I'm hoping to confirm that First-fruits is indeed the Third Day in the sense of Passover being the first, Matsah the second and First-Fruits the third followed 50 days by Weeks. It could be the translations I've been presented with but see some confusion when comparing Lev and Num passages that could make it appear to fall after Weeks. It doesn't appear that the date is given the same way that Passover and Matsah are, but do find commentaries that confirm the successive days as I've learned them to include Josephus.
Any help walking through this would be appreciated.
Respectfully,
-Theo
Theophilus,
below you will find quotes directed at the Day of the Sheaf Offering from two different 1st Century Yehudim[
Jews]. The first of which also makes comments upon the countdown toward the Day of Pentecost. Both of these Yehudim were living in the time The Anointed One taught the Good News within the Second Temple period.
First, we have Philo ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philo -
THE SPECIALS LAWS II XXIX(162):
THE SIXTH FESTIVAL
XXIX. (162)
There is also a festival on the day of the paschal feast,
which succeeds the first day,
and this is named the sheaf,
from what takes place on it;
for the sheaf is brought to the altar as a first fruit ...
http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/text ... ook28.html
THE SPECIAL LAWS II XXX(176):
THE SEVENTH FESTIVAL
XXX. (176)
The solemn assembly on the occasion of the festival of the sheaf having such great privileges, is the prelude to another festival of still greater importance; for from this day the fiftieth day is reckoned, making up the sacred number of seven sevens, with the addition of a unit as a seal to the whole; and this festival, being that of the first fruits of the corn, has derived its name of pentecost from the number of fifty, (penteµkostos). And on it it is the custom to offer up two leavened loaves made of wheat, ...
http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/text ... ook28.html
The Decalogue XXX (160):
(160) And also the day on which is offered the sheaf of corn, as an offering of gratitude for the fertility and productiveness of the plain, as exhibited in the fullness of the ears of corn. And
the day of Pentecost, which is numbered from this day by seven portions of seven days, in which it is the custom to offer up loaves, which are truly called the loaves of the first fruits, since, in fact, they are the first fruits of the productions and crops of eatable grain, which God has given to mankind, as the most tractable of all his creatures.
http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/text ... ook26.html
Secondly, Josephus Josephus Flavius ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus ) -
Antiquities Of the Jews book 3 chapter 10 section 5(248):
[248]
In the month of Xanthicus, which is by us called
Nisan, and is
the beginning of our year,
on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, when the sun is in Aries, (for in this month it was that we were delivered from bondage under the Egyptians,)
the law ordained that we should every year slay that sacrifice which I before told you we slew when we came out of Egypt, and
which was called the Passover, and so we do celebrate this Passover in companies, leaving nothing of what we sacrifice till the day following.
The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the Passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the month,
and continues seven days, wherein they feed on unleavened bread; on every one of which days two bulls are killed, and one ram, and seven lambs. Now these lambs are entirely burnt, besides the kid of the goats which is added to all the rest, for sins; for it is intended as a feast for the priest on every one of those days.
But on the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month, they first partake of the fruits of the earth, for before that day they do not touch them. And while they suppose it proper to honor Elohim from whom they obtain this plentiful provision, in the first place, they offer the first-fruits of their barley, and that in the manner following: They take a handful of the ears, and dry them, then beat them small, and purge the barley from the bran; they then bring one tenth deal to the altar, to Elohim; and, casting one handful of it upon the fire, they leave the rest for the use of the priest. And after this it is that they may publicly or privately reap their harvest. They also at this participation of the first-fruits of the earth, sacrifice a lamb, as a burnt-offering to Elohim.
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/tex ... ection%3D5
.