Behold! The Lamb of God: Messiah in the Passover

A little over a year ago, my Pastor spoke about how the Old and the New Testaments intertwined. His saying is the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. 

This revelation can be clearly seen in the Passover Feast! I have found this year to be quite significant in the fact that today is Good Friday, the day we commemorate the crucifixion of Christ, and it is also the first day of Passover.

I know you are probably thinking, so what? What do Good Friday, Jesus’ death, and Passover have to do with one another? As, Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof would say, “I’ll tell you…” (Okay so I may have burst into the song Tradition just now). Hebrews 10:11-14 gives us an idea of what happened daily, yearly really, for the forgiveness of sins. Yet on a Friday, just before Sabbath, the lamb was slain, the final sacrifice for all the sins of the world…but how does that relate to Passover…let’s get started!

First the seder, a festive holiday meal, actually means "order." It is called this because the meal is done in a certain order which takes us from slavery to freedom. The Haggadah - which means "the telling" - is the book used at the Passover seder. The Haggadah explains the foods on the seder plate, recounts the highlights of the Exodus, and includes songs, prayers, questions, and vignettes.

The Passover Exodus is the watershed event in Jewish history. Indeed, it is a momentous event for all mankind. Many Believers don’t fully comprehend the Passover in the context of the awesome atoning work of God. You cannot fully appreciate our redemption in the Messiah until you understand the ordinance of Passover. All the biblical Feasts and observances were foreshadows of the redemptive work that the Messiah would ultimately accomplish. The gospel of John uses the Passover as the backdrop for his retelling of the atonement we have received through Jesus our Messiah.

However, when Messiah, Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) celebrated Passover just before His death, He sent two of His followers to prepare the room for their Seder (Luke 22).  Passover preparations, both then and now, center around the scrupulous removal of all chametz (foods made with yeast) from the home.  During the eight days of Passover, only foods made without yeast may be eaten (Exodus 12:15).  The most well-known unleavened food is matzah, a special bread made at Passover.  There are two reasons why matzah is the only bread to be eaten during Passover:

1 – The historical reason: Thirty-four hundred years ago, when the Jewish people were about to be delivered by God’s mighty arm from bondage in Egypt, God told them to be ready to move on a moment’s notice.  This is historically why we eat only matzah at Passover.  Matzah is sometimes called the “bread of haste,” because God says to Israel, “you came out of the land of Egypt in haste”(Deuteronomy 16:3).

2 – The Scriptural reason: Unleavened bread is made without yeast.  Even as leaven or yeast puffs up the bread to make it seem greater than it is, so also the Scripture consistently uses leaven as a picture of pride, sin, and unbelief.  This is why yeast was not permitted as part of the normal meal offerings in the Tabernacle (Leviticus 2:11).  Thus, Messiah warns His followers regarding false teachers, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6).

To start the seder, the person who has been chosen to lead the service, ceremonially washes their hands. This is a symbol of humility. Just as Jesus, at this point in the seder (last supper), rather than washing his hands,  donned a towel and took in hand each of his disciples feet and washed them. 

The first thing you eat at Passover, is Karpas—Parsley (or Bitter Herbs) and dipping them into salt water. The green parsely, by it’s color reminds us of our lives, the salt water, the tears we shed. In bondage, the Jews lives were drenched in grief and tears. 

Next the Echad (unity); this is the highlight of the first cup. The Afikomen is removed from the Matzah Tash. Each year young Jewish children are taught a tradition; why three? The unity represented Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as the second or middle patriarch, Isaac was taken out alone to be sacrificed. So the middle slice of Matzah alone was taken out at this time. The head of the household takes this piece of Matzah and breaks it in half, he the wraps it in white linen and hides it. It stays hidden until a child finds it during the 3rd cup! (More to come!)

During the second cup, we continue to learn about the time of the Jews in bondage. This is known as the cup of plagues. During this time the head of the household takes another piece of Matzah and says “this is the bread of our affliction.” Interestingly enough, matzah is pierced and through the baking process is stripped, representing a picture of Messiah’s body. This Matzah is passed around, and everyone breaks off a piece to eat. On the seder plate, is Maror, the head of the house takes the matzah and dips it into Maror (Horseradish) making sure he takes enough to bring a tear to his eye. It is quite possible it was at this point that Jesus indicated the betrayal by one of His own disciples. 

The next thing that is on the plate is Charoseth (apples and spices) this is also passed around the table so that every member gets some, to remember that our labor is also sweet, as our redemption draws near.  Next, we have the Haggigah, The Haggigah is to remind us of the temple and the holy day temple sacrifices. 

It is at this point in the seder that a child under the age of 13 asks 4 very important questions.

1. How is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights, we eat chametz (leavened foods) and matzah. Why on this night, only matzah?
2. On all other nights, we eat all vegetables. Why, on this night, maror (bitter herbs)?
3. On all other nights, we don't dip even once. Why on this night do we dip twice?
4. On all other nights, we eat either sitting upright or reclining. Why on this night do we all recline?

The last thing on the seder plate is the Zoroah—Shankbone of a Lamb. A reminder of our final sacrifice. 

It is at this point that the family will have a break in the seder, they will eat a large meal, as my friend, Sam likes to say from soup to nuts. It is now time for the third cup, the cup of redemption. At this point, a child has likely found the Afikomen and taken it to the head of the household, and gotten a special gift. Remember this bread has been wrapped in linen and hidden away…and it is now the third cup. The head of the household takes this broken piece of Matzah, and breaks off a small piece for each person around the table, and reminds them that God has broken their bondage and redeemed them at the Passover. It is this cup, that Messiah also used to institute the what we now call “the Lord’s supper.” 

The 4th cup, is the cup of praise. We acknowledge that Christ is coming again, equally, we acknowledge that Elijah the prophet didn’t show up and that according to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will not come this year and we must wait another year for Messiah. I won’t lie, in some homes that only know ritual and tradition, the seder doesn’t end in praise, rather it ends in lament, “Lashana Haba’ah b’Yerushalaim,” Next year in Jerusalem. This refers to the fact that for those without messiah, they must wait another year for Hope to arrive. But for the redeemed, we can say “Behold! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” 

Now that we have discussed the seder, let’s take a closer look at the parallels between the passover lamb and Jesus. You may not know that the word Passover comes from the Hebrew “Pesach,” which means “to pass over.” Interestingly, the Aramaic word for lamb is “talya,” which can mean either lamb or servant. The passage in Isaiah 53, referred to as “The Suffering Servant,” describes Jesus as a Lamb led to the slaughter, and He is referred to as “the Lamb” not less than 34 times in the New Testament.

Unblemished

The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. —Exodus 12:5

The Passover lamb, according to the ordinance of Pesach, was to be in the prime of life and without blemish. Blemish refers to sin. Jesus, our final and perfect atonement lived a sinless life. We are told that we have been redeemed out of sin—not with corruptible things such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Messiah—as a lamb “without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19). Why? Because “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.- Exodus 12:3 By the way, this past Sunday, Palm Sunday as we call it, would have been the 10th day of Nisan. 

Each Household Needed A Lamb

The Word of God is explicit in the Prophets and in the New Covenant that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is not one who is righteous. Everyone needs atonement to have a personal relationship with God. Just as each household required a lamb, the Word of God is clear that every individual needs atonement, a sacrifice for his sin. What we consider our righteousness before Him is really “as filthy rags” (Is. 64:6).

The Community of Israel Required A Lamb

When all the people of the community of Israel…—Exodus 12:6

Erroneous anti-Semitic doctrine says the Jewish people killed Jesus. In much of Europe during World War II, Jewish people were not permitted to live—for no reason except they were Jewish. They were called “Christ-killers.” This concept was not new. This erroneous theology that the Jewish people had killed Jesus began in the early Church. But is this true? No. Matthew 20:19 says He would be turned “over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” Did the Gentiles kill Jesus? No. So who killed Jesus? Exodus 12:6 says that all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter the “Passover lamb.” Messiah, our Passover Lamb, died for the sins of all the world so those who believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus said in John 10:17-18 that He alone had the authority to end His life. He laid down His life freely in order that the Scriptures would be fulfilled. Without His sacrificial act, we would have no redemption. The assembly killed Jesus because He had to die—and chose to die for us as our Passover Lamb.

The Passover Lamb Was to be Slain in the Evening, But Not to Remain Until Morning

Do not leave any of it till morning (the Passover lamb)… —Exodus 12:10

The Gospels make it clear that Jesus is the sacrificial Passover Lamb. They record that He was crucified at the same time the other lambs were slaughtered. He hung upon the Roman execution stake, upon which victims would suffer, yet not die for many hours. Executioners typically broke the victim’s legs to hasten death, yet the Passover lamb was not to have any broken bones. The Gospels tell us that the legs of the prisoners on either side of Jesus had to be broken, but when the Roman soldiers came to Jesus, they found that he was already dead, [and] they did not break his legs” (John 19:33). Even in this detail we have a record of Jesus fulfilling the ordinance of Passover. He also fulfilled another Passover statute when He was removed from the tree before evening.

When I See the Blood…

…When I see the blood, I will pass over you. —Exodus 12:13

Without the shedding of blood there is no atonement. He recognized that no man could keep His Law perfectly. But at the center of the Law is God’s gracious provision: Life for life.

In each of the homes of the Israelites and Egyptians that first Passover night, an innocent life had to be taken to spare the life of the firstborn of each family. Here again is a fundamental principle of the Good News—all have sinned and are guilty. If you look at where the blood would be spilled then applied to the lintels of the door, you have an image of the cross in your door way. 

God has pronounced judgment on all. He makes no distinction between Jew or Gentile. It is not by works that we obtain right standing before God. It is a gift of God himself. The wages of sin is death. This was God’s judgment upon the inhabitants of Egypt—Egyptians and Israelites alike.

That night the Angel of Death was to smite the firstborn, including the Israelites. But the blood was to be a token upon the houses. God promised: “When I see the blood, I will pass over...” (Ex. 12:13). This is the very center of Passover and the Good News—in this the Gospel is summed up.

My Jewish friends never learned these things growing up. Passover to them meant the meal and getting together with family, but there was no concept in my Judaism of blood or sin. Although they were taught about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and learned about the biblical figures, I don’t think they ever  understood that God is alive and His Word is alive and they are sinful beings in need of atonement. There was never an appreciation that deliverance in a deep and meaningful way.

The Church also lacks that appreciation. If we don’t appreciate the Old Covenant Scriptures, then we have missed the deep understanding of God’s character as Deliverer and Provider.

We are told by the Prophets 750 years before Jesus was born that One without sin would come and die for our sins. Although He was sinless, it pleased God to bruise Him and to lay upon Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53).

Jesus said, “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9 KJV). Why? Because He is the Passover Lamb who has shed His blood so that when we apply it to the doorposts of our heart, the Angel of Death passes over.

"The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant… I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

- Jeremiah 31:31, 34

The Good News

Jeremiah expresses the expectation of the Jewish Messiah who has brought about this New Covenant through His blood, by which all may receive forgiveness. The Prophet reveals that God’s own Torah will be written on our hearts. A Jew without a Messiah is as incomplete as Christianity without its Jewish root.

It is rooted in Judaism that we understand the sinful condition of mankind and the glorious graciousness of God, who provided this atonement in the death and resurrection of His own flesh. We must understand the Old Covenant and the grace of God to comprehend and appreciate the New Covenant.

This is what the Passover service teaches us, taking us through the story of the deliverance of the Hebrew children by the hand and grace of God. This deliverance is not only out of the land of Egypt, but also from death—by the blood of the Passover Lamb. As you celebrate the Passover, you will see this great miracle and gain a greater understanding of God’s love for mankind.

Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. He is the God-given Passover Lamb, provided to the Jewish people and to the world through His atonement. When God sees the blood applied to the doorposts of our heart, the Angel of Death will pass over.

*Seder descriptions taken from Messiah in the Feasts of Israel by Dr. Sam Nadler of Word of Messiah Ministries.