The month Jesus died

     Below is the first month (Abib) of the Jewish year in which Jesus was crucified. (The spelling of the month comes from Exodus 13:4, 23:15, 64:18, and Deu 16:1. The modern Jewish spelling for this month is Aviv when referring to the Torah for the name of this month.)

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	Value				1 New moon	2
3	4	5	6	7	8 Day Jesus arrived in Bethany; Mary and Martha prepare a supper for Jesus, Lazarus, and others. This is eaten after sunset	9
10 Selection of the Passover lamb; Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey	11	12	13 Jesus sends disciples to prepare the Passover. After sunset, Jesus eats the Passover with His apostles	14 Passover	15 First day of the feast of unleavened bread (high sabbath)	16 The LORD's sabbath
17 Day to bring to the tabernacle (temple) the first fruits of the barley harvest. It is the day Jesus arose.	18	19	20	21 Last day of the feast of unleavened bread (high sabbath)	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30

 One initial comment needs to be made. The Jewish day begins at sunset and ends on the next sunset. For example consider the entries on the 8th and 13th days. Both events occurred after sunset. For the Jews, these happened at the beginning of the 9th and 14th days.
To establish the validity of this, consider what is written in Luke chapter 24. The first verse states the day is the first day of the week. Then through verse 12, it describes the things that had happened during this day so far.
Verse 13 clearly states that as the two disciples began their journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus on "the very same day". So it was still the first day of the week.
At some point, Jesus joins them in their walk. He wants to know why they are so sad. When they, after a while, tell Him of the crucifixion of Christ, they state, "to day is the 3rd day since these things were done." Since we know that Jesus died on Passover, the 14th, it follows that the day they were walking and talking with Jesus was the 17th day of the month.
The moon revolves around the earth a little over 29 days. Because of this, the Jewish months alternate being 30 or 29 days long. In fact, the odd months are 30 days long; the even months are 29 days long.
So, there are only 354 days in a year. In order to keep the seasons and the calendar in sync, a 30 day month is added after the 12th month 7 out of 19 months.
This is to clarify what happened on the 8th, 9th, and 10th. Jesus arrived in Bethany six days before the Passover. So this had to be on the 8th day. On that day, Mary and Martha prepared this supper. Because this was served after sunset, it was on the begging of the 9th day that the people ate this supper. What did Jesus do for the rest of this 9th day? No one recorded that.
So, when the Bible mentions what Jesus did on the next day had to be the 10th day of the month. In Exodus chapter 12. Moses told the children of Israel what was about to happen including what they had to do and when during this time. Included in this was the selection of the Passover lamb. This was to be selected on the 10th day of the first month, slain at the evening of the 14th day, place its blood on the side posts and lintel. roast the lamb with fire, eat it, and burn anything left until sunrise. Jesus fulfilled all of this to the jot and tittle.
Leviticus 23:6-8 states that the 15th day of the month is a sabbath. On that day, there is to be a holy convocation; no servile work was to be done. This also is the requirement for every seventh day of the month; each was a sabbath of the LORD.
There are seven days in a Jewish calendar year that may or may not occur on the seventh day. They came to be know as high sabbaths. The 15th day of the first month is the first one of the year. The 21st day of the first month is the second high sabbath of the year.
After the Passover and first day of the feast of unleavened bread, comes the bringing the first fruits of the barley harvest. The sequence of feasts are as follows: the Passover, the 1st day of the feast of unleavened bread, the sabbath of the LORD, and the first fruits. The last item on always occurred on the first day of the week (Sunday).
All the rituals are contained in Lev. 23:10-14. During this particular year, Jesus arose on this very day. It was not a coincidence that this happened. In what way was Jesus fulfilling Scriptures in what He did this day?
First consider 1 Cor 15:20. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (You see, the apostle Paul well knew the connection between this feast and Jesus' resurrection.)
The point Paul is making in the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians is that there is a resurrection of the dead. The sequence is death followed by the resurrection. If you please, it is burying the grain followed by the seed sprouting sending forth a plant. Jesus was buried followed by His resurrection which was done by the power of God. We are like Jesus in that we die. We will also be like Him in that we also arise, also by the power of God. As He was with the resurrection so will we be like Him in our resurrection. And as He is with God, so will we be with God: body, soul, and spirit.

The week that Jesus died Sunday to Sunday [10-17 Abib]  (September 12, 2022)
      This will be looking at these eight days in more detail. It will be divided into sections.

Passover lamb selection (10 Abib)
September 16, 2022
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 ¶Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. (Exodus 12:1-6)
     (Very important!: The Jewish Calendar is based upon the moon for the duration of its months. As a result, the standard year contains 354 days in twelve months. To keep the calendar close to the seasons, a thirteenth month containing 30 days is added justbefore the first month of the year seven times during each nineteenth year period. In addition, the sunset marks the beginning and ending point for each day. This is based upon Genesis chapter one. And the evening and the morning were the … day. This is important for the Passover itself that year.)
     The Passover supper was after sunset as was His teachings in John chapters 13-17. Later that night Jesus was captured, and tried and convicted by the Sanhedrin Court. This was the evening part of the day of Passover. The morning part began with Jesus being taken to Pilot to have Him convicted and sentenced to death by crucifixion. This was done and in the mid afternoon, He died at His own will. Burial to the extent was possible under the time constraints ended shortly before sunset. The point being that all of these things occurred on the same day (Passover).
     It is now the morning of the tenth day of Abib (first month of the year). Jesus has been staying in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He leaves walking toward the village Bethphage. As He as His disciples neared it, Jesus sent them to it with instructions to two of His disciples to bring back the foal of an ass with its mother. They did so. At this point Jesus began its ride down the side of the mountain of Olives onto the valley floor. He began this ride with only His disciples walking along with Him. That did not last very long before others joined them.
There were Jews and Proselytes that had come before Passover to accomplish the rituals required prior to Passover. The number of them was very large indeed. Others were just arriving in the area. Some of them had heard that Jesus was coming, and they wanted to see Him. Others had heard about Lazarus being raised from the dead, and these had to see him as well. So, when word got out that Jesus and Lazarus are on their way to Jerusalem, they came out in massive numbers.
     Those who knew Jesus the most were jubilant and voiced it. Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest was their cry. Others were shouting, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. Along with all of this, the people in this huge crowd began to make a path for Jesus and the foal He was riding. People removed their outer garments to do this. Others left the crowd only long enough to cut branches from trees for the path.
     This was quite a procession as they approached Jerusalem! It was quite loud also and getting louder as more people joined it. This made it very difficult for the Pharisees and Sadducees to ignore. Their reactions to this even was just as emotional as the procession they were witnessing. But, theirs was hatred, wrath, and all manner of negative emotions. In fact, this led them to plot to kill Jesus and to put out the word that they would pay anyone who delivered Him into their hands! There were some among them that did not go along with this plot. There seems to be no evidence of the latter being consulted by the leaders of these two groups. (Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathæa were two of the latter group.)
     Getting back to the procession, what was the basis for the things the people were shouting? Why were they shouting so loudly? Did God play a part in this?
     Jesus’ disciples heard of Him speak of the kingdom of Heaven, teaching them the things they needed to know about it. They also knew that Jesus was a distant grandson of David (fourteen generations removed according to the Gospel of Matthew). By their actions, we can see how they believed that the kingdom that David had was going to be restored by Jesus. Others had been looking forward to the coming of the Messiah whom they thought would restore it very soon. With the things they had heard about Jesus pointed in that direction as well. So, they joined the chorus of voices. Others getting caught up in the emotions of those, who were already shouting, joined in as well. And on top of all of this, none of them really liked the Roman government. The sooner it was gone the better.
     From this perspective, this was a triumphal march into Jerusalem and then the Temple. It is about this procession that brought Jesus to the Temple, the palm branches and branches of other trees as well. But what is God’s perspective? What purpose did this even have in His mind?
Verses 3-5 in the Biblical quotation at the beginning of this article gives the purpose. It describes what is happening along with those things which happened during the rest of this day.
     As these verses state, this day was when the Passover lamb was to be taken from the flock and kept until the evening of the fourteenth day. Specific rules were given as to what lamb of the flock can qualify as that lamb.
     These verses also reveal God’s purpose for having His True Passover which was held by Him coinciding with the Passover for this specific year. The things the Jews were to do during this week were also done by God. It began with the selection of His True Passover lamb on the tenth day which was the day when Jesus rode the foal of an ass into Jerusalem and then to the Temple where He walked into its grounds.
     In reality, God had chosen Jesus for this role before the foundation of the world. But this had not yet been completely revealed by Him. In the writings of the prophets, various hints had been made concerning who the Messiah would be and what His characteristics were to be. From these writings, there were several misconceptions about Him. Then again, there were beliefs about Him that were accurate to the extent that they went.
     What was God’s purpose in the procession that occurred on this day? What did He intend the words of praise that were heard so loudly? Jesus is the son of David and He was restoring the kingdom for those who do the will of His Father which is in Heaven. Not only that, but He came in the name of the LORD.
     As it is written, [Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.] God had planned out the life of Jesus in detail and in wisdom. He had given this plan to Jesus for Him to live day by day. In fact, He had done each part of it at the time appointed and in the way it should be done.
     So, every word that had been shouted that day in the procession were absolutely true. He was without blemish; He was a male; He was in the early part of His ministry at this point. God had sworn and will not repent: Jesus is His high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Jesus qualified as candidate for being God’s Passover lamb.
     But what about other human beings? Are there anyone who is without even the slightest blemish? What about Noah, Daniel, and Job? Noah became drunk and laid naked in his tent afterwards. Since we do not know everything about Daniel’s life, we don’t know of any of his sins. After Job’s troubles compounded by what his three “miserable comforters” accused him of doing, he had to repent of many things that he had said to them. But what we do know is what the Apostle Paul taught, (Rom 5:12) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”. Every human being inherited sin from Adam, Jesus being the only exception. However, when Jesus on the True Passover removed the old man of each and every child of God, He was filled with their sins. It is this that made Him subject to the law of sin and death. (More about this in detail during the discussion about the Passover itself.) So, obviously, Daniel had sinned in someway in his life, and those sins were blemishes which disqualified even him from being the True Passover lamb. Only Jesus met every requirement of God for this specific lamb.
     Again, the flocks belonging to the children of Israel consisted of both sheep and goats. Suppose a goat was found within a particular flock that was both without blemish, male of the first year. It was also the right size for the number of people who were going to sit down together to eat it on the Passover. Would this be appropriate? Verse 12:5 states it would be. You see, God had given Israel a choice between using a sheep or a goat in this service. As a side issue, it certainly appears that a lamb of the flock is either a sheep or a goat.
     To go further into this, consider who Jesus is, what two of His titles are: son of God, and son of man. These are terms that are used many time in the Scriptures. Jesus often referred to Himself as the son of man. What are these terms the son of…? They are terms of heritage. As the son of God, God is Jesus’ Father. As the son of man, Jesus had taken on Himself the seed of Abraham, he was a human being. Either way, Jesus was still the perfect Passover lamb and the only one who was qualified as the True lamb for God’s True Passover. Actually, to truly understand Jesus, we need to look at Him as the son of God and the son of man. In fact, there were important parts of this week which required Him to be the son of man. Without this, it would be impossible for Him to save His people from their sins. (This too will be discussed in future articles.)     Now back to Jesus’ journey to the Temple. He and the crowd surrounding Him have now entered into the city of Jerusalem and is heading for the Temple. They are still very loud as they have been for some time. Then at last, they arrive there.
     Jesus is entering the Temple grounds with some preceding Him, others with Him, and the rest following. All of them are still praising God for this one who has come in the name of the LORD.
   Jesus is now at home: it is the house of the LORD, the place that He has chosen to place His Name. This is the beginning of the fulfillment of the Scriptures which prophesied that Jesus would be select as the True Passover lamb and kept up until the fourteenth day of Abib. He is now in the Temple, and He will spend most of His time here from now to the beginning of Passover. He is here during the days and on mount of Olives at night. (This being only a Sabbath day’s journey from the Temple kept Him within the proper distance from the Temple.
   As Jesus looked around, He saw money changers on these grounds and people selling and buying sacrificial animals. He became angry, and His wrath became very apparent as He threw all of them out of the temple. The Sadducees had defiled the Temple with these activities. This is a perfect example of leavening corrupting the services of God. What right did He have to do this? He is the Son of God, the high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
     What did He do after cleansing the Temple of these things? Well, the people were still praising God for the One who
had come in the name of the LORD. At this time, this included children. This greatly displeased the chief priests and scribes: they wanted Him to put a stop to all of this. After telling them what would happen if He were to do so, He and His disciples left for Bethany on the mount of Olives. This likely mean that Jesus spent the night in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus again.
     With the setting of the sun, the first day of the week ended, and the second day of the week began...