John 13:1

Understanding Passover

The Origin and Significance

John 13.1
October 5th 2014
Milk
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Come back? John 13.

So let’s read:

John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

All right, back to verse 1.

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

I have covered the feast of the Passover before in Milk but not since we have been in John, so I suppose we ought to pursue it again as it plays such a significant role in what is about to happen to Jesus for the world. Here in the Greek, the word is “pasca” or Pascha depending on how bad your ability to pronounce Greek is and it has a Chaldeeic origin. But going all the way back to the Hebrew, the term is “pey-sack” which appears to come from a root Hebrew word PAW SACK which means to hop or skip or jump.

And we understand the reason for this word when we understand the historical significance of its meaning, right? God (or the angel of God) would “hop,” skip, or jump OVER some houses and avoid taking the life of some while he would “land on others” and take the lives of the firstborn sons in the house. Pey-sack – Passover.

The first time the word is used in scripture is in Genesis 12:11 and the Lord says, speaking of a sacrificed lamb:

“And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.”

That line, “it is the Lord’s Passover,” is unique. We could take it literally and as it stands, that the actual passing over is the Lord’s (or Jehovah’s), meaning He owns it, it is His” OR “the passing over itself is in the hands of the Lord – it is his passing over” OR we might take it as a picture of the Lord to come, Christ Jesus, and that all the way back in Exodus we are being told that “whenever the angel of deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. passes over anything or anyone it is due to the Lord.” I like all of them – but especially the last.

But let’s first describe its historical purpose and precedence, what it pictures, and the role it plays in the lives of believers today.

In carving out a nation unto Himself, God chose Abraham to bear Isaac and Isaac to bear Jacob who had twelve sons. Jacob's name was changed to wrestler of God, which in Hebrew is Israel and due to famine, the whole fam-damily moved to Egypt on good terms. In time they grew and a change of administration in the rule of Egypt made the Children of Israel hated in the land. Before you know it they were put in bondage partly due to the hope that they would stop growing. But they didn’t.

In time pharaoh gave the command that all the firstborn Hebrew sons be tossed into the Nile River (as a means to curtail their growth), but one Hebrew couple, when the mother looked on the beauty of her baby said no way and concocted a plan to save her baby boy – she would have her fifteen-year-old daughter hide the baby in the reeds where the daughter of Pharaoh bathed. The baby was discovered – given an Egyptian name – Moses, and in time was used by the Lord (as a type of Christ to come) to free all the children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. All of these things are pictures of what Christ did in coming to save us from being in bondage to sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. and death.

So after one heck of a long training period, Moses is led of the Lord to set His people free. But Moses soon discovers that Pharaoh is not so willing to “let the people go.” So God has Moses impose a series of curses (ten of them) on the land of Egypt. It is suggested that each of the curses was NOT arbitrarily delivered but were actually justly delivered and in response to some evil the Egyptians, under Pharaoh’s rule, had committed.

The Biblical Plagues of Egypt

Specific curses in the biblical account of the plagues in Egypt range from God showing the Egyptians that their pagan Gods were incapable of helping them to Him using natural elements that surrounded them to call upon the heavenly God. In my opinion, there is truth swimming around in all of it.

The first curse was Moses turning all water into blood. The next was a curse of frogs—they were everywhere. Some suggest that with the water now being blood, the frogs were looking for a new habitation. Next came gnats or lice, depending on how you read the Hebrew. Then swarms of flies. It has been said that the Egyptians actually worshipped gods that resembled frogs and flies, so maybe God was just giving them more of what they wanted from their hearts.

Then the livestock became diseased. Then boils spread over the skin of people. Then thunder and hail fell and destroyed crops. Then locusts which apparently covered the land. Then darkness—so dark that it is said it could be felt. How long was it upon them? Three days. And the final was death of the firstborn, which I believe was a result of the pharaoh ordering all the firstborn to be killed in the Nile some eighty–eighty-five years prior.

The Tenth Plague

Exodus 11:4 tells us about this tenth plague, saying:

4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.
9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.

So God was going to move again—this time taking life of all the firstborn.

Blood as a Symbol of Protection

How did He choose to protect the Children of Israel from being hopped upon versus being hopped over? I mean, couldn’t He have just told the destroying angel to avoid those who were descendants of Jacob? I suppose He could have. But we have to take note here—an important note—in and through the Nation of Israel, from its beginning to its end, God has not only dealt with them justly and through innumerable pictures and types to bring them to the Messiah and Redeemer to come, the rest of the world is presented with spiritual lessons which serve to bring us to His throne too.

So in His wisdom and knowledge, He established a type right here dating all the way back to Exodus—the shedding of blood of favored and innocent ones protects and saves people from destruction. Why blood? In the heavenly economy—where God and angels dwell—blood is meaningless—in fact, it is absent as scripture says that flesh and blood cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. In that place, things exist by the spirit.

But in this economy—earthly, fleshly—this fallen economy, the life of creatures here is in the blood. I didn’t make this up—God said it Himself—in Leviticus 17:11 and 14, where God says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” (and then 14 adds) “For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof…”

So somehow, due to a mad conglomeration of eternal justice and righteousness, and the effects of sin stealing human life, it seems God established a law or fact or rule that says: “When life is lost (to the effects of sin) only life can save, redeem, or protect it.”

The Significance of Blood in Protection and Salvation

Moses has told Pharaoh that he needed to let His people go. In what appears to be just repercussions upon Egypt, God has poured heavy curses—none of which have moved Pharaoh to action. And so now the firstborn—man or beast—is gonna die. And God institutes a means by which He will both protect the firstborn of the House of Israel and one that will picture the ultimate blood shed for the redemption and protection of Man—His Son. And this is what God tells Moses on how to instruct the children of Israel:

Instructions from Exodus

(Exodus 12:3-20)

3 “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb (picturing, of course, Jesus—the Lamb of God), according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. (then, picturing the Lamb of God, the Lord continues describing these lambs to Moses) 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: (and so we see that the lamb resided with those who were going to kill it—they would be familiar with it, the children would grow to love it even) and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the blood (the life of the Lamb shed for the house), and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

The Passover Ritual

(You may remember when we studied John chapter 6, that we read and Jesus said: John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. Anyway, God continues to instruct Moses and says): 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.

A Sign of Protection

(The meaning behind eating it dressed and prepared this way is to signify that once they have been saved by the blood to be ready to go—shoes on, staff in hand—trust that the Lord will deliver) (God continues) 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; (listen) and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep

Passover: An Everlasting Ordinance

At this point, in reference to keeping the memorial of the Passover throughout their generations, God then gives instructions as to the specifics of how they are to proceed. Here in John 13 verse 1, we have Jesus and His twelve getting ready to participate in the memorial. But this time, while most of the unbelieving Jews will be munching on sacrificed lamb, Jesus will be offered up, shedding His blood for the sin, redemption, and protection of those “houses” to whom the blood is applied. So God says (continuing in Exodus 12 at verse 15):

15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: (due to this instruction Passover is synonymously known as the Feast of the Unleavened Bread. God continues) for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.
17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.
19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.
20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

The Significance of Unleavened Bread

Got all of that? So… to restate, clarify, and apply it to what we are reading in John 13:

Here at the time of Jesus, Passover was celebrated for seven days, from the 15th to the 21st of the month of our April. During all of this period, the people ate unleavened bread, and hence the festival was sometimes called (as we said) the feast of unleavened bread. On the 10th day of the month (five days before the feast begins on the 15th), the master of a family separated a lamb or a goat of a year old from the flock, which he slew on the 14th day before the altar. On the evening of the fourteenth day, all the leaven or yeast in the family was removed as a picture of removing all uncleanliness and unholiness from their lives. The lamb was slain at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Of course in Egypt the blood was put on the doorposts and threshold but afterward, it was poured by the priests at the foot of the altar (this is explained in Exodus 12:7). Remember this when we come to the application in our day, which is very important.

The slain lamb was roasted whole, with two spits thrust through it—one lengthwise, and one transversely—crossing each other near the forelegs; so that the animal was (in a fashion) crucified. Like Christ, not a bone of the animal could be broken – an obvious picture of Christ who also suffered and died without a bone being broken (John 19:36). Thus roasted lamb was served up with wild and bitter herbs. No fewer than ten, nor more than twenty persons, were admitted to these sacred feasts. Initially, it was observed with the loins girt about, with sandals on their feet, and with all the preparations for an immediate journey (as discussed). Today, true observers of Passover do the same.

The Passover Ceremony

The ceremony of the Passover memorial commenced by first thanking God for the contents of the “first cup;” the Jews would drink a cup of wine mingled with water. (I find it interesting that when Jesus died, water and blood poured from the wound in his side, a sign, according to modern cardiologists, of a broken heart). Then they washed their hands, with another short form of thanksgiving to God. The table was then supplied with the bitter salad, the unleavened bread, the lamb, and a thick sauce composed of dates, figs, raisins, and vinegar.

Passover and Its Symbolism

Then took a small quantity of salad, with another thanksgiving, and ate it. After which, all the dishes were removed from the table, and a second cup of wine set before each guest.

According to Exodus 12:26-27 the dishes were removed, it is said, to excite the curiosity of children, and to lead them to make inquiry as to why, which, at this point the person leading the meal or feast would rehearse the history of the Jews in Egypt, the manner of their deliverance, and the reason of instituting the passover.

The dishes were then returned to the table, and he would say, "This is the passover which we eat, because that the Lord passed over the houses of our fathers in Egypt." Then he would hold up the salad and the unleavened bread and would explain their symbolism – The bitter herb salad represented the bitterness of the Egyptian bondage and the unleavened bread (interestingly enough) is symbolic of the speed with which they had to flee – meaning it was so sudden there was no time for the bread to rise).

After this the lead would repeat the 113th and 114th Psalms, offer a short prayer, and all the company drank the wine from the second cup that had been standing some time in front of them. Hands were then again washed, and the meal then eaten, with the usual forms and solemnities. After which they washed the hands again, and then drank another cup of wine.

The Significance of the Cup of Blessing

This was called “the cup of blessing,” which the leader would use as a symbol of God’s goodness and blessing upon them. Paul refers to this cup of blessing in 1st Corinthians 10:16.

There was still another cup that would be drunk. It was called Hallel and was drank in conjunction with departing. It was called Hallel because they repeated what is called the lesser Hallel, or the 115th, 116th, 117th, 118th Psalms in association with it. When we will read about the Lord and His disciples singing a Hymn before leaving the upper room it is thought to have been in accordance with this.

Now listen closely – Jesus participated in this customary Passover memorial in the upper room with his twelve Jewish disciples. Got that? But it was here that He instituted what became known to them as communion – koinonia in the Greek, and for them the Passover obligation ceased.

Fulfillment Through Christ

It is why we read in the New Testament that the earliest Christians (who were converted Jews) celebrated the Lord’s supper or communion with each other – (eating bread and drinking wine) to commemorate Jesus and His fulfilling the picture of Passover. Yes, the spirit or angel of death certainly passed over the Nation of Israel when they were captive in Egypt. It is historical and it was amazing. But far more amazing is the Passover each individual experiences today when the shed blood of the Lamb of God covers them upon faith.

I think that there is a tendency – sometimes even among Christians in this day and age to continue to relate and celebrate these histories all the while losing some of the import of what Christ did in fulfilling them. I’m not against sedar’s (which is the Passover meal) in our day and age but I have personally seen people who get so wrapped up in the history they seem to miss the fulfillment – and what that truly looks like.

Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 5:7-8 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

I point this out because by and through Christ, the firstborn, the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world, such memorials are complete and I believe they CAN, they MIGHT serve as a stop gap (that appeals to the flesh)

Authentic Worship and the Heart

Of those who have lost (or never understood) the power and presence of Christ in them now. See, while beautiful and meaningful and historical, all the former were merely pictures of the real deal that lives in us by the Spirit – not the flesh, not through festivals or seders or (listen carefully) not through communions. It is really important (for me personally) to present fully the end hope God has for all of His children. Not what serves us in our fumblings toward Him but the end God desires. Do you want to know what that end is? Christ.

His work and person AND that we are like Him (His Only begotten) in every way – Daughters and Sons. God wants the heart – first and foremost. He wants the mind. The hands, the mouth, the feet – everything else will follow – if it must. Because we are human we have a tendency to gravitate toward the hands, and feet, and mouths first. We glom onto ritual, and rites, and outward expressions to try and reach and relate to Him. And so sedars and communion services, and confession, and worship concerts, and “causes to save the street people” reign to fill this need.

But these are the needs of blood, not of spirit. I’m not saying that such things will not become part of the life of the Christian whose heart God has, but without question God has to have the heart first and completely before the hands, and feet, and pocketbook follow OR (listen carefully) . . . Or we are guilty of the very thing God hates – hypocrisy – especially hypocrisy that stems from the hands and mouth doing one thing but the heart doing another.

God's True Desire

All the way back in Micah God lays his requirments and desires quite clearly, saying: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

The prophet Samuel said in 1st Samuel 15:22 “Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” I fear, truly fear, the potential hypocrisy that comes with people crying out to God fervently that He is their God, and He is their King, and He is Lord of their lives but ignore what He truly desires from those who are His.

True Worship Over Sacrifice

Proverbs 21:3 says, “To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” Isaiah 1:11-17 God says it better than I could ever articulate, asking: “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Looking to Amos, the Lord uses some pretty strong language, saying: Amos 5:21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies (in your holy days) 22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. 23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

Why? Because they thought the outward took precedence of inward – and even in the Old Testament, where the outward was SO vitally important, God wanted the heart. I mean if it was that way then, what about now?

We are going to hold a communion service.

The Purpose of Communion

This is nothing but a physical honor of our gratitude and memory of His shed blood and life given. But understand, it is meaningless if the heart is not there. He doesn’t care about it. He established it for the early church to remember Him UNTIL He returned, to tie a new memorial in Him to the old Passover. Today it has not liturgical or soteriological significance. It is touching? Absolutely – probably even to unbelievers. But it does not redeem, it does not cleanse, and it is not required of the church today.

The Teachings of Paul and Jesus

How can I say this? Paul said it.

In 1st Corinthians 11:23-29 Paul wrote

23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 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. 25 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.” 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.”

In Matthew’s account of the final Passover meal (Matthew 26:26-29) Jesus said:

26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

The Significance of Love

Once this occurred, and Jesus was with them in His Father’s kingdom, it was all finished. And EVERYTHING – ALL OF IT COMPLETED PHYSICALLY, is see and relates to God through the Spirit, through the heart, and through Him and His finished work. Today, it is all summarized by love. This is what God sees. Hearts filled with His love. Love for Him love for others. And true love is a verb NOT a feeling or an emotion.

Remember what Jesus said in Mark 12:28 to a questioning scribe?

28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said unto him, “Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of GodGod’s spiritual reign—fulfilled and present, not political or future..”