The Passover was one on the most important festivals of the Jewish calendar, commemorating the Israeli deliverance from Egyptian bondage. This feast and sacrifice was strictly observed (Exodus 12:43-49, Leviticus 23:4-8). It had important ramifications in regard to the ministry of Christ. In the origin of the Passover, the foundational element was illustrated in the applying of the blood, which is what is necessary in order to except the gift of God, through Jesus Christ. The prefigurement of Christ can be seen in the Passover sacrifice and its call to remembrance of the gift of God.
In What ways did the Passover prefigure Christ’s ministry?
The Passover prefigured Christ ministry in three ways: 1) The Death of the Lamb-Crucifixion; 2) Prophecies of Messiah’s Redemption; and 3) the Passover-Lord Supper. These elements presented in the Passover can also be seen in the prefigurement of the ministry of Christ.
1) The Death of the Lamb-Crucifixion: The death of Jesus is linked historically with the Passover and took place around the 14th day of Abhibh or Nisan. The crucifixion was around this season, and the comparison is focused upon the similarities between the Paschal Lamb and the anointed one of
Israel who gave his life for the sinners of the world. The deaths of the Paschal Lamb laid upon the Jews a divine obligation to put away their old food and begin to eat new bread, so the death of Christ lays us under obligation to put away sin and begin to lead a new life.
The references in the Gospels refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God, giving a comparison between the Paschal Lamb and the Christ who gave His life for the lost. John the Baptist proclaimed Christ to be “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). John the Baptist also said in this passage “look the Lamb of God,” which is the implication that Christ through his death was to the people of this day to what the lamb was to Israel before Christ became the perfect sacrifice that would take away the sins of the world. The name of the Passover through the crucifixion of Christ and His resurrection was changed by the Christians to be known as Good Friday, which calls into remembrance of the substitution death of Christ. The Messiah by His life, work, death and resurrection has accomplished eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him).
2) Prophecies of Messiah’s Redemption: The blood of the Lamb that was slain and sprinkled upon the door posts and lintels that protected them from the Angel of Death. Just as God looked at Israel with compassion when they were in bondage in
Egypt, the Messiah looked upon all of mankind with that same compassion as they were held in the bondage of sin (Psalm 102:18-20), (Broadhurst, 55). The redemption and atoning death that Jesus gave fulfilled every sacrifice of the law. In the Passover He became the sin bearer. The Paschal Lamb was to act as the substitute for
Israel, so that there firstborns could be saved. The word Passover means “passing over” or “sparing.”. This substitutional sacrifice with the unblemished Lamb was symbolic of the sacrifice that Christ gave on the cross (Isaiah 52:13-53:12).
The symbolic sprinkling of the blood upon the people in the later celebration of the Passover and this act of sprinkling of the blood was an act of sealing the covenant. In the original Passover the blood was sprinkled upon the door, so Christ’s blood needs to be applied to the hearts of those who believe, which will save them from sins and death (Romans 6:23, I Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 1:7). The blood on the door also meant safety from judgment, so the blood of Christ means we can escape an inevitable and eternal judgment (Acts 4:12). There is a great necessity just as it was at the time of the first Passover to apply the blood to our hearts, so that we can have confidence to enter the holy place through the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19-25). He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for us only, but also for the entire world (1 John 2:2).
3) the Passover-Lord Supper: The Passover was a memorial meal for the Children of Israel to call to remembrance all that God had done for them in delivering them from their captivity in
Egypt. In the book of Exodus 12:14 it says Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance. This is referring to the remembrance of the Passover and what God had done for them in
Egypt. In 1 Corinthians 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
Jesus said to His disciples in reference to the Passover that they leave out the Paschal Lamb, the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs. Jesus said to take communion (the Lord’s Supper) in remembrance of Him, for the blood he shed for mankind (1 Corinthians 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.) The Passover is symbolic of a past deliverance, just as the Last Supper is the remembrance and Thanksgiving for the body of Christ that was broken for us.
What does 1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us,” mean?In 1 Corinthians 5:7 the Apostle Paul gives nine words in reference to the Messiah’s fulfilling the Passover sacrifice. This verse of scripture is the great doctrine of the gospel. The Jews, after they had killed the Passover, kept the feast of unleavened bread. We also keep this feast but not for seven days only, but for all of our days. “We should die with our Saviour to sin, be planted into the likeness of his death by mortifying sin, and into the likeness of his resurrection by rising again to newness of life, and that internal and external. We must have new hearts and new lives.” The entire life of a Christian must be a feast of unleavened bread. The Christian’s most common communications and religious performances must be holy.
Jesus’ Messianic activities reached a climax in the events of the Passover. The crucifixion took place around the first day of the Passover. The Lamb of God, which took the sins of the world upon Him, sacrificed His life for us and became that offering of liberation for all those who will choose to accept it. Just as the sins of Israel were atoned for and they were no longer slaves of the Egyptians, so all that choose to have fellowship with God can be part of the redeemed people of God, for Christ was sacrificed for us. The Passover redemption in the Old Testament represented the old covenant and the Gospel account of Christ sacrificial death represents the birth of the new covenant. Christ sacrificial death is call to become pure and holy, to throw out the old leaven. Jesus became that lamb (John 1:29) and gave His life for mankind so that we could be saved from sin (Romans 6:6-11) (Beet, 88).
Conclusion:The elements in the Passover in reference to the blood sacrifice and to the Paschal Lamb that was slain easily apply to Christ’s sinless sacrifice on the cross. The Apostle Paul developed this comparison by referring to Christ as our Passover. This is the foundational illustrating factor of connection between the Passover and the Christian message.The Passover theme can be seen in Christ’s sacrificial death, which allowed the provision to be established for the forgiveness of sins to those who except the sacrifice. The call to “do this in remembrance of me” can be seen in then necessity to keep the Lord’s Supper, just as the Jewish Orthodox keeps the Passover. It is the Lord’s Passover!
