hebrews in their own tongue, the Pasch [Passover], on which the whole people sacrifice, every member of them, WITHOUT WAITING FOR THE PRIESTS…

If you would ask a Jew today where was the Passover sacrifice during the 30sA.D.? At the temple! History records that that's not true. That's an assumption. So, in addition to a couple of quotes I'm going to read here, I have a whole chapter on how many lambs could be slain at the temple from 3 pm in the afternoon on.

They had three courses of Levites, and they could only take so many for each course. The maximum they could do in the three courses, between 3 pm and sunset, was 18,000, maximum! They made the comment that the Levites sang songs of degrees while they were being slain. They never finished the third full course of the psalms, because there were never that many animals slain at the temple. So, we have some very unusual quotes here in the Passover book.

I dare say that you even ask some ministers in some Churches of God, and they would tell you the same thing that the Jews would tell you. Here's why:

"…because the law has granted to the whole nation for one special day in every year the right of priesthood and of performing the sacrifice themselves" (Philo, De Decalogue, p. 159, emphasis added).

He also says this, again, in another quote:

"…In this festival many myriads of victims are offered—by the whole people—old and young alike, raised for that particular day to the dignity of the priesthood. For at other times the priests according to the ordinance of the law carry out both the public sacrifices (evening and morning) and those offered by private individuals. But on this occasion the whole nation performs the sacred rites and acts as priest…" (Philo, De Spec., Leg. II p. 146, emphasis added).

Let's read something by Joachim Jeremias, a Messianic Rabbi living in England a couple of centuries ago.

"…It is highly improbable that the huge crowds drawn into Jerusalem by the feasts could all find rooms inside the city walls….

Let's understand that this Passover, when Jesus was crucified, there were an extra number of pilgrims there because the word got back to all of them in the Diaspora, 'There's a miracle man, a Prophet named Jesus Who's healing.' So, there were extra numbers. We will see when we come to Jesus, explaining about the last Passover, why this is important.

…Some might stay in nearby places like Bethphage or Bethany, where Jesus found shelter during His last stay in Jerusalem… The majority of pilgrims, however, had to have tents in the immediate neighbourhood of the city…

Sound a little like what they were doing out in the wilderness at their tents?

…since at Passover time it was till very cold at night and there could be no question of sleeping out in the open. Actually, we have evidence of Festival pilgrims camping out at night….However, the participants in the Passover feast were obliged to spend the Passover night (14-15) [which was actually "night to be much observed"—the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread] in Jerusalem. The city itself could not take the crowd of pilgrims, and so that they could fulfill the law the boundaries of Jerusalem were extended to take in even Bethphage (M. Men. Xi.2)" (Jerusalem in the Times of Jesus, p.61, emphasis added).

Here in John 12 the whole crowd—a multitude—of pilgrims, and Jesus is coming into Jerusalem, and what are they doing? They're breaking down branches. This tells us that this could not have been an entrance on a Sabbath Day. That was something I had to figure out for the book A Harmony of the Gospels.

There's no such thing as 'Palm Sunday.' There's no such thing as a 'Friday crucifixion.'

Here's why we know that this was not on a Sabbath, v 17: "Then the group that was with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, testified of what they had seen. Because of this, the people also met Him, for they had heard of this miracle that He had done. Then the Pharisees said among themselves, 'Do you see that we are not gaining in any way? Look! The world has gone after Him'" They saw all their power slipping away. Like the Democrats a this last election!

Verse 20: "Now there were certain Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the Feast. And these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee; and they asked him, saying, 'Sir, we desire to see Jesus'" (vs 20-21).

The word was out there spread all around! Remember, this is Jesus' fourth Passover.

• First—John 2
• Second—Luke 6
• Third—John 6
• Fourth—everything leading up coming to the last Passover

Jesus told them, v 24: "Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.'" Prophecy of His death and resurrection, because He was the First of the firstfruits. He also was the Firstborn of Mary and the Firstborn from among the dead. We'll see how all of that fits in with the Passover Day.

Verse 25: "The one who loves his life shall lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world shall keep it unto eternal life. If anyone will serve Me, let him follow Me…" (vs 25-26).

This is why it's so important that the Word of God is getting out there in multiple, multiple ways: digitally, book-like, video, everything. The question is, after God sends it, will people read it? or Will they use it and use parts they agree with?

"…and where I am, there shall My servant be also. And if anyone serves Me, him shall the Father honor" (v 26).

What day was the Passover lamb to be selected? The tenth day of the first month! Here we have the tenth day, and whenever there is a Wednesday Passover, the tenth day is on a Sabbath.

Verse 27: "'Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour? But for this very purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.' Then a voice came from heaven, saying, 'I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.' Then the people standing there, who heard it, said, 'It thundered.' Others said, 'An angel spoke to Him.'" (vs 27-29).

Verse 30: "Jesus answered and said, 'This voice did not come because of Me, but because of you.'" So that you would know that the Lamb of God was selected on the tenth day of the first month, according to the Scriptures (Exo. 12).

If you don't study the Bible and don't put it together, and don't understand the chronology, they you won't find it.

Mark 14—here are all the disciples coming in, all of the pilgrims are there, and we come down to the preparation of the Passover Day.

Mark 14:12: "And on the first day of the unleaveneds… [a literal translation of the Greek: 'ton azumon.' No bread, 'artos' is not there. This is on "…the first day of the unleaveneds…"

• Why is that phrase that way?
• Why is that important?

Remember Exo. 13? Exo. 12 says that 'you have put away all leaven.' Was the Passover Day in Exo. 12 an unleavened bread day? Yes, indeed! If you read The Christian Passover book, you will see that Josephus says that 'there are eight days of unleavenedness.'

Why does it say, "…of the unleaveneds…" and leave off bread? Because Exo. 13 says that you are to 'have no leaven in all of your borders!' Whatever time you have to clean out your house, that's pretty simple. How about if you are going to clean out every house in the whole country? What did they do? They started collecting the leaven on the 13th, and on over into the 14th, because they had to burn it. Because the phrase 'ton azumon' means not only unleavened bread, but leavening activation: yeast, sourdough or today, baking soda and whatever other leaven that they have.

"…when they were killing the Passover lambs…" (v 12). Here the disciples were, and you find that they came from Bethany, and they were at the top of the hill of the Mt. of Olives. Here's this whole sea of pilgrims out there with their tents. Jerusalem was full of people. Jesus hadn't told them where they were going to keep the Passover.

You won't find this in the King James, but the phrase "…when they were killing the Passover lambs…" In the King James, it's very interesting how it reads:

Mark 14:12 (KJV): "And the first day of unleavened bread…" Why do you think they added the word bread. It's not there, they assumed!

I want you to think about this for a little bit. Here they are: "…when they were killing the Passover lambs…" (v 12).

• Who was killing the Passover lambs?
• Where were they being killed?
• Every other tent?

With hundreds of thousands of tents!

• Every other inn?
• Or maybe several in the inn?
• When was it to be slain?

As soon as the sun had set!

Here they are standing up on top of the Mt. of Olives looking down at all of the pilgrims that were there, coming clear back around to Bethphage and Bethany, and Jesus hadn't told them a single thing about where they were going to keep the Passover. They knew they were to keep the Passover, so:

(FV): "…His disciples said to Him, 'Where do You desire that we go and prepare, so that You may eat the Passover?'" (v 12).

As I noted in the Passover book, the Passover is mentioned eleven times. Not once the word 'Seder.' Very important!
We will look at another KJV. If you read the King James and you understand about Passover and Unleavened Bread, what do you think when you read v 12? That's the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!

Luke 22:7 (KJV): "Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the Passover must be killed"—at a particular time.

We will see what the translators added. Matthew 26:17 shows us that the translators had absolutely no understanding concerning the flow of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And no understanding at all that the Passover Day is an unleavened bread day itself, because they were getting rid of the leaven on the 13th and the morning of the 14th. So, here's how they translated:

Matthew 26:17 (KJV): "Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover?"

I want you to think on this! If this were the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, being the Feast, and this was the beginning of the 15th, the Jews who ate the Passover on the evening of the 15th would then, in reality, be keeping it on the 16th. It's never ever been recorded that the Pharisees kept the Passover on the 16th. They thought they were doing well, but look at the confusion that they caused.

from: A Harmony of the Gospels, pg 243:

"In the first century it was commonly known that 'the day of the unleaveneds'…

That's how they write it in their commentary. Let's understand that all of these things could have been known, especially in our day, because down through history God has always had faithful historians and faithful scholars who stuck to the Truth. There are a few! So, here we have a quote. All of these things we had to ferret out without the use of the Internet in doing A Harmony of the Gospels.

…in Luke 22:7 was the 14th Passover Day. G. Amadon, in an article entitled, 'The Crucifixion Calendar,' pointed out the error of those translators who translated this verse to read 'the first day of the festival.'

"But on what authority should the Hebrew translators, as Salkinson and Delitzch, introduce the word chag [a Hebrew word for 'feast'] into these texts when the corresponding Greek has no word for 'feast,' and speaks only of the 'first of the unleavened bread'—a common expression for the Jewish 14th with practically all first century writers'" (Journal of Biblical Literature, vol. LXIII, 1944, pp. 188-189, emphasis added).

Why is that important today? Because today the mentality of scholarship is about as deep as that skimming bird I've talked about. Today, unfortunately, everybody wants a summary, because 'my attention span is only 12 minutes; I've been faithfully trained by the television.' After that 12 minutes is over, it's only 7 minutes, and by the time I get to a half-hour I need a 4-minute break.

Look at how much confusion they can cause by constantly summarizing everything. You never get to what it really is. So, those who want the Truth, you better be ready to dig for it. This time you won't have to dig too deep; I'll help all of you skimmers. We've got it all in the books and you can read it.

When these books were being written—the Harmony was written when there were a lot of things going on at Ambassador College and the Worldwide Church of God. This was my sanity project! Whenever times get tough, get your mind on Christ, not on the problems!

So, the Passover was being! What you are learning here was never taught at Ambassador College; never! Some of the things that we're going to cover today were never even thought of at Ambassador College. Pray tell, in one year how much can you learn of 101 Theology and Harmony of the Gospels from Robertson? One year, our Monday, Wednesday and Friday for two semesters. Not much!

How much could you learn in one year of the 14 Epistles of Paul, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday? Especially when the professor knew nothing about grace and love! He never taught it! So, there were more reasons than just corruption that had to be eliminated. Those brethren who really want to know the Truth would get in, dig in, and stick with the Truth, the Sabbath and all the things that are necessary to understand the Word of God, so they were not deceived.

God gave us a mind to use! To think! But not to think on how to improve the Word of God, but with the Spirit of God united with our mind to understand what we have!

Mark 14:13: "And He sent two of His disciples… [Peter and John] …and said to them, 'Go into the city, and you shall meet a man carrying a pitcher of water… [he wasn't carrying a lamb; Jesus didn't tell them to go to the temple] …follow him.'"

And whatever house, guess what Jesus did; He kept the Passover in the house just like the Bible says. Wonder of wonders!

Verse 14: "And whatever house he shall enter, say to the master of the house…" Jesus had this all worked out. I wonder how many angels were assigned to this project, to make sure that when Peter and John walked there they found the right man? That they followed him to the right house?

When they got to the house, do you suppose that the master of the house already had slain the lamb? Had it up being roasted by fire?

Sidebar: God is interested in the least, so I don't think that He had a giant one-year-old—because it had to be less than a year old for a Passover lamb—up there on the spigot, because it has to be roasted over fire whole! I suspect he had a small, small lamb. What is the first day that you can offer a newborn lamb on? The eighth day! Since this Passover was going to be finished early, don't you suppose that God had it worked out where it was a small lamb?

When they said, 'Where do You desire that we go to keep the Passover?' What also did they see? Not only the crowd here, but behind their backs the sun was down—'ben ha arbayim'—just enough light!

They follow the man to the house, and they walk in; "…that the Teacher says, 'Where is the guest chamber, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?' And he shall show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. There prepare for us'" (vs 14-15).

If the plates were already placed there, the cups, the wine and everything, and the lamb was being roasted, when they get there what do they have to do? Set up the table! They didn't have to setup chairs because they reclined. They ate very leisurely. I can't imagine lying down and eating that way, but that's what they did.

They had everything out there, and I imagine the owner of the house, or the inn, had the unleavened bread already baked and there. You have to bake the unleavened bread on the 13th in order to eat it on the 14th.

Verse 16: "And His disciples went away: and when they came into the city, they found it exactly as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover." Right here we've got four times that Passover is mentioned just in these verses.

Verse 17: "Now after evening had come, He came with the twelve." That also included the two that were already there.

• When was the lamb to be killed and roasted? Between the two evenings! Between sunset and dark!
• How long is that period of time? About and hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half!

You have a small lamb on a hot fire, it could be ready shortly after they arrived. Something else was going to happen before they started eating the meal.

Then Jesus said that He desired to eat this with them before He suffered. When did Judas leave to betray Jesus? After the foot-washing!

(go to the next track)

Some scholars say that since the Jews keep the Passover on the 15th and Jesus had His meal the day before the Jews who keep their Passover on the 15th that this was a pre-Passover Passover. They actually use the word. What Scriptures do you use to refute that? The ones we just read: Mark 14, Matt. 26 and Luke 22!

• 'Lord, where do You want us to keep the pre-Passover Passover?' It didn't say that!
• Where do You want us to prepare the Passover for you to eat?

If it would have been a day early then what would Jesus have done? Sinned, because He would have kept it on the wrong day! So, some of those people who call themselves scholars have an agenda, rather than seeking for Truth.

When did Judas leave to betray Jesus? Here's where they get the pre-Passover Passover:

John 13:1: "Now, before the Feast of the Passover, knowing that His time had come to depart from this world to the Father, Jesus, having loved His own who were in the world, loved them to the end."

How long before the Passover is before the Passover? It doesn't tell us! So, you can't come here and say, 'See, He kept this before the Passover.' No! Then how come Judas left on the Passover night according to the other accounts to betray Jesus at midnight? So, this is where you have to get all the facts and all of them put together.

That's why the Passover book grew and grew. When I was starting to write about the Passover, I told the brethren that we really need an in-depth 'booklet' on the Passover, about 75 pages. Well, when we got up to 75 pages and up to 125, I said maybe about 150-60. When we passed that I said that maybe it will be about 200. Well, the first edition was 300 pages.

Why so thick? Because that's the most important day of all for Christians today! Satan wants no one to keep it correctly because they would not be in covenant with God if they did not keep it correctly. Now then, John 13 also answers the question: When was the foot-washing? Some people today say well you do the foot-washing last. Not so!

You find that in Luke 7 Jesus came in to eat with the Pharisee. Then the woman came into wash His feet and with her tears and wiped Him with her hair. The Pharisees said, 'This man, if he knew who this woman was…' So, Jesus said, 'Simon, I have something to ask you. There are two debtors. One owed the master 50 coins the other 450. He forgave both of them. Which will love him the most?' Simon said, 'That's easy, the one who he forgave the most.' Jesus said, 'You answered rightly. But you see this woman washing My feet? I came into your house and you gave no water to wash my feet.'

Now when do you wash the feet of the guest coming into your house? When they walk out the door after the visit? OR As soon as they come in? Well, they've been walking on dusty streets! Today we don't even think of that. Because we drive so we have clean feet. We don't wear sandals, so they don't get dust on them. What else would you also have on your feet during those days, that you don't even think of today? A little manure from horses, donkeys, goats and sheep! Especially if it's dry and dusty and mixed up with the dust.

Interesting comment they had such contempt for Jesus they didn't do it. You do it when you come into the house. That was common custom everywhere. Of course, all of those with the 'pooper-scoopers' were the ones who probably were under judgment for some crime or something, the lowest job in society. Get rid of the dung! In Greek the word is 'skubalon.'

John 13:2: "And after supper began..." The word there means right at the beginning of supper. In other words, after everyone was there at the beginning of supper.

"...(the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, that he should betray Him), Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments; and after taking a towel, He secured it around Himself. Next, He poured water into a washing basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel, which He had secured" (vs 2-5).

Peter said, 'You're not going to do this, Lord.' Jesus said, 'If I don't do it you don't have any part with Me.' So, Peter said, 'Not only my feet but my hands and head, too.' So, Jesus said:

Verse 10: "...'The one who has been washed… [washing of baptism] …does not need to wash anything other than the feet…'"

So then, we come to the end of foot-washing and let's see the lesson of it. After He sat down, He said to them:

Verse 13: "You call Me the Teacher and the Lord, and you speak rightly, because I am." How many Protestants and Catholics call Jesus their Lord? Probably most of them! Do they wash one another's feet? No! The pope does on, supposedly, 'Good Friday.' He has twelve seminary students all sitting up on a platform and he has a picture and he pours water over all of them, and isn't he 'righteous'?

Verse 12: "Therefore, when He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and had sat down again, He said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me the Teacher and the Lord, and you speak rightly, because I am. Therefore, if I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also are duty-bound... [that's what the Greek means] …to wash one another's feet'" (vs 12-14).

If you claim Jesus to be your Lord and you don't wash one another's feet, He is not your Lord! And here's why:

Verse 15: "For I have given you an example, to show that you also should do exactly as I have done to you. Truly, truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, nor a messenger greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (vs 15-17).

This is a lesson showing you don't dare usurp any of the prerogatives of God by adding to or taking from. Because he explains it here:

Verse 16: ...a servant is not greater than his lord, nor a messenger greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (vs 16-17).

What if you had a very important message to send hand-carried by messenger? And a messenger had a copy of the seal that you normally sealed your letters with and he took it with him, and he broke open the seal and then wrapped a different message in there and sealed it and took it to the man it was to be delivered to.

What did he just do? He made himself greater than the one who sent the message! I'm more important that he is and I'm going to change it. What does that say about preachers, teachers, rabbis, popes, cardinals and bishops? They all put themselves in the seat of God!

Sidebar: I saw an interesting comment by a man out of Stanford who wrote an article on it. 'The radical left today do not want to hear any dissenting opinions, because they alone know what's right. So therefore, we don't have to hear them.' And he made the comment that in making their own laws they're becoming their own gods. That's why you see what you see today. The epitome of lawlessness is you make yourself a god!

What Jesus is saying here is, 'This shall not be that way with you. Now then, He went on saying, v 18: "I am not speaking of you all; for I know whom I have chosen, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled: 'He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.'…. [before he goes he's got to eat] …I am telling you at this time, before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe that I AM. Truly, truly I tell you, the one who receives whomever I send is receiving Me; and the one who receives Me is receiving Him Who sent Me" (vs 18-20).

How important is the message to be brought according to the Word of God since that is the case?

Verse 21: "As He was saying these things, Jesus was troubled in spirit, and testified, saying, 'Truly, truly I tell you, one of you shall betray Me.' Then the disciples looked at one another, wondering of whom He was speaking. Now one of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved… [this is John writing about himself] ...was leaning on Jesus' chest. And so, Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who was the one of whom He was speaking. Then he leaned back on Jesus' chest and asked Him, 'Lord, who is it?' Jesus answered, 'It is the one to whom I shall give a sop after I have dipped it'" (vs 21-26).

Now right here somebody has said that they didn't use unleavened bread for the Passover, because you can't dip a sop with unleavened bread[transcriber's correction].

• Have you ever heard of chip and dip?
• Is the chip unleavened?
• Can you dip? Yes!
• What if it is like a tortilla, and it's kind of a floppy tortilla?
• What do you do? You break part of it and you put it in your hand and you form a little scooper!
• Have you ever done that? That's what Jesus did and gave it to Judas!

Verse 26: "Jesus answered, 'It is the one to whom I shall give a sop after I have dipped it.' And when He had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, Simon's son. And after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, 'What you do, do quickly'" (vs 26-27).

No one knew what it was. They thought he was going to go out buy some things for the Feast or some more things because you could still buy for the Passover night, I suppose, at that time.

Let's talk about what happened after Jesus gave all these words. How do we have all of these conversations written down by the apostles, direct quotes from Jesus? How were they able to do that? Well there's a man in Holland, B.J.E Van Noort who wrote a book Jesus' Stenographers. Since we have everything where we can record and write down. Years ago they used to have shorthand, and Dolores was an expert in shorthand.

That's what they used in recording for official statements wherever the king was wherever the prince was, whoever the ruler was. They had scribes. And they had tablets to write on and these tablets were beeswax and they had a little stylus, and they had shorthand. Have you ever heard of—from Babylon—cuneiform writing? Clay! He would take the clay and bake it. Now you have a certified document.

So, they would write down; the two or three of the disciples were always writing something. They always had the record. So, they had that. Plus we have the Comforter, the Holy Spirit:

John 16:8: "And when that one has come…"

Let me tell you little bit about translating. That one comes from the Greek 'ekeinos.' You have masculine feminine and neuter 'ekeinos.' Since the main noun is the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is neuter, and the Comforter is masculine but descriptive, the main noun takes precedence over the descriptive noun. So, when I translated that I translated it that one. Years later I got a Greek Lexicon book written by Daniel B Wallace and he said that should be translated that one because of the very reason that I said, and not he.

So, the King James has he; that's incorrect; another error in the King James. When you really get into the Greek and these things here, you begin to understand there are so many errors in the King James that it is a very difficult task to come to the full Truth by having that. You must know the Greek, you must know the Hebrew, and you must know what these things stand for. So, this is the 'ekeinos.' and it should be translated that one instead of he.

• the Comforter is a masculine noun
• the Holy Spirit is neuter

The main one is the Holy Spirit, which is the Comforter, so the Holy Spirit is the main noun. When I got Daniel B. Wallace's book—and you can read in the appendices in The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version concerning the Holy Spirit—and saw that the leading expert in America today—Daniel B Wallace—said it should be translated that one instead of he because there's no basis of personality for the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. That made me feel really good at that point that I translated it correctly. Because the English language does not assign a specific designation of the definite article for gender, you have this confusion. In Greek you have 'ho, ha, to.'

Verse 8: "And when that one has come, it will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment: Concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer will see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. I have yet many things to tell you, but you are not able to bear them now" (vs 8-12)—to comprehend them now. He told them a lot of those things during the 40 days after He was resurrected.

The Holy Spirit has to be neutered because it's for men and women, and God is the first one to be politically correct with this! What would it be if it were both feminine and masculine and you sent the wrong one. That might lead to problems.

Verse 13: "However, when that one has come, even the Spirit of the Truth, it will lead you into all Truth, because it shall not speak from itself, but whatever it shall hear, it shall speak…."—just exactly like we have a recorder.

The Holy Spirit is the power of God and conveys the words that God wants to the person receiving them! It isn't going to add to or take away from. Because it's the power of God and it is the Truth of God and Christ is Truth and the Father is Truth, and that's what it will inspire.

"…it will lead you into all Truth, because it shall not speak from itself, but whatever it shall hear, it shall speak. And it shall disclose to you the things to come" (v 13).

When did that happen? During the 40 days after Jesus was resurrected the first time! Let's look at something in Acts 6 that's very important. A lot of people say well nothing was written down until hundreds of years later, so how do we know anything is true? Here's the occasion when this was within the first year.

• What was absolutely the minimum necessary to be written down for these new disciples coming?
• These new disciples came beginning when? Pentecost!
• What was the most important thing that had to be written down for all of them? Because time marches on and marches on!

Pretty soon you're coming back around to the Holy Days seasons again. So, the twelve were waiting on tables and they said:

Acts 6:2: "…'It is not proper for us to leave the Word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, brethren, search out from among yourselves seven men of good repute, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word'" (vs 2-4).

What is the ministry of the Word? It is writing down the things that we have in the New Testament today! The Holy Spirit would lead them to do it. What was the most important thing that they had to accomplish before the end of the first year? I'll give you a clue! How many of the disciples were at Jesus' last Passover? Twelve to begin with eleven to finish!

The rest of the 120 that were the disciples that remained with Him were keeping the Passover some other place. But they never kept the New Testament Passover, that first one. That was only to the apostles! What did they have to have written down so that all the rest of the additional thousands of disciples would have it? How do you take the New Covenant Passover? What did Jesus say; it's all written down. So, to say that this was written hundred of years later is an absolute myth and an excuse so men can change whatever they want.

And I just bought a new Bible. I don't have enough at home, so I bought a new one. It's called The Inclusive Bible the first egalitarian scriptures by Catholic priests and nuns. Some parts aren't bad. But so they don't have to call God 'the Father,' guess what they call Him? Now the first one written in the middle of the 1990s, The Inclusive New Testament, they called the Father 'father/mother' and 'we left it to the reader to contemplate what the meant'! Here they call the Father 'Abba God.'

Instead of saying 'blessed are those who mourn, blessed are those who hunger and thirst,' and so forth, the word there they changed to happy. Happiness is a state of your own thoughts. Blessed comes from God! So, the blessing comes from God if you fit in any of those categories of Matt. 5, not happy. If you're happy that means God has to do something for you because you made yourself happy. I mean, it gets all crazy!

Why does God allow people to do that? To show that His Word, and His Word alone, only is true and right and good! No other modifications to it. Some translations have Passover translated as Easter. Even in the King James and Acts 12 they still have that there.

So, they—the apostles—would give themselves over to the ministry of the Word, and have that all ready.

• What should they do?
• When would foot-washing be?
• What were the words spoken concerning breaking the bread?
• Concerning drinking the wine?

They had to have all that there. Now you look at what we have with the full Passover ceremony John 14-17.

Let's come over here to John 18; this is after they left from the Passover, went to the place where Jesus prayed for three hours. When He was done, it was time for Him to be arrested about midnight on the Passover night.

Think on this: Jesus was the firstborn of Mary, and the firstborn of God—only begotten Son—but it has to be firstborn of Mary. He was redeemed earlier in the flesh, but here, at this Passover, God did not pass over Jesus. He let the forces of evil, inspired directly by Satan the devil, come and arrest Him to take Him off to be crucified. The whole trial.

I like the way the first part of this started out. And God always gives a warning.

John 18:2: "And Judas, who was betraying Him, also knew of the place because Jesus had often gathered there with His disciples. Then Judas, after receiving a band and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with torches and lamps and weapons. Jesus, therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forward and said to them, 'Who are you seeking?' They answered Him, 'Jesus the Nazarean.' Jesus said to them, 'I AM.'.… [name of God] …And Judas, who was betraying Him, was also standing with them. But when He said to them, 'I AM,' they went backward and fell to the ground" (vs 2-6).

Think about what must've been in the minds of those soldiers and those going out there. That never happen again with any other arrest.

Verse 7: "Then He asked them again, 'Who are you seeking?' And they said, 'Jesus the Nazarean.' Jesus answered, 'I told you that I AM. Therefore, if you are seeking Me, allow these to go their way'" (vs 7-8).

You'd be willing to let go. If you fell flat on your back or your face? Either one! Now what took place? Well, He went to the priest first had a trial with them. Then He was sent over to Herod and he wanted to hear something from Jesus, but He didn't say anything to him, and sent Him back to Pontius Pilate. Then they all gathered to take Him up to the Praetorium where Pilate was. This was early about 5:30 or 6:00 in the morning, just when it's starting to get light, and got Pilate out and started the trial. I'm not going to go through all of that because you can cover that yourself.

Now then, I want to ask you: What did we learn about the offerings in Deut. 16 that were offered in the day portion of the Passover Day called Passover Offerings? What kind of offerings were those? Redeem the firstborn! Jesus was the Firstborn! He, as God who created all human beings, was crucified being the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, to eventually redeem the whole world according to the plan of God as laid out in the Holy Days.

There's something else very special about the sacrifice of Christ. Let's see what Paul says and as we're turning there:

John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but may have everlasting life."

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ, though given for the full world, was killed on the Passover Day instead of being redeemed, died, was put in the grave, raised and then ascended to heaven on the first of the firstfruits offering day.

1-Corinthians 5:7: "Therefore purge out the old leaven so that you may become a new lump even as you are unleavened…." You clean the leaven out of your houses, but now you've got to become the new creature in Christ.

"…For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us" (v 7). He didn't say the world, though John 3:16 says the world.

• the Passover is for the Church
• the sacrifice of Christ does not apply to the world until Christ returns and Satan is removed
• the sacrifice for the Day of Atonement pictures Christ's sacrifice applying to the whole world

Now, because He's the Firstborn, died; His sacrifice was for us. Now let's see what it says about Jesus:

Romans 8:29: "Because those whom He did foreknow He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His own Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren."

This is talking about being Firstborn from among the dead (Rev. 1:5[transcriber's correction]); "…among many brethren." Remember that He was sacrificed for us in the Passover. His Passover sacrifice covers all, so the sacrifice of Atonement will apply to the world.

Hebrews 12:22: "But you have come to Mount Sion… [in heaven above] …and to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem; and to an innumerable company of angels; to the joyous festival gathering… [the resurrection] …and to the Church of the Firstborn…" (vs 22-23)—that's us. We're also called the firstfruits.

So, the sacrifice of Christ, though it covers for the sins of the whole world, is only applied to those who are in the Church today.

Now, that's an astounding thing when you think about it!

"…Church of the Firstborn, registered in the Book of Life in heaven; and to God, the Judge of all; and to the spirits of the just who have been perfected" (v 23). So, God has a compartment where he puts the completed spirit when we die. He uses that to resurrect us. That's an astonishing thing when you understand it, when you really think about it.

For some who can't grasp this, yet, I'll ring my cowbell [speculation] because this is the first time I've ever preach this exactly this way.

Those are the difficult Scriptures in the New Testament and they are really very confounding if you just have the King James or other translations. That's why the Faithful Version is the best one you can have, because it was done with this kind of thing in mind. Truth, Truth, Truth nothing but the Truth! And it was done to emphasize what the Bible actually emphasizes:

• the Sabbath
• the commandments of God
• the Holy Days of God
• the framework of God

One person who just got it and was baptized recently wrote and said that it is so enlightening to understand, 'because I couldn't understand it with the other translations.' We won't dwell anymore on the Passover though it's coming up pretty quick. But I wanted to get all of these things out before the Passover time.

Everyone is going to receive everything for the Passover. You'll receive a CD if you're on the mailing list and the letter and also the booklet Passover Ceremony we send every year so you won't have to hunt for it or maybe you gave it to someone else. If you're going to have other people at your house to keep the Passover and you need extra copies of it go ahead and make extra copies that fine no problem.

You will receive for the Sabbath before Passover, the Night to be Much Observed, the first Holy Day, the Sabbath during, and the last Holy Day all on one CD. So they'll give you give you plenty. As a matter of fact we had so much to go on there that we had to send it down to Randy, because our ancient equipment. Mine is 20-years-old. It still works but I only need it for word processing.

So, you will have all that. We're going to mail that out so we will have about two weeks for the mail to get to you so it will all be there on time. I hope this helps to answer these difficult questions.

Go back over these sermons so you understand them. Because I know Satan never stops trying to get the Passover destroyed! He's going to try and get people to give up on the 14th Passover. So be sure and study it all.

All Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version (except where noted)

Scriptural References:

• Numbers 28:11, 16
• John 12:1, 12-21, 24-30
• Mark 14:12
• Luke 22:7
• Matthew 26:17
• Mark 14:13-17
• John 13:1-5, 10, 13, 12-17, 16-27
• John 16:8-13
• Acts 6:2-4
• John 18:2-8
• 1 Corinthians 5:7
• Romans 8:29
• Hebrews 12:22-23

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Numbers 29; 25:9
• Deuteronomy 16
• Exodus 13
• John 2
• Luke 6
• John 6
• Exodus 12
• John 14-17
• Exodus 13
• Luke 7
• Revelation 1:5

Also referenced:
Books:

• A Harmony of the Gospels by Fred R. Coulter
• The Christian Passover by Fred R. Coulter
• Jesus' Stenographers by B.J.E Van Noort
• A Reader's Lexicon of the Apostolic Fathers by Daniel B. Wallace

Booklet: Passover Ceremony by Fred R. Coulter

FRC: po/bo
Transcribed: 3/22/17

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