Luke 22:1
Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.
Original Language Analysis
ἡ
G3588
ἡ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
3 of 9
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
τῶν
G3588
τῶν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
5 of 9
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἀζύμων
of unleavened bread
G106
ἀζύμων
of unleavened bread
Strong's:
G106
Word #:
6 of 9
unleavened, i.e., (figuratively) uncorrupted; (in the neutral plural) specially (by implication) the passover week
ἡ
G3588
ἡ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 9
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Historical Context
Written circa 60-62 AD for Theophilus and Gentile readers unfamiliar with Jewish festivals. Passover commemorated the Exodus (1446 BC), when lambs were slain and blood applied to doorposts. By Jesus' time, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims crowded Jerusalem annually for this weeklong festival.
Questions for Reflection
- How does understanding Jesus' death as fulfilling the Passover lamb typology deepen your appreciation of His sacrifice?
- What 'deliverances' in your life point you toward the ultimate deliverance Christ accomplished?
- Why is it significant that God ordained the timing of Christ's death to coincide precisely with Passover?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. Luke merges the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Greek ἡ ἑορτὴ τῶν ἀζύμων, hē heortē tōn azymōn) with the Passover (τὸ πάσχα, to pascha), reflecting how these originally distinct festivals—Passover on Nisan 14, Unleavened Bread on Nisan 15-21—had become one eight-day celebration in Second Temple practice. The phrase drew nigh (ἤγγιζεν, ēngizen, imperfect tense) emphasizes gradual approach, building dramatic tension as Jesus' 'hour' approaches.
This sets the chronological framework for the Passion narrative, grounding Christ's death in Israel's central redemptive festival. The Passover commemorated the Exodus deliverance when the lamb's blood saved Israel from death (Exodus 12), establishing the typological framework Paul would make explicit: 'Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us' (1 Corinthians 5:7). Luke's Gentile audience would need this Jewish calendar clarification.