Nisan 14 2026 begins at sundown April 1, 2026
Nisan 14 2026 begins at sundown April 1, 2026
When did Jesus observe the Passover?
God commanded that the Passover was to be observed on Nisan 14 in commemoration of the passover that occurred when God’s angel passed through the Land of Egypt killing all firstborn but sparring the firstborn of the Israelites.
Numbers 9:1-5
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
2 Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at his appointed season.
3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.
4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover.
5 And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel. (KJV)
Nisan or Abib, was the first month of the Hebrew year and God commanded that the Passover be commemorated on the 14th day of that month.
There are those who claim that Jesus celebrated the Passover and was crucified the day before Nisan 14 on the day the Passover lambs were sacrificed. What does this imply?
We know from the Bible that Jesus was crucified in the hours after he had eaten the Passover meal and had instituted the New Covenant with sharing bread and wine with his apostles.
If Jesus had observed the Passover prior to Nisan 14, he would have been in violation of God’s commandment concerning on which day the Passover was to be observed.
By insisting that Jesus celebrated the Passover on the day before Nisan 14 when the Lambs were slaughtered in preparation, a person is implying that Jesus broke the Law and was therefore a sinner against the Law.
The Gospel of Matthew gives us the account of what occurred:
Matthew 26:17-20
17 Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain person, and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’”
19 The disciples did as Jesus commanded them, and they prepared the Passover.
20 Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve.
Some point to what John states as recorded at John 18:28 as proof that Jesus partook of the Passover meal on Preparation Day prior to Nisan 14. But this was not the case.
John 18:28 states:
“They themselves did not enter into the governor’s palace, that they might not get defiled but might eat the Passover.”
This statement is about events that occurred early in the daylight hours of Nisan 14, after the Passover meal had been eaten the previous evening.
It should be noted that in Jesus’ day the Jews had added a second meal eaten on the first day of the festival which was also considered a solemn obligation to be observed. It was apparently to this second meal that the account at Luke 18:28 is referring to.
Breaking the Mosaic Law would have been a sin. But the Scriptures repeatedly affirms that Jesus was sinless.
2 Corinthians 5:21
“For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”.
1 Peter 2:21-22
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps,
22 who “committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.”
Hebrews 4:15
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.”
James the half-brother of Jesus pointed out that if a person violates even a single commandment of the Law, that person is in violation of the entire Law.
James 2:10
“For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.”
This means that Jesus could not break any of the Law given to Moses and still remain perfect in God’s eyes.
Jesus celebrated the Passover meal on Nisan 14 the same day that everyone else gathered in Jerusalem also did soin accordance to God’s commandment.
The fact that the slaughtering of lambs may have figuratively pointed to the slaughter of Jesus who is the Lamb of God, doesn’t mean that Jesus was slaughtered a day before the Passover was to be celebrated.
We also need to keep in mind that the Hebrew day began at sundown each evening. Therefore, Nisan 13 officially ended before the Passover meal was to be eaten per God’s instructions.
It was during the daylight hours of Nisan 14 when Jesus was crucified.
Jesus himself stated that he came neither to abolish the Law nor to break it.
Matthew 5:17-19
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
18 For truly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or part of a letter will disappear from the Law, until all things are accomplished.
19 Therefore, whoever will break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever will do and teach them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus did not violate the commandments of God in any way including his observance of the Passover on Nisan 14.
Nisan 14 is the appropriate day to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Nisan 14 falls on April 1, after sundown, this year.
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