Dear Ysha

Dear Doc,

I have a question you may be able to help me with. The three "synoptic"
gospels speak of the Messiah having the Passover meal with his
disciples. Then follows his arrest and crucifixion [impalement ]on the day of
preparation. This is not correct as the Passover meal is what begins the
Feast and what follows is a High Sabbath. The Day of Preparation
precedes the Passover meal. The Book of John corrects this, however what
does this say about the divine inspiration of these three texts? The
book of Matthew states that the Messiah rode into the holy city with a
donkey and her colt while the book of Mark only mentions the colt. John
states that the Messiah attends a wedding feast and turns water into
wine while the three synoptic places the 40 days and nights temptation
in that time frame. While neither mentions the other account. Do you
have any suggestions as to why this is?
Thanks for your time.
Ysha

Dear Ysha, First I want to thank you very much for your visit to our website, and for writing in. I would also like to mention, that our website was not intended to be a forum for teaching. It was intended to assist those searching for truth on how to avoid organizations that are not totally faithful to the sacred texts, and are only “wolves in sheep's clothing”.

Having said this, I would like to offer some thoughts on your question. Most of the difficulties I saw revolved around a seeming inaccuracy of the Passover event recorded by these writers. Although there are many who have written critically on the subject of the harmony of the Synoptic Evangels, few of these authors would disagree with the holy inspiration of these accounts.

One of the considerations that you must bear in mind as you engage in Bible criticism such as this (often referred to as form criticism), is the purpose or intent of the writing. For example, Luke's intent in writing differs from that of Mark's. Mark's writing has been known to point out Yahshua's Messiahship, whereas Luke's writing sets forth a precise accounting of events. (Luke 1:3) In addition you may also realize that Matthew would also have had a different prose, as his trade required accurate record keeping. This would explain the addition of the ass mentioned with the foal or colt. The question then becomes: Do these different writers teach a different doctrine and are they in conflict with one another, or do they agree in substance and meaning regardless of the use of pronouns rather than using proper nouns for example? My position is this! Through the use of common sense and Biblical investigation, the seeming inaccuracies are resolved.

Some of your confusion comes from a misunderstanding of the Passover observance described in the evangels. This will be by no means a comprehensive look at Passover or the Feast of Unleavened Bread as I will be giving reference to materials already published for this. Let’s begin with a better understanding of the Passover and following Feast of Unleavened Bread. We find the command mentioned in the law in Lev. 23:5-8. As you read this, you notice the Passover is a separate and distinct day from the next 7 days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Also check Numbers 9:9 and Deut. 16:1-8. In addition you may want to request an article called How to Keep Yahweh’s Holy Days from the Assemblies of Yahweh. I found it to be very well written and a good addition to your Holy Day research materials. www.assembliesofyahweh.com Request this article in an email to them.

The Passover event required the sacrifice be offered on the 14^th day of the first month “at even” or the going in of the sun. This is corroborated in the narrative of Exodus 12. Israel was commanded to kill the lamb (Vs 6) on the 14^th at even (sundown) and they were restricted from going outside till morning.

It is important to understand the days mentioned here are reckoned from evening to evening. In other words, each Biblical day begins with sundown as the sun dips below the horizon (Hebrew term Bo). Please notice the usage throughout Genesis chapter one.

The following morning these Israelites gathered their belongings and prepared to leave Egypt (“the preparation day” Vs 32-36). That following evening was “a night to be much observed” in celebration for their release from their captors. This then becomes the 15^th day of the 1^st Scriptural month and marks the beginning of the first high day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Here is where the confusion comes in. The entire event had come to be known as “the Passover” which included both events! An excellent resource for additional information besides our textbook (the Bible) is the correspondence course offered by the Assemblies of Yahweh as well as the article How to Keep Yahweh's Holy Days. My copy came free with no obligations. (You can find their link on this site) www.assembliesofyahweh.com

The timing for the impalement of our Savior is revealed to be on a Wednesday or Passover day with identical timing as with the Passover observed in Egypt. Mark 15:42 also shows, this was the preparation day before the Sabbath when Joseph of Arimathea went in to request the body of Yahshua. John 19:14 records it as the preparation for the Passover as well. However, this is not the preparation for the weekly Sabbath but rather the Sabbath (High Day) commanded for the 15^th or first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Remember the entire observance was often referred to as the Passover.

When you consider the sign of Yahshua's Messiahship that he would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matt 12:40), then John 20:1-20 makes perfect sense. He was resurrected at the conclusion of the weekly Sabbath as the sun set on what is commonly called Saturday evening. Undoubtedly, this is the reason that Miriam mistook Yahshua for the gardener who would be cutting the wave sheaf offered at this time (he becoming the high priest of the Melckizedek priesthood). The first day of the week begins when the sun drops below the horizon at the conclusion of the seventh day Sabbath. Therefore with a Wednesday impalement and following burial, Yahshua would have been resurrected at the conclusion of the weekly Sabbath as the first day began. Now when you study the Synoptics in light of the Torah, you begin to see a “fleshing out” of events presented by the different authors. Their distinctive perspectives now offer a “harmony” to the text.

As far as your seeming conflict of the events dealing with Yahshua's temptation in the wilderness and then the first miracle of his ministry, I can only say that you are the first I have known to arrive at that conclusion. I can suggest a book to review that should help clear up that time line. The book is NIV/NASB Harmony of the Gospels by Robert L. Thomas and Stanley N. Gundry. Please also consider examining Mark 1:10-13. You see Yahshua immediately after baptism, sent into the wilderness where he is tempted of the devil. It is only after his temptations are complete when he begins his ministry, and then the miracle of turning the water into wine takes place.

So it is with so many of the “discrepancies” that seem to be found in the texts. With a thorough examination of the texts and harmonizing the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, we can consistently arrive at a clearer understanding of the Word. The Bible is a miracle book as well as a book of miracles. The best we can do is always remember to allow the Bible to correct us rather than seek to correct it.

I hope that this brief explanation will be helpful and that you take advantage of the resources I have mentioned. Then I know that you will be blessed in your pursuit of Bible truth.

May Yahweh Bless You!

Doc