Many people are celebrating Easter all over the world this time of year, some within a Christian context and others a more secular one. Many people receive Communion on Easter Sunday in remembrance of Jesus’ Last Supper as they do on numerous other occasions throughout the year. Yet, Jesus’ Last Supper took place prior to his crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, not on a Sunday morning. There is a debate reflected recently in blogs,1 articles,2 and books3 about whether Jesus’ last meal with his disciples was in fact a Passover meal, a modified Passover celebration, or something else.
There has been a renewed interest within many modern Christian communities of celebrating Communion not only as a meal (i.e., the Lord’s ‘Supper’), but more specifically as a Passover meal (Pesach)4 beginning the Feast of Unleavened Bread (cf. Ex 12; Lev 23.5–8). This can be seen most notably within contemporary Jewish or Hebrew style Christian communities, such as at Messianic congregations or ‘Torah-observant’ churches. Celebrants hold to differing opinions about how to observe this meal or feast. Some are more open to including Jewish customs which developed later than the time of Jesus (e.g., a seder)5 and others attempt to reconstruct what they perceive would have been a similar first century CE Passover meal, though omitting a sacrificial ceremony of the Pesach (hopefully!).
In any case, this current ambition to celebrate the Passover meal is actually nothing new within Christianity. Some of the earliest Christians, the Quartodecimans, were already celebrating the Lord’s Supper at Passover before it was ‘cool’. A Quartodeciman, from Quartodecimani (‘fourteenther’),6 is someone in early Christianity who celebrated the Lord’s Supper or Pascha on the evening of the 14th of Nisan/Aviv (the first Jewish month) at Passover. This does not mean that they only celebrated the Eucharist annually at this time, but that they observed Pascha on Passover rather than on Sunday as was the practice of many other Christians. Quartodecimans defended their Passover tradition against internecine efforts to eradicate it for at least a few hundred years beginning with the inception of Christianity.
It is uncertain whether Jewish Christian sects such as the Ebionites or Elcesaites could also be deemed Quartodecimans, but they probably observed the Passover in addition to other Jewish festivals, in connection with Jesus.7 Quartodecimanism was popular amongst Christians of the proto-Orthodox or catholic (lowercase ‘c’) churches in Asia Minor. The rationale for celebrating Passover on the 14th of Nisan/Aviv was simple: 1) Jesus observed a Passover celebration with his disciples before his crucifixion; 2) Jewish Christians have already continued to incorporate Jesus into their daily Jewish lives, which included legal observances and customs; 3) when Passover is celebrated, it is to be celebrated in remembrance of Jesus and his Last Passover. Eventually, however, the Quartodecimans’ tradition would lead to a controversy and be deemed heterodoxical.
The Quartodecimans were Passed Over
In Eusebius’ Historia ecclesiastica (HE) 5.23–25, he details some of the events and correspondence during the Quartodeciman controversy (cf. Socrates Scholasticus, HE 5.22; Sozomenus, HE 7.18–19).8 According to Eusebius, synods were held in Palestine (presided by Theophilus, bishop of Caesarea, and Narcissus, bishop of Jerusalem), Rome, Pontus (presided by Palmas), Gaul (where Irenaeus was bishop), Osrhoene, and around Corinth (where Bacchyllus is bishop). There was agreement against the Quartodecimans that Easter (a later term for Pascha) was to be celebrated on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, concluding the Paschal fast (HE 5.23).
Despite pressures from Rome, Polycrates of Ephesus (130–196 CE) defended the celebration of Pascha on Passover. He claimed to Victor in Rome that it was the older apostolic tradition, dated back to the apostle Philip along with his daughters, the apostle John, Polycarp of Smyrna, Thraseas of Eumenaea, Sagaris who was buried in Laodicaea, Papirius, and Melito of Sardis. Polycrates also claimed he had support from many other bishops in Asia Minor, including the seven bishops of his own family (Eusebius, HE 5.24; cf. Sozomenus, HE 7.19).
The Quartodecimans were apparently still fighting for their practice into the fourth century CE in Constantinople (cf. passing references in Socrates Scholasticus, HE 6.11, 7.29). The influence of Jewish customs is seen again in the dispute over whether or not to set Easter according to the Jewish calendar, which led to another topic on the agenda at the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325 CE. This issue was not over the Quartodeciman controversy, but evidences how Christian practices like the celebration of the Paschal feast were being wrestled away from Jewish customs or origins still in the fourth century CE. English Christians were also setting Easter according to a different manner than Rome still in the 8th century CE and were accused of observing the feast according to the Hebrew custom (Bede, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum 2.2, 2.19, 3.4, 3.25).9
Ultimately, Victor in Rome passed over the Quartodeciman view and deemed it heterodoxical. He swiftly sought to excommunicate the Christians in Asia Minor, but Irenaeus of Gaul urged him ‘not to excommunicate whole churches of God for following a tradition of ancient custom’ (Eusebius, HE 5.24). Irenaeus explained that even before their time the churches and bishops observed different ancient traditions in peace despite differences of opinion, including the bishops of Rome even when Polycarp visited and the matter was discussed (Eusebius, HE 5.24). Despite this, Eusebius adds that the Palestinian bishops and others with them were in agreement that the tradition of the Sunday observance is the correct view as passed on by apostolic tradition (HE 5.25).
But is there possible evidence to the contrary in the New Testament? Could Paul and at least some of his churches have been ‘Quartodecimans’?
Was Paul a ‘Quartodeciman’?
The apostle Paul probably kept the Passover once a year in remembrance of Jesus. Paul and the churches he established may have observed this feast according to the popular Jewish lunar calendar, with some modification as symbolism relating to Jesus was incorporated.10 Paul likely wrote 1 Corinthians around the time of Passover, in the late Winter or early Spring as the festival was approaching.11 Evidence of this dating is seen in many allusions to Passover/the Feast of Unleavened Bread in Paul’s epistle (1 Cor 5.6–8; 10.14–22, 11.17–34). I take Paul’s hortative injunction in 5.8a, ‘let us keep the feast,’ to be more than mere symbolism or speaking of the Christian life, though I understand his following uses of leavened and unleavened bread to be illustrative of moral conduct (5.8b).12 Paul recounts the tradition of Jesus’ Last Supper in his Corinthian correspondence (1 Cor 11.23–26). He exhorts the Corinthians asserting, ‘For as often as you eat this bread and you drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes’ (ὁσάκις γὰρ ἐὰν ἐσθίητε τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον καὶ τὸ ποτήριον πίνητε, τὸν θάνατον τοῦ κυρίου καταγγέλλετε ἄχρι οὗ ἔλθῃ, v. 26). When Paul says ‘as often as’ (ὁσάκις… ἐὰν) he probably does not mean whenever the Corinthians decide to celebrate the Lord’s Supper (e.g., once a week), but as often as the Corinthians celebrate the Passover. There may be significance to Paul’s use of the demonstrative ‘this’ (τοῦτον) here. It is not just any bread prepared on a weekly basis for a celebratory or communal meal (which may have been taking place amongst Christians), but it is the unleavened bread of Passover. It is ‘this’ bread to which Paul was just referring in his quotation of Jesus (v. 24). The same goes for the cup (cf. vv. 24, 27–29). Passover was approaching and Paul wanted to ensure that the Corinthians would be prepared to observe the feast without sin or discord. If Paul and the Corinthians were observing the Passover in some form, they were in good company with many others of the earliest Christians who kept the feast annually in remembrance of Jesus and his Last Passover Supper.
It should be noted that the agreed decisions in the synods mentioned by Eusebius included the bishops of Jerusalem and Corinth (HE 5.23). Despite my inklings about Paul and the earliest Corinthian Christians keeping Passover in remembrance of Jesus, the inclusion of Corinth in the agreement against the Quartodecimans may imply that the acceptable practice in or around this region at a later time was not to celebrate the Passover according to the Quartodeciman manner. This, however, is not too surprising considering the rapid unification of Christian churches, the growing number of Gentiles in Christianity, and the elder-ruling structure and hierarchy-developments that took place already during the last half of the first century CE. The practices or opinions of the bishops and Christians of which Eusebius speaks may have differed from original customs in the churches of Jerusalem and Corinth. The church in Rome was also already gaining a sway over ecclesiastical matters or disputes. Various practices and customs observed in the earliest established churches (apostolic and Pauline) quickly came under the scrutiny of those in decision-making power and ecumenism. Most or perhaps even all of the Christians in Corinth were Gentiles, and so even if they had learned to observe a form of Passover or other Jewish holidays from Paul (cf. Pentecost in 1 Cor 16.8), their customs would have rapidly changed after Paul’s death, the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE (a devastating blow to many Jewish practices), and the increasing unification of and regulation by other churches. The same was likely the case even for the churches in Jerusalem and Palestine. Although the Quartodeciman Passover practice may have been snubbed out in places like Corinth and Jerusalem where it was probably originally observed without much question, it apparently continued amongst other Christians in Asia Minor for some time (e.g., Polycrates of Ephesus and his following).
The Short-lived Orthodoxy of Quartodecimanism
Before Quartodecimanism drew enough attention to be officially deemed heterodoxical, it seems to have enjoyed a time of relative peace and substantiation amongst its adherents. After all, it was only a logical understanding of their Scriptures and was a clear apostolic tradition for its celebrants. Despite disagreement in Rome, it was apparently tolerated as differences of opinion on this practice were not seen to be anything too serious. At least for some period of time Quartodecimanism was not a ‘heresy’, but was a practice of many ‘Orthodox’.
At least for some time during the origins of Christianity, Quartodecimanism or the celebration of the Lord’s Supper annually as a Passover-type meal on the 14th of Nisan/Aviv may have been considered a ‘correct’ or ‘orthodox’ practice amongst many Christians throughout Palestine and Asia Minor. Could it be that some of the apostles such as John and Paul themselves observed and passed on this tradition?
Endnotes:
There still are groups of Christians throughout the world that, celebrate the Lord’s Supper annually on the evening of the 14th. I am a member of one such group namely , COG7 ( for short). COG7 congregations are all over North America, Australia, India, etc. There are many mutations among us.However, we are not well Known in the public square. I enjoyed the truth that is in your article. Many young scholars are fearful to write about truth that goes against popular opinion in scholarship. Finally, I would have reversed the title of your article. And called , “ When orthodoxy becomes heresy “. But that’s why it’s your and not mine ?.
fascinating. apparently the pre-Gregorian Irish and British churches likewise observed the quartodecimal calculation of Easter, eventually drawing Rome’s attention, pitting Columban/Ionian and Armagh factions on opposite sides of this contertemps.
Dear Justin, Thank you for this article. It supports the Truth. The apostle Peter once said, “Heaven itself must contain this one (the resurrected Jesus) UNTIL the Time for the Restoration of ALL things.” (Acts 3:19-21) True to this prophecy, that time is upon us. May Jehovah continue to Bless you.
Sincerely, Br. J. W. Beverly
I appreciate the information, its worth looking even further.
The Roman church says that their traditions came from the apostles, but none of them can be directly traced back. Interesting that here we have an actual apostolic tradition that can be traced directly to true Apostles and the Roman church rejects it.
Nice article. Perhaps not the aim of the article but I feel a solid research into the claims of the quartodecimans needs to include the basic scriptures that Jesus and the disciples had at their disposal.
Most Christians celebrate the Last Supper on the Thursday before Easter (Maundy Thursday). Easter is not the celebration of the Last Supper, but of Jesus’ resurrection.
The Lord’s Supper took place the evening of the 14 PRIOR to the Preparation Day 14 DAYTIME.
The Day in which the Passover Lamb was slaughtered.
It was that DAYTIME of the 14 of Nisan that Jesus was nailed to the Cross …Just as Jesus died that daytime between the evenings so did the Lambs for Passover.
He was dead & taken off the cross & placed in the tomb BEFORE the High Holy Day of the FIRST day of Unleavened Bread ( read John )
The Passover Meal is begun PRIOR to sundown of the 14th with the Lamb preparation & goes into the evening of the 15th. The Israelites left Egypt after the DEATH of the firstborn who were NOT under the blood of the Lamb on the late night early morning.
Every Christian kept Passover as symbolism of coming under the blood of the Lamb of God….
CHRIST for protection & release from bondage.
It is Satan that let’s us be deceived to take on even the pagan name & abominate God’s Festival’s full of Holy Wisdom.
GOD gave those festivals .
They ARE NOT JEWISH.
Discern if additions or subtractions of deception have been made to God’s Word.
Christ said God’s Word is Truth….Jesus is God’s Word.
The Festival’s are eternal meeting times with God to reveal HIS Redemption & promises to provide a CHILD who would crush the head of ha Satan even though having his heal struck ( with death ) …JESUS ROSE!!
The INSTRUCTION God gave to honour Christ as FIRSTBORN from the Dead was UNDERSTANDING the WAVE SHEAF OFFERING of Barley which leads into the OMER COUNT for the expectations of the Wheat Harvest where leavened loaves are presented. We are those leave we need loaves though saved out of bondage we are NOT PERFECT. We receive the Law to walk in more & more righteuosness. Shavuot had the Law given @ the Mountains & the BETTER NEWS is the Law written on our heart now with power of the HOLY SPIRIT that the Disciples & Apostles were to wait for.
Everything is God’s & if you don’t discern between the instructions of men…EASTER compared to PASSOVER UNLEAVENED BREAD you stay BLIND like the Pharisees & Lawyers though saying you can see.
The only FESTIVAL of God where a man could not know the day or the hour was FEAST of Trumpets because it is the FIRST day of the 7th month.
The months according to God rely on the sighting of the New Moon in the Land & that could be either 29th day or default to 30 days depending on lunation & weather for viewing.
Know God follow His Word & receive life not club membership into words of ecumenism
Blessings
I wondered allways if the differences between the three first gospels and the gospel of John are because two sederevenings were held in the time .
The real question is: were there also two days the lambs were slaughtered ? I doubt that .
I think it’s hard to believe that the Sanhedrin and the elders would be using the aftermath of the Seder evening to engage in the trial and conviction and
performing the sentence all on the day of Pesach which is a sabbath day .
If this all took place on the 13th of Nissan, starting
at about 22:00 in the evening , this would make more sense for all the effort made by the Sanhedrin .
But how then Jezus says that they had to prepare for the Pesach meal , and said that he desired to eat that with them, in all three gospels .
In the gospel of John its not mentioned , so were there two days of Seder meals and preparing for it?
Did Jesus ate it on the 13th? Or did they ate it on the 14th?
Its obvious that we as believers are commanded to keep the feast as Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 which was an ancient command given to the children of Israel in Leviticus 23 as well as Exodus 12,13. If we are truly believers of the Word we will guard/keep these commandments rather than exchange them for pagan feasts such as Easter.
If you recognize the 364 day calendar from the Essenes as found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the 14th day of the first Hebrew month occurred every year on a Wednesday. It is my opinion that the Quartodecimans were eliminated because they held to the truth. Elimination is often the way of those who prefer pagan traditions and error to the plain and simple Biblical truth. The enemies of God resort to murder and genocide when there are no other methods to oppose those who stand in their way.
Yes, I am stating it for the record Jesus [Yahshua] died on a Wednesday and was raised from the dead on the Sabbath just before dawn.
I read this in 1987..that Jesus/Yeshua ate the Passover with his apostles and then died on 14th Nisan. He spent 3 nights and 3 days in the grave..Wed, Thurs, Fri.. and arose before the weekly sabbath started. On the first day of the week..early in the am, the women went to the tomb..it was empty and the strips of cloth left behind..and the head cloth folded separately which apparently was a sign that he would return!
It all made sense and still does!♡
Let’s start by saying that death and subsequent burial at the 9th hour of the 5th or 6th day of the week does not allow for the body to be three days and the nights in the tomb. So the crucifixion was at the 4th day, and the supper started in the evening before, after the third day of the week.
Tuesday night the supper, burial at Wednesday night , at about 5-6pm before dark.
So then was Jesus having Seder with the apostles, and did he go out ( very unusual to leave the Seder evening) and did the Sanhedrin all leave their Seder activities to arrest Jesus , while they had said : not on the feast.
So this make me think that the evening Jesus celebrated was without the eating of the lamb.
So on Tuesday, while next day the 14th the lambs were slaughtered.
Norval Geldenhuys (followed by D A Carson; Andreas Köstenberger) showed that John and the synoptics writers, recorded Jesus eating the Passover Meal on Nisan 15. Only a misreading of John—based partly on unfamiliarity with customs of the day—has ever suggested that John sought to picture Jesus as dying when the lambs died, on Nisan 14. That misreading has spawned various ‘explanations’ of a supposed setting of a Nisan 14 Meal, such as different religious calendars, or an unofficial Passover Meal. It was the same day in Western terms, but in Palestinian culture, a lamb butchered at 3pm (Nisan 14), and eaten at say 6pm (Nisan 15), was eaten the next day, for days handed over with the setting sun. I’d contrast Quintodecimans to Quartodecimans, suggesting that the latter had begun on the wrong foot.
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The fourteenth was not the Pasach meal–Pasach has always been the 15th of Nisan. The fourteenth was the day before Pasach, or the last day of the Preparation, the purging of leaven from the home. The Preparation meal would have been the last meal before the Passover week, where the last of the leavened bread would have been eaten. The bread was leavened. This is not heresy. Watch your words, sir.
Does any Christian group still hold a memorial on Nisan 14?