Passover

Leviticus 23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover.
Leviticus 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
Leviticus 23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
Leviticus 23:8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

First month of the Jewish calendar is Nisan.

From Way of Life Encyclopedia:

This year, Passover begins at sundown on Saturday, April 19, 2008.
The Hebrew calendar, I believe is based on the Lunar equinox and the calendar we use is based on the Solar equinox.

I can't remember which Council changed "Resurrection Sunday" or the Feast of First Fruits to Easter, but it was the Roman Catholic Church which was responsible. You can find more information on that Hope of Israel site. The RCC "christianized" pagan holidays and Easter was one and Christmas was the other. The name "Easter" comes from the goddess "Astarte" symolizing fertility and springtime. Since Easter is based on the Solar calendar, the date will vary. Using the Hebrew calendar, the day of Passover remains the same, 14 Nisan.

Hope that helps.

 

Modern Judaism does celebrate Passover on the correct day, 14 Nisan. Don't know if I told you that when I first got saved, I gave the Rabbi of our Messianic congregation an "Easter" card...and I almost got my head chopped off. To him and his wife that was an outrage! They told me they didn't celebrate "Easter", but Passover and I should be more careful next time.

 

Let me crawl out from under my rock here, to say that Linda64 is correct. She has also unwittingly brought up something, without dwelling on it. The fact that Passover starts on a Saturday, this year, shows that is can occur on any day of the week, in various years. That is 'Biblical'.

Unlike 'Easter', which is determined to always fall on a Sunday, ignoring the actual date of Passover. I believe, but am not sure, that Passover occurs on or very near the "full moon". I think, but I did not actually seek it out, that the moon is "full", or at least very close to full, if not already here. Maybe someone can help me on this, as I cannot bring it specifically to mind exactly how that works.

Ed

 

Here's an interesting read from Jewish Awareness Ministries:


Messiah Jesus: the Passover Lamb

by Moshe Gold

On the Seder plate1 containing the main ritual items of the Passover is a place marked by the Hebrew word Zerôah. It is here that a roasted shank bone of a lamb is placed to symbolize the Pascal lamb once offered in the Temple. This is a purely symbolic item; it is not eaten. Judaism teaches that since there is no longer a Temple in which to properly slaughter the lamb, it is impossible to make an offering that would be acceptable to God. Therefore, it is best to only represent that offering. The Hebrew word used for the shank bone is actually the Hebrew word for arm. There is another word for lamb shank (shoulder). Why then is this central symbol referred to as the arm rather than a lamb shoulder?

Within Judaic thought, the shank bone was chosen as a reminder of God's outstretched arm in deliverance at the Red Sea. Moses declared that the redemption from Egypt was accomplished with a strong hand, with an outstretched arm, and with great terror, signs, and judgments (Deut. 26:8). The sequence is from the weakest to the strongest, from the most dependent to the Most High. The right hand, although the symbol for human strength is weaker than the arm upon which it depends for its power. The arm directed the activity of the hand through whom the terror, signs, and judgments were achieved. The strong (right) hand used to accomplish the plagues and the parting of the sea was Moses. The actual miracles were brought about by the arm of God.

At the end of the wilderness wanderings, Moses declared that another deliverer would one day be sent to the Jewish people (Deut. 18: 18-19). Later prophets proclaimed that this anointed one would give a better law and would offer a superior salvation. The prophet Isaiah (51:17-23) called upon God to bring about this redemption. God promised to awaken His arm (Isa. 51:7-16), His righteous Servant (Isa. 49-53), His Messiah.

The custom of using the shank bone began in the 5th Century. It symbolized hope and belief in this long awaited deliverer, the Messiah, the arm of God through whom salvation would come to Zion.

Endnotes:

1. A special plate that has designated places for the main ritual foods of the Seder; these are a green vegetable, bitter herbs, haroset, an egg, and the shank bone of a lamb. It is placed in front of the leader of the Seder and was perhaps used in some form since the 2nd Century.

The complete article here

There's an excellent book written by Moishe Rosen (Founder of Jews for Jesus) called "Christ In The Passover". I believe it is available through Amazon.com.

 

There were actually 2 Sabbaths that week---one was the weekly Sabbath on Saturday and the other a High Sabbath during the week.

John 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

I believe that Jesus rose sometime AFTER sundown on Saturday, which would be the first day of the week (Sunday), but BEFORE the sun was up. Jesus was already risen when the two women went to the sepulchre.

Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

I believe that Jesus was ALREADY risen BEFORE the stone was rolled away. The stone was rolled away, not for Jesus to leave, but it was rolled away for those to see in the sepulchre.