John 11:55 “And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?”
John, knowing that “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (I Corinthians 5:7), referred to the upcoming feast as “the Jews’ passover”. “Jesus” ate this “Jews’ passover” with his Apostles; which was the last valid Passover Feast under the Old Testament Law Service (Luke 22:7-18); He then immediately administered the first Communion Supper to His Apostles (Luke 22:19-20). And, He graciously submitted Himself to be sacrificed on our behalf the very next day (Luke 23). In case He came into Jerusalem for the Passover, the “chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where” “Jesus” “were, he should shew it, that they might take him” (John 11:57). But, in the midst of all that hatred and threat, “Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, [short distance from Jerusalem] where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.” (John 12:1-2). Can you imagine sitting down to eat with a man that had been dead for four days and his body had even begun to decompose while dead and with the Son of God that would Sacrifice Himself for our Sins in Seven Days!? What questions would you like to ask them? After that meal, what would be the most important things you would like to share with your family and friends? In your moments of quite reflections, what would most often pass through your mind? Our Lord told “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Well, we weren’t there, but by our God-given “faith” (Hebrews 11:1; 12:1) we believe it with the same confidence and surety as if we had seen it with our own natural eyes. So, we are greatly comforted, and we rejoice, and we can joyfully “tell” our friends “how great things the Lord hath done for” us “, and hath had compassion on” us (Mark 5:19)!