What connections exist between Luke 22:1 and Old Testament Passover practices? Setting the Scene “Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching.” (Luke 22:1) Luke opens the passion narrative by rooting it in Israel’s foundational redemption feast. Every phrase in this brief verse echoes centuries-old commands God gave through Moses. Old Testament Roots of Passover • Exodus 12:1-14 – first institution: selection, slaughter, and blood of an unblemished lamb; meal eaten in haste. • Exodus 12:18-20; 13:3-10 – seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread welded to Passover; all leaven removed. • Leviticus 23:4-8 – Passover on the 14th of the first month, followed immediately by a week of unleavened bread and sacred assemblies. • Deuteronomy 16:1-6 – centralization of sacrifice “at the place the LORD chooses,” later Jerusalem. Key Parallels Evident in Luke 22:1 Timing • Luke marks the “approaching” feast; Exodus fixed it yearly on Nisan 14–21. Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion unfold on these very dates, showing God’s sovereign calendar unchanged. Unity of the Two Feasts • Luke speaks of “the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover,” mirroring OT practice where the single redemption event spanned both observances (Exodus 12:17). By the first century the names were used interchangeably, just as Moses had intertwined them. Focus on the Lamb • Exodus required an “unblemished male” (12:5). Luke’s spotlight on this season prepares readers to recognize Jesus as the true, sinless Passover Lamb (cf. John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:19). Removal of Leaven • Leaven symbolized corruption (Exodus 12:15). The verse’s timing hints at the coming removal of sin through Christ’s sacrifice, later explained by Paul: “For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven…” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Gathering in Jerusalem • Deuteronomy directed Passover sacrifices to God’s chosen place. Luke’s narrative unfolds precisely there, underscoring Jesus as the fulfillment within the covenant city. Plotting of Leaders • Exodus 12:12 spoke of God’s judgment on Egypt’s gods. In Luke 22 the Jewish leaders’ scheme shows spiritual conflict still raging, now focused on Jesus; yet God’s redemptive plan will triumph again. Prophetic Anticipation Fulfilled in Christ • The original lamb’s blood spared Israel’s firstborn; Jesus’ blood secures eternal deliverance (Hebrews 9:12). • The hasty exodus prefigured freedom from slavery; Christ grants freedom from sin’s bondage (Romans 6:6-7). • Unleavened bread spoke of purity; the sinless Messiah embodies it completely (2 Corinthians 5:21). • OT Passover was a memorial; the coming Last Supper will become the new covenant memorial (Luke 22:19-20; Jeremiah 31:31-34). Implications for Today’s Believer • God’s calendar is precise; He fulfills every promise at the exact appointed time. • The Passover narrative invites trust in the Lamb whose sacrifice secures ultimate rescue. • Living “unleavened” lives—free from hypocrisy and malice—honors the redemption Christ accomplished during that ancient, God-ordained feast. |
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