Bible Study Seattle

“Adonai spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt; he said, “You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the first month of the year for you.  Speak to all the assembly of Isra’el and say, ‘On the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb or kid for his family, one per household — except that if the household is too small for a whole lamb or kid, then he and his next-door neighbor should share one, dividing it in proportion to the number of people eating it.  Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, and you may choose it from either the sheep or the goats.

“‘You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and then the entire assembly of the community of Isra’el will slaughter it at dusk.  They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the two sides and top of the door-frame at the entrance of the house in which they eat it.”  Exodus 12:1-7

Jesus had to satisfy the requirements of passover.  He had to be slaughtered on Nisan 14.  He had to be selected on Nisan 10.  Christians overlook this.  It is very likely that the triumphal entry (“Palm Sunday”) was the selection of Jesus as THE Lamb of God.  He was male although he wasn’t a literal lamb.  If the 10th was Sunday, then the 14th was Thursday.  If he was cruficied Friday, then we should be celebrating Palm Monday.  Furthermore Jesus had to rise on firstfruits:
“Adonai said to Moshe, “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘After you enter the land I am giving you and harvest its ripe crops, you are to bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the cohen.  He is to wave the sheaf before Adonai, so that you will be accepted; the cohen is to wave it on the day after the Shabbat.  On the day that you wave the sheaf, you are to offer a male lamb without defect, in its first year, as a burnt offering for Adonai. ”  Leviticus 23:9-12

Paul clarifies:

“But the fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died.  For since death came through a man, also the resurrection of the dead has come through a man.  For just as in connection with Adam all die, so in connection with the Messiah all will be made alive.  But each in his own order: the Messiah is the firstfruits; then those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of his coming; then the culmination, when he hands over the Kingdom to God the Father, after having put an end to every rulership, yes, to every authority and power.  For he has to rule until he puts all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be done away with will be death” 1 Corinthians 15:20-26

Firstfruits was likely Nisan 17 (there is debate on this).  It was likely a Sabbath selection, Wednesday crucifixion and Sabbath resurrection.  We can ask in the next life.