How are Jesus and the Passover connected? I. Introduction Passover, an annual Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt, holds significant meaning within biblical history. The question of how Jesus is connected to the Passover underscores deep theological themes that span from Exodus to the New Testament. By exploring Passover’s Old Testament origins and its culminating aspects in the life and ministry of Jesus, we gain a fuller understanding of how Scripture consistently portrays redemption through the sacrifice of the “Lamb of God.” II. Old Testament Foundations of Passover Passover (Hebrew: Pesach) was instituted during the Exodus when Yahweh commanded the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb, place its blood on their doorposts, and eat the lamb as part of a special meal (Exodus 12:3–14). This act distinguished them from the Egyptians at a time when Yahweh struck all the firstborn of Egypt. According to the text, the blood was a sign of divine protection: “On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both man and beast—and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood on the houses where you are staying will distinguish them; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12–13) This event was such a defining moment that the people of Israel were commanded to remember it annually as a perpetual ordinance (Exodus 12:14). The Passover meal included specific elements—unleavened bread (matzo), bitter herbs, and the Passover lamb—underscoring themes of haste, deliverance, and sacrificial atonement. III. Foreshadowings of a Greater Deliverance Throughout the Old Testament, prophetical writings and typologies hinted at a future, greater redemption. The sacrificial system in Leviticus (cf. Leviticus 16) and passages like Isaiah 53 pointed to a suffering servant who would bear sins on behalf of others. The Passover lamb’s blood, which protected Israel from death, was a recurring symbol of a more permanent sacrifice to come. Further historical and archaeological findings (such as certain passages in the Dead Sea Scrolls that reference Isaiah’s prophecies) corroborate the central role of sacrifice and atonement in the Jewish understanding of redemption. These pre-Christian Jewish documents illuminate how the community at Qumran looked forward to a Messiah figure who would bring ultimate salvation. Passover, therefore, was more than a historical commemoration—it was a signpost directing attention to a future deliverer. IV. Jesus as the Passover Lamb When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he declared: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). This label directly connected Jesus to the Passover lamb—offered at the first sign of national deliverance for Israel. The New Testament writers consistently link Jesus’ atoning work with that of the sacrificial lamb demanded by God’s justice. The Apostle Paul later emphasized this connection: “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). By calling Jesus the Passover Lamb, Paul underlined that just as the original Passover lamb delivered Israel from physical bondage, Jesus’ sacrifice frees believers from the spiritual bondage of sin. V. The Last Supper as a Passover Meal The Gospels describe Jesus celebrating the Passover with His disciples shortly before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:17–20; Mark 14:12–16; Luke 22:7–13). Known commonly as the Last Supper, it retains the form of the traditional Jewish Passover meal. Yet Jesus transformed its meaning by reframing the bread and wine as symbols of His impending sacrifice: “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.’” (Luke 22:19–20) The bread now represented His body, and the wine His blood, revealing that He ultimately fulfills the Passover. The timing—taking place during Passover week—strongly connects His death to the sacrificial typology that the festival had foreshadowed since Exodus. VI. The Crucifixion and Passover Timing All four Gospels indicate that Jesus’ crucifixion occurred around the time of the Passover feast. Historical sources such as Josephus (“Antiquities of the Jews” 18.3.3) corroborate that the Passover was indeed one of the major pilgrimage festivals, drawing large crowds to Jerusalem, aligning with the scriptural accounts of Jesus’ final days. In John’s Gospel, the crucifixion is specifically noted to coincide with the preparation day of the Passover (John 19:14). This highlights again that, at the time the Passover lambs were being slain, Jesus was being sacrificed for the sins of the world—fulfilling the deeper meaning of Passover. VII. Theological Significance 1. Deliverance from Sin and Death In the same way that the blood of the Passover lamb rescued the Israelites from divine judgment in Egypt, Jesus’ blood rescues believers from the penalty of sin (Romans 5:8–9). Passover, therefore, is no longer merely historical ritual. In Christ, it points to ultimate, eternal deliverance. 2. Inauguration of the New Covenant Jesus’ reference, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20), reveals the establishment of a new relationship between God and humanity. Echoing Jeremiah 31:31–34 and Ezekiel 36:26–27, this is a covenant in which God’s law is written on the hearts of believers. 3. Remembrance and Worship Just as Jewish believers were commanded to keep the Passover as a memorial (Exodus 12:14), Christians observe the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. This ongoing practice unites believers with the redemptive history begun at the Exodus and brought to fullness in Jesus’ death and resurrection. VIII. Historical and Modern Celebrations Early Christians, particularly the Jewish believers, recognized and celebrated Passover through a new lens—seeing Christ as its fulfillment. Church fathers in the early centuries wrote about the close relationship of Jesus’ sacrificial death with Passover themes. Despite various ecclesiastical debates about the date of the celebration (the Quartodeciman controversy), the essential spiritual truth remained firm: Christ is the embodiment of the Passover Lamb. To this day, many Christian communities observe Communion (the Lord’s Supper) around Passover to vividly recall that the Exodus event of Israel foreshadowed the grand story of salvation fulfilled by Jesus. IX. Conclusion From the original Exodus event to the death and resurrection of Jesus, Scripture consistently conveys the message that the Passover lamb foreshadowed a greater sacrifice for the redemption of humanity. The Lamb's blood on the doorposts anticipated the blood of the Messiah shed on the cross. Jesus’ Last Supper was a Passover meal that He transformed to symbolize the new covenant, and His crucifixion coincided with the festival’s timing to highlight His identity as the ultimate Passover Lamb. Passover thus not only marks a defining moment in Israel’s history but also points forward to the definitive act of deliverance in Jesus. The convergence of these truths testifies to the Bible’s consistent and coherent message of redemption. Through ancient accounts (such as the Exodus and historically documented Passover observances) and culminating in the Gospels, the Scriptures reveal that the Lamb slain in Egypt was a precursor to the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. |
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