The True Easter Story: Jesus Chose the Precise Time of His Death

Matthew 26:3-5 (TLB) - At that very moment the chief priests and other Jewish officials were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas the high priest, to discuss ways of capturing Jesus quietly and killing him. “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “for there would be a riot.”

Bible scholars estimate that Jerusalem was crowded with 100,000 to 250,000 visitors during the Passover festival. And many of them were supportive of Jesus. Consequently, the city was a like of pool of gasoline waiting for someone to toss in a lighted match. That's why the Jewish leaders asked Jesus to quiet the cheering crowd when He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Luke 19:39). They feared that if there was a riot, there might be serious repercussions from the Romans! Therefore, they did not want to risk arresting Jesus on the Passover.

But Jesus had already determined when everything was going to happen. From the beginning He planned to give up His life on Passover at the 9th hour (3 PM) - the time when the sacrificial Passover lamb would be slaughtered in the Temple. Were the priests dutifully performing the Temple sacrifice on that day aware of the far greater Sacrifice that was taking place on Golgotha? The bottom line is that Jesus was in total control of the timing of events - not the Jewish leaders!