Here you go – A refresher on a Christian’s view on Passover.
Let’s unpack this. You know, we often rush through the Old Testament, like it’s some historical prelude before the main event.
But the truth is, the whole story, from Genesis to Revelation, it’s a unified narrative.
And at the heart of that narrative is Jesus. And nowhere is that more profoundly clear than in the Passover meal.
Think about it. The Passover, a cornerstone of Jewish tradition, a remembrance of God’s deliverance of His people from slavery in Egypt. It’s a powerful story, a story of liberation, of redemption. But it’s more than just a history lesson. It’s a foreshadowing, a type, a shadow pointing to something far greater.
The Lamb: The centerpiece of the Passover meal is the sacrificial lamb. A perfect, unblemished lamb, slaughtered, its blood applied to the doorposts as a sign of protection. That blood, that sacrifice, was the difference between life and death. And when John the Baptist looks at Jesus and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), it’s not a metaphor. It’s a direct connection. Jesus, the perfect, unblemished Lamb, sacrificed for us, His blood applied not to doorposts, but to our hearts, saving us from eternal death.
The Unleavened Bread: Matzah, the unleavened bread, a reminder of the haste with which the Israelites fled Egypt, no time for the dough to rise. But in the New Testament, leaven often symbolizes sin. Jesus, the Bread of Life, is unleavened, pure, without sin. He is the true bread come down from heaven (John 6:35, 48). When we partake in communion, we remember His broken body, the bread of life, broken for us.
The Bitter Herbs: Maror, the bitter herbs, a symbol of the bitterness of slavery. They remind us of the pain, the suffering, the oppression. And Jesus, in Gethsemane, in the agony of the cross, He drank the cup of bitterness, the full weight of our sin, our suffering, our oppression, so that we wouldn’t have to. He bore our bitterness.
The Cup of Redemption: The four cups of wine, representing the four promises of God in Exodus 6:6-7, culminate in the cup of redemption. That final cup, the cup of salvation. And Jesus, in the upper room, He takes that cup, and He says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). He transforms the Passover, He elevates it, He reveals its true meaning. He is the ultimate redemption.
The Passover Seder as a Prophecy:
Think about the structure of the Seder. It’s a story told, a meal shared, a remembrance enacted. It’s a ritual, a drama, a living prophecy. And in that drama, Jesus is the central figure, the fulfillment of every element.
It wasn’t a coincidence that Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples. It wasn’t a coincidence that He was crucified during Passover. It was divine orchestration, a cosmic alignment, revealing Jesus as the true Passover Lamb, the Messiah, the Redeemer.
The Ongoing Relevance:
And it’s not just a historical event. The Passover, through Jesus, becomes a present reality. When we gather for communion, we are participating in a new Passover, a remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice, a celebration of our deliverance. We are partaking in the reality that the old has passed away, and the new has come.
This isn’t just about understanding the Old Testament; it’s about understanding Jesus. It’s about seeing Him in every page, in every ritual, in every story. The Passover, it’s a window into the heart of God, a revelation of His plan, a testament to His love.
So, the next time you hear the story of the Passover, don’t just see it as a story of the past. See it as a story of Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Bread of Life, the Redeemer, the Messiah. He is the fulfillment of every promise, the answer to every prayer, the hope of every heart. He is the Passover made real.
And that, my friends, that changes everything. That changes how we see the Bible, how we see ourselves, how we see the world. It’s not just a meal. It’s a revelation. It’s Jesus.
Go in Peace, Chuck
