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gospels is Greek but THE THINKING is Hebrew, and all the dialogue being quoted was also
originally spoken in Hebrew or Aramaic.

The word translated "after" in Matthew 26:2 and Mark 14:1 is the Greek word "Meta." It is
absolutely essential to realize that this word does not have the exact same meaning in Greek as the
word "after" has in English. "Meta" (Strong's #3326) can mean "after" under certain conditions,
but it can also mean "with" or "into the midst of" with other conditions. "After two days is the
Passover" with the concept of "into the midst of" does indeed bring us from the 13th of Nisan to the
14th of Nisan. This is completely in accordance with Hebrew thought and idiom -- i.e. inclusive
counting.

If we go now to John 12:1 the following statement is made:

Then, six days BEFORE [pro] the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany...

The word translated "before" in John 12:1 is the Greek word "pro" (Strong's #4253). This
word has almost exactly the same meaning as "before" in English. When used as it is in John 12:1,
the difference is only in the way of counting. In light of what we already know about the Hebrew
way of counting, "pro" constantly takes on an inclusive nature similar to the word translated
"after".

In both Matthew and Mark, counting of days before the Passover is by the normal Jewish
method -- i.e., the count begins with or using the day of the Passover (the 14th of Nisan) as day
one. Two days before the Passover is the 13th of Nisan and six days before the Passover is the 9th
of Nisan.

Hebrew idiom simply would NOT use the term "one day before the Passover" in referring
to the day of the Passover, but would always use the idiom "two days before the Passover" for the
13th day of Nisan -- the day before the Passover day.

Therefore, the 10th day of Nisan is 5 days before Passover. When this principle is clearly
understood, chronology in general and the flow of events up to Christ's crucifixion and resurrection
can be CORRECTLY determined.

The Selection of the Passover Lamb

In the book of John (12:1-2) we are told that Jesus came to Bethany SIX DAYS before the
Passover and they made Him a supper. Almost all Westerners would calculate six days before the
Passover as Nisan 8 (Nisan 14 - 6 days = Nisan 8). But this IS NOT CORRECT -- in fact, it is not
even counting! Why? Because adding and subtracting is not counting and, as we have already seen,
modern arithmetic CANNOT be used with either Hebrew, Greek or Latin numbers. They did not
have the number "0" in their numbering systems.

The count would be as follows in proper Hebrew idiom:

Nisan 14 -- 1st day Nisan 13 -- 2nd day

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