Passover

Why should Christians be interested in a Jewish Holiday? 

First of all, only hours before going to the cross Jesus said in Luke 22:15, "With desire I have desired to eat the Passover with you before I suffer." In the Greek that statement is very emphatic. It literally says, "With GREAT desire I have desired to eat the Passover with you before I suffer."

The Passover Lamb had to be perfect, without a spot or a blemish, and Jesus was actually saying that, "With great desire, I desire to eat the Passover before I become the Passover." 

When Jesus observed the Passover in the upper room, it would be a reminder that that lamb which had suffered, had by its suffering and dying provided redemption, or freedom for the Jews in Egypt. That suffering lamb had secured redemption by its death, and as proof of the death of the lamb, its blood was collected and placed on the door posts of the homes of all those who were positive and believed the plan of God. All those who believed and did as they were told were saved. And as Jesus anticipated going to Calvary and dying for the sins of the entire world, the observance of the Passover and the realization that that suffering lamb had secured redemption and freedom, reminded Jesus of the redemption and freedom that He would purchase for all mankind as He was offered on the Roman cross. 

There is strong historical evidence that because of the large number of people returning to Jerusalem to observe the Passover, the Passover was actually observed on two separate days to accommodate all the people. One day for the out-of towners, and one day for the locals. The consensus is that our Lord observed the Passover the first day, and HE WAS THE PASSOVER on the second day. And even today, the first two days of the Passover week are the most significant to Jews.

The second reason why Christians should be interested in knowing and understanding the Passover is that the apostle Paul (a great Jew of the first century) wrote to the church at Corinth and said in I Corinthians 5:7, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." In other words, "The Messiah our Passover is sacrificed for us."

To truly understand the purpose of the death of Christ, we must understand the purpose of the death of the Passover Lamb in the Old Testament. 

Thirdly, it was out of the Jewish Passover that our Lord introduced the Lord's Table, also called the Eucharist or Communion. It is impossible to fully comprehend what God intends for us to comprehend relative to the Lord's Table unless we see it from out of the Jewish Passover from which it was instituted. 

Oh Glorious day it is when Christ shall return and all who love Him will be united with Him forever!  Celebrate the Lamb of God who was slain for the sins of the world!