What is the significance of Passover? The biblical account of Exodus celebrates God's deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The Old Testament book of Exodus (in Judaism, the first five books of Moses) prescribes the observance of Passover.
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What does the Passover symbolize?
In Judaism, Passover commemorates the Hebrews' deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the “passing over” of the powers of devastation, or the sparing of the Israelites' firstborn, when the Lord “smote the land of Egypt” on the eve of the Exodus.
What is the Passover and why is it important Christianity?
The Passover is a commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt and a celebration of God's rescue. The Last Supper is depicted in the gospels as taking place in accordance with Exodus 12's requirement to keep the passover on the 15th of Nisan. It would have been a passover dinner to which Jesus added a new meaning without denying or altering the original meaning, and without obviating the mandate to keep it at the prescribed time. The resurrection of Jesus does not take precedence over the Passover, and since it occurred a few days later, both can be observed.
Why is the Passover so important today?
Every year, Jews observe the Feast of Passover to commemorate God's order in Exodus 13 to free the Children of Israel.
Outside Israel
The first two and concluding two days of Passover are regarded as complete days of relaxation.
The Torah instructs us to observe Passover for seven days, but because Jews in the Diaspora were too far removed from Israel to receive notice of when to begin their observances, an extra day was added to be safe.
Preparations
Before the festivities can begin, the house must be thoroughly cleansed from top to bottom to ensure that no traces of chametz (leaven) remain.
This not only honors the Jews who did not have time to let their bread rise before leaving Egypt, but it also represents the removal of ‘puffiness' (arrogance, pride) from their souls. Every home conducts a traditional search for chametz the day before Passover begins. The kids are usually very enthusiastic about participating.
During Passover, a Jew may not consume chametz or benefit from it. It's possible he won't even possess it or feed it to animals.
Any chametz in his possession, as well as any utensils used to create chametz-based meals, must be temporarily'sold' to non-Jews. After the holiday, they can be repurchased. You can even sell chametz on the internet!
How does Passover relate to Jesus?
The seder dinner is served at Passover, when the tale of the Jewish people's flight from Egypt is told from a book called the Haggadah (which means “exodus” in Hebrew) “revealing”). The Haggadah lays forth the celebration's order (seder).
It was a Passover seder when Jesus held the Last Supper with his followers. To mark his imminent death, Jesus utilized elements of the seder unleavened bread (matzah) and wine (the bread represents his body, the wine his blood). That is why Christians today partake in Communion.
In the New Testament, Jesus is depicted as the Passover lamb. According to the Apostle Paul, “Our Passover lamb, Christ (Messiah), has been sacrificed” (I Corinthians 5:7).
For Christians, the Passover represents Jesus' deliverance from the enslavement and penalty of sin for those who trust in him.
“Egypt is more than just a place,” he explained. “It's also a mental condition. When someone has an Egyptian mindset, they are inevitably exiled. They're serfs… The person to whom we are most enslaved is ourselves, our ego. Our animalistic self is holding us hostage… The human being, on the other hand, has a godly divine self that may entirely let go of its animalistic inclinations and adhere to God… So that's how you get out of captivity.”
According to Zaklos, the 15-sectioned seder is a prescription for liberty.
“He explained that “seder” means “order.” “It's a 15-step process for redeeming yourself from yourself. The Jewish people had a 15-step program before there was a 12-step program… Although there is no original sin, we are all born with a dual personality. Our animalistic and heavenly selves both suffer from multiple personality disorder.”
While most Christian theologians dispute that there is no original sin, they all agree that God wants us to be free of our selfish desires.
Pastor Greg Davidson of Trinity Baptist Church in Vacaville is Jewish and believes the two celebrations are inextricably linked.
“He stated, “There is a really profound relationship.” “The Jews were enslaved in Egypt and were in a terrible situation. For the country of Israel, it was just a very dark time.
“God sent Moses to be the Jewish people's great liberator. But because Pharaoh refused to listen to his demands, God rained plagues upon Egypt to persuade them to free this oppressed people. God brought his final plague because Pharaoh continued to resist. The Jewish people were protected from this judgment by each household slitting a lamb's throat, taking its blood, and applying it to the lintel of the door and the doorposts. And that night, when the death angel came to murder the firstborn in the country, it passed over the Jewish dwelling because it saw the blood on the doorposts.
“In the Bible, Jesus is referred to as our Passover Lamb. As a result, Passover was an image of a Savior, a Messiah, who the Jews hoped for and awaited. It was an image of the Messiah coming to earth, dying on a cross, and his shed blood covering their sins… When we, by faith, apply the blood of the lamb to the lintel and doorposts of our hearts, the death Angel will see the blood and pass us by, and we will go to heaven when we die.”
How did Jesus celebrate Passover?
The fact that Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passoverand, according to John's gospel, many other important holidaysindicates that he was actively involved in Temple worship. In all three synoptic gospels, Jesus participates in the Seder, the traditional Passover dinner, with his closest companions.
How is Passover related to Easter?
Passover and Easter are linked in the New Testament. Jesus arrives in Jerusalem and gathers his disciples for the Passover supper, which Christians refer to as the Last Supper. Regardless of the day of the week, some early Christians followed the pattern exactly, celebrating Easter on the same day as Passover.
Did Jesus celebrate Passover at the Last Supper?
The Passover supper was being shared by Jesus and his disciples. Because this would be Jesus' final dinner with his disciples, he adapted aspects of the Passover feast to serve as emblems of his death. Jesus delivered a startling statement while they were seated at the table.
What do you do during Passover?
During Passover, Jews are forbidden to eat, drink, or own chametz, which is food that has been allowed to rise and is produced from grain (barley, oats, rye, spelt, or wheat) and water. People clean their houses and living places extensively to avoid coming into contact with chametz. Objects that can't be cleansed or destroyed before Passover are frequently stored or temporarily sold to non-Jews. Following the end of Passover, they are repurchased.
Passover lasts seven days in Israel. People in other nations, on the other hand, may observe it for seven or eight days. This period's first and last days are extremely crucial. People recite special blessings or prayers, go to synagogue, hear Torah readings, and partake in a ceremonial meal centered on the Seder Plate and red wine or red grape juice.
What does the Passover teach us about God?
Passover teaches us about faith; despite being in a difficult position, we must have faith in God. Passover also teaches us to respect freedom and to embrace it fully.
Passover is also a moment to reflect on one's family's history of slavery and to remind oneself that good things take time, and patience is a virtue.
It gives us a strong sense of trust and mental serenity, as well as the assurance that, like the plagues, this too will pass.
When my mother concealed bread pieces throughout the house for my brother and me to find before Passover began, I used to get very excited.
The pandemic is an excellent opportunity to learn about and interpret the Passover story. It gives us a strong sense of faith and mental serenity, as well as the assurance that, like the plagues, this too will pass with minimal or no harm to us. Things may deteriorate in the short term, but they will improve in the long run.
How are the 10 plagues and Passover connected?
After Pharaoh dismisses Moses' pleas to release the oppressed Israelites, God sends a series of ten plagues to put pressure on the Egyptian pharaoh, according to the Passover account. Pharaoh promises to free the Israelites each time the disease ends, but then changes his decision when the plague ends until the last one.