Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

PREPARATION, DAY OF

The evening before a holy day (Matt. 27:62; Luke 23:54; John 19:14, 31, 42). Mark further specifies “the day before the sabbath” (Mark 15:42; cf. Jdt. 8:6; 2 Macc. 8:26; Josephus Ant. 3.255; 16.163).

According to Exod. 16:23 the day before the sabbath was to function as a time of preparation for the celebration of the sabbath. Everyday responsibilities were to be performed in advance, so that the holy day could be enjoyed in as much comfort as possible. Such responsibilities came to include bathing, donning festive dress, lighting lamps, and preparing food. By the time of Christ, all such activities had to be completed by 3 p.m. (Ant. 16.163; cf. BJ 6.423).

Citing rabbinic literature, most commentators assume that “day of Preparation” could also refer to the day before the first day of each festival, since these days were also considered “sabbaths” (cf. Exod. 34:22; Lev. 16:31; 23). D. A. Carson, however, notes that such usage is attested nowhere outside John 19:14; thus the phrase “the day of Preparation for the Passover” may be better rendered “the day of the Preparation of the sabbath occurring during Passover week.”

Bibliography. D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids, 1992).

W. E. Nunnally







Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)

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