The Resurrection On One Of The Sabbaths ?

Word Press.com ^ | May 26 2009 | Pmary65

[Pmary65]

The Epistle of the Emperor Constantine, Concerning the matters transacted at the Council (Nicea), addressed to those Bishops who were not present; [Quote]

Constantine Agustus to the churches;

“ I now procceed briefly to recapitulate the whole of the preceding. The judgement of all is, that the holy pascal feast should be held on one and the same day ; for, in so holy a matter, it is not right that difference of custom should prevail. It is the more commendable to obey this decree, because it precludes all association with error and with sin. This being the case, receive with gladness the heavenly gift and sacred command; for all that is transacted in the holy councils of the bishops, is sanctioned by the Divine will. Therefore, when you have made known to all our beloved brethren the subject of the epistle, you will be ‘bound to conform to the regular observance of this holy day’, so that when, according to my long cherished desire, I shall be with you, I may be able to celebrate with you this holy festival upon one and the same day…” [End Quote]

Reiterated by Theodoretus Bishop of Cyrus (387 C.E.~ 458 C.E.)
The Greek Ecclesiastical Historians of The First Six Centuries of The Christian Era. Book I Chapter X ‘Esuebius’s Life of Constantine’.

[Pmary65]

In regards to the actual timing of a Paschal – Last Supper event;

“So important is it to have a clear understanding of all that passed on that occasion, that at the risk of some repetition, we shall now attempt to piece together the notices in the various Gospels, adding to them again those explanations which have just been given in detail. At the outset we may dismiss, an unworthy of serious discussion, the theory, either that our Lord had observed the Paschal Supper at another than the regular time for it, or that St. John meant to intimate that He had partaken of it on the 13th instead of the 14th of Nisan.
To such violent hypothesis, which are wholly uncalled for, there is this one conclusive answer, that except on the evening of the 14th of Nisan, no Paschal lamb could have been offered in the temple, and therefore no Paschal Supper celebrated in Jerusalem.” [End Quote]

The Temple, Its Ministry and Services as they were At The Time Of Jesus Christ. (1874)
Chapter XII ‘The Paschal Feast And The Lord’s Supper, Rev. Dr. Alfred Edersheim

[tang-soo]

I think the 8 days is from two different festivals. 1 - The Passover (1 day) and 2 - The feast of unleaven bread (7 days). the two have been combined into one observance called Passover.

[Jewbacca]

No, that is not correct.

http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/283,164372/When-is-Passover.html

[Pmary65]

Dr. Edersheim’s comment on Pesach in the Temple day (before 68 A.D.) [Quote]

“The cycle of Temple-festivals appropriately opens with “the Passover” and “Feast of unleavened bread,” For, properly speaking, these two are quite distinct, the “Passover” taking place on the 14th of Nisan, and the “Feast of unleavened bread” commencing on the 15th, and lasting for seven days to the 21st of the month. But from their close connection they are generally treated as one, both in the Old and New Testament ; and Josephus, on one occasion, even describes it as “a feast for eight days.”
[End Quote]

The Temple, Its Ministry and Services as they were At The Time Of Jesus Christ. (1874)
Chapter XI ‘The Passover’ Rev. Dr. Alfred Edersheim

[Pmary65]

In Regards to the timing of the Pascal - Last Supper Event (continued);

“ In attempting an accurate chronology of these days (Pesach) it must always be remembered that the Passover was sacrificed between the evenings of the 14th and the 15th of Nisan ; that is, before the close of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th. The Paschal Supper, however took place on the 15th itself (that is according to Jewish reckoning – the day beginning as the first stars became visible).” [End Quote]

The Temple, Its Ministry and Services as they were At The Time Of Jesus Christ. (1874)
Chapter XI ‘The Passover, Rev. Dr. Alfred Edersheim

[Jewbacca]

Don’t know who he is; I defer to actual Rabbis.

[Pmary65]

Many believers identify that ‘Christ our Passover’ and the ‘Lamb of God’ pertains directly to a crucifixion event occurring at a time when the Passover lambs were being slain. Many have linked the timing for Jesus crucifixion to the public sacrifice on the Passover late afternoon of Nisan 14th. It is not then any wonder then why Jesus last Passover supper occurring later on the first day of unleavened gets totally misconstrued. To them who think it essential that He be crucified while lambs were being slain consider that such activities were carried forward on a daily basis by the temple priests for each and every day of the Passover period.

Numbers 28: 16-25
3 And thou shalt say unto them, this is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.
4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;
16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the LORD.
17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.
18 In the first day shall be a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:
19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish:
20 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram;
21 A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs:
22 And one goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you.
23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.
24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
25 And on the seventh day ye shall have a holy convocation ye shall do no servile work.
KJV

We can see from Numbers 28:24 that a daily sacrifice of lambs were offered by temple priests on the whole seven days of the Passover period. Each day two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year, and one goat were sacrificed along with the daily sacrifice of two young lambs for the morning and the evening ritual. These sacrifices were inclusive for the full seven day duration of the Passover period.

[Pmary65]

He was a well respected proselyte.

[Pmary65]

* Note – These 3 verses from Mark 15 (crucifixion day) must apply to a secular day where travelling ,work, and purchasing were acceptable;

21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. KJV

42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, KJV

46 And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. KJV

Such activities occurring on a Friday Nisan 15th (High Sabbath) would be next to impossible. However, these activities occurring on a Wednesday Nissan 20th (secular day) are quite probable.

[Pmary65]

The events of a Passover meal (a commemoration of the ‘Exodus’) in relation to the ‘Last Supper’ (the indoctrination of the New Covenant) appear simultaneous in the timing as the Gospels reveal. However there remains much debate amongst theologians as to when the actual timing of these events occurred. To remain objective let us refer to an earlier finding to support the later.

The Historian Josephus (~70 A.D.) gives an account of the great preparation leading up to the Exodus; [Quote]

“But when God had signified, that with one more plague he would compel the Egyptians to let the Hebrews go, he commanded Moses to tell the people that they should have a sacrifice ready, and they should prepare themselves on the tenth month Xanthicus, against the fourteenth (which month is called by the Egyptians Pharmuth, and Nisan by the Hebrews; but the Macedonians call it Xanthicus) and that he should carry away the Hebrews with all that they had. Accordingly, he having got the Hebrews ready for their departure, and having sorted the peoples into tribes, he kept them together in one place; but when the fourteenth day was come, and all were ready to depart, they offered the sacrifice, and purified their houses with the blood, using hyssop for that purpose; and when they had supped they burnt the remainder of the flesh, as just ready to depart.” [End-Quote] Antiquities of the Jews Book 2, Chapter 14, Paragraph 6. William Whiston

If Jesus last supper was a ‘genuine Passover Seder’ on the beginning of Nisan 14th as many purport how then was it a ritual commemorating the Israelites who ate it in haste (EX 12:11) before fleeing from Egypt on Nisan 15th?

“And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow of the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.” KJV – Numbers 33:3

Why would the Israelites in Moses time have to wait around for at least 24 hours after eating a meal on the beginning of Nisan 14th before departing from Egypt on the next day of Nisan 15th?

“Observe the month of Abib (Nisan), and keep the Passover unto the Lord thy God; for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.” Deuteronmy 16:1 KJV

The verse says; ‘ out of Egypt by night’ thus indicating a most precarious time when darkness and moonlight was upon them.

If the Israelites in Moses time did eat the Passover meal in the beginning Of Nisan 14th (as many theologians persist) then it should stand to reason that they could have departed ‘in haste’ (fully assembled-fully prepared) that very night shortly afterwards. However, the Bible account and Josephus account clearly agree together that the Israelites left in the night of Nisan 15th some short time later after eating the meal.
Likewise our Lord’s last Passover meal was kept on the beginning of Nisan 15th. That day known as a high annual Sabbath (signified Israel’s departure from Egypt) or a ‘Yom Tov” (Hebrew) meaning as ‘Good Day’ which became traditionally known as ‘Good Friday’. Good not because Jesus died on that day (sic). Think about it. What is good about someone being crucified to death? It was good because an invocation by our Lord Jesus was offered and made to all in his last intimate shared moments where the alloted elements at that table were combined and consecrated into a life eternal giving sustenance.

The timing of the events that unfolded after that became immeasurable. One account indicates a prior intention to not press matters against Jesus ‘Not on a feast Day’ as noted in Matthew 26:5 and Mark 14:2. However, another account at Mark 15:6 and Luke 23:17 shows that the crucifixion moment did succumb to being ‘ON A FEAST DAY’ within the Passover period.
Over the years I have become aware of the various positions by theologians as to ‘WHEN’ the last supper, the crucifixion, and the resurrection moments occurred. Opinions and beliefs are strongly divided. Church official authorities opt to a more passive stance admitting that such historical details to this day remain a ‘mystery’. But all in all, it eventually all boils down to; ‘Does it really matter?’ I suppose the most over-looked point here is the most important one of all and that is; ‘Why’? Why did these important events regardless of when they happened as shown from are history did come to pass? What remains significant from those events that has carried us on through the ages in to a modern day existence with a stake of it in our own individual lifes? Only you can answer that question, the answer is in your heart. You have your choice and I have mine.

[Pmary65]

* Note- The phrase ‘the first day of the week’ could have appeared as; ‘της πρώτο ημέρα του εβδομάδα’ in the Greek for the verses of; Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1, St. John 20:1,19; Acts 20:7, and 1 Corinthians 16:2 in the New Testament but does not appear anywhere in any way, shape or form. The word ‘εβδομάδας’ in the Greek for ‘week’ does appear respectively in the Septuagint Old Testament in; EX 34:22; LEV 23:15, 16, 25; NUM 28:26; DEUT 16:9, 10, 16; II CHRON 8:13, and Daniel 9:24,25, 26, 27; 10:2, 3.

[Diego1618]

Note- The phrase ‘the first day of the week’ could have appeared as; ‘της πρώτο ημέρα του εβδομάδα’ in the Greek for the verses of; Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1, St. John 20:1,19; Acts 20:7, and 1 Corinthians 16:2 in the New Testament but does not appear anywhere in any way, shape or form.

That's because the entire idea of a Sunday morning resurrection is simply so much "Hogwash"!

I've always wondered why the proponents of this false doctrine (read Catholic) didn't try and come up with a better reason for shunning the Sabbath and establishing Sunday as the official day of worship. Their claim for a Sunday resurrection is so easily disproved.

They fooled the Protestants as well.....and even the Mormons got right in step with this "Tom Foolery".

[Daniel Gregg]

I have a substantial artile on Diego's point here: http://www.torahtimes.org/Sabbaton_Week_Sabbaths.html .... The development of the Greek term for Sabbath started from the Aramaic term for Sabbath, which was שַׁבְּתָא (shabbta). This was transliterated as σαββατα. Then at some later point שַבָּתוֹן was cleverly transliterated as σαββατων and σαββατον. By this method σαββατων came to be employed both in the singular sense of "sabbatism" שַבָּתוֹן, and in the plural sense of שַבָּתוֹת. So σαββατων is a literal Greek translation of שַבָּתוֹת, but as a translation of שַבָּתוֹן, it is a Hebraism, or loan word. ....

[Daniel Gregg]

If you study comparitive religions and how cults arise, you will find that the process is based on power and ability to deceive and not logic or history. That’s what happens to the human race. Just look at how speedily ancient Israel abandoned the law of YHWH in a kind of cyclic manner. Do you really think guilty people want their children to remember what they apostacized away from? Hardly, so future generations of the church are left in ignorance. In any case, its not hopeless. God has prevented a total destruction of the evidence.

[Daniel Gregg]

Pmary65, I don't know if you read all the posts in that thread on translatium. There I explained the reason for the Gender conflict as follows: Daniel007 Newbie Online Posts: 16 My reply on that forum: The usual Greek phrase for Sabbath day is: ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων (Luke 4:16). What I see is that you make a proper point. The word "day" is implied by the feminine word for "one". So the result is: τῇ μιᾷ [ἡμέρᾳ] τῶν σαββάτων = the first Sabbath [day] or "One [day] of the Sabbaths" It appears that this is simply the usual phrase for the sabbath day with the word "first" or "one" put on the front. While "one" must agree with "day", it is obvious that "day" does not have to agree in either number or gender with "sabbaths". So, I fail to see how this gender argument makes "sabbaths" mean "week", since the gender clash is already in the usual phrase for the Sabbath day. You make the point that "first of the Sabbaths" requires the Greek ordinal number πρῶτοv . This is is probably so in Modern Greek to Byzantine Greek, but the Gospels reflect a Hebrew or Aramaic idiom where the word "echat" or "echad" means both "one" and "first". This point was made by John Calvin in his commentaries on these passages. He even thought that Acts 20:7 refered to the Sabbath and cited John Chrysostom as having the same opinion. I have been unable to find Calvin's source on Chrysostom. It would be possible to take this one step further. The phrase is a pure semiticism for "Echat ha- shabbattot" (first of the Sabbaths), because the word "Echat" is feminine to agree with "Shabbatot" (Hebrew fem. plural for 'sabbaths"). It would seem then that the phrase "first of the Sabbaths" was borrowed into Greek from a Hebrew or Aramaic designation for the first of the seven Sabbaths mentioned in Leviticus 23:15. If you have any sources other than the resurrection passages or Acts 20:7, 1Cor. 16:2, or Luke 18:12 which would show an unambiguous meaning of "week" for "Sabbath" inside the first century, I'd like to know about it. I read an article by E. Vogt --it's in German in Biblica. He denies that 'sabbath' meant week. Also, C.S. Mann in the Anchor Bible of Matthew questiones it. The Catholic Encyclopedia suggests that "Shabbat" was confused with "Sheba" (seven) early on by the Church. I understand your argument from the point of view of "pure Greek", but I think the semitic influence needs to be accounted for. Daniel.

[Pmary65]

Yeah,
Ignorance is bliss like mushrooms in the dark.

[Pmary65]

Hello Daniel,
I like your approach on this matter. Your comments are like music to our ears! You’ve really narrowed it down. Your points are well taken.
The refinement of certain words from earlier findings may cast a clearer light to aid us in a better overall understanding. Sure we would like to get to the bottom of all of this. However, the historical path behind us is not an easy one to back track, remedy or compromise.
- Best Regards!

[Diego1618]

“ In attempting an accurate chronology of these days (Pesach) it must always be remembered that the Passover was sacrificed between the evenings of the 14th and the 15th of Nisan ; that is, before the close of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th. The Paschal Supper, however took place on the 15th itself (that is according to Jewish reckoning – the day beginning as the first stars became visible).” [End Quote]

[Genesis 1:3-5] 3 And God said, Let there be light (OWR): and there was light (OWR). 4 And God saw the light (OWR), that it was good: and God divided the light (OWR) from the darkness (CHOSHEK). 5 And God called the light (OWR) Day (YOWM), and the darkness (CHOSHEK) he called Night (LAYIL). And the evening and the morning were the first day (YOWM). God divided light (OWR) from darkness (CHOSHEK). The light (OWR) was called day (YOWM). The darkness (CHOSHEK) was called night (LAYIL).

You've touched on something here that is not too clear to some folks and I would like to offer my thoughts. "Beyn ha Arbayim".....Between the evenings. As you can see by the above scripture evening and morning are part of the day (YOWM); verse 5. Evening is not part of the night.....at least to Moses and the Hebrews it wasn't. Of course to us in the 21st century evening is now part of the night as it was also part of the night time to the King James translators.

"Beyn ha Arbayim". This was the term used to designate when the Passover was to be killed. Here are the Biblical definitions for the Hebrew.

Beyn: (sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 'biyn' ; a distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), + from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within. ha: simply means "the". Arbayim: from '`arab' ; dusk:--+ day, even(-ing, tide), night.

Between the Evenings/Beyn ha Arbayim. Arbayim is a dual word designated by the "ayim" on the tail end and means more than one. Ereb is the singular and the first time this word appears in scripture is [Genesis 1:5] "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening (singular) and the morning were the first day." As discussed earlier.....evening and morning were part of the daylight portion of the daily cycle. Morning was from sunrise to high noon and noon itself was the first evening. The second evening was sunset but the entire time from noon to sunset was called "Evening".....or as the KJV translators said...."Even".. The reason God started the daily cycle with darkness was because that's what appeared first.....darkness (verse 2).

Morning refers to the part of the day when the light is growing and evening refers to the part of the day when the light is receding. So, God designates a complete day as, from sunrise to sunset. Day and night together form the 24 hour period we now (also the KJV translators) call a completed day.

1. King James [Exodus 12:6] "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." (Translators using the singular here have caused much confusion).

2. Young's Literal Translation [Exodus 12:6] "'And it hath become a charge to you, until the fourteenth day of this month, and the whole assembly of the company of Israel have slaughtered it between the evenings;" (Between noon and sunset)

3. Hebrew Tanakh [Exodus 12:6] " wəhāyâ lāḵem ləmišəmereṯ ‘aḏ ’arəbā‘â ‘āśār ywōm l^a ḥōḏeš hazzeh wəšāḥăṭû ’ōṯwō kōl qəhal ‘ăḏaṯ-yiśərā’ēl bên hā‘arəbāyim:"

Above is the Hebrew....of course, expressed in English script to see and understand.

Young's is a good translation in that they faithfully attempt to translate literally. Sometimes because of syntax and idioms it is difficult to understand but they really do make an honest attempt.....as you can see.

Let's go ahead and list the other scriptures in which you find "Beyn ha Arbayim.....Between the Evenings".

[Exodus 16:12] "I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel; speak unto them, saying, Between the evenings ye eat flesh, and in the morning ye are satisfied with bread, and ye have known that I am Jehovah your God."

[Exodus 29:39] "the one lamb thou dost prepare in the morning, and the second lamb thou dost prepare between the evenings;

"[Exodus 29:41] " And the second lamb thou dost prepare between the evenings; according to the present of the morning, and according to its libation, thou dost prepare for it, for sweet fragrance, a fire-offering, to Jehovah:"

[Exodus 30:8] "and in Aaron's causing the lamps to go up between the evenings, he doth perfume it; a continual perfume before Jehovah to your generations."

[Leviticus 23:5] "in the first month, on the fourteenth of the month, between the evenings, is the passover to Jehovah;"

[Numbers 9:3] "in the fourteenth day of this month between the evenings ye prepare it in its appointed season; according to all its statutes, and according to all its ordinances ye prepare it."

[Numbers 9:5] "and they prepare the passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, between the evenings, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that Jehovah hath commanded Moses, so have the sons of Israel done."

[Numbers 9:11] "in the second month, on the fourteenth day, between the evenings they prepare it; with unleavened and bitter things they eat it;"

[Numbers 28:4] "the one lamb thou preparest in the morning, and the second lamb thou preparest between the evenings;

[Numbers 28:8] "'And the second lamb thou dost prepare between the evenings; as the present of the morning, and as its libation thou preparest -- a fire-offering, a sweet fragrance to Jehovah."

Now.....between the evenings would be at 3:00 P.M. or thereabouts. This was when the evening sacrifice took place and most folks think nowadays that means it occurred at night time. Here are some scriptures that will indicate when the "Evening" sacrifice actually happened: [Acts 3:1][Acts 10:3][Acts 10:30]. Here are scriptures that show when Our Lord's sacrifice took place: Matthew 27:45-46][Mark 15:33-34][Luke 23:44]. The Hebrews began counting their hours at sunrise....so the ninth hour would be 3:00 P.M.

The proof verse that explains what evening really means is [Deuteronomy 16:6] " But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt."

At the first evening (High Noon) the sun is directly overhead. As it progresses to the second evening (Sunset) what does the sun do? It begins to go down, gets lower in the sky....and finally about six hours later it sets.....goes below the horizon. Do you see how we need to know how the Hebrews thought about things before we can understand thoroughly what the scriptures are really saying?

As you read the New Testament and reflect on the crucifixion you'll now know why Our Lord had to die......between the evenings........3:00 P.M. on the 14th of the first month [Leviticus 23:5].

[Pmary65]

“As you read the New Testament and reflect on the crucifixion you’ll now know why Our Lord had to die......between the evenings........3:00 P.M. on the 14th of the first month [Leviticus 23:5].”

In reference to your statement of chronology; did Jesus and the disciples eat ‘unleavened bread’ at the last supper setting the night before the crucifixion?