What Christians celebrate as “Good Friday” should really be the same as Passover. Jesus died on the cross the 14th of Nissan, which is the same day that the Lord had chosen for his people to celebrate Passover (Heb. Pesaj). This didn’t happen by “chance”, but it was according to God’s plans.
The blood of the Passover Lamb on the doorposts of the Israeli homes in Egypt was the shadow of the blood that Jesus Christ would shed on the cross, that 14th of Nissan.
Today, we celebrate both events during Passover, since they are related to one another.
This is what Jesus told his disciples that they should remember on this date:
(Luke 22:7, 13-20) Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. (13) And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. (14) And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. (15) And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. (16) For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” (17) And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. (18) For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” (19) And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (20) And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
Notice how it mentions two cups? That is not by mistake. They were celebrating Passover, just as the Israelites had done since they went out of Egypt. Part of the celebration is to drink out of four cups and eat unleavened bread, just as it is written in Exodus 12. But in this occasion, Jesus explained that from that moment on not only would they remember the Passover Lamb, but also the Lamb of God that would save us from eternal death through his sacrifice on the Cross.
CHANGE OF DATES
During the first 300 years of Christianity, all believers (Jews and gentiles) celebrated Passover on the 14th of Nissan. But by the end of the 3rd century, the Christian gentiles didn’t want to be identified as Jews because they were being persecuted by Rome. This led to a separation that was decided in the First Council of Nicaea, in the year 325. During this assembly of bishops, with Emperor Constantine as the guest of honor, many decisions were made that changed the destiny of the Christian church. One of the outcomes of this council was the “Constantine Creed”, which had to be proclaimed by all of the Christians from the Roman Empire.
Constantine Creed
“I renounce all customs, rites, legalisms, unleavened breads, feasts of the lamb of the Hebrews, sacrifices, prayers, purifications, sanctifications and propitiations, hymns and chants, observances, synagogues and foods and drinks of the Hebrews. In one word, I renounce absolutely to everything Jewish, all law, rite and customs.”
“I accept all customs, rites, legalisms, Roman feasts, sacrifices, prayers, water purifications, sanctifications by the Maximum Pontific [lit. the Roman high priest], propitiations, feasts of the new Saturday [lat. Sol dei, Eng. Sunday, lit. day of the sun], all the new chants, observances, and all the foods and drinks of the Romans. In other words, I accept absolutely everything that is Roman, all new law, rite and customs from Rome, and the new Roman Religion”.
[Ref.: Stefano Assemani, Acta Sanctorum Martyrum, Orientalium at Occidentalium Vol. I, 1748]
Since then, many Christians stopped celebrating Passover on the 14th of Nissan, as the Lord had established it (Lev. 23:5; Ex. 12:1-14).
Since the Council of Nicaea, the church leaders decided that the “new Passover” should be celebrated the Friday that coincides with the first full moon after the summer equinox, which is around March 22 and April 25.
The religious leaders then started following their own way, instead of following God’s instructions respecting the biblical calendar. They also established their own traditions and customs that didn’t look like the biblical traditions and customs anymore.
But if we want to follow the order established by God and align ourselves to His Divine Agenda, then we must ask ourselves what it is that He has commanded.
In the next article, we will see what the Bible says about the Passover…
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