THE PASSOVER FEAST celebrated by the Hebrews continues seven days, commencing on Tuesday, April 20th, (which is reckoned as commencing Monday evening at 6 P.M.) which is the fifteenth day of the Jewish month Nisan.
We celebrate the killing of the Passover Lamb, which occurred previous to the feast kept by the Jews. It was on the afternoon of the fourteenth of Nisan (corresponding this year to Monday afternoon, April 19th) that Jesus died. According to the law the Passover Lamb must be killed on the fourteenth of Nisan, which this year would be any time between Lord's Day, April 18th, at 6 P.M., and Monday, April 19th, at 6 P.M.
When the Lord and the Apostles celebrated the Passover Supper for the last time together, they partook of it early on the fourteenth—"the same night in which he was betrayed." After the typical supper the Remembrancer, or Lord's Supper, was instituted, and then they went out—to Gethsemane, to Caiphas, to Herod and Pilate, and to Calvary; where Jesus was crucified on the afternoon of that same day, and buried the same afternoon, because the great Feast of Passover began the day following, commencing at 6 P.M. of the same day in which Jesus died.—John 19:32,33.
It was not the Passover Feast then, but the supper, that Jesus observed, and after which he instituted as instead of it a memorial of his death in the bread and wine; saying, "Do this in remembrance of me."
Our celebration of the REMEMBRANCER this year will therefore be in the evening of Lord's Day, April 18th at 8 P.M. Let as many as can, meet together, here or elsewhere, on this occasion; and let not those who are alone fail to comply with the dying Redeemer's words—"DO THIS in remembrance of me"—not feeling it a compulsory duty, but love's privilege.
The feast-week of Passover celebrated by the Jews, to us is fulfilled on a higher plane, in the joy and peace and liberty wherewith Christ makes free from the antitype of Egypt—the world. And we will realize a still grander liberty and joy when our release from bondage is actually complete.