Reading the Gospels Together Jesus and the Passover – Part 1 All four gospel writers tell their readers that Jesus was crucified during the celebration of Passover. We will notice later when we look at the death of Jesus more closely that John and the synoptic writers differ regarding when the crucifixion of Jesus takes place, but for now it is important to note that they all share the same point of view that Jesus was killed at Passover. As we read these gospels; however, we need to notice that they differ also about the number of Passovers involved in the story. Mark, Matthew, and Luke speak of only one. John speaks of three. How are we to understand this difference? In this section we will need to consider Mark 14:1, 12-25, and 15:6; Matthew 26:2, 17-29, and 27:15; Luke 2:41 and 22:1, 7-28; and John 1:29-36, 2:13-23, 6:4, 52-59, 11:55-57, 12:1, 12-20, 13:1, 18:28, 30, and 19:31. By simply looking at the number of verses and the many places in which John refers to the Passover we ought to be alerted to the reality that the Passover plays a much bigger role in John’s storyline. We will return to John but, as usual, we will look at Mark, Matthew, and Luke first. Mark’s first mention of Passover comes two days prior to the actual feast when a woman at Bethany anoints Jesus for his burial. Jesus has entered into Jerusalem as King Jesus, he has cleansed the Temple, engaged in a bitter controversy with the Jerusalem leaders, and predicted the destruction of the Temple. Mark locates this part of the story in Bethany, the place at the summit of the Mount of Olives from which Jesus has acquired the colt and rode into Jerusalem a few days before. Mark tells his readers specifically that it was on the next day after the woman had anointed him, the Day of Preparation for the Passover when the Passover lambs are slaughtered, that Jesus sends two of his disciples into the city to make preparations for them to celebrate Passover together. It is during this Passover meal that Jesus transforms Passover into the Lord’s Supper. And that evening after celebrating the Passover meal with his followers Jesus is arrested and eventually crucified on the next day. There are three important things that we should notice in Mark’s story. Passover comes on the heels of the cleansing of the Temple. Passover is also the time when Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper. And Passover is the time when the Messiah is crucified. All three of these events happen in close proximity with the Passover and during the same Passover – the only one Mark mentions. For his part, Matthew follows Mark very closely in all of this. He too associates the cleansing of the Temple, the institution of Holy Communion, and the death of Jesus with Passover – the one and only Passover Matthew mentions. Luke also follows Mark very closely in all of this. We will notice some minor differences along the way but the story is essentially the same. Luke has mentioned on Passover much earlier in the life of Jesus – when he was twelve and went there with his faithful parents. He was lost to them for three days which perhaps foreshadows the three days when Jesus was in the tomb, but that is to get away from the main point. To summarize, the synoptic writers all tell of only one Passover during which Jesus cleanses the Temple, institutes the Lord’s Supper, and is crucified.