The Passover Feast is one of the main Jewish holidays and a celebration in remembrance of when God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Remarkably, the slaying of the Passover lamb and the applying of blood to door posts of the houses in order for the death angel to "pass over" those people who are "covered by the blood" (Exodus 12:11-13) is an awesome picture of Jesus Christ and the power of his crucifixion.

• The theme of the Jewish Passover is remembering the gift of salvation from slavery in Egypt. Those who were covered by the blood of the lamb were saved from the angel of death that killed the firstborn of everything living in Egypt.
• The hope of the crucifixion is God's gift of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. Those who receive the gift are covered by the blood of the Lamb and saved from eternal separation from God.

Christ's role as the Lamb of God is central to the New Testament scriptures. In fact, Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the many Passovers that had been observed before him.

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

In Revelation, which speaks of the end times, Jesus Christ is again referred to as the Lamb:

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." (Revelation 7:9-10)

The Passover Supper ("Seder") is a major part of the Passover ceremony instituted in the Old Testament. In the New Testament accounts, we find references to a number of the Seder symbols, including (i) the First Cup (also known as the Cup of Blessing) in Luke 22:17; (ii) the breaking of the "matzoh" (unleavened bread) in Luke 22:19; and (iii) the Third Cup (also known as the Cup of Redemption) in Luke 22:20.

It's interesting how Jesus gives the matzoh and the Third Cup very special significance:

And he took bread (matzoh), gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." (Luke 22:19-20)

Rich Robinson, a Jewish believer in Jesus as the Messiah, notes the following: "The early Jewish believers in Jesus considered him the fulfillment of the Passover lambs that were yearly sacrificed. Thus Paul, a Jewish Christian who had studied under Rabbi Gamaliel, wrote, 'Messiah, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us' (1 Corinthians 5:7). John in his gospel noted that Jesus died at the same time that the Passover lambs were being slaughtered in the Temple (see John 19:14), and that like the Passover lambs, none of his bones were broken (the others being crucified had their leg bones broken by the Romans - John 19:32, 33, 36). The idea behind all this was that just as the Israelites were redeemed from Egyptian slavery by an unblemished lamb, now men could be freed from slavery to sin by the Messiah, the Lamb of God."¹

Here are some other dramatic comparisons between the Passover Seder and the Lord's Supper.

The first Christians were Jews. Until the Jewish Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, many of these "Messianic Jews" continued to worship in Jerusalem during the Jewish religious festivals. During the Passover celebration, Messianic Jews would fellowship with the rest of the Jewish community. However, since the Jewish believers saw Jesus as the Passover Lamb, they saw the Seder as symbolic of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

Jews throughout the world today still partake in the Passover Seder. As the bread is broken and the cup is poured, it's an awesome testimony to the once-for-all perfect sacrifice for sin whose body was broken and whose blood was shed for the perfect redemption of all mankind. Passover is a perfect picture of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Do the study yourself! In fact, participate in a Jewish Passover Seder - it may impact you deeply!

1. Rich Robinson, The Messiah in the Passover, Jews for Jesus, ISSUES vol. 3:2. See also Ralph Muncaster, Are There Hidden Codes in the Bible, Harvest House, 2000, 34-35.

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Sources : Randall Niles, www.AllAboutGOD.com , www.GotQuestions.org , and www.AllAboutTheJourney.org .