Passover

The Jewish people celebrate the feast of Passover during this period. And we, as Christians, celebrate Easter. Two distinct feasts. And yet they are closely connected. After four centuries of slavery in Egypt, God is going to liberate His people. Each family must slaughter a lamb and put the blood on the doorposts of their homes (Exodus 12). This blood protects them against the Angel of Death who will kill all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. This Passover lamb must be ‘perfect’. In Hebrew ‘tammim’: full, complete. The legs of the animal must not be broken (vs. 46). It sounds a bit strange, but precisely here is a special reference to the coming Messiah.

“After four centuries of slavery in Egypt, God is going to liberate His people.”

We as Christians celebrate the feast of Easter this period. Jesus has risen and conquered death. He died as our Passover Lamb on the cross: “for Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7). And the blood of our Passover Lamb saves us from death. Jesus was also a ‘perfect’ and ‘complete’ Lamb of God. We are saved “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19). As the Son of God, He was without sin, so only He could fulfil this tremendous work of reconciliation for all of us until the very end. Jesus’ legs were not broken after His death on the cross: ‘These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,”  (John 19:36).

It is impressive how the details of the Passover Lamb on the exodus from Egypt refer to the coming Messiah who will deliver His people Israel and us as believers out of the gentiles from death.
There is a beautiful parallel between Passover and Easter. The two feasts are distinct, they do not coincide, and yet they are closely connected.

“There is a beautiful parallel between Passover and Easter.”

Actually, the same applies to the relationship between Jews and Christians. We are distinct and do not coincide, and yet we share much in common and are closely connected. As we celebrate our feasts in Synagogue or Church, we look forward to that great future of which Jesus said, “and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd” (John 10:16). It brings richness when, during the celebration of Passover and Easter, we realize how deeply connected we are.

We wish our Jewish friends a joyful Passover and one another a blessed Easter.