What occurred on "Preparation Day" before the Sabbath and Feasts?

[B.L.]

Greetings Friends,

While doing my daily reading plan I camped out on Mark 15:42 for a bit and started thinking about the "Preparation Day" that was referenced. A phrase study has the same mentioned in Mt 27:62; Mr 15:42; Lu 23:54; John 19:14,31,42. What exactly occurred on this day? Can anyone point me to something comprehensive on what this day entailed for the Jews?

Additionally, is there anything analogous that was practiced throughout the history of the church? Something in canon law or elsewhere that introduced a similar set of rules and practices?

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Because "Sabbath" became the name of the 7th Day, it is possible to reason/discover the origin of the name assigned to the 6th Day, viz. Preparation.

In other words, the name "Sabbath" is assigned, the way "Saturday" is assigned to the 7th Day by our culture. Likewise, "Preparation" is assigned to the day of the week our culture assigns the name, "Friday."

The reason it is noted that it was "Preparation of the Passover" (Jn.19:14)--while there may well have been preparations for Passover lasting from the 10th to the 14th of the month per Ex.12:3--is because it was the "Preparation" (Friday) that fell during the week of Passover.

It is not a reference (here in the Gospels, anyway) to that day prior to the start of this or every other feast of the Jews, which days also were "Sabbaths," on account of what they were, not on account of falling invariably on the 7th Day.

As to the need or duty of preparing for the Sabbath, that would originate in the legislation of Ex.16:23, in the limitations connected to the gathering of manna on the 6th day. Prohibitions on "servile work" (Lev.23:7, etc.) demand preparations. Ex.35:3 says, "Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day." This sort of limitation would force on observant Sabbatarians the stockpiling of wood the previous day, allowing them to maintain a fire begun.

If you are looking for a book that might describe Sabbath preparations in the time of Christ, you could investigate Emil Schurer, A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ. I found this reference on the internet: vol.2, pp.96-105; but since I haven't looked it up, I can't say if these pages in every edition might be relevant. The reference work, though dated, is still a classic standard, and you can access it on the internet.

 

[B.L.]

Rev. Buchanan,

This is helpful. Thank you for taking the time to respond. I'll take a look at the Emil Schurer set you referenced.

Have you ever heard "preparation day" used in the Christian Church? I know we retain the principle of preparation prior to Sabbath observance, but have any traditions retained this as an actual day to be recognized ahead of (man-made) feast days and other holidays? (Hopefully the question is clear enough)

At any rate...just something that had my wheels turning this morning.

Thanks and have a joyful afternoon!

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Have you ever heard "preparation day" used in the Christian Church? I know we retain the principle of preparation prior to Sabbath observance, but have any traditions retained this as an actual day to be recognized ahead of (man-made) feast days and other holidays? (Hopefully the question is clear enough)

We confess in WCF.21.8:

VIII. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations,a but also are taken up, the whole time, in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.b
​

The papists have their "season of Lent," culminating in "Ash Wednesday," a "preparation" of sorts for their feast of the Resurrection.

According to Ellicott's Commentary (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/matthew/27.htm), regarding the name Preparation:

The Jewish use of the term passed into the Christian Church, and that at least as early as Clement of Alexandria (Strom. vii. § 76) it was the received name for the Dies Veneris, or Friday, the anniversary of the Crucifixion being the “great” or “holy” Paraskeue.​

So according to one source, the early church and Christian usage borrowed the name of the 6th Day from the Jews, and remembered one of those days in the year as unique.

But such a name does not seem to have migrated to our "Saturday," in advance of Lord's Day observance.