Four Gospel Accounts on the 14th of Nissan

Created Date: 25-May-2026
Passover is the Key Event

Last updated: 25-May-2026
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Sections:

1 The Passover, Unleavened Bread and the Day Starts at Moment of No Light from the Sun
2 The Four Gospel Scriptural Passages Dealing with the 14th of Nissan
3 The Graphical Chart

1. The Passover, Unleavened Bread and the Day Starts at Moment of No Light from the Sun

There are two key feasts of events from the Old Testament that are the pattern leading to the day Jesus Christ is Crucified:

1 Passover Meal Is held at night which is also the start of the 24-hour period of a day.  The day is the 15th of Nissan
2 Unleavened Bread Is seven days that starts on 14th of Nissan that commemorates the preparation of God about to free Israel from slavery in Egypt which also is the day of the blood on the doorpost with the lamb slain for primarily Israel but included any Egyptian that would have also participated.

Additionally, the key to verifying there is no contradiction in the scriptures is the knowledge of the Day as defined by God is a first moments of Darkness:

An excerpt form the Day Starts at Sundown and Ends at the Next Sundown topic:

God defines the day as:

  • One moment after dusk ends,
  • a period of night-time,
  • a period of day-time, and
  • finally, the last moment of dusk.

In our modern world, the day is thought of as an approximate 24-hour period of time.  From science, we know that the day is not exactly a 24-hour period.  An article on UniverseToday.com, has the day is defined as 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.0916 seconds.  If link is missing click here.

2. The Four Gospel Scriptural Passages Dealing with 14th of Nissan

It was the custom for many civilizations to conduct business, visit family and friends, and spend time outside in the cool of the evening in the hot months of a year.  In the evening when it was cool or cold, the business and other activities still would occur outside but near fires.

The four gospels describe the 14th of Nissan from different scriptural passage that can appear to be contradictory where they are not.  When knowing that the start of a physical 24-hour period is night and then day, then all the scriptures will show the events.

The New Testament specific passages:

  1. Matthew 26:17 - The disciples are asking where to go to eat the Passover on the "first day of unleavened bread".    This would have been at the start of the 14th of Nissan in the evening.

  2. Luke 22:7  The "unleavened bread came" where the next event on the 15th is the Passover Meal.  The lamb chosen must be killed at the end of the 14th to have as Passover meal on the start of the 15th..

  3. Mark 14:12  This is also stating the same history as Matthew and Luke Passage.

  4. John 13:1  This is knows that He will be killed as the Lamb of God

The Old Testament passage of Exodus 12:15-20, Leviticus 23:4-8, and Numbers 28:16 explicitly stated the 14th of Nissan as the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the killing of the Lamb or a Goat, both without blemish.

Matthew 26:17 Now on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where wilt thou that we make ready for thee to eat the Passover?
Luke 22:7 And the day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed.
Mark 14:12 And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples say unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and make ready that thou mayest eat the Passover?
John 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
Exodus 12:15-20 15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16 And in the first day there shall be to you a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you. 17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day throughout your generations by an ordinance for ever. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. 19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a sojourner, or one that is born in the land. 20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.
Leviticus 23:4-8 4 These are the set feasts of Jehovah, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season. 5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, is Jehovah s passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Jehovah: seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work. 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.
Numbers 28:16 And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Jehovah s passover.

3. Graphical Chart

The following is an excerpt from the Day Crucified which occurred on a Wednesday at 3pm on the 14th of Nissan which is 5-April-0032AD:

The following chart pieces together the timeline that the crucifixion occurred on the 14th of Nissan, Wednesday, where the death occurred at 3pm.  In three more hours, it would be 6pm and the start of 15th of Nissan, Thursday, the Passover Meal.  Jesus Christ became the Passover Event Lamb. 

As detailed above, the Jewish day starts after sundown and ends at the next sundown, which can be thought of as 6pm to 6pm.  The world has adopted the midnight to midnight as a standard.  When looking at the chart, look at the Jewish day at the top of the chart:

  • The Last Supper was on the start of Wednesday, after 6pm but before midnight.  In our current standard, we would consider this to be Tuesday evening.  Once it is 6pm, it then is the start of 14th Wednesday. It is dark and Jesus has the Last Supper with the 12 Apostles.
  • During the Last Supper, Judas Iscariot is exposed by Jesus Christ, where Judas leaves to go to the Sanhedrin for Jesus' eventual arrest later that evening, with trials throughout the night hours of the 14th before the day time.  The Sanhedrin's motivation was to get Jesus Christ trials done with time during the day hours of the 14th for His execution.  All of this, by Jewish Levitical laws as detailed above, had to be done before the Passover Meal after 6pm, which is the start of the 15th of Nissan.
  • The Passover Event, crucifixion of Jesus Christ as the Lamb for the payment of sins of the world, happens on the 14th during the day hours.
  • Jesus Christ is put into the tomb before 6pm on Wednesday, as the Passover meal and Feast of Unleavened bread begins after sundown on the 15th of Nissan.

What to read next?

What is Salvation?  Is it possible to lose Salvation?  We have eternal life.  Evolution is not real.  When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it.  Rewards in heaven.  Do we Tithe?  What does the 3rd Commandment tell us?  Is there an Age of Accountability?  Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?