Jesus in the Passover
By Tov Rose
Jesus the Messiah celebrated the Seder with
His disciples the night before his death, which became the origin of our
traditional Christian communion service. As a believer in Jesus, I delight in
examining the Passover and seeing how it is meant to teach us and draw us
closer to our Savior.
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There is so much meaning in the Passover and Jesus’ fulfillment of every symbol: The removal of leaven, washing the hands, lighting the candles, the Hagaddah, the four cups of wine, the Afikomen, the seder plate items (greens, egg, bitter herbs, Charoset, the Shankbone of the Lamb, the root of bitterness), the meal, the search for the Afikomen, and Elijah's Cup.
The removal of leaven
Before
the beginning of the Passover, all leaven, which is a symbol of sin (1 Cor.
5:6-8), must be removed from the Jewish home. The house is cleaned from top to
bottom and anything containing leaven is removed. Then, the evening before the
Passover, the father of the house takes the traditional cleaning implements: a
feather, a wooden spoon, and a bag, and searches the house for any specks of leaven
that might have been missed (my mother used to leave it inside the spice
cabinet so my father shouldn't spend all night hunting!).
The
Search for Leaven is a reminder to Believers in Yeshua (Jesus), of several
things: that we are to be separated from the leaven (sin) of the world, and not
participate in it; and that our Messiah himself lived a sinless life before the
eyes of many witnesses. Our homes should honor and model his life.
Washing the hands
Once
the leaven is removed, the family sits around the table and ceremonially washes
their hands with a special laver and towel. Jesus also took part in this tradition,
but rather than wash his hands, he got up from the table and washed the feet of
his disciples, giving us an unparalleled lesson in humility (John 13:2-17). In
doing so he also fulfilled a prophetic passage from the Old Testament in
preparing his disciples to physically carry the Gospel to all the world, “’How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet
of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of
happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” Isaiah
52:7 (English Standard Version, see also Romans 10:15 and Nahum 1:15)
Lighting the candles
Once
the house and the participants are ceremonially clean, the Passover seder can
begin. The woman of the house says a blessing and lights the Passover candles. I’ve
always considered it appropriate that the woman brings light into the home,
because it was through the woman that the light of the world, Messiah Jesus,
came into the world (Gen. 3:15)
Haggadah
Haggadah
means "the telling" - the telling of the story of Passover. The story
is told in response to four questions asked by the children: why is this night
different from all other nights? The father proceeds to tell the story of the
Exodus from Egypt, reading from a book called "The Haggadah" and
using symbols and object lessons in order to keep the attention of the little
ones. The Message of Passover is the story of redemption through a sinless,
spotless lamb who bares the sin of our family
so that we ourselves will not die when God passes over.
The first cup of wine
The
seder begins with a blessing recited over the first of four cups of wine:
"Blessed art thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast created
the fruit of the vine." Jesus himself blessed the first cup in Luke
22:17-18.
New
Wine is the traditional choice for the Passover seder because in the Old
Testament and Jewish tradition it represents the coming of the Kingdom of God
(Joel 2:19-24; Zechariah 9:17). This blessing then foreshadows the inauguration
of the Kingdom of God, while also inviting God to bring the Kingdom into our
lives.
The second cup of wine
The
second cup is to remind us of the Ten Plagues and the suffering of the
Egyptians when they hardened their heart to the Lord. In order not to rejoice
over the suffering of our enemies (Prov. 24:17), we spill a drop of wine (which
is a symbol of joy) as we recite each of the Ten Plagues, thus remembering that
our joy is diminished at the suffering of others, especially for those who
suffer because of sin.
Afikomen
A
very curious tradition now takes place. At the table is a bag with three
compartments and three pieces of motzah. The middle piece of motzah is taken
out, broken, and half is put back into the bag. The other half is wrapped in a
linen cloth and hidden (to be taken out later after the meal). A blessing is
spoken thanking God for giving us bread from the earth to sustain and nourish
us.
The seder plate
The
rabbis have devised a series of object lessons to keep the attention of the
little ones during the Passover seder. These items are tasted by each person,
as each is instructed to feel as if they themselves had taken part in the
flight from Egypt.
Karpas - greens
The first item
taken is the karpas, or greens (usually parsley), which is a symbol of life.
The parsley is dipped in salt water, a symbol of tears, and eaten, to remind us
that life for our ancestors was immersed in tears. Jesus, on the cross was
given a sponge soaked in vinager to drink that was lifted to his mouth by a
stick of karpas.
Beitzah - egg
A roasted egg is
on the seder plate to bring to mind the roasted daily temple sacrifice that no
longer can be offered because the temple no longer stands. In the very midst of
the Passover Seder, the Jewish people are reminded that they have no sacrifice
to make them righteous before God. The egg is also a reminder of the power of
the resurrection, and that we have new life in Jesus. He never gives up on us.
Maror - bitter herb
This is usually
ground horseradish, and enough is eaten (with Motza) to bring a tear to the
eyes. We cannot appreciate the sweetness of redemption unless we first
experience for ourselves the bitterness of slavery. It was concerning the
dipping of his Motza into the bowl that Jesus said of Judas Iscariot, “He who
has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me.” (Matthew 26:23) The
Maror is also a reminder of the root of bitterness that we should try to keep
out of our lives, choosing instead a life of forgiveness and grace as was shown
to us (Psalm 133; Ephesians 2:7; 1 Corinthians 10:14-20).
Charoset
Charoset is a
sweet mixture of chopped apples, chopped nuts, honey, cinnamon, and a little
Manischewitz grape wine (kosher for Passover) just for color! This sweet,
pasty, brown mixture is symbolic of the mortar that our ancestors used to build
bricks in the land of Egypt. Why do we remember an experience so bitter with
something so sweet? The rabbis have a good insight: even the bitterest of labor
can be sweet with the hope of redeption. This is especially true for believers
in the Messiah. We can find sweetness even in the most bitter experiences
because we know our Lord's coming is near than when we first believed,
Shankbone
of the Lamb
In every Jewish
home, on every seder plate, is a bare shankbone of a lamb. In the book of
Exodus, Jewish firstborns were spared from the Death by applying the blood of a
spotless, innocent lamb applied to the doorpost of their homes as God brought
the people from slavery into freedom. Today, we believe Jesus is that perfect
Passover Lamb, and when we apply His blood to the “doorposts” or entry point of
our heart, we too go from death into life, from slavery to sin into the freedom
of being a redeemed child of God. As John the Baptist said when he saw Jesus
coming towards him, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the
world!" (John 1:29)
The
Root of Bitterness
Wait, Root of Bitterness? Like most Jewish believers in Yeshua
(Jesus) who share the Passover story in churches, for many years, I never
shared the story of the Root of Bitterness. I think that was unfortunate
because it is probably one of the most important items!
The Root of Bitterness on the seder table brings to mind
Psalm 133, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together
in Unity…” and what is it that causes division, “…lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled…” (Hebrews 12:15).
The Root of Bitterness hinders our prayers. The verses immediately following the Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:14-15, show Jesus teaching that the forgiveness of our sin/debt (by God) is contingent on how we forgive others.
The Root of Bitterness hinders our prayers. The verses immediately following the Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:14-15, show Jesus teaching that the forgiveness of our sin/debt (by God) is contingent on how we forgive others.
Even the esteemed Jewish Rabbi and likely successor to the
chief rabbi of Israel (Acts 22:33), Paul the Apostle, also warned of the
consequences of the Root of Bitterness in a believer’s life in direct relation
to the Passover meal. He pointed out that there are serious consequences for
taking “the Lord’s cup unworthily,” including sickness and the death of the
believer in question, 1 Corinthians 11:23-32.
We should always be aware of the root of bitterness. How do you forgive? It is a decision of the will, choosing not worry to about your emotions, not speak evil out of your mouth toward the other person, and diligently work at it despite any thoughts of Bitterness that come up. Do this you will fulfill Mark 12:29-34. After a while you will realize that God has done a miracle in your life by taking that poison out of you. That is what Bitterness is—poison. It is like taking a drink of the most powerful poison while hoping someone else is going to die instead of you.
We should always be aware of the root of bitterness. How do you forgive? It is a decision of the will, choosing not worry to about your emotions, not speak evil out of your mouth toward the other person, and diligently work at it despite any thoughts of Bitterness that come up. Do this you will fulfill Mark 12:29-34. After a while you will realize that God has done a miracle in your life by taking that poison out of you. That is what Bitterness is—poison. It is like taking a drink of the most powerful poison while hoping someone else is going to die instead of you.
The whole concept of a wicked root system establishing roots
in our lives is scary. We should want to keep the commandment of love
(John 13:34-35). The message of Passover is not just redemption, it is also
love and mercy. Luke 6:37 says, “Forgive, and you shall be forgiven.” This was
Yeshua's heart and it should be ours as well.
The Meal
As
shared by Jesus and his disciples in singing of songs and good comforting food!
The Search for the Afikomen
After
the meal is finished, the leader of the seder lets the children loose to hunt
for the Afikomen, which was wrapped in a cloth and hidden before the meal. The
house is in a ruckus as everyone rushes around to be the first to find the
Afikomen and claim the prize as grandpa redeems it from the lucky locator. The
going rate is $25.00! Once the leader has retrieved the Afikomen, he breaks it
up into pieces and distributes a small piece to everyone seated around the
table. Jewish people do not really understand this tradition, but traditions
don't need to be understood - just followed! However, it is widely believed
that these pieces of Afikomen bring a good, long life to those who eat them.
Many
scholars believe that the tradition began with the disciples of Jesus. Understanding
this then, Luke 22:19 takes on a greater meaning: "And he took bread, gave
thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for
you; do this in remembrance of me.'" Jesus the Messiah would have taken
the middle of the three pieces of motza, which represented the priest and
mediator between God and the people, broken it as His body would soon be broken,
then wrapped half in a linen cloth as he would be wrapped in linen for burial and
hidden it as he would be buried. Later this prophetic Afikomen would be brought
back, as Jesus himself was resurrected! Finally, Jesus distributed it to
everyone seated with him, as He would distribute His life to all who believe.
As He did this, he was conscious that this middle piece of motza represented
His own, spotless body given for the redemption of His people. As the motza is
striped and pierced, His own body would be striped and pierced, and it is by
those wounds that we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). This middle piece of motza, or
the Afikomen, is our communion bread.
Third Cup
The
third cup of wine is taken after the meal. It is the cup of The Covenant, or
the cup of redemption, which reminds us of the shed blood of the innocent Lamb
which gave us freedom. We see that Jesus took the third cup in Luke 22:20 and 1
Corinthians 11:25, "In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying,
'This cup is the New Covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in
remembrance of me.'" This was not just any cup, it was the cup of redemption
from slavery into freedom. This is our communion cup.
Fourth Cup
The
fourth cup is the Cup of Hallel. Hallel in Hebrew means "praise," and
we see in the beautiful High Priestly Prayer of John 17, that Jesus took time
to praise and thank the Lord at the end of the Passover Seder, his last supper.
The spotless Passover Lamb had praise on his lips as he went to his death.
Elijah's Cup
A
place setting remains empty for Elijah the prophet, the honored guest at every
Passover table. The Jewish people expect Elijah to come at Passover and
announce the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). A place is always set, a cup
is filled with wine, and hearts are expectant for Elijah to come announcing the
Good News. At the end of the seder meal, a child is sent to the door to open it
and see if Elijah is there. Every year, the child returns, disappointed, and
the wine is poured out without being touched. Many of my people still wait and
hope for Messiah - they do not realize that their Messiah has already come. Those
of us who believe in Yeshua know that He is the one of whom the prophets spoke.
He is the spotless, unblemished Passover Lamb, whose body was broken for us,
whose blood was shed, and who now lives to distribute His life to all of us who
apply His blood to the doorpost of our hearts and have passed from death into
His eternal life.
When
we finally celebrate our Marriage Supper with Jesus, it will be at a Passover
Table with the Passover Lamb who took away the sin of the world!
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TOV Rose is the author of several books, including The New
Messianic Version of the Bible, The Book of GOD: For Men, The Paranormal GOD, The Paranormal Seams of the Hebrew Bible, Fall of the American Babylon, Volume 1, Is It
Not Written In The Book of Jasher?, Is It Not Written In The Book of Enoch?, and the upcoming, Book of GOD: Genesis Unbound.
When not writing books and all those other things, he enjoys quiet
times at home with his wife, children and praying together with a group of
grandmothers who have the uncanny knack of being able to bend God's ear. Specializing in teaching the deeper things of God, TOV has a
reputation for teaching solid Bible foundations and difficult to understand
Biblical concepts in a compassionate simple manner that anyone can
understand. TOV guests on radio programs, television shows and speaks at
conferences, seminars and in local congregations.
Invite TOV to your event, or schedule an interview!
The New Messianic Version of the Bible is raising eyebrows in the world of Bible translators not only for restoring the capitalized GOD and LORD with the English translation of God's Names that are correct, but it takes things a step further...
The name Yehovah is from the consonants YHWH, and can be found almost 6000 times in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). YHWH is rendered as LORD in most English Bibles, according to the pattern set by the King James Bible translators. But did you know that there are TWO forms of the Divine Name, the YHVH? One is the Father God and the other is His Son. Can you tell them apart in the Bible?
Author Tov Rose explains, "Today, Jewish people and Christians alike suffer a similar kind of blindness: They do not know their God. I know, that looks like an inflammatory statement, but please give me to the end of the book to present my case before passing judgment. There is a secret hidden in your Bible."
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What you find in the pages of The New Messianic Version of the Bible may shatter everything you've ever known about God. It might also open the doors you to really know who God the Father really is.
One respected Rabbi is quoted as saying, "Our sages of blessed memory, long before the Christian Era, held that there was a plurality in the Godhead. Indeed, this teaching was held for yet 100 years after the destruction of the second temple (70 A.D.), and, as it was contained and declared in the Holy Scriptures, it was also set forth in our most ancient books." - Rabbi Tzvi Nassi
Who are we to argue with such an old tradition?
Personally, I am in favor of the most literal translation of the Bible regardless of who translates it. Any translation that is going to be closer to what was originally written is bound to bring its readers closer to God.
Besides, in Deuteronomy 4:2, tells us not to add or take away from God's Word, yet many translators removed the Divine Name. Every other religion on the planet uses the proper name for their God. Why don't Christians and Jewish people do the same? It is odd. You don't have to be a scholar to know that removing someone's personal name and replacing it with a title is not accurate translating. In fact, it might actually be offensive. Just as offensive would be calling your own father by a name that wasn't actually his own, you know, like the name of his son? How much more offensive to God the Father when we use the wrong name?
Tov goes on to explain, "In the New Testament book of John 6:46 Jesus says, 'No man has seen The Father...' If that is the case, then who have people seen, spoken to and even shared meals with in the Old Testament? Even in Exodus 33:11 it says, 'And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." But if Moses did not speak with The Father face to face, then to whom was he speaking?'"
Some people are adamant about only reading the Bible translation they were raised on. Others see the benefit in modern translations.
Whichever translation you personally prefer, most people will agree there should always be room for the author's personal name in His own book.
And this version of the Bible goes a step further. It clearly shows you who the author really is, and it isn't God the Father.
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58)
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