Jesus in the Passover
Passover is coming up in a little over the week and Messianic congregations/organizations will be talking about how Jesus can be found in the Passover. In fact, there is quite a business for groups like Jews for Jesus to go around and present to churches on the idea of Jesus in Passover. But is Jesus really part of Passover?
One of the claims that are made is that Jesus is the Passover sacrifice. However, this claim is simply not supported by the Bible. In the original commandments of the Passover sacrifice in Exodus Chapter 12, the Jewish people are commanded to take a lamb, kill it and place it's blood around the doorpost. They are next commanded to take the flesh of the lamb, roast it and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Any of the flesh that is left the next day is commanded to be burned. In Deuteronomy 16, G-d again commands the Jewish people to do a Passover sacrifice. Again, the Jews are commanded to eat the sacrifice. Other verses such as Exodus 34:25 state that the sacrifice cannot be left over for consumption the next day. Numbers Chapter 9: 9-12 reiterates that the Passover sacrifice is properly eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. What about Jesus? Was he killed, roasted and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs as commanded by G-d regarding the real Passover sacrifice? Of course not. Jesus' death does not match the Biblical commandments from G-d in the Bible in any way, shape or form.
Now, many Messianics will say that Jesus was symbolically the Passover sacrifice and his blood covered everyone's sins. But G-d does not say that the sacrifice was symbolic-we are commanded to literally eat the sacrifice. These are commandments, not artistic options. In fact, in Jesus' time the true Passover sacrifice was still ongoing. Every year, people came and ate the real Passover sacrifice, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Moreover, G-d clearly states the true purpose of the annual Passover sacrifice in Exodus 12:26-27. G-d says that when children ask you about the purpose of the Passover sacrifice you are to say, "It is the sacrifice of the L-RD'S passover, for that He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He killed the Egyptians, and delivered our houses." The Biblical purpose of the annual Passover sacrifice is to remember how G-d redeemed the Jewish people. It has nothing to do with sin.
Lastly, Deuteronomy 16:5-7 points out another way in which Jesus' death cannot be the Passover sacrifice. The Passover sacrifice is only allowed at the place where G-d puts G-d's name. In Jesus' time that was the Holy Temple. It is Biblically forbidden for the sacrifice to be done elsewhere, yet Jesus was killed by the Romans away from the Holy Temple.
In sum, the Bible proves that Jesus' death cannot be the Passover sacrifice.
One of the claims that are made is that Jesus is the Passover sacrifice. However, this claim is simply not supported by the Bible. In the original commandments of the Passover sacrifice in Exodus Chapter 12, the Jewish people are commanded to take a lamb, kill it and place it's blood around the doorpost. They are next commanded to take the flesh of the lamb, roast it and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Any of the flesh that is left the next day is commanded to be burned. In Deuteronomy 16, G-d again commands the Jewish people to do a Passover sacrifice. Again, the Jews are commanded to eat the sacrifice. Other verses such as Exodus 34:25 state that the sacrifice cannot be left over for consumption the next day. Numbers Chapter 9: 9-12 reiterates that the Passover sacrifice is properly eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. What about Jesus? Was he killed, roasted and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs as commanded by G-d regarding the real Passover sacrifice? Of course not. Jesus' death does not match the Biblical commandments from G-d in the Bible in any way, shape or form.
Now, many Messianics will say that Jesus was symbolically the Passover sacrifice and his blood covered everyone's sins. But G-d does not say that the sacrifice was symbolic-we are commanded to literally eat the sacrifice. These are commandments, not artistic options. In fact, in Jesus' time the true Passover sacrifice was still ongoing. Every year, people came and ate the real Passover sacrifice, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Moreover, G-d clearly states the true purpose of the annual Passover sacrifice in Exodus 12:26-27. G-d says that when children ask you about the purpose of the Passover sacrifice you are to say, "It is the sacrifice of the L-RD'S passover, for that He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He killed the Egyptians, and delivered our houses." The Biblical purpose of the annual Passover sacrifice is to remember how G-d redeemed the Jewish people. It has nothing to do with sin.
Lastly, Deuteronomy 16:5-7 points out another way in which Jesus' death cannot be the Passover sacrifice. The Passover sacrifice is only allowed at the place where G-d puts G-d's name. In Jesus' time that was the Holy Temple. It is Biblically forbidden for the sacrifice to be done elsewhere, yet Jesus was killed by the Romans away from the Holy Temple.
In sum, the Bible proves that Jesus' death cannot be the Passover sacrifice.
posted by Jason Levinson | 9:12 PM
2 Comments:
This is only your interpretation though. I am not messianic jewish. I am a believer in God, and I am a believer in that Jesus is the messiah. I do believe that Jesus is absolutely the passover, and it relates to the feasts that Jews celebrate as God commanded them. Jesus, to us his believers, believe he has fulfilled the feasts, because in essence the feasts you celebrate are actually rehearsals. I never used to look at it in this way, but it makes a lot of sense to me in this respect. In the day of the firstfruits, Jesus was taken down the mountain (or hilltop, depending on the translation) on a donkey and the people greeted him by saying, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord". This took place in Jerusalem. Then, he was crucified during passover, and just the night before on the feast of unleavened bread (well to you it would be the same day, no?) is when he proclaimed to his disciples to eat of his "flesh" and drink of his "blood" and to do it in rememberance of him. Why?Because he was born without sin. He was a righteous man. He symbolizes the lamb that in times of antiquity Jews would sacrifice for the passover (I am not too familiar with Jewish culture, so forgive me, as I am not sure that you still continue the sacrifice). He, being the lamb, had no blemish, or sin. I mean, that is why God had your ancestors do this sacrifice.
Thus, I do believe that Jesus is the passover for this reason. You may not agree with it, and that is fine. Not everyone will agree.
Furthermore, I think it's rather silly that as Jews you would kick out others from the faith simply because they believe they've found the messiah they were waiting for. Jesus was a Jewish man here on earth, and he knew his Torah very well, and in my opinion, he kicked a lot of Pharisee and Scribe butt. He schooled a lot of people, but he never had intended to create a new religion or something. He had simply come to fulfill the Torah and to save humanity of its sins. But he was Jewish, followed all of the Torah's commandments, and his disciples did the same, and yes, they were also Jews. But I guess it's a good thing you rejected him, because he KNEW he would be rejected by the Jews, but for me, it was a good thing, because I as a gentile was able to learn of him and of the God of Israel. But our blessing would be MUCH greater if Israel no longer rejects their messiah, because then you will be the light of the world for us and we would truly come to learn of the ONE God! So I think it's great that there are Jews who are joining the messianic movement. I think it's just a bridge on the gap between Christianity and Judaism.
Jews that accept Jesus are only fulfilling the prophecies laid out in the Bible. The Bible does speak of a day when this would happen, and they would eventually reach out to us the gentiles to show us the lies we've inherited, and we've inherited many from wwhat I've learned. We definitely could use a hand from our Hebrew brothers! We have much to learn from you!
Have you ever suspected that Paul hijacked a Jewish movement and turned it into a dying God religion? After all, Jesus was a Jew and would never have told his followers to drink his blood at the last supper.I had my eyes opened by a new book,Cover-Up: How the Church Silenced Jesus's True Heirs, which tells the whole story. I learned that the Jewish followers of Jesus survived for many centuries striving for the kingdom of justice, the kingdom of God, here on earth.It's fascinating how much information the church buried because it belied their version of how Christianity came to be. I found the book at http://tinyurl.com/69cazll.
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