Jesus Reaffirms His Coming Crucifixion while the Priests Plot His Death

As the teaching time came to an end—perhaps to go to the house of Simon the Leper—Jesus foretells his coming crucifixion. Again, a Wednesday evening Passover is supported. From this time, it was literally forty-eight hours preceding the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning of the day of Passover.

Another group was also meeting that Monday evening. They were in the palace of the high priest where the chief priests gathered for a more sinister reason. They met to develop plans for the arrest and death of Jesus.

Note the mixture of terms for the holiday period. In that day—as today—the total seven-day holiday is referred to as Passover. Matthew, writing to those familiar with the holiday just calls it “the feast.” Mark is exact, referring to both Passover and the Week of Unleavened Bread. Luke gives us the common term for the period, with Feast of Unleavened Bread, which he says is also called Passover.