Ex. 12:6-Margin. Matt. 26:17-27:61; Mark 16:12-15:47; Luke 22:56; John 13.-19:42.
“The evening and the morning were the first day,” Gen. 1:5, tells us; and this mode of reckoning time prevails throughout the Old Testament, and retains its place in the New also, as the above passages plainly indicate to us. From 12 to 12 our time ranges. The Jewish day was from 6 to 6 of our time, and commenced at 6 P.M.
This prefatory observation is the key to the order of events that took place on the most eventful day that this world ever saw or will see.
It was “the first day of unleavened bread when they killed the Passover,” that Christ our Passover sat down “at even” with His disciples. The day had commenced, and the memorial of Israel’s redemption from Egypt was partaken of by Him who effected that redemption, and was, ere many hours were over, in His own person, to fulfill the act which that redemption had so long and plainly pointed to. It doubtless took some time to prepare the meal, and before it was partaken of (δείπνου γενομένου—supper being come John 13:2), we learn from John 13 that the washing; of the disciples’ feet took place, and therefore we are not. surprised to find that “night” had set in when Judas left the supper room. (Verse 30.)
The blessed instruction of John 13:31;14. 31, follows, and then. “Arise, let us go hence,” tells us that the supper-room is left by all, and on the way the truths of chaps. 15 to 17 are unfolded. Thus the night wore on, and now the Mount of Olives is reached, and Jesus prays while the sorrowful disciples sleep. “What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” (Matt. 26:40) gives us a clue to the duration of the prince of this world’s temptation, though those words were uttered after the Lord’s first return to His disciple; and presently the “lanterns and torches” (John 18:3), tell us that darkness still prevailed.
He takes the martyr’s place now, presently to exchange it. for the victim’s, and, as a lamb to the slaughter, He is led into the high priest’s house. Here He was for some time detained, for “about the space of one hour” elapsed between the last two occasions that Peter’s faith was tested (Luke 22:59), but at length the crow of the cock that awakened poor.
Peter’s conscience bears its testimony that the morning was approaching. “As soon as it was day” (Luke 22:66) He was arraigned before the chief priests and elders. Brief indeed was their mock trial, for “ when the morning was come” (Matt. 27:1) He is brought before Pontius Pilate the governor. With sad rapidity He is tried, sent to Herod, returned, tried again, and condemned to death; for at the “third hour” (Mark 15:25)—nine o’clock of our time—He is nailed to the accursed tree. Till 12 a.m., by our reckoning, He occupies the martyr’s place (How blessedly able thus to sympathize with those who are made conformable to His death 1), and then becomes the victim. “When the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.” Nature veiled her face in sympathy. God and Jesus must go into the question of sin alone. The doom of the earth was sealed. These things this darkness tells us.
“And at the ninth how Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani “ which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.” All was now over. The cup of wrath was drained to the dregs, and Jesus passed into Paradise, to be with His Father until the moment for His resurrection arrived.
Yet three hours of this eventful day remained for the interment of His body; and “ when the even was come” (Mark 15:42), Joseph of Arimathea begged the body from the governor, and laid Him in the sepulcher; and thus these four-and-twenty hours of unequaled importance closed, and the Sabbath-day ensued.
Well may we pause and worship as again and again we trace its eventful history! D. T. G.