What significance does the timing of Passover have in Mark 14:1? The Text “Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to seize Jesus stealthily and kill Him.” (Mark 14:1) Why the Calendar Note Matters • Passover is the annual remembrance of God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Exodus 12:1-14). • The Feast of Unleavened Bread immediately follows Passover and lasts seven days (Leviticus 23:5-8). • Mark’s mention that Passover is “two days away” pinpoints the moment: the city is filling with pilgrims, sacrificial lambs are being selected, and national memories of redemption are running high. Historical Memory and Expectation • Every Jewish household is preparing a lamb—recounting God’s rescue through shed blood painted on doorposts (Exodus 12:7,13). • The expectation of liberation saturates Jerusalem; people pray for God’s Messiah to bring a new exodus. • Against that backdrop, leaders plot murder—showing the tragic contrast between divine deliverance and human rebellion. Foreshadowing and Fulfillment • Timing is no accident. Jesus will be crucified at the very hour lambs are slain (Mark 15:33-37), fulfilling John 1:29: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” • Paul later writes, “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7), confirming the literal connection. • The blood of Egypt’s lambs spared firstborn sons; the blood of Christ secures eternal redemption for all who believe (Hebrews 9:12). Contrast: Human Plots vs. Divine Plan • Leaders seek to arrest Jesus “stealthily” to avoid uproar during the feast (Mark 14:1-2). • Yet God’s sovereign timetable overrides their caution, placing the cross precisely on Passover (Acts 2:23). • What they intend for evil becomes the very means of redemption (Genesis 50:20). Implications for Disciples • The timing underscores that salvation rests on God’s initiative, not human schemes. • Remembering Passover’s deliverance invites believers to celebrate the Lord’s Supper with fresh awe (Mark 14:22-25). • The calendar detail calls us to trust God’s precise control over history—and our own lives—knowing He weaves even opposition into His redemptive plan. |
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