Passover is one of the most important festivals in the Jewish calendar. It commemorates the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, which is described in the Book of Exodus in the Bible. The name “Passover” comes from the fact that God “passed over” the houses of the Israelites and spared their firstborn sons when he killed the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. Here is an overview of what the Bible says about Passover:
The Origins of Passover
The origins of Passover are found in Exodus 12. God had sent nine plagues upon Egypt to try to convince Pharaoh to let the enslaved Israelites go free. Even after the plagues, Pharaoh still refused to let the people go. So God planned one final plague – the death of the firstborn sons in all of Egypt. God commanded the Israelites to kill a lamb and smear its blood on their doorposts so that God would “pass over” their houses and not kill their firstborn sons.
Exodus 12:21-23 explains the origins:
Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.
So the blood on the doorposts marked the houses so that God would “pass over” and not kill their firstborn sons. The Israelites were also commanded to eat the lamb quickly with unleavened bread and bitter herbs as they prepared to leave Egypt soon.
The First Passover and the Festival
Exodus 12 describes how the Israelites followed God’s instructions and killed a lamb, put its blood on their doors, and prepared to leave Egypt quickly. At midnight, God struck down all the firstborn sons in Egypt, which finally convinced Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. This first Passover occurred on the night before the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt.
God then commanded the Israelites to commemorate this event each year by celebrating Passover as a festival. Exodus 12:14 explains:
“This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.”
So God instituted Passover as a memorial and religious feast for the Israelites to observe every year in remembrance of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt.
The Passover Rituals and Foods
Several key rituals and foods became part of the traditional observance of Passover:
Lamb – Exodus 12:5 says the Israelites were to pick out a lamb or goat to sacrifice: “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.” The sacrificial lamb was then roasted and eaten as part of the Passover meal.
Unleavened Bread – The Israelites had to leave Egypt in haste, without time to let their bread rise. So Exodus 12:8 says they were to eat unleavened bread during the Passover meal: “They shall eat the flesh (of the lamb) that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.”
Bitter Herbs – The bitter herbs symbolized the bitterness of slavery. Exodus 12:8 says the Passover meal should include “bitter herbs.” Examples of bitter herbs could include horseradish, parsley, coriander and chicory.
Blood on the Doorpost – Exodus 12:7 explains that blood from the sacrificed lamb was to be put on the sides and tops of the doorframes of their houses.
First Fruits – Exodus 23:19 and 34:26 say the first crops harvested in springtime should be brought to the house of the Lord around Passover.
Removing Leaven/Chametz – Exodus 12:15 introduces the concept of removing leaven from houses during Passover, as the Israelites had to leave Egypt in haste without letting their bread rise: “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses.”
Fast of the Firstborn – Exodus 13:3 says, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place.” Firstborn sons often fast on Passover in remembrance of when God spared the Israelite firstborns.
Passover Seder – The Passover seder meal developed over time as a way for families to retell the story of the exodus and explain the symbolism of each Passover food and ritual.
When is Passover Celebrated?
Passover is celebrated in the spring, in the Biblical month of Nisan, which falls in March or April. Exodus 12:2 explains the timing:
“This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.”
Exodus 12:6 says the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed at twilight on the 14th day of the month of Nisan. Leviticus 23:5 also says Passover begins on the 14th.
In summary, Passover celebrations start on the 14th of Nisan and last for either seven or eight days, depending on local Jewish custom. The first two days (and last two days in Israel) are days when no work is allowed.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
Right after Passover starts the Feast of Unleavened Bread, another Biblical festival. Leviticus 23:6 says: “On the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.”
The Feast of Unleavened Bread lasts seven days. It is meant to commemorate the rapid departure of the Israelites from Egypt without time for their bread to rise. No leaven or yeast is used for seven days. Exodus 12:17-20 and other verses describe how unleavened bread was to be eaten for seven days following Passover during this feast.
The Passover and the Exodus from Egypt in the Bible
The Passover meal, lamb sacrifice, blood on the doorposts, rapid departure with unleavened bread – all of this was part of God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Several key sections describe the progression of events:
– Exodus 11-12 – God institutes the first Passover, the death of the firstborns of Egypt, and the Israelites hastily leave Egypt
– Exodus 12:37-39 – The Israelites left Egypt in haste without time for their bread to rise
– Exodus 12:42 – A night of vigil for the Lord bringing them out of Egypt
– Exodus 13:3-10 – The Feast of Unleavened Bread established as a commemoration
– Exodus 13:17 – God leads the people out of Egypt towards the Red Sea
– Exodus 14 – God parts the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross and drowns Pharaoh’s armies
So the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread are closely tied to the key events of the Exodus from Egypt. The festivals were instituted by God as a way for the Israelites to remember and commemorate their salvation from slavery.
Jesus Christ as the Passover Lamb
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is portrayed as the ultimate Passover lamb whose death offers salvation. Just as the Passover lamb’s blood spared Israelites from death, Christ’s blood offers redemption from sin and death.
Some parallels between Christ and the Passover lamb include:
– John 1:29 – John the Baptist calls Jesus the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
– 1 Corinthians 5:7 – Christ is called the “Passover lamb” who has been sacrificed.
– 1 Peter 1:18-19 – People were redeemed with the “precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
– Revelation 5:6 – In heaven, Christ appears as a “Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.”
– Mark 14:12 – Jesus’ last supper with his disciples was a Passover meal.
– John 19:14 – Jesus was sentenced to crucifixion at the time when Passover lambs were being slaughtered.
So the imagery of the Passover lamb points to Christ’s role as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
Modern Passover Traditions
Today, Jewish people still celebrate Passover by observing certain rituals and traditions:
– The Passover Seder – The seder includes special foods, songs, prayers, retelling the Passover story, and other traditions. Four cups of wine, matzo unleavened bread, lamb shank bone, bitter herbs, charoset paste and an afikomen bag are some seder elements.
– Removing Chametz – Chametz refers to leaven or anything with leavening agents. The house is cleaned beforehand, and a ceremonial search is done the night before Passover.
– Eating Matzo – Matzo is unleavened bread that resembles what the Israelites ate fleeing Egypt. It is eaten instead of bread for the duration of Passover.
– Holding a Passover Seder – The seder is held on the first two nights of Passover. It involves food rituals, traditional hymns, telling the Exodus story, and opening the door for the prophet Elijah.
– Avoiding Chametz – Leavened products like bread and certain foods are removed from the home and diet during Passover.
– Special Shabbat Readings – Exodus 12 is read on the first day and Deuteronomy 15 on the seventh day.
The core of the festival remains rooted in commemorating the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt as described in the Old Testament. But modern customs, foods and rituals have developed around the Biblical foundation.
Passover in the Bible
In summary, here are some key details on Passover that come from the Bible:
– Passover commemorates Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt – Exodus 12
– The Passover lamb was sacrificed and its blood marked Israelite houses – Exodus 12:21
– The first Passover meal included lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs – Exodus 12:8
– God commanded it as a perpetual festival – Exodus 12:14
– Passover starts on the 14th of the month of Nisan – Exodus 12:2, 6
– The Feast of Unleavened Bread follows Passover – Leviticus 23:6
– Unleavened bread was eaten for seven days – Exodus 12:15-20
– The events of the first Passover led to the Exodus from Egypt – Exodus 12-14
– Jesus serves as the ultimate Passover Lamb – John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7
The Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread and Exodus story are forever intertwined. This key moment in Israel’s history was memorialized as an annual festival and celebration of their salvation by God.