PASSOVER, GOD'S OBJECT LESSON
The Lord's redemption of Israel needed to be stamped
indelibly on the minds and hearts of future generations. He
intended that the ancient experience should have a lasting effect
on His people; its importance must be reinforced with regularity
for all time.
Yet how can a people best remember its history? Books and
scrolls capture only the interest of the scholarly; in time,
words lose their meaning. God, the master Teacher, devised the
perfect method. He commanded the annual reenactment of that first
Passover night, a ceremony that would appeal through the senses
to each person of every generation. Even as we teach little
children today through object lessons, Jehovah took everyday acts
of seeing, bearing, smelling, tasting, and touching and made them
His allies in teaching holy truths to His people.
LAMB
God began His object lesson to Israel with the Passover
lamb. First, the people had to single out from their flocks the
handsomest, healthiest looking yearling. An animal of this age,
just approaching the prime of its life, was frisky and winsome.
Then the family had to watch it carefully for four days before
the Passover to make sure it was healthy and perfect in every
way. During this period of close observation, they fed and cared
for the lamb and grew accustomed to having it around the house.
By the end of the fourth day, it must have won the affection of
the entire household, especially the children. Now they all must
avoid its big, innocent eyes as the head of the house prepared to
plunge in the knife to draw its life's blood. They did not have
meat very often in ancient times, but how could they enjoy eating
the lamb's flesh? The lesson was painfully sad: God's holiness
demands that He judge sin, and the price is costly indeed. But He
is also merciful and provides a way of escape (redemption).
The innocent Passover lamb foreshadowed the One who would come
centuries later to be God's final means of atonement and
redemption. The parallels are striking.
THE PASSOVER LAMB WAS MARKED
OUT FOR DEATH
In Isaiah 53:7 is the prophecy that the Messiah will be led
as a lamb to the slaughter; 1 Peter 1:19-20 says Jesus was
foreordained to die before the foundation of the world.
THEY WATCHED THE PASSOVER LAMB
TO SEE THAT IT WAS PERFECT
According to Deuteronomy 15:21, only that which is perfect can
make atonement. Jesus the Messiah presented Himself to Israel in
public ministry for three years and showed Himself perfect in
heart and deed toward the Father. Even Pilate found no fault in
Him. Hebrews 4:15 says that He was tempted (tested) in all
points, yet was without sin; 1 Peter 1:19 describes Him as a Lamb
without blemish or spot.
THEY ROASTED THE PASSOVER
LAMB WITH FIRE
Fire in Scripture speaks of God's judgment. Isaiah the
prophet foretold that the Messiah would bear the sins of many, be
wounded for sins not His own, be stricken with God's judgment,
and be numbered with transgressors. As Jesus the Messiah suffered
the fire of God's wrath and judgment, He cried out from the
cross: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew
27:46). Second Corinthians 5:21 says: "He [God] hath made him
[Christ] to be sin for us ... that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him."
NOT A BONE OF THE PASSOVER
LAMB WAS BROKEN
The Roman soldiers did not break the legs of Jesus the
Messiah as they did the legs of the other two men crucified
beside Him.
Redemption through the death of the Passover lamb was
personal as well as national. Even so, salvation must be a
personal event. In Exodus 12:3, the commandment is to take a
lamb, a nebulous, unknown entity, nothing special; in Exodus
12:4, God says "the" lamb. Now he is known, unique, set apart.
Finally, in Exodus 12:5, God specifies, "your" lamb; each
redeemed soul must appropriate the lamb for himself. Arthur Pink
quotes Galatians 2:20 to apply this truth to faith in the
Messiah: "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God [the Messiah], who loved me, and gave
himself for me." 1
The New Testament refers to Jesus the Messiah more than
thirty times as the Lamb of God. Faith and trust in the sacrifice
of God's Lamb make a person or a nation belong to God. Exodus
12:41 calls the people of Israel the "hosts of the LORD," not the
hosts of Israel. Redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb, they
truly belonged then to God.
......
1 Arthur W. Pink, Gleanings in Exodus, pp. 89-90.
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THE BITTER HERBS
With bitter herbs they shall eat it (Exodus 12:8).
Jehovah commanded the Israelites to eat the Passover Lamb with
bitter herbs. The first symbolism that comes to mind is the
obvious one - the hardships which the Israelites endured under
the whips of Pharaoh's taskmasters. But there is a deeper lesson
as well. Bitterness in Scripture often speaks of death. The
bitter herbs are a reminder that the firstborn children of the
people of Israel lived because the Passover lambs died. God
created man to gain life through death, to receive physical
sustenance from the death of something that once was alive, be it
plant or animal. Even so, the believer in the Messiah Jesus
receives new life through His death as the Lamb of God.
Bitterness in Scripture also speaks of mourning. Zechariah 12:10
prophesies that one day Israel as a nation will weep and be in
bitterness of deepest mourning for her Messiah, as when one
mourns for an only child who has died. God says in Zechariah 13:9
that He w ill bring Israel through the judgment of fire and
refine her even as silver and gold are refined. Then Israel will
proclaim, "The Lord is my God," and in that day "the Lord shall
be king over all the earth" (Zechariah 14:9).
THE UNLEAVENDED BREAD
"And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and
unleavened bread "in Exodus 12:8
The next symbol in God's object is the unleavened bread. The
children of Israel ate the Passover lamb with bitter herbs and
unleavened bread: then they were to eat no leaven for a full
seven days afterward. The lesson went deeper than the obvious
haste of the departure from Egypt.
Leaven in the Bible is almost always a symbol of sin. 1 The
putting away of all leaven is a picture of the sanctification of
the child of God. Cleansed, redeemed by God's lamb, the true
believer must put away the sinful leaven of the old life before
redemption.
In teaching His people this truth, God did not leave them to
grapple with abstractions. The Bible speaks in terms of human
experience. Leaven was something that every housewife, every
cook, used in everyday life. The feel, the smell, the effects of
leaven had obvious meaning.
The Hebrew word for leaven is "chometz," meaning "bitter" or
"sour." It is the nature of sin to make people bitter or sour.
Leaven causes dough to become puffed up so that the end product
is more in volume, but not more in weight. The sin of pride
causes people to be puffed up, to think of themselves as far more
than they really are.
The ancient Hebrews used the sourdough method of leavening
their bread. Before the housewife formed the dough into loaves
ready for baking, she pulled off a chunk of the raw dough and set
it aside in a cool, moist place. When it was time to bake another
batch of bread, she brought out the reserved lump of dough. She
then mixed the old lump into the fresh batch of flour and water
to leaven the next loaves, again setting aside a small lump of
the newly mixed dough. Each "new generation" of bread was
organically linked by the common yeast spores to the previous
loaves of bread. The human race bears this same kind of link to
the sin nature of our first father, Adam.
Often people excuse themselves for bad behavior or wrong
attitudes by saying, "I'm only human." But being
......
1 Once, in Matthew 13:33, it is used as a symbol of growth and
expansion.
......
"only human" is the sin nature within all mankind. Jesus spoke of
leaven as false doctine and hypocrisy (Matthew 16:11-12; Mark
8:15; Luke 12:1, 13:21).
The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 spoke of leaven as
pride, malice, and wickedness. He said, "Purge out therefore the
old leaven, that you may be a new lump [a new person] as ye are
unleavened [cleansed]. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed
for us."
On the other hand, Paul described the unleavened bread as
sincerity and truth. The Hebrew word 'matzo" (unleavened) means
"sweet, without sourness." The unleavened bread typified the
sweetness and wholesomeness of life without sin. It foreshadowed
the sinless, perfect life of the Messiah, who would come to
fulfill all righteousness and to lay down His life as God's
ultimate Passover Lamb. In Passover observances after the
cessation of the Temple sacrifices, the matzo (unleavened bread)
took on added significance when the rabbis decreed it to be a
memorial of the Passover lamb.
Thus, for the Hebrews, the putting away of all leaven
symbolized breaking the old cycle of sin and starting out afresh
from Egypt to walk as a new nation before the Lord. They did not
put away leaven in order to be redeemed; rather, they put away
leaven because they were redeemed. This same principle applies to
the redeemed of the Lord of all the ages. Salvation is of grace,
"not of works, lest any man should boast" (see Ephesians 2:8-9).
THE BLOOD ON THE DOOR
"And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood
that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side
posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall
go out at the door of his house until the morning" (Exodus
12:22).
Several times Scripture mentions a special mark that will
secure immunity from destruction for those who fear the Lord. One
such text is Ezekiel 9:4-6; two others are found in Revelation
7:2-3 and 9:4.
When Egypt's judgment was imminent, God commanded the sons
of Israel to mark the doors of their dwellings with the blood of
the Passover lamb. Those marks painted on the doors set apart the
houses of those who believed and obeyed God from the houses of
those who did not.
The "bason" mentioned in Exodus 12:22 was not a container in
the sense in which we use the word basin today. The word is the
Egyptian 'sap,' meaning the threshold or ditch which was dug just
in front of the doorways of the houses to avoid flooding. The
people placed a container in the ditch to prevent seepage. The
Israelites killed their Passover lambs right by the doors, where
they were about to sprinkle the blood, and the blood from the
slaughter automatically ran into the depression (the bason) at
the threshold. When they painted the blood on with the hyssop
"brush," they first touched the lintel (the top horizontal part
of the doorframe), then each side post (the vertical sides.)...
Thus, the door was "sealed" on all four sides with the blood of
the lamb, because the blood was already on the bottom. Author
Pink sees this as a picture of the suffering Messiah Himself:
"Blood above where the thorns pierced His brow, blood at the
sides, from His nail pierced hands; blood below, from His nail
pierced feet." 1
We see further symbolism in the words of Jesus, when he
said: "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" (John 10:9).
The Israelites went in through the blood-sealed door on that
first Passover night and found safety....
We who are redeemed by the true Passover Lamb find safety in
Him from God's judgment, and, because of Him, we look forward to
a future, eternal haven in the very presence of the Almighty, in
the city whose "builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10).
......
1 Pink, p.93.
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2. "Hour" as used in the New TestamentYou may never have thought.....THE NEW TESTAMENT'S USE OF THE WORD "HOUR"
by
Keith Hunt
Most Christians have for decades now been taught in one way
or another that the darkness that came over the city of Jerusalem
during the crucifixion of Christ, started at the stroke of 12
p.m. and ended at the stroke of 3 p.m. as we count time on the
clock of Big Ben in London England or some other clock in
Washington, D.C. It all has something to do with the "sixth hour'
and the "ninth hour" they will tell you, mentioned in the
Gospels.
Most Christians have been taught that Jesus died at exactly
3 p.m. as Big Ben was striking and the big hand was at 3 (if Big
Ben had been built in Jerusalem and functioning). They say it has
something to do with the phrase "the ninth hour" found in the
Gospels.
Very few have stopped to question this teaching. I was one
of them UNTIL recently. One thing I had known for many years,
from reading my Bible and the NT, was that the writers of the NT
never used anything like "nine fifteen," or "two forty-five," or
"twenty minutes passed six." Such SPECIFIC time phrases just
cannot be found in the NT. The word "minute" with any numerical
numbers attached is also nowhere to be found in the NT.
It would seem the writers of the Greek NT were not really
that concerned with the "minute" technicality of when certain
things happened as much as the GENERAL time they happened, if we
are given even a general time frame. Of course some things
mentioned in the Nt are given to us as happening in a certain
time frame.
We do know there was a general accepted division of the
daylight portion of the day. Jesus once said: "Are there not
TWELVE HOURS in the day."
On research in the Bible Dictionaries and the like, I
discovered that it was probably the Babylonians who were the
first to divide the daylight portion of the 24 hour day into 12
parts. By the time of Christ the people of Judah also had adopted
this day time division.
But we are never given any hint in the NT about any
specifics going on at a specific minute of that hour in which the
event was happening.
Off I went to investigate further into this matter, and
discovered some interesting points. I will quote from the OLD
edition of "BIBLE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS" by James Freeman, under
"The Hours of the Day":
"The Jewish day was reckoned from evening to evening .... the day
was divided into hours; each of these hours being one twelfth of
time between sunrise and sunset. Thus the hours varied in length
according to the time of the year, the summer hours being longer
than those of winter .... The first hour BEGAN at sunrise, the
SIXTH hours ENDED at noon, and the twelfth ENDED at sunset ....
The first(hour) at it close corresponded to nearly seven o'clock
A.M. of our time, and the twelfth hour to six o'clock P.M....
There also seems to have been a popular mode of reckoning the
hours of the night in a similar way, as well as by watches...."
Please read the above once more making sure you take
particular notice of where I have given emphasis.
I have NOT been able to find as to the custom of the Jew at
Christ's time, when using such a phrase as "the fourth hour I
went to walk the dog" IF they meant the BEGINNING of the fourth
hour or if they meant the END of the fourth hour. And of course
they could have meant some point of time BETWEEN the BEGINNING
AND THE END. I really do not know if they used any such language
of time as "I took the dog for a walk at the fourth and a half
hour."
You may be wondering what all this is leading to. I am going
to shortly look at all the verses using hours around the events
of Jesus' crucifixion, but you will probably remember some verse
that says something like, "the sixth hour there was darkness over
the land until the ninth hour." Now, the writer did not say, "at
the stroke of the BEGINNING of the sixth hour...." or "at the
stroke of the END of the sixth hour there was....."
It could make about ONE HOURS difference! When the Jew said,
"I was up and out walking the dog at the FIRST hour" did he mean
the beginning of the hour, hence meaning 6 A.M. when Big Ben was
chiming out six chimes across London town, or did he mean at the
END of the sixth hour, when faithful old Ben was just about to
chime out for 7 A.M. ?
Start to count from 6 A. M. The first hour was from 6 to 7,
the second hour was from 7 to 8; the third hour was from 8 to 9;
the fourth hour from 9 to 10; the fifth hour from 10 to 11; and
the SIXTH hour was from 11 to 12 p.m.
If we use the BEGINNING when it is stated darkness fell over
the land from the sixth hour, then it was 11 A.M. when the
darkness arrived and set in. If we use the END of the sixth hour
then it was 12 noon when the darkness came.
But which is it? I have never found a NT Scripture to
interpret whether it is the beginning or the end we are to think
of as "the sixth hour." To my English mind and way of thinking as
brought up in an English society, I would probably say it was the
BEGINNING, but that is just human reasoning based upon my
education under a certain English society. Even so, someone else
from my society, may think it is the END we should reckon it as.
So, if we could find in some Jewish book somewhere that such
a phrase was meaning the END (hence "the sixth hour" meaning 12
p.m.) as used by some Jews, would this mean it was used by ALL
Jews this way? Could it not be possible some Jews would have
meant the BEGINNING? And, that still would not give us the answer
as to how it was meant by the writer of the gospel who was using
it to give us a general idea of the time of the day this event
happen (the coming of darkness over the land).
This darkness we are told lasted till the ninth hour. Going
back to our counting again, depending how we count "the hour" we
could end with this "ninth hour" meaning 2 p.m. or 3 p.m.
Hummmm, the writers of the Gospels do not tell us any
specific minute as we might so tell today if we were reporting
such an event as this very unusual darkness falling over the land
in broad daylight. So, the darkness may have been from about 11
A.M. to 2 P.M. or from about 12 P.M. to 3 P.M.
Many have believed Jesus died right at the stroke of 3 P.M.
(as old Ben chimed out), but as we shall see in some detail
shortly, not one verse in the NT says such a thing. And if we
take the phrase "ninth hour" many associate with the death of
Jesus, we could take it as reckoning from the BEGINNING or the
END of that hour, hence either 2 P.M. or 3 P.M.
Which should it be? I have no NT Scripture that interprets
it as to which way to reckon the phrase. I have never found one
to date. And what the Jews did or did not do does not mean it was
what the writer of the Gospel had in his mind.
As I have said, the EVENTS were the important thing in the
minds of the Gospel writers, and not so much the exact and
specific minute on the dial face as to when they happened. Hence
the writers gave only a GENERAL time frame of those events. This
truth we shall now see clearly shown to us as we look at the
specific verses using "hours" around the crucifixion of Christ.
We can see it plainly from the original Greek of the NT. We
need to put aside all the translations, even the KJV, and we need
to go to the Greek of the NT.
THE GREEK VERSES
From the English/Greek Interlinear by Jay P. Green, Sr.
"And it was third hour, and they crucified Him" (Mark 15:25).
Now, was this the beginning or the end of the third hour? Was it
sometime between the beginning and the end, during the third
hour? We are not specifically told!
"Now from hour six there was darkness over all the land until
hour nine" (Mat.27:45).
"And being come hour six, there was darkness over the whole land
until hour nine" (Mark 15:33).
"And it was ABOUT hour six, and there was darkness over all the
land until hour nine" (Luke 23:44).
Do we count the sixth and ninth hour from their beginning or
from their end? Or was it sometime between their beginning and
end, during that hour of the sixth and ninth?
Notice how Luke was inspired to write it "...... And it was
ABOUT hour six....." ABOUT is not on the stroke of six as Big Ben
chimed away!
Concerning the time Jesus died:
"And ABOUT the hour nine, Jesus cried.... (Mat.27:46).
"And the ninth the hour Jesus cried with a loud voice...." (Mark
15:34).
Was this at the beginning or the end of the hour nine? Was it
between or during the ninth hour?
Notice how Matthew was inspired to write it... "And ABOUT the
hour nine...."
That's it, there are ALL the places from the Greek Scriptures
containing hours in connection with the crucifixion of Jesus.
Those who want to argue that such phrases as "third hour" or
"eleventh hour" as used by the Jews always means the END of the
hour, I say this: Would it not be much more humanly logical to
pick the BEGINNING of the hour for such a phrase, seeing the hour
is then to unfold and be completed? Why pick the END of the hour
to understand that phrase, seeing that within a few seconds the
end would have ended and the NEXT hour would have begun?
If we are to just look at all this from a strictly human
logic point of view, I submit the phrase "ninth hour" would be
better understood as the BEGINNING of the hour, IF we are to pick
between it meaning either the beginning or the end. Then
remember, it may also mean any time BETWEEN the beginning and the
end!
Unless you have a theological stance that must be held to
and defended at all costs (without any other Scripture to back
you, only traditions and a mind-set of being raised with a
certain idea) then when the Scripture says Jesus was crucified at
the third hour, that could have been either at 8 A.M. or 9 A.M or
at any time between the beginning or the end of that hour.
The writers of the NT were not so concerned with the exact
minute of time that an event took place, as much as the EVENT
ITSELF and the approximate, or the "about" time the event
happened.
There was no Big Ben in Jerusalem to chime out the exact
time of the events they recorded, if there had have been they
certainly took little if any notice of it, the event itself came
first, the about time came second.
...............
Written August 1998
3. Christ in the Passover Old "seder" and Last Passover?
The Ancient Seder and the Last Supper
THE ANCIENT SEDER
The Pharisees of Jesus' day regarded the oral traditions of
the ancient sages as being of equal authority with the Torah, the
written law of God. Orthodox Jews today still believe that God
Himself delivered these oral traditions to Moses, and that they
were then passed by word of mouth to each succeeding generation.
(That was the belief of the Pharisee Jews, and as most religious
Jews of today are theologically Pharisee, it is not surprising
some would still teach the same theology - a theology that has no
solid foundation - Keith Hunt)
Those earliest known rabbinical commentaries were edited and
compiled into one authoritative body of religious thought called
the "Mishnah" sometime between A.D. 100 and 210. The Mishnah
covers every aspect of Jewish religious life and presents a
picture of the customs, traditions, and observances at the time
of Christ.
(No, it does not represent that those things were practiced at
the time of Christ. The Mishnah would like you to believe it was
so, but it cannot be proved from any other writings - Keith Hunt)
According to the Mishnah, the basic obligations of the
Passover observance are the same as those commanded in the book
of Exodus. In Pesahim 10:5, the Mishnah quotes Rabbi Gamaliel as
saying:
Whoever does not make mention of the following three things
on Passover has not fulfilled his obligation; namely, the
Passover sacrifice, unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The
Passover sacrifice because the Holy One ... passed over the
houses of our fathers in Egypt; unleavened bread ... because
our fathers were redeemed from Egypt; the bitter herb ...
because the Egyptians embittered the lives of our fathers in
Egypt.
By the first century, (should be by the END of the first
century, for that is more the truth of the matter. There is no
proof before 70 A.D. and the destruction of Jerusalem and the
Temple, that these "seder" patterns were in existance. It is
quite un-provable that they were being practice in Christ's time.
Again Pharisee Jews would like you to believe it was so, but the
Mishnah can be misleading in its stance - Keith Hunt)
the Passover observance included several new customs in addition
to obligations described in the Torah account (The writers admit
NEW customs did come into the "seder" Passover evening - Keith
Hunt). Already, a set form of service called 'the seder,' meaning
"order of service," was in use. The celebrants reclined at the
table in the Babylonian custom of free men. (Slaves stood in
attendance while their masters ate.) The ceremony included ritual
hand washings and set prayers. The celebrants drank four cups of
wine as a symbol of joy. Oral tradition contained in the Mishnah
commanded that even the poorest person must drink the minimum
four cups, even if he had to sell himself to do labor or had to
borrow money in order to buy the wine. The Passover wine was red
and mixed with water. From a passage in the Mishnah (Pesahim
7:13), it would appear that the wine was warm because the water
was heated. If this is true, then the wine graphically
represented the blood of the Passover lamb, as well as being a
symbol of joy.
(Remember, this is the "Mishnah" - compiled by Pharisee Jews.
There is no proof before 70 A.D. that this was the order of the
Passover service - Keith Hunt)
Beside the roasted Paschal lamb, the bitter herbs, and the
unleavened bread, 1 other ceremonial foods were on the table.
Salt water or vinegar was used for dipping the bitter herbs once.
Then there was 'charoseth,' a sweet mixture of apples and nuts.
Into this mixture they dipped the bitter herbs and the unleavened
bread together. They ate no dessert or after dish; for, after
eating the Passover lamb, no other solid food was to be taken.
The after dish, known as the 'aphikomen,' came into use later,
after the destruction
......
1 Some sources indicate there were two flat cakes of unleavened
bread; others say there were three.
......
of the Temple in A.D.70. It was a wafer of the unleavened bread,
representing the Paschal sacrifice, which was no longer possible.
We will consider contemporary Passover customs and
interpretations, later, but let us visualize here how the Pass-
over ritual was observed in the time of Christ.
(The writers would like you to think this was the order of the
Passover service in the time of Christ, but there is no proof
that it was. See the study "Passover - was it a Jewish Seder?" -
Keith Hunt)
1. At the outset, the head of the feast (the host) recited
'kiddush' over the first cup of wine. This prayer consecrated the
occasion and the meal to God. The words, if not exactly - those
used today, were very similar:
"Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, who hast created the fruit of
the vine.... Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, who hast sustained
us and enabled us to reach this season."
2. Next came the ceremonial washing of hands by the host. At
this point a servant brought in a portable table of food, and the
first dipping of food took place. This was the raw vegetable,
usually lettuce, which was considered a bitter herb. The head of
the feast dipped the vegetable into salt water or vinegar and
passed it around to all at the table. It was a common practice
for beginning meal, and it can be likened to hors d'oeuvres or
appetizers. But here, as in all things that were eaten and done
on that night, there is a deeper symbolism, which is discussed
later.
3. After the dipping of the bitter herb, the food was removed
from the table. Then the host poured the second cup of wine, but
the participants did not drink it yet. Removing the food without
eating the main course (the Paschal lamb) was an unusual
procedure intended to raise curiosity.
4. The next step in the ritual would then follow naturally.
This was the asking of questions by the youngest son so they
could obey the command of God, "Thou shalt shew thy son." 1
The questions in ancient times were:
"Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other
nights we eat leavened or unleavened bread, but this night only
unleavened bread. On all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs,
but this night only bitter herbs. Why do we dip herbs twice?
On all other nights we eat meat roasted, stewed, or boiled, but
on this night why only roasted meat?"
5. Then the father gave a synopsis of Israel's national
history, beginning with the call of Abraham out of idolatry and
ending with Israel's deliverance from Egypt and the giving of the
Law. After that, the food was brought back. The father continued
the service by explaining the lamb, the bitter herbs, and the
unleavened bread. Then they sang the first part of the 'Hallel'
(Psalms 113 and 114) and drank the second cup of wine.
6. They then washed hands the second time, as an act of respect
for the unleavened bread they were about to eat. The host broke
one of the wafers and pronounced the blessings over bread. There
were two blessings. One was a prayer of thanksgiving to Him who
brings forth bread from the earth; the second was thanksgiving
for the commandment to eat unleavened bread. Traditionally, these
blessings were spoken over bread that had first been broken in
order to show humility, remembering that the poor had only broken
bits of bread to eat. The host gave a piece of this broken bread,
dipped in bitter herbs and the sweet charoseth mixture, to each
person.
......
1 The command to expound on the story of redemption is mentioned
three times - Exodus 10:2, 12:28-27, and 13:8.
......
7. After the bitter herbs and the bread, they ate the Paschal
lamb. If the lamb was too small for everyone to have enough, they
also ate the 'Haggigah' (a holiday peace offering). But, in that
case, they ate the Haggigah first, so that the Passover lamb
would be the last food they ate that night. Then, of course,
there was no dessert.
8. After supper, the host poured the third cup of wine and they
all recited the blessing after meals. Then they chanted another
special blessing for wine over the third cup, and everyone drank
it.
9. After the third cup, they recited the second portion of the
'Hallel' (Psalms 115-118) and drank the fourth cup.
10. The seder came to an end with a closing song or hymn, which
began: "All thy works shall praise Thee, Jehovah, our God," and
concluded: "From everlasting to everlasting Thou art God, and
beside Thee, we have no King, Redeemer or Savior."
(Let me repeat. The Pharisee Jews would like you to believe this
was the order of the Passover evening during the time of Christ,
but such cannot be proved - Keith Hunt)
ANCIENT SEDER AND THE LAST SUPPER
The Passover ordinance commemorated Israel's historical
redemption from Egyptian slavery. God gave it as an object lesson
to be observed by all those who counted themselves as being made
free by His power. But equally important was the hidden symbolism
of a greater, future redemption, which one day would free all
those who cried out to God in their sin and despair - a
redemption for all people, Jews and Gentiles, to bring them into
a new and eternal relationship with their Creator and with each
other - the redemption through King Messiah. The Jewish people
yearned and prayed for that redemption as they groaned under the
yoke of Rome. Yet when the fulfillment of the promise was at the
door, few recognized it.
The Teacher from Nazareth came into their midst, exciting
the masses with His words of wisdom spoken with authority. He
healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, caused the lame to
walk, and showed miraculous power over the physical laws of
nature. Many hoped that He was the One to free the nation from
its oppressors and set up God's Kingdom on earth, but they
expected Him to do it by military might. Expectation ran high as
Jesus entered Jerusalem that last week before the Passover. By
tradition, many of the important events o£ Israel's history had
taken place at Passover season; even as He had redeemed Israel
from Egypt at the Passover season and had given her His holy Law,
so God was to send the Messiah at Passover.
The faithful and the scoffers watched Jesus carefully those
few days before the Passover. They saw Him overthrow the money
tables in the Temple. What would He do next? Would He tell them
that He, indeed, was the long-awaited Messiah? Alas, they were
disappointed. He only continued to teach, and many of the things
He said were not comforting to hear.
Now it was the eve of the Passover celebration. Jesus sent
two of the disciples, Peter and John, to prepare for the ritual
meal. They found a room as He had instructed them and performed
all the necessary preliminaries. All was in readiness. Jesus
reclined with the twelve at the Passover table to take His last
meal with them. Here, on the eve of His death, He showed them the
full meaning and symbolism of the Passover memorial.
(AND you should note that according to the clear words of the
Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, this was the BEGINNING of the
14th of the first month of the sacred year. See all of my studies
on the Passover - Keith Hunt)
The picture of that Last Supper comes into sharper focus
when the account of Scripture is compared with the ancient order
of the Passover service:
(The "ancient order" is what the Pharisees would have you
believe, for which there is no proof that it was so at the time
of Christ - Keith Hunt)
THE KIDDUSH:
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this,
and divide it among yourselves: for I say unto you, I will not
drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall
come (Luke 22:17-18).
(There is no number of "cups" in some "order" related to us in
the Gospels - Keith Hunt)
THE FIRST WASHING OF HANDS:
He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a
towel, and girded himself ... and began to wash the disciples'
feet (John 13:4-5).
(Table of food brought; bitter herbs dipped in saltwater; table
of food removed; second cup of wine poured; ritual questions
asked; ritual answer given; table of food brought back;
explanation of lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread; first
part of Hallel; second cup taken; second washing of hands; one
wafer of bread broken; and thanks over bread recited.)
(The ideas and order of things as given above have no support
from Scripture, or any written documents prior to the Mishnah.
The truth is the Passover by the saints of God was a simple meal,
with some wine or "fruit of the vine" [which could have been mere
grape juice]. Secondly the Greek for "riseth from supper" is in
the Aorist tense - an action completed in the past, so the KJV
translators correctly rendered it "and supper being ended." It
was after the main Passover supper meal was over that Jesus
washed the disciples feet - Keith Hunt)
BROKEN PIECES OF BREAD DIPPED IN BITTER HERBS AND CHAROSETH, AND
HANDED TO ALL:
"And when he bad dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot,
the son of Simon" (John 13:26).
"Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. He then
having received the sop went immediately out (John 13:27b, 30a).
(The Paschal meal eaten; hands washed a third time; third cup
poured.)
(INCORRECT chronology here of the last Passover Jesus ate with
His disciples. See my "New Testament Bible Story" pertaining to
this part of the Gospels - Keith Hunt)
BLESSING AFTER MEALS:
"Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: and
when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this
is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of
me" (1 Corinthians 11:23-24).
BLESSING OVER THIRD CUP (CUP OF REDEMPTION)
"After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped,
saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as
oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me" (1 Corinthians 11:25).
(Third cup taken; second part of 'Hallel' recited; fourth cup
poured and taken.)
(Again, no proof that this was the order of the Passover evening
in the time of Christ - Keith Hunt)
CLOSING SONG OR HYMN:
"And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of
Olives "(Matthew 26:30).
(This hymn singing was done by Jesus and His disciples, as it is
written so - Keith Hunt)
The first hand washing by the host set him apart from the
rest of the company. It showed that he was the most important
person at the table. In washing the disciples' feet, Jesus used
this part of the regular ritual to teach His lesson of humility
and love. He acted out the role of a slave when He girded Himself
with the towel and washed their feet. He knew that the Father had
given Him all things; even the wind and the sea obeyed Him. Yet
He humbled Himself. He taught them that it was not the ceremonial
rite, but the act born of faith and love, that was important. And
so He took upon Himself the most humiliating task and truly loved
them all to the end. He even washed the feet of Judas!
It was during the ceremony of dipping the second sop into
the bitter herbs that Jesus said, "One of you shall betray me"
(Matthew 26:21). Peter motioned to John, who was reclining so
that he leaned on Jesus' bosom, to ask who the betrayer was.
Jesus whispered His answer: "He it is, to whom I shall give a
sop" (John 13:26).
(No "order" given per se in the Gospels, if it was the second sop
dipped, or however many times the dipping was done during the
evening - Keith Hunt)
One may wonder why John did nothing to stop Judas. But it
must be remembered that the statement could have been taken to
mean any one of them at the table. They all partook of the sop,
although Judas probably received it first. After the sop, Judas
went out into the night to finish his Satan-inspired work.
Because he left before eating the Passover, (No, he did not
leave before the Passover meal was over - wrong chronology is
computed by allowing the "Mishnah" to influence your mine - Keith
Hunt) he had, in effect, excommunicated himself from the
congregation. Neither did he have any part in the new memorial
that came after supper.(Wrong again, The foot-washing and Judas
leaving did not happen till "supper being ended" as the
chronology of John 13 shows - Keith Hunt)
The bread that Jesus broke for the bitter sop was not the
bread of which He said, "This is my body" (Matthew 26:26b). That
came later. We see this from the account that He took that bread
after He first gave thanks at the end of the meal; then He broke
it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given
for you: this do in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19; cf. 1
Corinthians 11:24).
Not only the words were shocking. It was a very unusual act,
for after supper no other food was to be eaten. Jesus here
instituted the new memorial. He was teaching the disciples in
cryptic terms that after His death, the Paschal lamb would no
longer have the same significance. It was the memorial of
physical, historical redemption, but only a shadow of the
ultimate redemption soon to come. He was about to become the
better sacrifice, to die once, for all (Hebrews 9:14-15, 23-26).
Looking to the time when Israel would be left without an altar
and without a sacrifice, He used the 'aphikomen' (after dish) for
the first time to represent not only the Paschal lamb, but His
own body!
And then He took up the wine again and prepared the third
cup for them: "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This
cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you"
(Luke 22:20). He who was the great "I AM" come in the flesh had
stood before them on other occasions saying, "I am the way; I am
the light of the world" (8:12); "Before Abraham was, I am"
(8:58). Now He had one more great truth to impart to those who
could receive it. He was telling them, in effect: "I am the true
Passover Lamb who will be offered up for your redemption. This
warm, red wine, which you drink tonight as a symbol of joy, is to
remind you evermore of My life's blood, which will be poured out
as an atonement for you!"
(The Gospels say nothing about a "third cup" - the Gospels do not
try to follow any "Mishnah" order or "seder" of some supposedly
established and fixed way to observe the Passover evening at the
time of Christ. Luke does say it was "after supper" Jesus took
the cup and blessed it for the symbol of the "new testament in my
blood" [Luke 22:20] - Keith Hunt)
The gospel accounts of the Last Supper mention only two of
the four Seder cups - the first and the third. According to early
Jewish tradition, these two were the most important. The first
cup was special because it consecrated the entire Passover ritual
that followed. (Yes, Luke mentions that cup at the beginning -
Luke 22 - Keith Hunt). But the Mishnah states that the third cup
was the most significant of all. The third cup had two names: the
"cup of blessing," because it came after the blessing or grace
after meals, and the "cup of redemption," because it represented
the blood of the Paschal lamb. It was of this cup that Jesus
said, "This is my blood of the new testament [covenant]" (Matthew
26:28). It is this cup of blessing that Paul mentions in 1
Corinthians 10:16: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not
the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break,
is it not the communion of the body of Christ?"
(The Gospels do not record anything about three or more cups with
"blessing" over them. Luke records two, one at the beginning and
one "after supper" - see Luke 22 - Keith Hunt)
PASSOVER AND EASTER
Almost all the early Christians were Jewish. They celebrated
the resurrection of Jesus at Passover time and called it
"Pascha." (Later it was mistranslated Easter.) They continued to
celebrate the resurrection in this manner during the time of the
first fifteen bishops of Jerusalem, who were of Jewish descent. 1
The bishops sent out Paschal epistles every year to notify the
Christians when Pascha would fall
......
1 Epiphanies "Panarion Haer." 70.10; Eusebius "Eccles. Hist."
5.23.
......
according to the Jewish lunar calendar (i.e., the fourteenth day
of Nisan). By A.D.325, however, paganism and anti-Jewish
sentiment had invaded the Church; Emperor Constantine, who
presided over the Council at Nicaea, prohibited Christians from
continuing to celebrate the resurrection at exactly the same time
as the Jewish Passover. 1 Still, to this day, the two holidays
are celebrated at approximately the same time, both being based
on the lunar calendar.
(The full truth of Passover/Easter debate is covered fully in
other studies of mine on this Website - Keith Hunt)
The death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah are forever
interwoven with the Passover and its symbolism. The Passover lamb
spoke of the Lamb of God who was to come; the redemption from
Egypt spoke of the greater redemption that the greater Lamb would
bring. To deny these truths of Scripture is not only to miss a
rich heritage, but to cut oneself off from God. A believer who
would purpose to do so is like the man who climbs a tree and then
tries to chop it down while seated in its branches!
Some well-meaning, albeit misinformed, Christians today have
accused Jewish Christians of "Judaizing" and "Galatianism"
because they choose to celebrate Jewish holidays and remember
their cultural roots. Nothing is further from reality. The Jewish
believer in Jesus finds deeper significance and reinforced faith
in seeing God's commandments and the customs of His people,
Israel, in the new light of salvation in Christ. These things are
relevant to our faith, not in opposition to it. We gain no merit
with God in observing the festivals; but if we ignore them, we
miss the blessings of a deeper appreciation of the heritage that
is the cradle of our faith and subsequent salvation.
(We certainly can not "work" our way to salvation by observing
the Feasts of God, but IF YOU have this truth revealed to you,
concerning God's Feasts and the feasts of Babylon religion, then
NOT obeying them and going in the correct direction the Lord is
leading, could cost you a place in the FIRST resurrection, and
out and out rebellion against God's truths, could cost you your
salvation - Keith Hunt)
The apostle Paul dealt with this subject when he wrote by
the moving of the Holy Spirit in Romans 14:5-6a,10,
......
1 Solomon Zeitlin, "The Jewish Quarterly Review" 28, no. 4 (April
1948).
......
"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every
day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He
that regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that
regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. But why
dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy
brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of
Christ."
And again, he wrote in Colossians 2:16-17:
"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in
respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath
days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of
Christ."
(The above Scripture passages are fully explained in other
studies on this Website - Keith Hunt)
..................
#4 Christ in the Passover The Modern Seder
by Ceil and Moishe Rosen (1978)
THE MODERN SEDER
(Jesus came from the tribe of Judah; He was Jewish; although you
could say Christianity came from Judah, it is not true that
Christianity came from "Judaism" for a New Covenant came into
being with Christ, and that New Testament set another new way to
remember and observe the Passover. Christianity moved into its
own life and form; it left behind the old. Those trying to find
"Jewish Roots" or involved in "Messianic Judaism" and going back
to various Jewish traditions, many of them the traditions of the
Pharisees that made void the commandments of God, and are going
backwards. Christianity moved out from under the canopy of
Judaism, it moved forward, setting its own path and a different
way of life. It's not wrong to remember your nation and culture
from whence you came, but Christianity is like as the apostle
Paul said, knowing his background in the nation of Judah, and his
Pharisee theology: "But what things were gain to me, those I
counted loss for Christ. Yes, doubtless, and I count all things
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do
count them but dung, that I may win Christ" [Philippians 3:7-8].
Yet, for your interest I have reproduced this chapter of this
book. It shows you how the Jews are locked into the old Passover
[with added rituals] for not accepting Christ Jesus as the
Messiah. One day, they will see their Messiah coming in glory,
they will see He was the Christ of 2,000 years ago, and they will
then move into the New Testament life and the Passover of the New
Covenant - Keith Hunt)
THE MODERN SEDER
In Jewish homes, the lighting of the holiday candles
separates the sacred from the mundane, the Sabbath of rest from
the week's cares. Tonight the blue white flames cast a halo of
light over the holiday table, inspiring a sense of holiness. They
lend a soft patina to the silver service, and their flickering
glow is mirrored in the eyes of the seated company. Savory aromas
from the kitchen mingle with the scent of the hot wax, the grapy
smell of the wine, and the acrid fumes of freshly ground
horseradish. An air of festivity reigns, tempered by solemn
anticipation.
The father or grandfather of the family conducts the
Passover seder. For this special occasion, the leader of the
feast is wearing a long, white outer garment of cotton or silk
called a "kitel." The kitel is worn by Orthodox Jewish men at
Passover and a few other special times. It is also a burial
garment. 1 This wide-sleeved ceremonial robe is a symbol of
purity, reminiscent of Temple times when no one could participate
in the sacrifices unless he was in a state of Levitical purity.
It also reminds us of the white robe of the high priest and of
the robe of righteousness that God has promised to give to His
elect (Isaiah 61:10; Revelation 6:11; 7:9). On his head, the
leader of the feast wears a tall, white, silk head covering
shaped like a crown, portraying
......
1 See "Kitel," Encyclopaedia Judaica, 10:364.
......
that on Passover night a man is king and religious leader over
his own household. 1
All eyes now turn expectantly to the leader as he stands and
opens his Haggadah. He raises his wine glass for all to see and
chants the kiddush, the prayer of sanctification that ushers in
all Sabbath days and most of the Jewish holidays. This blessing
expresses thanksgiving to God for choosing Israel and for giving
feasts and holidays to His people. Tonight a special blessing is
added for the commandment to commemorate the redemption from
Egypt. The most widely recognized portion of this prayer is:
"Blessed art thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Creator of
the fruit of the vine." Upon the close of this benediction,
everyone at the table sips from the first cup of wine, called the
cup of sanctification. This cup of sanctification consecrates the
ritual meal.
Next the hostess brings in a small towel and a silver bowl
filled with water. This ceremonial washbasin contains only about
a cup of water. The leader dips his fingertips into the bowl and
dries them with the towel in preparation for handling the food.
He picks up the "karpas" (celery, parsley, or lettuce) from the
seder plate and hands a small portion to each participant.
Everyone recites together: "Blessed art thou, Lord God, King of
the Universe, who createst the fruit of the earth." And everyone
dips the greens into salt water and eats. At ancient Greek and
Roman banquets, this was the traditional beginning for a formal
meal. This Hellenistic culture influenced Jewish custom and
practices during the formative stages of stand-
......
1 Jewish men wear a small head covering (yarmulke) when they
pray. The miter described above is usually reserved for the
cantor who leads the synagogue worship. At Passover the host, as
religious leader of the evening, may wear the miter.
......
ardizing the seder. Contemporary thought endows the ritual with
added symbolism: the greens represent life, which is often
immersed in tears, represented by the salt water. The host now
turns his attention to the unity, the three wafers of unleavened
bread. He bypasses the top wafer, takes out the middle wafer, and
breaks it in half. He puts one of the halves back into the unity.
Then he wraps the remaining piece of this middle matzo in a white
napkin or puts it into a special, white, silk bag. While the
children cover their eyes, he hides or "buries" that portion of
the middle matzo, usually beneath one of the pillows or under the
tablecloth. This buried or hidden wafer of unleavened bread now
has a name, "aphikomen." We will see the aphikomen later in the
Passover service.
The ritual that follows is very old. We know this because
the prayer is in Aramaic, the language used in the land of
Israel, mainly during the time of the second Temple. To this day
it is read in Aramaic, not Hebrew. The host uncovers the
unleavened bread again, holds up the plate, and everyone recites:
"This is the Bread of Affliction which our ancestors ate in the
land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who
are in need come and celebrate Passover." Then they include
phrases that must have been added after the destruction of the
Temple: "This year we are here: next year in the land of Israel!
This year we are slaves: next year free men!" Here again, as with
the cup set out for Elijah, we see the Messianic hope expressed.
Although we are free from Egyptian slavery, we are slaves. When
the Lord brings us back to Zion in the days of the Messiah, we
will be truly redeemed, truly free!
(Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. It was He who said,
"The truth shall set you free!" But the Jews today are not free,
for they will not acknowledge the truth, so they live in the
past, while still looking for the Messiah to come - Keith Hunt)
Now the wine glasses are refilled, and the youngest child at
the table asks the traditional four questions:
Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other
nights we can eat bread or matzo. Why, tonight, only matzo?
On all other nights, we can eat any kind of herbs. Why, tonight,
bitter herbs? On all other nights we don't dip herbs we eat into
anything. Why, tonight, do we dip twice? On all other nights we
can eat either sitting up straight or reclining. Why, tonight, do
we all recline?
The last question about reclining is a relatively late
addition to the original questions. It may have been added as a
replacement for the question referring to the Paschal lamb, which
was asked while the Temple and the sacrifices remained: "Why do
we eat only meat which is roasted?"
The father or grandfather replies with the prescribed answer
in the Haggadah, taken from Deuteronomy 6:21 and 26:8: "We were
Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD our God brought us out
thereof with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm." From this
introductory statement proceeds the reading of the whole epic of
redemption from the Haggadah. The Mishnah describes this answer
as "beginning with shame and ending with glory" (Pesahim 10:4).
The narrative combines Bible history and rabbinical commentary.
It includes God's calling Abram out of idolatry, the hardships of
the Hebrews in the land of Egypt, the punishment of the
Egyptians, the dividing of the Red Sea, the giving of the
Sabbath, and the giving of the Law. The climax is the recital of
the ten plagues that God poured out on the Egyptians. With the
mention of each plague, everyone dips or pours out one drop of
wine from his wine goblet into a small saucer. This saucer, not
the goblet, is known as the cup. When the saucer is filled with
the ten drops of wine, it is called the cup of iniquity, a term
symbolic of God's judgments. Now is posed the rhetorical
question: "Is it for this [the judgments] that we praise God?"
The answer follows: "No, for God loved the Egyptians even as He
loved us. But it is for God's infinite mercies that we praise
Him."
This sets the stage for a happy song recounting the numerous
acts of love and mercy that God bestowed upon Israel. The name of
the song is one Hebrew word, "dayenu," meaning, "it would have
been sufficient." At the end of every line of the song comes the
one-word refrain, "Dayenu," sung about ten times with much gaiety
and handclapping. The song ends with the spoken words:
"Then how much more, doubled and re-doubled, is the claim the
Omnipresent has upon our thankfulness! For He did take us out of
Egypt and execute judgments ... and justice ... [did] tear the
sea apart for us ... satisfy our needs in the desert ... give us
the Sabbath [and] ... the Torah [Law] ... bring us into the land
of Israel, and build us the House of His choosing to atone for
all our sins."
Now, in obedience to the ancient admonition of Rabbi
Gamaliel, the host makes special mention of the three crucial
ingredients of the Passover: the Passover sacrifice (symbolized
by the shank bone on the seder plate), the bitter herbs, and the
unleavened bread (matzo). He explains each item, holding up the
bitter herbs and matzo. However, he does not lift up the shank
bone, lest what is only the symbol of the Passover lamb be given
the significance of a real sacrifice, which is forbidden. Then he
adds these words:
"In every generation let each man look on himself as if he came
forth out of Egypt. As it is said: 'And thou shalt tell thy son
... it is because of what the Lord did for me when I came forth
out of Egypt'"[see Exodus 13:8].
This text is based on the teaching of the Mishnah (Pesahim
10:5) that the Exodus and redemption are not to be taken only as
history; each Jew is to consider the experience as personal.
(Even so, those of us who are spiritually redeemed by Jesus, the
true Passover Lamb, see Him as being sacrificed for each of us,
individually and personally, although the actual event happened
two thousand years ago.)
(The Jews believe they are the children of God as much as any
Christian believes they are. Their theology teaches they can be
saved WITHOUT Christ; the Christian therology teaches there is
only ONE through whom you can be saved - Christ Jesus - Acts 4:12
- Keith Hunt)
Now the company raises the wine glasses in a toast of
thanksgiving to the goodness of God and proclaims: "Let us then
recite before Him a new song: Hallelujah!" They put the glasses
down without drinking and recite Psalms 113 and 114, the first
portion of the Hallel, which literally means "praise." Then they
raise the wine glasses once again, repeating the ancient prayer
of Rabbi Akiba, probably written just after the destruction of
the Temple.
"Blessed art thou, O Lord ... who redeemed us ... and has brought
us to this night ... So, O Lord ... bring us to other festivals
... happy in the building of thy city ... And there may we eat of
the sacrifices and the paschal offerings, whose blood will come
unto the walls of thy altar for acceptance. Then shall we give
thanks to thee with a new song, for our redemption and the
liberation of our soul. Blessed art thou, O Lord, Redeemer of
Israel. Blessed art thou ... Creator of the fruit of the vine."
This is the signal for drinking the second cup of wine,
called the "cup of praise."
Following the drinking of the second cup, they pass
around the basin of water. Everyone repeats the special prayer
for ceremonial handwashing and washes his hands. The head of the
feast now breaks off pieces of unleavened bread and distributes
them to all at the table. They recite together the prayers of
thanksgiving for bread and for the commandment to eat unleavened
bread; they eat a morsel of the matzo.
Next the host dips some of the bitter herb into the sweet
charoseth mixture and offers a piece to each participant. Before
eating it, they pronounce another benediction, thanking God for
commanding the eating of bitter herbs. The resultant tears
produced by this ceremony are a fitting memorial to the hardships
of our ancestors!
The host goes on to make a sandwich of bitter herbs and
unleavened bread. He eats it, saying:
"In memory of the Temple, according to the custom of Hillel. Thus
did [Rabbi] Hillel when the Holy Temple still stood: he used to
combine unleavened bread and bitter herbs and eat them together,
to fulfill that which is said: 'They shall eat it with unleavened
bread and bitter herbs.'"
By this time, the younger children are a bit droopy-eyed
from the warmth of the room, the sips of wine, and the hypnotic
flickering of the candles. The older people are not drowsy; they
have just been jolted into alertness by the mouthful of
horseradish. But now the hostess sets aside the seder plate and
disappears into the kitchen, and this is the real cue for
everyone to come to life. Here come the good things that have
been teasing their nostrils all day!
The Passover meal is literally a banquet. It usually begins
with the traditional hard-boiled eggs dipped or flavored with
salt water. Then come the appetizers. In Ashkenazi homes (those
of northern and eastern European culture), two of the favorite
appetizers are chopped liver, similar to the French liver pate,
and gefilte fish. The latter is similar to Scandinavian fish
balls without the sauce. Jewish people like to use horseradish
instead, even when it is not Passover. Then, almost always, there
is a matzo ball soup, a rich, clear chicken broth accompanied by
fluffy, featherlight dumplings made of finely ground matzo and
many well-beaten eggs. The main course is usually a stuffed,
roasted fowl, or beef of some kind. Jewish people today
traditionally do not eat lamb on Passover, because there is no
Temple and no Passover sacrifice. But those of us who are Jewish
believers in the Messiah Jesus feel that it is fitting and
meaningful to eat lamb at our Passover meals in remembrance of
the One who came to be the Lamb, whose sacrifice overshadows the
sacrifices of all the lambs slain in the Temple (Hebrews 9).
(Let me say here, there is nothing in the New Testament
Scriptures to forbid you eating lamb at any meal during the 7 day
Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Passover evening, correctly being
the beginning of the 14th day of the first month, Nisan or Abib,
is NOT A MEAL! Hence lamb will not be eaten during that specific
service, for it is not a meal under the New Testament ordinance -
all fully explained in my many studies of the Passover - Keith
Hunt)
There are many more good things to eat, like salads and
vegetables, limited only by the cook's imagination and
resourcefulness. For dessert there are dried fruits, nuts,
specially baked Passover cookies, sponge cakes, and coconut
macaroons, all made without leaven; and imported marzipan and
other candies from Israel.
(Remmeber all this is going on during the first evening hours of
the 15th day, which is technically the first holy day of the
Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is the practice handed down from
the Pharisee Jews - Keith Hunt)
Jewish people of Eastern and Mediterranean descent
(Sephardim) have different favorite foods, in keeping with their
own culture and tradition. Their cuisine often includes tomatoes,
eggplant, and fruits like dates, figs, and oranges, which are
native to their countries. The only foods never to be found on
any Passover table, besides bread or other types of leaven, are
pork and shellfish. These are forbidden at all times by Leviticus
11 and Deuteronomy 14 to those Jewish people who are still under
the Law.
(The authors are Christian Jews and so they believe such laws of
clean and unclean foods are abolished, and only none-Christian
religious Jews need to obey them - nothing could be further from
the truth - Keith Hunt)
With dinner at an end, the dessert dishes are cleared
away, but the Passover seder is far from finished. Something is
missing - the "aphikomen"! The name aphikomen comes from the
Greek "epikomios," meaning "after dinner revelry," or "that which
comes last." In ancient times, this was apt to be rather rowdy.
Since that type of behavior was totally unsuitable for a
religious celebration, the rabbis of old substituted a solemn
commemoration of the Paschal lamb. In Temple times, the lamb was
the last thing to be eaten; now, in the absence of the
sacrificial lamb, the unleavened bread was to represent the
Passover sacrifice. The taste of the matzo and the memory of the
lamb were to linger in the consciousness of each celebrant.
The children search now for the missiing aphikomen, making a
little game of it. The adults call out advice as the children
search the room: "You're way off base!" "You're cold." "You're
getting warmer!" Soon someone finds it and turns it over to the
head of the feast with a triumphant grin of anticipation, for he
knows that he will receive a reward for it - a small gift or sum
of money.
The gaiety and boisterousness of the search give way to
solemnity as the ritual of the seder continues. The host unwraps
the "aphikomen" and distributes olive-sized pieces to everyone. 1
All partake of it with quiet reverence. In Western culture, there
is no blessing or word spoken. But in the Sephardic or Eastern
tradition, they say: "In memory of the Passover, sacrifice, eaten
after one is sated." Nowhere do they add the prophetic words of
Jesus at the Last Supper: "This is my body which is given for
you" (Luke 22:19).
After this, no one may have any more food or drink at the
seder other than the third and fourth cups of wine. At
......
1 By rabbinic tradition, an olive-sized morsel is the smallest
over which one can say a blessing.
......
this point many Haggadahs include the recital of Psalm 126, one
of the Songs of Ascent.
Now that the meal is officially concluded by the eating of
the aphikomen, the ritual portion of the seder continues with the
recitation of the final table grace. At Jewish meals there is a
berachah (short prayer of thanks) for each food as it comes to
the table, but the main table grace always comes after the meal.
At the seder, the host now pours the third cup of wine before
this prayer. Then he stands and repeats the traditional words in
Hebrew: "Gentlemen, let us recite the blessing." The seated
company responds: "May the name of the Lord be blessed from now
unto eternitv." The host continues: "Let us bless Him of whose
food we have eaten." Then the participants read a lengthy prayer
of thanksgiving. Toward the end of this table grace, we hear
again the expression of hope in God's final deliverance in the
days of the Messiah.
"Take pity, O Lord ... on Israel ... on Zion the habitation of
thy glory and on the kingdom of the House of David, thine
anointed ... may there rise and come ... the remembrance of us...
and our fathers, and the remembrance of the Messiah the son of
David, thy servant ... and Jerusalem thy holy city ... and all
thy people, the House of Israel ... on this festival ... The
Compassionate One - may He send Elijah the prophet (may he be
remembered for good) to us that he may bring us good tidings of
salvations and consolations.
(Oh indeed God will send someone who will come in the "spirit and
power" of Elijah before the day of the Lord, as the prophets and
Jesus have said, but the Jews will not recognize him, for he will
come in the name of the Messiah Christ - Keith Hunt)
If Passover falls on a Friday night (the beginning of the
Sabbath) they also add the following:
"The Compassionate One - may He cause us to inherit that day
which is all Sabbath and repose, in the everlasting life. The
Compassionate One - may He find us worthy of the days of the
Messiah and of the life of the world to come."
(You see how they pray that they will find everlasting life and
the world to come. They pray for this while they ignore or reject
the One who can give them eternal life. The are blinded, the vast
majority in Israel are blinded as Paul shows in Romans 9 through
11. The day will come when that blindness will be removed - then
they will find salvation and the world to come, but until that
time, they must wait and rest [in death, if dead before Jesus the
Messiah comes in glory] until their resurrection day - Keith
Hunt)
This speaks of that ultimate Sabbath of rest about which
Paul is writing in Hebrews 4:9.
Immediately following that prayer, the host leads again in
the blessing over the wine, and everyone drinks the third cup,
commemorating the verse in Exodus 6:6b: "I will redeem you with a
stretched out arm." This third cup is the cup of redemption, also
at times called the cup of blessing. It is the cup of redemption
because, say the ancient commentaries, it represents the blood of
the Paschal lamb. Some Haggadahs call it the cup of Elijah
because it directly follows the prayer for the coming of Elijah.
Another reason for that title may be because of what happens
next.
The children have been watching Elijah's cup at the foot of
the table. In some households, the cup was filled at the
beginning of the seder; in others, it is filled now. They squint
hard at the dark red contents of the cup. Will Elijah come and
drink from the cup? Maybe he is here now, only he is invisible.
Did he take a sip? It looks like there is just a little less wine
than there was a while ago! Alas, if that is true, it is only due
to evaporation. But maybe he is still going to come! Wait and
see, but now we must go on with the service.
(They look for the Elijah to come, and he will, in the form of a
man, as like John the baptist was Elijah in his day [Mat. 17],
but not knowing Christ or the New Testament Scriptures, they will
look for him in vain. But then again the huge majority of
Christians will not know the Elijah to come before the day of the
Lord, for He will speak the word of truth, which they are blinded
from. Only the very elect will recognize the Elijah to come, and
the restitution of truth - Keith Hunt)
Jewish scholars think the prayer that comes next, "Pour out
Thy Wrath," originated during the Middle Ages when Jews were
severely persecuted for the faith, especially at Passover time.
This prayer is not found in the earliest editions of the
Haggadah. It calls for God's judgment on the heathen, and it
sounds rather harsh. But taken in context with the other prayers
given above for the coming of Elijah, it fits into the pattern of
thought: "May God send the Messiah, heralded by the prophet
Elijah, to vanquish all our enemies and set up His Kingdom of
peace."
(The Jews pray for the still coming of the Messiah, while they
cannot see that He already came in the form of Jesus Christ, two
thousand years ago. Yet the Messiah will come and the Jews will
in that day recognize Him as the prophet Zechariah tells us in
chapters 12 and 13. See my expounding of that prophetic book on
this Website - Keith Hunt)
The leader now sends one of the children to open the door to
see if Elijah is coming in answer to the prayers. The words are
not prescribed until later in the Haggadah reading, but just as
the door is being opened, everyone usually exclaims: "Blessed is
he who cometh in the name of the Lord" The youngsters are
round-eyed with awe as the door slowly creaks open. A gust of
cool night air sweeps into the room but no one is there. Oh well,
maybe next year. The child closes the door and comes back to the
table.
Next the host leads in the recitation of the second portion
of the Hallel, Psalms 115 to 118. These verses are the same as
those of Temple times. They lead into the Great Hallel, which is
Psalm 136. In this well-known psalm, the Levitical choir in the
Temple sang out the praises of Jehovah and the great events of
Israel's history. At the end of each phrase or line, the
congregation responded, "For His kindness endureth forever!"
The earliest commentaries (Pesahim 10:7 of the Mishnah) record a
"Benediction of Song" after the Hallel. The Talmud, which is a
commentary on the Mishnah, teaches in Berakbot 59b that one of
these benedictions was the Great Hallel and another was at least
some part of a hymn called "The Breath of Every Living Thing."
This closing hymn before the fourth and final cup of wine is
again a prayer of praise and thanksgiving. It begins: "The breath
of every living thing shall bless Thy Name," and ends: "Blessed
art thou, 0 Lord, God and King, who art mightily praised, God of
thanksgivings, Lord of wonders, who chooses song and psalm, King,
God, the life of the world." Once again, everyone at the table
lifts his wine glass and chants the blessing over wine. Everyone
drinks from the fourth cup. This last cup of the Passover seder
commemorates the verse in Exodus 6:7: "And I will take you to me
for a people."
One of the modern versions of the Haggadah 1 comments very
aptly on the fourth cup and the verse it commemorates: "The
redemption is not yet complete. The Fourth Cup recalls us to our
covenant with the Eternal One, to the tasks that still await us
as a people called to the service of God, to a great purpose for
which the people of Israel live."
The editors of that particular Haggadah see the purpose of
Israel as being "The preservation and affirmation of hope." But
we, who are familiar with the promises and prophecies of
Scripture, see a greater purpose for Israel that of one day
proclaiming to the whole world that the Messiah is, indeed,
Saviour and King!
Because of the words, "I will take you to be my people,"
some call this fourth cup the cup of acceptance. Others prefer to
call it the cup of Elijah. There is merit to both titles, for
Elijah will yet come to herald the redemption that will be
complete only when Israel fulfills God's entire plan; that is,
when Israel recognizes and proclaims the Messiah (Zechariah
12:10), she will truly be the people of God, as foretold in
Jeremiah 32:38-40.
And now, at last, with the drinking of the fourth cup, the
seder is drawing to a close. Happy songs and festivity often
continue afterward late into the night, but the service
......
1 Herbert Bronstein, ed., "The New Union Haggadah," rev. ed., p.
91.
......
officially ends with one last prayer for the rebuilding of
Jerusalem:
Concluded is the Passover seder,
According to its law and custom.
As we have lived to celebrate it,
so may we live to celebrate it again.
Pure One, who dwells in his habitation
Redress the countless congregation.
Speedily lead the offshoots of thy stock
Redeemed, to Zion in joyous song.
NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM! 1
......
1 Jewish people already living in Israel say instead: "Next year
in Jerusalem rebuilt!"
......
.............................
Note:
So it is that the Jews without Christ in the Passover, live in
the past, praying for the prophet Elijah to come and reveal good
news to them. He will come and he will reveal good news to them
and all the world, but most will never know he came and restored
all things, they will blindly go their way, tripping over the
truth, picking themselves up, dusting themselves off, and walking
on as if never seeing it. Then will come the end of this age,
then will come the Messiah, then the blindness will be lifted
from all faces, then the world will see who the Elijah was, and
who the Christ Messiah is. Then the covering cast over all faces
will be lifted, light of truth will pour into their minds, and
all people will finally rejoice as the knowledge of God will
cover this earth as the waters cover the sea beds. Then all will
know Christ in the Passover.
Keith Hunt
February 2010
5. BREAD AND WINE
HOW OFTEN SHOULD
WE OBSERVE IT?
There are FEW church organizations that observe the so-called
"Lord's Supper" in the same manner or at the same time. Some
believe in practicing the "foot washing" as part of the overall
observance, others do not. Some only use alcohol wine, while
others use only grape juice. There are church groups that use
"unleavened bread" but others use regular puffed up bread. There
is even more variations and opinions as to how OFTEN this sacred
service is to be observed.
This article will only concern the last question, as to "How
Often?"
Paul was inspired to write in 1 Corinthians that God is NOT
the author of confusion!
Jesus said that God's WORD is truth (John 17:17). Let is
humbly and diligently search the word of the Eternal for the
truth on the Passover or Lord's Supper service and how often we
should partake of it in any given year.
Some churches take this ceremony once a week; some once a
month; some four times a year; some twice a year, and a few only
once a year in the evening. Jude, in the latter half of the
first century A.D. found it needful to write that "........You
should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the
saints" (Jude 3).
If the first century Christians were beginning to wander away
from the original practices of Jesus and the early disciples, how
much do you suppose we today have departed from those original
teachings? For us to get back to the faith once delivered
we must put aside our assumptions and traditions, and with open
minds "search the Scriptures daily" as those at Berea did when
Paul preached to them (Acts 17:10-12). The Scriptures contain
the TRUTH - the true record of what was once delivered to the
saints.
THE FIRST OBSERVANCE
It is written that Jesus set us an example that we should
follow His steps (1 Peter 2:21). A person who looks to and
follows the way of Jesus Christ is called a Christian -
one who follows Christ. It is written that Jesus now comes and
lives His life over again WITHIN the Christian (Gal.2:20) - by
the faith OF Christ, not just faith IN Christ. The same practices
and customs Jesus observed nearly 2,000 years ago, He will still
practice and observe today as He lives in the Christian.
Let us examine the passage showing the institution of the NT
Passover service and symbols - commonly called by many "The
Lord's Supper."
Luke 22:14, 19-20. "And when the HOUR was COME, He(Jesus) sat
down, and the twelve apostles with Him.....And He took bread, and
gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto them, saying: This is my
body which is given for you. THIS DO in REMEMBRANCE of
me.....Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This is the
New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you."
Notice, Jesus introduced the bread and wine (fruit of the vine
- cup) "when the hour was come." There was a DEFINITE TIME - when
He held this supper, setting us the perfect example. He commanded
them to observe it, "THIS DO....." And why? "In remembrance of
me," He said. It was a MEMORIAL - in memory of His death. Jesus
instituted this ordinance on the night, the eve of His death. We
are to observe this ceremony of Christ's death, as He Himself
said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends." Jesus knew that upon this day - the
day He was instituting the symbols of bread and wine for His
broken body and shed blood - He would die. And Jesus further
said, "You are my friends IF you DO whatsoever I command
you....." (John 15:13-14).
In Matthew 26:26 we read: "And as they were eating, Jesus took
bread." It was "as they were eating" that He introduced this
ordinance of the NT. But eating what? Eating the PASSOVER! See
verse 17 and Luke 22:15. Notice Mat.26:2, "You know that after
two days is the Feast of the Passover, and the Son of man is
betrayed to be crucified." Jesus knew His time to be slain had
come. He knew the Passover lamb represented HIM - the true lamb
of God (John 1:29).
The apostle Paul understood that the real Passover lamb was
Christ, when he wrote: ".....even Christ OUR PASSOVER is
sacrificed for us" (1 Cor.5:7).
Jesus was eating the Passover, "Now the first of the unleavens
(original Greek. The Jews had by the time of Christ acquired the
custom of putting leaven out of their homes on the 14th day of
Nisan, and by late morning ate no more leavened bread, at least
those who followed the Pharisees practiced this tradition), and
the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto Him, Where will you that
we prepare for you to eat the Passover?" (Mat.26:7). At EVEN
Jesus sat down (when the hour was come) with His twelve disciples
in an upper room (Mat.26:20; Mark 14:15).
And as they were eating the Passover supper (Mat.26:26),
"Jesus took bread and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to
the disciples, and said: Take, eat, this is my body. And He took
the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying: Drink you
all of it; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is
shed for the remission of sins."
It was the night of the last Passover supper that Jesus kept
and He introduced the NT Passover service and symbols.
THE OLD TESTAMENT ORDINANCE
The original Passover marked the Exodus of the Israelites from
Egypt. You will find the events recorded in the 12th chapter of
the book of Exodus.
On the 10th day of the first month (Abib or Nisan chap.13:4)
they were told to take a young lamb without spot or blemish. This
lamb was to be kept UNTIL the 14th day of this first month, when
they were to kill it "in the evening" (verse 6).
As soon as it was killed, the blood was to be sprinkled over
the door posts of their houses. The lamb was to be roasted and
eaten in haste - with their shoes on - ready to move out quickly.
At midnight that night of the 14th (no other day is yet mentioned
in the context, so it is still the 14th) the death angel passed
through the land, striking dead the firstborn of each family in
all the land of Egypt. But those under the blood of the lamb
were saved from death. And God brought - delivered - them from
the Egyptian bondage that night of the 14th. Compare these
passages - Ex.12:7-14; Num.33:3; Deut.16:1-3; Lev.23:6.
The Israelites were delivered from bondage on the 14th - the
death angel passing through the land that NIGHT of the 14th.
Israel left Rameses on the 15th, the morrow AFTER the Passover
had been slain, by NIGHT. This day of the 15th was to be a
memorial day - the feast day - a holy day (Ex.12:14-17). And that
night of the 15th was a night to be "much observed unto the
Lord."
The Passover lamb was slain on the 14th. The Israelites were
delivered on the 15th - starting the night of the 15th from
Rameses. This festival of the Passover (all eight days) - from
the 14th of Nisan to the 21st, was ordained to be observed
FOREVER (Ex.12:17,24), and in this case forever includes our time
today. The Jews certainly observe it. It was to be a MEMORIAL of
deliverance - to be kept in its season, from year to year. Hence
observed ONCE a year only (Ex.13:9,10).
TYPE AND ANTI-TYPE
The Paschal lamb was typical. As the Matthew Henry's Bible
Commentary notes:
" Christ is our Passover - 1 Cor.5:7
(1) It was to be a LAMB; and Christ is the lamb of God (John
1:29).
(2) It was to be a MALE of the first year (vs.5) in its prime.
Christ offered up Himself in the midst of His days.
(3) It was to be without BLEMISH (vs.5) denoting the purity of
the Lord Jesus - a Lamb without SPOT (1 Pet.1:19).
(4) It was to be set apart FOUR days before (vs.3,6).....It is
very observable that, as Christ was crucified at the Passover, so
He solemly entered into Jerusalem four days before - the very day
the paschal lamb was set apart.
(5) It was to be SLAIN, and ROASTED WITH FIRE (vs.....6-9),
denoting the extreme sufferings of the Lord Jesus, even unto
death. The wrath of God is as fire, and Christ was made a curse
for us.
(6) It was to be killed by the whole congregation between the two
evenings......Christ suffered at the END of the world (Heb.9:26)
by the hand of the Jews - the whole multitude of them (Luke
23:18) and for all His spiritual Israel.
(7) Not a bone of it must be BROKEN (vs.46) - which is expressly
said to be fulfilled in Christ (John 19:33,36)" (emphasis mine).
Notice again points number 4 and 6 made by the commentary.
Many Bible chronologers (i.e. the Chronological Bible by Edward
Reese) have seen that a harmony of the Gospels clearly shows
Jesus entering on a stay in Jerusalem and area FOUR days prior to
His death, and that He died on the 14th of Nisan at around the
ninth hour (3 to 4 p.m.)
God had foreshadowed the events of Jesus' last days, and
especially the last 24 hours, centuries earlier by means of the
Passover lamb. God was able, and He did fulfil them. For those
interested in the chronology of Jesus last 24 hours I have a full
in-depth study on that subject that I can send e-mail to those
who request it. Some teach that all the events must have taken
more than 24 hours. My artcile answers their arguments.
JESUS' EXAMPLE
Throughout His life and ministry Jesus observed the Passover
(Luke 2:41-42; John 2:13,23; 6:4; Mat.26:1-2, 17-20). He kept
it ONCE a year - on the 14th of Nisan. Jesus knew it pictured His
suffering and death (Mat.26:1-2).
On the NIGHT of the 14th, early evening - He sat down with His
disciples to observe the Passover meal. During this supper Jesus
introduced the symbols of the BREAD and the FRUIT OF THE VINE. He
did not abolish the Passover but merely CHANGED the symbols from
the roast lamb to bread and wine. He said to His disciples, "This
do, in remembrance of me." Jesus did this ON the 14th - on the
SAME day the Passover lamb had been slain in that first Passover
observance as recorded in Exodus 12, in the BEGINNING or EVENING
of the 14th. He thereby set us an example (1 Peter 2:21). Can
His disciples today do any more or any less? Surely the example
of Christ Himself is teaching material enough.
The Old Testament Passover was to be observed just once a year
- on the 14th of Nisan. Jesus did not, either by word or example,
change the day or the number of times in a year to remember His
death.
THE ORDINANCE OF HUMILITY
In giving us the account of the institution of the NT Passover
ordinance, Matthew, Mark and Luke describe the taking of the
bread and cup. But John relates another part of this ordinance.
It is found in the 13th chapter of John. Verse one shows the
event of the last Passover observed by Christ. And "during
supper" (which is a more accurate rendering of the Greek, see the
Interlinear by Berry and other translations), verse 2.
Jesus took a towel (verse 4) and began washing His disciples'
feet (verse 5). They had already bathed (verse 10 - Fenton
translation); they were already clean, including the feet.
Why then, did Jesus do this foot washing?
"So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments
and was set down again, He said unto them, Know you what I have
done unto you? You call me master and Lord: and you say well; for
so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet;
you ALSO OUGHT TO WASH ONE ANOTHER'S FEET. For I have given you
an EXAMPLE that YOU SHOULD DO AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU" (verses
12-15).
This ordinance of footwashing is an ordinance of HUMILITY. It
was the lowest servant of the household who, in Jesus' day, was
given the job of washing the dusty feet of the guests. Some say
this command of Jesus was only to the disciples of His day, and
not to us today. But they will admit it was a command to them.
Turn to Matthew 28:19,20. "Go you, therefore," Jesus told those
disciples, "and teach all nations, baptizing them......teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded YOU."
So they were to teach US to observe all things He commanded
them. Washing each other's feet at the Passover time was one of
those commands, and one of those examples of Jesus we are to
follow.
Even with what is taught by such clear verses, some will still
argue up and down that we do not have to wash any feet today. I
answer in detail those arguments in another article devoted to
that specific topic. It can be sent e-mail to those who request
it.
DO AS OFTEN AS YOU WISH?
Paul gives directions regarding the NT Passover service in the
11th chapter of 1 Corinthians. Some have interpreted verse 26
which says, "As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup"
to say - "Take it as often, as many times as you like." But is
that what Paul meant to say?
Read the CONTEXT. In verse 23, Paul says that what he received
from Christ he delivered to the Corinthians, that "......the Lord
Jesus the same NIGHT in which He was betrayed (14th of Nisan)
took bread." Jesus, as has been seen, introduced the symbols
of bread and wine. He told His disciples "this do" in remembrance
of Him. In the original Greek there is the definite article "the"
so the phrase could read "this do in THE remembrance of me."
Now, what was the remembrance or MEMORIAL of Christ's death?
Why the PASSOVER - held on the 14th day of the first month of
Abib or Nisan, the day the Passover lamb was slain.
Many nations observe a "Remembrance Day" for all who died in
the last two world wars. Many people observe a MEMORIAL of their
wedding or someone's birthday. How often do they observe these
remembrance days? Only ONCE a year! A wedding, birthday, or
death, is remembered in a special way usually ON THE DAY it
occurred. We show or remember the Lord's death by partaking of
the bread and wine on the VERY DAY - the very NIGHT that Jesus
did, when He told us "this do." We remember Christ's death
through this ordinance often called the "communion service" by
some as we follow His example of partaking of it on the NIGHT and
the day of the 14th of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar.
By following His example and observing this sacred ordinance
at the same time He did, we do continue to REMEMBER His death
annually, on the very anniversary of His crucifixion. It is the
most solemn but yet joyful occasion of the year, especially when
observed at this correct hour and day.
Paul is telling the people at Corinth that as OFTEN as this
REMEMBRANCE NIGHT is observed - year after year - decade after
decade - down through the centuries and ages - we do show, we
remember by this NT ordinance - the Lord's death till He returns
again (verse 26).
TAKING UNWORTHILY?
Many have worried about Paul's statement in 1 Cor.11:29
concerning eating and drinking UNWORTHILY and so do not partake
of it. But truly we are ALL unworthy of and by ourselves of
Christ's love for us in taking our sins upon Himself and dying
for us. So is Paul saying here that UNTIL somehow we FEEL we are
worthy, we are not to partake of this ordinance? NO! For in
verse 28 Paul has just said we are to examine ourselves,
"AND SO LET HIM EAT......AND DRINK......." Jesus said, as we
have seen, "this do." He commanded His followers to partake of
the symbols of His broken body and shed blood.
This verse is not speaking about a Christian being in some
technical way worthy or unworthy (actually all repentant
Christians are sinless because the blood of Christ has blotted
them out, so they are righteous and worthy), to take this
ordinance. It IS speaking about EXAMINING oneself - getting in
the right attitude and frame of mind for this special time and
day of the year.
It is also speaking of the MANNER in which we do it. To take
it unworthily is to take it in a wrong manner. Notice what the
Corinthians had done on this special night - verses 20 to 22.
They had a big "bash" as we would say today. They had much food,
some of them; while others were left out of the party, and had
none or very little. Some got DRUNK on the wine. Paul is
correcting them for the WRONG MANNER in which they were observing
this sacred ordinance.
In connection with the wrong manner, it is worth noting that
had the ancient Israelites in Egypt observed the first Passover
at any other time or day other than when appointed by God they
would have done it unworthily and suffered the plague along with
the Egyptians. This is not to say that people today who do not
know any better or have not had this truth of the word of God
revealed to them, will be smitten down in some way if they do
observe this NT service at some other time than on the night of
the 14th of Nisan. God is very merciful during this age of the
Gospel. But when truth and light is revealed the Eternal expects
that person to walk in it, and to refuse or ignore it could
place that individual on spiritually dangerous ground.
Once truth has come to us on this matter, it could be unworthy
for us to partake of this ceremony at any other time than set
down by God in His Holy Word, we could be partaking of it in a
wrong manner. The Greek here is a VERB - an action word - a
doing word. Certainly the Corinthians were doing things in
actions that were wrong on this remembrance night as they thought
they were remembering the Lord's death.
Being in a wrong attitude of mind could also come under an
action of wrong manner, so that is why Jesus inspired Paul to
say, "But let a man(person) EXAMINE himself and SO LET HIM
EAT....."
I also have an article on examining ourselves before we come
to partake of this service, it also can be e-mailed to anyone
requesting it.
"BREAK BREAD" - WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Some turn to Acts 20:7, "And upon the first day of the week,
when the disciples came together to break bread....." and say
this shows the "communion" - "Lord's Supper" - was observed every
Sunday. But notice, nothing is said about taking "the cup" or
fruit of the vine. Surely if this was intended to be written to
show that the NT symbols of bread and wine were to be observed
every week, it would be more explicit; especially when one
considers the fact that it would have been a NEW custom for both
the Jewish and Gentile Christians. If the question of
circumcision gave rise to a conference on the matter at
Jerusalem (Acts 15), the question of WHEN and HOW OFTEN the death
of Jesus should be commemorated and remembered in a specific way
would not have been a less issue. But we find no such issue
arising in the early Church of God.
Let's examine the context of Acts 20:7. Notice verse 6. This
was just AFTER the Days of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover
would have already taken place. Paul was holding a farewell
meeting at Troad, ready to depart at sunrise the next day. When
was Paul preaching? It was NOT Sunday morning but what we would
call Saturday night.
It was between sunset of the first day of the week and midnight
(verse 7) and many LIGHTS were burning (verse 8). They were all
getting hungry. And after they had "broken bread and EATEN" Paul
went on his journey (verse 11). THIS BREAD BREAKING WAS EATING A
COMMON MEAL.
The words "break bread" are used in many places to refer to a
plain meal. Notice Acts 27:34,35, "Wherefore I pray you to take
some meat(food). He took bread......and when he had BROKEN IT he
began to EAT......" notice also Acts 2:46, ".....And breaking
bread from house to house, did eat their meat(food) with
gladness." Here they were breaking bread DAILY, eating food or
meals; and Paul says we are not to eat the Lord's Supper to
satisfy hunger (1 Cor.11:34). Then notice Matthew 26:29. Jesus
said He would not again take the NT Passover until after His
coming in His Kingdom. Yet later, as He sat "at meat," eating a
meal, He BROKE bread and blessed it (Luke 24:30).
They did not have sliced packaged bread in the first century
A.D. The bread was often BROKEN apart with the hands. "Break
bread" was a term for having a meal.
THE EARLY CHURCH KEPT THE PASSOVER
Christianity has a Jewish background. Jesus Christ was a Jew,
of the house of Judah (Heb.7:14). Paul, Peter, James, John and
others were all of the house of Judah, though maybe not of the
tribe of Judah. Christianity began with Jewish people. As the
Gentiles entered the Church they became part of spiritual Israel
- spiritual Jews. There is NO DIFFERENCE between Jew and Gentile
- all become ONE in Christ (Rom.2:28-29; Eph.2:12-22). All are to
worship God in the SAME MANNER - in SPIRIT and in TRUTH (John
4:24).
What about the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread
festival? Are Gentiles to observe as some call them, "those
Jewish festivals"? Did the Jewish Christians continue to keep
them? Did the Gentile converts in the apostolic Church observe
the festivals of Israel, as given by God in Leviticus chapter 23?
Paul, writing to the predominately Gentile congregation at
Corinth, admonishes them to, "Purge out therefore the old leaven
that you may be a new lump, AS YOU ARE UNLEAVENED. For even
Christ our PASSOVER is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us
KEEP (Greek in the present continuous tense) the FEAST"
(1 Cor.5:7,8).
Paul is admonishing the NT Christians to CONTINUE keeping the
Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread - but with the spirit of
true Christianity - in sincerity and truth. He wanted them to
observe the festival not only in a literal way but in the way the
festival portrays SPIRITUALLY, remembering Christ's DEATH for our
sins and PUTTING AWAY sin (leaven is a type of) from our lives
(hence to unleaven us) as we physically unleaven our homes in a
physical type teaching and lesson for our spiritual lives.
The authors of "The Life and Epistles of St. Paul" - Conybeare
and Howson, have this to say on these verses:
" In spite of the opinion of some, we must adhere to the
interpretation which considers these words as written at the
Paschal season, and suggested by it. The words LEAVEN, LUMP,
PASCHAL LAMB and FEAST all agree most naturally with this
view......It has been object that St. Paul would not address the
Corinthians as engaged in a feast which he, at Ephesus, was
celebrating, because it would be over before his letter could
reach them. Anyone who has ever written a birthday letter to a
friend in India will see the weakness of this objection. If we
take 'as you are unleavened' in a metaphorical sense, it is
scarcely consistent with the previous 'cast out the old leaven';
for the passage would then amount to saying, 'Be you free from
leaven (metaphorically) as you are free from leaven
(metaphorically)'; whereas, on the other hand, St.Paul says,
'Be free from leaven (metaphorically) as you are free from leaven
(literally).' There seems to be no difficulty in supposing that
the Gentile Christians joined with the Jewish Christians in
celebrating the Paschal feast after the Jewishmanner, at least to
the extent of abstaining from leaven in the love feast. And we
see St. Paul still observing the 'days of unleavened bread' at
this period of his life, from Acts 20:6......" (pages 389, 390,
emphasis mine).
The Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread were still being
observed by Paul and the Jew-Gentile Christians of the first
century A.D. The Holy Spirit inspired those words in Acts 12:3,
"Then were the days of unleavened bread." Notice also verse 4.
The word "Easter" is a mistranslation. The Greek word is "Pascha"
(which means Passover). See any Greek lexicon.
Contrary to many views the passage in Col.2:16 is one of the
STRONGEST proofs in the entire NT that Christians of the first
century A.D. continued to observe the annual, monthly, and weekly
festivals as given by the Eternal in the law and books of Moses.
A study of Col.2:16 can be e-mailed to those who request it.
THE TESTIMONY OF CHURCH HISTORY
That the early Church continued to remember the DEATH of
Christ on the 14th of Nisan is confirmed by the writers of the
second century. Polycarp (of Asia Minor) - a disciple of John the
apostle, travelled to Rome to try to persuade the bishop of Rome
to observe the 14th of Nisan as opposed to "Easter." Polycrates
later in the 2nd century also contended with the Roman church in
favor of the 14th of the first month, Jewish calendar. This 14th
of Nisan/Easter controversy became known in Church History as the
"QUARTODECIMAN controversy."
You can read all about it in the Catholic Encyclopedia at your
public library, under the articles, "Quartodeciman" - "Easter" -
"Polycarp" - "Polycrates."
The TRUTH on this subject as to HOW often to observe the bread
and fruit of the vine symbols of the death of Christ can be found
and understood as this article explains, if you are willing to
search the Scriptures daily, and really do hunger and thirst for
righteousness and have a love of the truth.
May the Eternal grant you such an attitude as to want to
understand His will on this matter.
................................
Written first 1980
re-written and revised in March 1998
by
Keith Hunt
6.
PASSOVER
UNDERSTANDINGS
For us today with the writings of the New Testament(NT) and
two thousand years to look back at the death of Christ, it is
sometimes hard to put ourselves in the shoes of the Jews and
disciples of Jesus concerning the theology of the Old
Testament(OT) Passover lamb.
I raised a few eye-brows lately with some questions like:
Show me from the OT where the Passover lamb represented the
Messiah and show me from the OT where the Passover lamb was to be
killed at 3 p.m. in the afternoon of the 14th of Nisan.
For our edification we need to put ourselves in the shoes of
the Jews of the first century A.D. Try to forget for a moment all
you have come to know about the Passover lamb from the NT, and
how the NT explains the typology. Now your mind is clear. Good.
take the right shoe of the Jews at the time of Christ and put it
on your right foot. Got it on? Fine, do the same with the left
shoe. You are now standing in the same shoes as the Jews of the
first century.
You(as a Jew) have been told from birth that the Passover
memorial service was to remember how God saved and delivered your
people on the 14th of Nisan from the bondage of Egyptian slavery.
You have been told time and time again the story of Exodus
12 and 13. How the death angel saved from death those under the
blood. You have observed the night many times with the reading
and telling of these historic events, BUT NEVER HAVE YOU BEEN
TOLD: "listen son, the Passover lamb God gave to Israel to
kill on the 14th was to represent the Messiah."
You were never taught this by your parents, you were never
taught it in the synagogue, you were never taught it by the Rabbi
of your town or in fact by anyone! Why? VERY SIMPLE! There is
NO SCRIPTURE that says: "See Moses this lamb you kill on the 14th
is to represent the Messiah to come" or "Moses, I want you to
tell the children of Israel that this 14th day lamb is to remind
them of the coming Messiah, it is to picture His death."
There is not one word in the books of Moses that come close
to explaining the lamb of the 14th was to symbolize the Messiah
to come. There is not one word in the Psalms, the writings, or
the Prophets that told anyone about the Passover lamb being a
type and forshaddow of the coming Messiah. Try to find it
friends, you will not because the OT is SILENT on that typology!
You as a first century Jew were never told by anyone: "Now
we want you to understand that the death of the lamb on the 14th,
represents the death of the Messiah to come."
You were never taught that because the OT says NOTHING in
any specific language that that was what the lamb's death on the
14th really typified.
Oh, the death of the Messiah was talked about in the OT, but
even that was clouded in some not too clear words. Certainly it
was not laid out in plain language so none would ever get mixed
up on. It was shrouded in language and a setting that left
most scratching their heads as to what and who it was all about.
Remember the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. He was reading Isaiah
53. Philip asked him if he understood what it meant. His answer
was NO!
The Jews and disciples of Christ did not have as part of
their upbringing the, theology that the Passover lamb represented
the Christ, the Messiah. They did not have as part of their
theology that the Messiah was to come and be slain like a lamb on
the 14th of Nisan! Oh, they may have had some theology that
taught the Messiah would deliver them from the Roman armies on
the 14th as God once delivered Israel from the Egyptians, but
that is not the same and is a long way from the theology that the
Passover lamb represented the Messiah who would be killed on the
14th. How could He deliver them on the 14th from Rome and die on
the 14th at the same time without delivering them.
When we understand how the Jews had no theology that the
14th lamb typified the Christ, then we can understand the NT
gospels and the mind set of the Jews and the disciples much
clearer. All starts to become understandable as to why what
happened ,did happen to Jesus, and why even the disciples were
stunned, shocked, and in complete despair. Peter even saying "I
go fishing" and Thomas even doubting Jesus had been raised to
life again.
Looking only to Exodus 12 or anything else said about the
Passover lamb in the OT, would never have led you to the theology
that this lamb represented the coming Messiah, who would shed His
blood in death on the very day the Passover lamb was always
killed.
Let's use some common human logic. If this lamb of the
Passover was known in religious circles to be the Christ to come,
then it would have been KNOWN, right? Yes, of course! It would
have been common theology of the synagogue. All would have talked
about it, that the Messiah would come the first time to die and
be slain on the 14th of Nisan for the sins of the world, and His
coming in glory would be after that event. The fact is the
theology of the Jews did not see the first coming, they just
could not put it together as the Ethiopian eunuch could not. They
just could not understand the scriptures concerning someone to
die and suffer as given in Ps.22 and Isaiah 53.
What was said about the Passover lamb in the OT was
certainly no help to them, for nothing was said about it
representing the Messiah.
The religious leaders who were against Jesus, and who
finally wanted Him dead, they knew He claimed to be the Messiah,
the Son of God, even God in the flesh. Now if they had known from
the Passover lamb that the Messiah was to come and be slain
on the 14th of Nisan, DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD HAVE KILLED THIS
JESUS WHO CLAIMED TO BE THE MESSIAH ON THAT DAY?
They hated him, did not want Him to be acknowledged as
anything but from the devil. They knew the people, at least more
than they wanted, were looking to Him as from God. They knew many
believed He was the very Messiah. With all that and if their
theology taught the 14th lamb was representive of the Messiah,
YOU CAN BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR THEY WOULD HAVE GONE OUT OF THEIR
WAY TO MAKE SURE THIS JESUS DID NOT DIE ON THE 14TH!!
Now, take some logic with the very disciples of Jesus. If it
was their understanding that the Messiah was to fulfil the
Passover lamb, in death and on the very day of the 14th of Nisan,
then you would expect that somewhere along the line in the
gospels you would read something to the effect as: "well Lord we
know that you are the Passover lamb, to be slain for the sins of
the world on the 14th of the first month. Is it this year Lord,
this coming Passover that it will happen?"
You know and I know that such a thought let alone a
statement as that never came into the heads of the disciples of
Jesus. They never even thought Christ would be killed, it just
was not in their wildest dreams or nightmares.
Even when Jesus just before the last Passover, said to them
that the Passover was coming and the Son of man was to be
betrayed and killed, IT WENT OVER THEIR HEADS, IN ONE EAR AND OUT
THE OTHER, THEY COULD NOT SEE THE MESSIAH BEING KILLED!!
Even when at the Passover supper meal and Jesus told them
that one among them was going to betray Him, they could not
believe it. It was just too ridiculous to contemplate such a
thing. Who among them could possibly do such a terrible act. They
certainly were not thinking that this Passover day Jesus was to
have His blood shed and be killed. When in the garden and they
were coming to arrest Jesus, Peter was ready to FIGHT to save Him
from being taken!
Do we see brethren the theology of the Passover lamb in the
time of Jesus was not what we have come to see it as of today,
and as the NT church came to see it after the Day of Pentecost
when the Spirit came to start to reveal to them all things and
all truth.
We take things for granted today because we have the NT and
have the answers to some of the typology in the OT that HAS
ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED. It is easy for us to see AFTER THE FACT!
We need to try and remember that for the Jews of Jesus' day it
WAS NOT EASY TO SEE!
When Paul uttered those words in 1 Cor.5 about Christ being
our Passover, IT WAS AFTER THE SPIRIT HAD COME, AND AFTER THE
FACT HAD BEEN FULFILLED!
Paul did not say: "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us
because He was burnt at the stake(roasted like the lamb)." Or,
"Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us because He had His
throat cut and blood shed like the lamb." Paul did not say:
"Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us because He was spit
upon, beaten, and scourged like the lamb" (which was never so
treated anyway). He did not say: "Christ is our Passover
because He died at 3 p.m. on the afternoon of the 14th, when the
lambs were slain in the Temple."
Paul said none of those things. He did not get into ANY
specifics. He did not quote from Ps.22 or Isaiah 53. Paul was
using a GENERAL FIGURE OF SPEECH, based upon what was NOW OBVIOUS
TO THEM AND ALL CHRISTIANS. Jesus was the "lamb of God that
takes away the sins of the world" (as John the Baptist
proclaimed), and He died on the 14th of Nisan, the very day that
the Passover lamb had always been slain upon.
Those two facts alone put the sealing typology on the question,
if there was a question about it. Jesus did fulfil the Passover
lamb. The lamb of the Passover did represent the true lamb of God
that would die to save sinners and die on the Passover day - the
14th of the first month.
BUT THEY DID NOT KNOW THAT FACT UNTIL AFTER THE FACT WAS
FULFILLED AND IT WAS THEN CLEARLY EASY TO SEE!!
More in a future post.
 Written
by
Keith Hunt
#7
PASSOVER
UNDERSTANDINGS
"AND ON THE DAY OF UNLEAVENED
BREAD"
It has been a puzzle to many who read the KJV to find
sentences in the Gospels that say: "Now on the first day of the
feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying
unto Him, Where will you that we prepare for you to eat the
passover"(Mat.26:17).
Something similar is said in Mark 14:12, yet there it seems
to say they killed the passover on the first day of unleavened
bread. And Luke says the same as Mark(Luke 22:7).
Reading the plain easy to understand scriptures in the books
of Moses as we have done in our previous studies, we clearly find
as in Lev.23 and Num.28 that the Passover was the 14th day and
the first day of the Unleavened Bread feast was the 15th. This
15th day was also a holy convocation day - a Sabbath assembly
day, as was the last or 7th day of this Unleavened Bread feast.
Days began at even in Israel as seen from WHEN to observe
the feast of Atonement in Lev.23.
So how could it be possible that the disciples came to Jesus
on the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread as Matthew
seems to say, which would then be the 15th day of the first
month, which would also be a Sabbath, and ask Jesus where they
could prepare the Passover which obviously they had not yet
killed and eaten.
Where they killing the Passover on the 15th, a Sabbath day?
Did Jesus die on the 15th, a Sabbath day? Of course not! The
Gospel of John tells us they were in a hurry to take Jesus down
from the cross and place Him in the garden tomb BECAUSE the
Sabbath drew on - the Sabbath of the feast - the 15th. The law of
Moses stated that no one should remain dead on a tree over any
night of any day(Deut.21:23 with John 19:31).
The Passover lambs were never to be killed on a Sabbath day.
There is NO HISTORY of the Jews that teaches or recorded that the
Jews ever killed the lambs of the Passover on ANY Sabbath day(at
least the Jews that John has in mind in his gospel, who were
using the 14th as a preparation day for the coming 15th Sabbath).
There was much work in slaying and roasting the lambs, never did
God allow the Passover sacrifice to be done on a Sabbath.
Certainly the Pharisee sect that killed the lambs at the Temple
never taught or practiced doing it on any Sabbath. They did it in
the afternoon of the 14th, leading up to the Sabbath of the 15th,
which was the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread proper,
from the evening at the end of the 14th to the evening at the end
of the 21st day(Exodus 12:18).
The scribes and Pharisees and their followers who practiced
and taught this way to observe the sacrifice of the Passover,
leading into the 15th Sabbath, were doing JUST THAT as John
records for us in the last chapters of his Gospel.
All is very clear from all four Gospel writers that Jesus
died on the afternoon of the 14th, after He had observed the
Passover at the beginning of the 14th(the night before), at
dusk(when it was killed) and on into that night(as we have seen
in earlier studies). As the Passover at the end of the 14th(for
those who followed the Pharisee teaching and practice) which led
up to the 15th Sabbath day, they wanted Jesus down from the tree
and in the tomb. This is very clear from the Gospel of John.
So how on earth could the first day of the Unleavened Bread
feast have arrived and Jesus had not yet observed the Passover,
yet observe it on the 14th, die on the 14th, when it seems to
say, it was already the 15th, the first day of the feast of UB,
and Jesus had yet to observe the Passover?
It does seem rather confusing to say the least. It is such
seemingly contradictions of the Bible that make many into
"sceptics" and even agnostics of the Bible. Because of such
things many stumble and fall backward, and reject the Bible as
inspired, and often they reject the truth that there is a God who
does not contradict Himself in His word.
A FEW KEYS TO UNDERSTAND THE KJV
Many KJV Bibles will use italics for many words. Maybe you
have wondered why, maybe you already know why. In case someone
reading this does not know why italic words are found in English
translations of the Bible, I will state the reason here. All
italic words are to tell you that such words ARE NOT in the
original Greek! They were added by the translators to try and
make the reading easier to comprehend. Sometimes, maybe most of
the time, such is the case, BUT sometimes it actually not only
does not help, it makes things worse and ends up causing what
seems to be contradictions with other scriptures.
Now to add to that, sometimes words that are not in italics
and so making it appear that they are IN the original Greek, ARE
NOT THERE EITHER!
So the original Greek becomes very important to have and see
when we are dealing with some of the verses that seem to
contradict one another.
Let's go to the Greek. Here is how the Greek reads as
translated into English from the Textus Receptus in the
Greek/English Interlinear by George Ricker Berry Ph.D.
Luke 22:7,8.
"And came the day of unleavened in which was needful to be
killed the passover. And He sent Peter and John saying, Having
gone prepare for us the passover, that we may eat."
Matt.26:17.
"Now on the first of unleavened came the disciples to Jesus,
saying to Him, Where will you we should prepare for you to eat
the passover."
Mark 14:12.
"And on the first day of unleavened, when the passover they
killed, say to Him His disciples, Where desirest you going we
should prepare that you mayest eat the passover."
It is very clear that Jesus and His disciples HAD NOT YET
prepared and eaten the Passover meal. It is just as clear that
they came to Him concerning WHERE to prepare the Passover ON THE
DAY THEY KILLED THE PASSOVER. We know from the truth of Exodus 12
this was in the evening, at sun-set, between the two evenings, at
DUSK, when the sun went down over the horizon TO START THE DAY OF
THE 14TH, the day they killed the Passover lambs!
As we can plainly see from the Gospels this was the 14th day
of Nisan, the first month, NOT the 15th or ANY other day but the
14th. Remember the 15th was the Sabbath that was coming on in the
Gospel of John, the first day of the FEAST of UB, when they
hurriedly wanted Jesus' body down off the cross and into the
garden tomb.
I want you to NOTICE the word "bread" is not in the Greek!
Of course by implication bread is meant, for "unleavened" was to
do with BREAD not gape juice or fried green tomatoes.
MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT is to notice the fact that the word
"feast" is NOT USED!!
None of the accounts in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, use the
word "feast" with the word "unleavened." The Greek language did
have a word for "feast." John used it in a number of times in
his Gospel(i.e. chapter 13:1; 7:2). They did not use it in the
verses above to be specific. Luke used the word feast in chapter
22:1. He and the others did not use it when they were referring
to THE DAY they killed the Passover lambs, and on which day the
disciples came to Jesus to ask Him where they should prepare the
Passover meal for them to eat.
They had VERY GOOD REASON why they DID NOT use it. They did
not want you to believe this was the 15th day of the month, the
first Sabbath day, the holy convocation day, of the seven day
FEAST of Unleavened Bread.
Oh, it was indeed THE FIRST OF UNLEAVENED(bread) in an
official, God commanded way, that unleavened bread was to be used
and eaten. I shall show you how this was so shortly, if you have
not yet called to mind the instructions of Exodus 12. And
I will show you from Jewish CUSTOM and TRADITIONS that this 14th
day was a day, the first official day in their religious
traditions, to be unleavened.
First, I want to look at the term "the unleavened" as it is
in the Greek. It is "toon azumoon." And it is the plural of ta
azuma. The plural form toon azumoon, "the unleavened" reflects
the point it is or can be MORE than the 7 day feast of UB. The
plural form is unlimited unless it is limited by the specific use
of a number along with it. Here in the verses above there is no
such limiting number used with this plural form.
Let's once more re-examine in basic form, and the outline of
the use of unleavened bread, that God gave to Israel through
Moses in the law of Moses.
From our previous studies we have seen:
1. By the first day of the FEAST of UB, all leavened bread
was to have been put out of the houses(Ex.12:15,19). Verse 15 is
correctly "shall have put out leaven" as it is in the past tense
in the Hebrew. So past action competed by the start or beginning
of the 15th day. But past action a few seconds UP TO the
beginning of the 15th is still past action to the start of the
15th.
2. No leaven was to be found in their homes during the seven
day feast of UB(Ex.12:19).
3. They were to eat unleavened bread for seven days starting
with the or on the 15th day and continuing for seven full
days(Lev.23:6-8; Deut.16:3).
4. The first(15th day) and the seventh(21st day) of this
first month of Nisan/Abid, was to be holy convocation days, no
servile work performed, they were Sabbath
days(Ex.12;16,Lev.23:6-8; Deut.16:8; Num.28:17-25).
5. No leaven was to be within their boarders, the entire
country was to be without leavened bread(Ex.13:7), although it
could possibly be argued that "quarters" here means houses or
dwelling places only.
6. The Passover meal was to be eaten with UNleavened bread.
No leavened bread was to be eaten with the Passover
meal(Ex.12:8).
This last point IS VERY IMPORTANT! Remember it! Mark it in
your Bible!
It was the law of the Lord, it was a command of God, it was
a precept of the Eternal, that ONLY UNleavened bread was to be
eaten with the Passover meal! This 14th day was then the FIRST
OFFICIAL God commanded day within the context of His FEASTS, that
unleavened bread was to be used and eaten. The 14th day of Nisan
is a FEAST day all to itself, different from and apart from the
FEAST of the 7 days of Unleavened Bread which began on the 15th
day of the first month, and continued until the end of the 21st
day.
The 14th day is NOWHERE in the law of Moses commanded to be
observed as a COMPLETE, 24 HOUR, DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD ONLY
EATING, WHERE LEAVENED BREAD WAS TO HAVE BEEN PUT OUT OF THE
HOMES BY THE BEGINNING OF THIS 14TH DAY!!
NOTE THAT FACT, NEVER FORGET IT! Because some have
forgotten this fact of truth, they believe the 14th day must also
be a day where leavened bread must be put out of their homes, and
only unleavened bread eaten. They believe by the time the 14th
day is to START, at the end of the 13th day, in the evening, at
sunset, dusk, of the 14th, all leavened bread is to be out of
their houses. THIS IS NOT WHAT THE LAW OF MOSES SAYS!
It was UP TO and by the time of the beginning of the 15th
day, that all leaven was to be out of the homes. With the START
of this 15th day no leavened bread was to be eaten for seven full
days, but ONLY Unleavened bread was to be partaken of with their
meals. This is VERY CLEAR from all the scriptures on the subject
within the books of Moses.
UNLEAVENED bread was to be eaten with the Passover meal on
the 14th, at the beginning of the 14th, in the night of the 14th.
So it was a day of UNleavened (bread) in that sense ONLY! It was
the FIRST official God appointed day of the new year, in which
unleavened bread was, as a command, to be eaten. It was a SPECIAL
day, it was the PASSOVER DAY. It was the first of God's SEVEN
festivals. So it is not surprising that the Gospel writers said
"Now THE first of unleavened, when they killed the Passover...."
Putting some emphasis on THE DAY. That 14th day was indeed
special - it was the Passover day, the day of the first commanded
eating of unleavened bread. But it was never a command of the
Lord that the entire day was to be unleavened in both eating and
in their homes.
Some just think it odd and strange that after observing the
memorial of our Lord's death with unleavened bread, we should or
could go back to eating leavened bread again until the 15th
arrives so many hours later.
Yet it should not be that strange when you consider the 14th
day was NEVER by God instituted as a holy convocation day, a "no
servile" work day, or called a Sabbath day. It could just as
easily be asked that after having a serious memorial service at
the beginning of the 14th, in the night of the 14th, why should
we be able to work at our servile jobs the next day, for the 14th
is not a Sabbath.
The answer to that is found in the typology of the day and
the prophecies concerning the suffering Messiah. What Jesus was
to be put through, His trials, His mocking, His buffeting, His
scourging, His walking to the hill of crucifixion half dead
already, and hanging on the cross where He was finally thrust
through with a spear and killed, WAS NOT SABBATH ACTIVITY!!
He after observing the Passover with His disciples, eating
unleavened bread(picturing righteousness - 1 Cor. 5), WENT OUT
INTO THE SINFUL WORLD AGAIN TO FACE SIN AND TO LOOK IT IN THE
FACE AND OVERCOME IT. THEN HE ENTERED THE REST OF THE GREAT FEAST
THAT PICTURES THE PUTTING AWAY OF SIN TO DO HOLY PERFECT
RIGHTEOUSNESS - THE FEAST OF PERFECTION, THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED
BREAD! JESUS RESTED IN HOLINESS FOR THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF THAT
FEAST AND WAS RAISED IN PERFECTION TO EVER LIVE IN THAT
PERFECTION, AND NEVER AGAIN EVEN TO BE TEMPTED TO SIN(Heb.4:15).
THE 14TH WAS THE FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF UNLEAVENED
BREAD FOR THE PHARISEES AND THEIR FOLLOWERS
There is a dual meaning as to why Matthew, Mark, and Luke
used the phrase "And on the first of unleavened." It was not
only the first official day as given by the Lord in which
unleavened bread was commanded to be eaten(with the Passover
meal) as we have seen, but the popular scribe and Pharisee
religion that most of the religious Jews followed, also had a
TRADITION, and let me give emphasis to the word TRADITION,
THAT LEAVEN BREAD WAS TO BE PUT AWAY BY AND DURING THE 14TH DAY
OF NISAN.
From the NEW UNGER'S BIBLE DICTIONARY, page 411, we read:
"......The 13th of Nisan. On the evening of the 13th
Nisan........every head of a family searched for and collected by
the light of a candle all the leaven. before beginning the
search, he pronounced the following benediction: ' Blessed art
thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us
with thy commandments, and has enjoined us to remove the leaven.'
After the search he said, ' Whatever leaven remains in my
possession which I cannot see, behold, it is null, and accounted
as the dust of the earth.'
"......The 14th Nisan........Handicraftsmen, with the
exception of tailors, barbers, and laundresses, were obliged to
cease from work, either from the morning or from noon, according
to the custom of the different places in Palestine. No leaven was
allowed to be eaten after noon, when all that had been found
either on this day or the preceding one was to be burned........"
Let me put this all in simple language for you.
The people who followed the scribes and Pharisees in their
traditions of religion, would start to clear the house of
leavened bread, crumbs etc. on the 13th of Nisan IF NOT BEFORE
THAT! For the reason that by the time the 14th day had come at
evening time, when the 14th began, the head of the household
would make one final search and look for leaven using the
benedictions mentioned above for the start of the search and
for the end thereof. It was done on the night of the 14th by
candle-light. The next day, the daylight part of the 14th, by
noon at the latest, NO MORE LEAVEN WAS TO BE EATEN, and all
leaven had been burned.
This 14th day of Nisan under the religion of the Pharisees
was for all intents and purposes, a DAY OF NO LEAVEN. They had
even made it a semi-Sabbath day as only certain trades were to
work on that day, everyone else stopping work either from morning
or the latest from noon, depending as we read, what the CUSTOM
was in their part of Palestine.
You see now a little more of those TRADITIONS of men that
made void the commandments of God, Jesus so often spoke against
concerning the religion of the scribes and Pharisees. You see
how much they had added to and changed the laws concerning the
Passover day as given in the books of Moses.
They had through the process of time moved the sacrifice of
the Passover from the beginning of the 14th, to the near end of
the 14th. They had moved the killing of the Passover lambs from
the heads of groups of people gathered here and there in
Jerusalem(Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the Passover), to
having the Priesthood kill the lambs, and that not in houses but
in the Temple. They even went as far as having all the leaven out
of their homes by the beginning of the 14th, as they had one more
final search by candle-light for leaven. None were to eat leaven
after at least noon of the 14th. Then after all that it did not
stop there, they had made the 14th into a semi-Sabbath day.
None of the above customs and traditions were part of the
laws of the Passover day according to the books of Moses. The law
of the Passover meal was very clear in Exodus 12. The lamb was to
be killed at DUSK, between the two evenings, at the start of the
14th, and only UNleavened bread was to be eaten with THAT meal.
The 14th day was NOT a Sabbath, and it was NOT a complete full
day of no leaven in the house, or to be eaten. No leaven was to
be eaten with the Passover meal, and that was it, period!
All leaven was to be out by the time the 15th day started, and
from that time through to the end of the 21st day, only
UNleavened bread was to be eaten. A full and complete perfect
seven days. This was the command of the Lord, no more and no
less!
Now we see no contradiction in the word of the Lord. All
harmonizes perfectly. The scripture cannot be broken as Jesus
told us.
The 14th day as it arrived, as the sun set over the horizon,
as that day arrived when they killed the Passover, as they were
about to start to kill the Passover (those who knew the truth and
did not follow the Pharisees) at the beginning of the 14th, in
their different groups, in different homes within and around the
extended city limits of Jerusalem. As it was the first official
God ordered, commanded day of the year to eat UNleavened bread on
during the Passover meal(and even unleavened as far as the
Pharisee religious traditions went), Matthew, Mark and Luke
correctly said: "Now on the first of unleavened, the disciples
came to Jesus and said, Where shall be go to prepare the Passover
for you to eat."
Next time we shall look at a few passages in the Gospel of
John that puzzle and confuse many.
..........................................
 Written March 1997
by
Keith Hunt
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