Christ Our Passover

Introduction [We are not in Genesis 😊]

What are the biblical elements of a church service? For sake of introduction, I do not intend to do a deep dive into any of these elements. Let’s just name the main elements and maybe a verse that would support its primacy in the church’s worship service.

Teaching God’s Word (Acts 2:42)

Public Scripture Reading (1 Tim 4:13)

Fellowship (Acts 2:42)

Communion (Acts 2:42; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Cor 5:7, 11:17ff)

Prayer (Acts 2:42)

Singing (Col 3:16; Eph 5:19-20)

Offering (1 Cor 16:1-2; 2 Cor 9:7)

In obedience to scripture, churches throughout the world purpose to accomplish each of these elements each time they meet. Of course, there are many ways in which to accomplish these varied elements, and some church traditions emphasize some elements more than others. However, all of them pray, sing, give, serve, preach, read, etc.

Cornerstone’s liturgy. Like most other churches, Cornerstone includes each of these elements in its worship service – its liturgy. Not only do we include each of these elements, but we attempt to organize them in a way that communicates and/or models even deeper meanings. For instance, we attempt to follow both a model for prayer and the gospel in each of our services.

Following one of the patterns for prayer, we praise, repent, ask, and yield. We acknowledged God’s greatness which leads to an awareness of our own sinfulness – an awareness which leads to repentance. Having dealt with God appropriately, we then come to him, through Christ, in intercession. Finally, we yield our lives and our desires to his sovereign and perfect will.

A similar pattern can be found in a simple gospel presentation: God, man, Christ, and response. Similar to prayer, we begin by acknowledging God’s character. Having acknowledged God’s perfection, we become fully aware of our own imperfection and sinfulness and resulting condemnation. However, in Christ we have been redeemed, so we look to Christ. Finally, we respond with repentance, belief, submission, and praise.

Each church chooses how they are going to approach their liturgy – the level of formality or informality – the level of energy – particular emphases – length, etc. But at the end of the day, most churches are going to have the same elements.

The liturgy of a Passover seder. Today, we will be observing the Lord’s Supper. I would like for us to take a few moments to consider the liturgy of a Passover Seder and consider at what points Jesus would have likened his impending death to the Passover supper Jesus and the disciples would have been sharing.

Was the Last Supper a seder meal? What historic backdrop should fill our minds as we consider the Last Supper? I tend to think that the disciples were observing some fixed order of a seder dinner when Jesus recrafted or refined moments amid their seder liturgy. Is this, however, a fair historic backdrop? Ancient texts seem to indicate that the seder and the Haggadah existed prior to the destruction of the Jerusalem in 70 AD. However, the original dating for the clearest of these texts find consistent argument.[1]

The main elements – or at least key truths inherent in the seder ceremony do find Old Testament support. First, children play a key role in the seder ceremony. Moses writes in Exodus, “And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” (Ex 12:26–27). Flowing from this scriptural direction, Jews have developed four questions asked by children near the beginning of the Seder meal. Secondly, Jews pour four glasses of wine and each glass symbolizes one of the aspects mentioned in Exodus 6. Moses writes the following:

Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. (Exodus 6:6–7).

For a long time, the Haggadah (the text recited at the Seder) has remained consistent. It is possible that the Last Supper was not a formal Seder with the formal reading of the Haggadah.[2] However, very likely Jesus and the disciples observed some organized or traditional form of structure as they observed the Last Supper.

Passover Celebration

We desire to fully understand and appreciate when Christ says, “this is my body which is broken for you” and “this is the cup of the new covenant in my blood.” To do so I would like to outline the general form of a seder meal. We realize that likely the dinner observed by Jesus and the disciples may have been different, but the New Testament indicates some similarities as well. For instance, hand washings, multiple cups, dunking of food, blessings over food, singing, even their seated posture all reflect elements of a seder meal.

KADESH (kădeesh). After the candles are lit and everyone has been seated, the Passover Seder begins by saying kadesh(a ceremony of prayer and blessing[3]) over the first cup of Passover wine. Four cups are toasted in remembrance of the four statements made in Exodus 6:6-7.

(1 | sanctification) I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians

(2 | deliverance) I will deliver you from slavery

(3 | redemption) I will redeem you, and

(4 | praise) I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God.

URCHATZ (urchătz). Ceremonial hand washing. This is a ritual handwashing done before eating anything dipped in water, as a way of remembering the rules of purity kept in Temple times.[4] We would observe two handwashings throughout the seder: one at this point prior to the karpas and the second before the eating of the Passover meal. We can’t know with certainty, but at one of these washings, Jesus deepened the significance of the traditional washing by rising and humbly washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:1–17).

KARPAS (car-pŭs). The partaking of the vegetable dipped in salt water and vinegar. The vegetable symbolizes the lowly origins and new beginnings of the Jewish people, and the salt water signifies the tears shed as a result of slavery.

YACHATZ. (yă-chătz) Three matzah that have been placed in a bag are taken out and shown to all. The leader takes the middle piece and breaks it in half. The larger of the two pieces is either placed in a cloth or bag and then hidden to later be found. Often the second cup of wine (cup of Deliverance) is poured at this time.

“These three matzah are said to represent Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, respectively. The middle matzah is broken to recall how he was offered, himself, in sacrifice in obedience to the will of his father. The binding of Isaac is a clear picture of how Yeshua yielded himself to be sacrificed by God the Father.”[5]

MAGGID (mă-gheed).

Four questions. Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we may eat both leavened bread and matzah; on this night we eat only matzah. On all other nights, we eat all kinds of vegetables; on this night we eat bitter herbs. On all other nights we do not dip even once; on this night we dip twice. On all other nights we may eat either while sitting or leaning; on this night we all eat while leaning.[6]

Why do we eat the matzah? For two reasons: first to remember the bread of affliction we had to eat when we were slaves, and second, to remember how our ancestors fled Egypt in such a hurry that they did not have time for their bread dough to rise.

Why do we eat the bitter herbs? We eat them to remind ourselves of how our ancestors’ lives were bitter as slaves in Egypt.

Why do we dip our herbs twice? We dip karpas in salt water to remember the salty tears of the slaves, and also to remember how we crossed the salty waters of the sea. We also dip the maror in the charoset to remember how the bitterness of our slavery was made sweet by the hope for our freedom.

Why do we recline at the table? We recline tonight as a symbol of our freedom, for when we were slaves we could never recline in comfort.[7]

Additional elements. At this point, the maggid includes a few additional elements: (1) a discussion of four sons symbolizing the four different attitudes to God’s salvation, (2) the unfolding story of the Exodus starting with Abraham (Joseph, a new pharaoh who forgot Joseph, the oppression of Israel, Moses, and finally God remembering his covenant with his people), (3) the recounting of the ten plagues, (4) and the song of Dayenu which recounts God’s many acts of kindness.

Three emphases. Rabbon Gamaliel used to say: Whosoever does not mention the following three things on the Passover has not fulfilled his duty. They are: The paschal sacrifice, the unleavened cakes, and the bitter herbs (Tract Pesachim, Ch. X). The paschal sacrifice is offered because the Lord passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt... the unleavened bread is eaten because our ancestors were redeemed from Egypt (before they had time to leaven their dough)… and bitter herbs are eaten because the Egyptians embittered the lives of our ancestors in Egypt.[8]

The Cup of Deliverance. At the end of the story, participants drink the second cup of wine.

The Seder Meal

Rachtzah(răch-tsăh)This involves the washing of hands with a traditional blessing in preparation of the eating of the passover elements.

Motzi Matzah (mō-tsē mŭ- tsăh). The leader removes the top and middle piece of matzah from the bag. These two represent Abraham and Isaac. The Lord directed them to eat this “bread of affliction” to commemorate their Exodus from Egypt when they had to leave with haste and take their bread dough before it was leavened (Ex 12:33-34). They are to remember having only eaten matzah from the time they left Egypt until they crossed the Red Sea and left Egypt forever (Ex 13:3-6).

Maror. (mŭ-rōr). This involves the eating of bitter herbs to remember the bitter affliction of the people of Israel. Not only do they remember their deliverance from Egypt but they as well reflect on the reality that they had been enslaved.

Korech (kō-wrĕch). This step is of rabbinic origin and not necessary to the seder. It involved the eating of the Hillel sandwich which consisted of two pieces of matzah with charoset on one end and the bitter herb on the other. The charoset was a sticky and sweet paste. The sandwich was to be eaten starting from the bitter side and eating to the sweet side. In so doing, symbolizing the bitterness of bondage and the sweetness of deliverance.

Shulchan Orekh (shool-chan o-rāch). The Seder meal.

Tzafun (tsafoon). Following the meal, children would search for the hidden matzah, receiving a reward. Once retrieved, the matzah would be eaten. The first matzah was eaten in remembrance of the “bread of their affliction.” The second half was eaten in commemoration of the Passover sacrifice.

Likely, Jesus took this piece, and when broken, told his disciples, “This is my body that is given for you, do this in remembrance of me” (Lk 22:19)[9]

Barekh (bărākh). At this point the third cup, the cup of redemption, is taken. It was this cup that reminded the Jewish people of God’s promise, “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm” (Ex 6:6). This wine recalls the shed blood of the lamb that was applied to the doorposts in Egypt. It was most likely, when this cup was served, that Jesus Christ said to his disciples, “this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20). In the same way that the blood of the lamb saved them from death in Egypt, Christ’s blood redeems us from slavery and bondage to sin.

Hallel (hŭ-lĕl). This is a time of praise. At this point, a child would be sent to open the door welcoming Elijah the prophet.

After singing Psalms of praise, the disciples would have poured the fourth cup – symbolizing the cup of praise or the cup of the kingdom. This fourth cup symbolized Elijah who heralded the return of the Lord. It is likely this cup that is referenced in Matthew when Jesus says, “I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom” (Matt 26:29).

Nirtzah (neer-tsăh). Passover is now complete. The customs fulfilled. We are hopeful that one day soon we will enjoy fellowship together with the Messiah himself in his coming kingdom!

Fourfold Significance

Looking back is important. The Jewish people look to the past and remember the lamb’s blood that was placed above the door. In so doing they remember being protected as the angel of the Lord came by. For us, the cup now reminds us of the perfect Lamb whose death and blood protect us from the wrath of God. More clearly, it is this death that provides “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:28).

Community is important. There is no biblical warrant for individuality amid communion. The ceremony is inherently communal (ie. relational). Passover and the Lord’s Supper is not about how God saved an individual but about how God saved his people. He saved Israel from the darkness and enslavement of Egypt. He saved the church from enslavement to sin and darkness.

Children are important. I think, due to America’s individualistic tendencies, we tend to see communion as something we observe individually. We think of Christ and his work in “my” life. To assist in this individualized time of worship, we endeavor to eliminate any distractions. Kids are a distraction. Kid’s don’t understand it anyway. Let’s get rid of the kids amid one of the most important elements of church life so that we can individually enjoy it (please catch my sarcasm).

However, Moses indicated the Passover celebration was for children to be reminded of what God had done for Israel. Children played an integral part in the seder observance.

Christ is our Passover. Similar to Israel’s Passover tradition of looking back at God’s deliverance and freedom through the Egyptian experience, we as believers look back at God’s deliverance and freedom from darkness and slavery to sin to the moment in which our payment was accomplished – Christ’s death.

Footnotes

[1]The Mishnah was arguably written between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD. Within the Mishnah we find fairly detailed instructions for how to observe the Passover. The Mishnah includes an entire section on observing the Passover with fairly detailed instructions. The book of Jubilees (49.6) and Philo (Spec. 1.148) appear to provide some evidence for some of the Haggadah elements. Joel Marcus offers a helpful diagnosis in his journal article – concluding that the Last Supper was likely a seder.

Jubilees 49.6. And all Israel was eating the flesh of the paschal lamb, and drinking the wine, and was lauding and blessing, and giving thanks to the Lord God of their fathers, and was ready to go forth from under the yoke of Egypt, and from the evil bondage.

Philo, Spec. 2.148. And each house is at that time invested with the character and dignity of a temple, the victim being sacrificed so as to make a suitable feast for the man who has provided it and of those who are collected to share in the feast, being all duly purified with holy ablutions.

[R. H. Charles, ed., Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon, 1913), 80; Philo of Alexander and Charles Duke Yonge, The Works of Philo: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1995), 582. Marcus, Joel. “Passover and Last Supper Revisited.” New Testament Studies 59, no. 3 (July 2013): 303–24.] However, a few others offer substantial arguments in opposition to the Lord’s Supper being a seder. [Klawans, Jonathan. “Was Jesus’ Last Supper a Seder?” Bible Review 17, no. 5 (2001): 24, 26–27, 29–33, 47. https://www-baslibrary-org.ezproxy.sebts.edu/bible-review/17/5/9; Rabbi David Golinkin. “The Origins of the Seder.” The Schechter Institutes (November 2006). https://schechter.edu/the-origins-of-the-seder/(See Appendix A)]. [2]One point in case – the lamb bone would likely not have been involved since they were able to sacrifice in the temple at that time, so likely particular elements of the Haggadah have changed and/or morphed. [3]“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has chosen us from all the nations and has exalted us from all tongues and has sanctified us with His commandments…. For You have chosen us and sanctified us from among all nations and You have granted us (the Sabbath and) Your holy appointed time (in love and in grace,) in joy and in gladness. Blessed are You, Lord, who sanctifies (the Sabbath and) Israel and the special times.” [David Silber and Rachel Furst, A Passover Haggadah: Go Forth and Learn: The Seder(Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2011), 3–4.] [4] Rabbi Meir Simcha Kogan, Rabbi Motti Seligson, and Rabbi Mendy Kaminker, eds., “The Chabad.Org Haggadah” (Chabad.org, 2021), 26, https://www.chabad.org/5075231?download=D36B38FE96AB74AAD1C5A0EDE8F8161A. [5] John Parsons, Worthy Is the Lamb: A Messianic Passover Haggadah (Golden Valley, MN: Hebrew 4 Christians, 2021), 18, https://hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Pesach/Seder/H4C_Passover_Seder.pdf. [6] Silber and Furst, A Passover Haggadah: The Seder, 7–9. [7] Parsons, Worthy Is the Lamb: A Messianic Passover Haggadah, 23. [8] Michael L. Rodkinson, trans., The Babylonian Talmud: Original Text, Edited, Corrected, Formulated, and Translated into English, vol. 1–10 (Boston: The Talmud Society, 1918), 242–43. [9]Per Luke, Jesus may have made this connection during Yachatz when the three pieces were pulled out and the middle one broken. Luke says that they took the cup after they had eaten. Is he referring to having eaten the meal? If Jesus connected himself to the bread prior to the meal then it must have been during yachatz. If he connected it to the observance of tzafunthen he must be referring to after they had eaten the bread – not necessarily the meal. It probably doesn’t matter because either way he would have been referring to the same broken piece of matzah.