The passion and crucifixion of Jesus matched with the Jewish Passover observance. It started with the selection of the sacrificial lamb, i.e., a lamb that is free from blemish. Jesus was the perfect “lamb” without blemish from birth whom God sent to become an atoning sacrifice for the good of all humanity. The Israelites selected the sacrificial lamb on the tenth day of Nisan, which according to the Christian calendar was on Sunday, 02 April that year. Pilgrims brought the paschal lamb up from Bethpage and went to the Temple mount. Likewise, the people unknowingly selected Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, who came to the Temple for sacrifice along the same route. The people welcomed Jesus to the Temple that day as their redeemer. After Jesus had cleansed the Temple, the agitated priests confirmed the people’s selection by their decision to kill him. When Pilate gave them a choice, the people confirmed their selection of Jesus for crucifixion instead of the blemished Barabbas. The Israelites sacrificed the paschal lamb on the 14th day of Nisan. That was on Thursday, 06 April from sunset to 07 April sunset that year. The crucifixion of Jesus was on Friday, 07 April, before sunset.
The last supper of Jesus was a Jewish Passover Meal that was a remembrance of the deliverance of the Israelites from the slavery of Egyptians. It was also a recollection of slaying a lamb and marking the doorposts of their houses with the blood of the lamb, so the Lord would save their first-born children from the final plague of death. Jesus was getting ready to replace the blood of the lamb with his own blood and mark it on the cross instead of the doorposts so that his first-born children in faith would be saved from the eternal death.
This Passover lamb should be sacrificed only in Jerusalem on the 14th of Nisan that was on Thursday, April 6, from sunset to April 7th sunset. The soldiers crucified Jesus during the same time on Friday, April 7th in Jerusalem outside the city.
REFLECTION
God fulfilled His promise to humanity by sending His son among us. Jesus voluntarily ransomed his life for us to liberate us from the bondage of Satan and sin. It is our responsibility to accept Jesus as our savior and cooperate with him.