Passover - The Missing Connection

A recent article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette asked the question whether Christians can truly understand Passover? And now that Passover is over, the question can be asked - can or even should Christians seek to participate in the beauty and majesty of the Passover banquet? Is Passover restricted to being only a non-Messianic Jewish observance?

If you look across at the Ministry Calendar section, you can probably guess the answer that Tzedakah Ministries is going to give. Of course, Christians can and must remember the story of the Passover. It is not only the story of deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, it is also the visual reality of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

From the Matzah Tash to the significance of the four cups (especially the third cup of Redemption), Passover proclaims the reality of the sacrificial lamb - Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus himself understood this significance as He illustrated after the meal that He was the Matzah and the Cup of Redemption (read all the Gospel accounts but especially Matthew 26). In fact, Jesus declared that He would not drink of the Cup of Praise (Fourth Cup) until He drinks it with us in the kingdom.

Ultimately, Resurrection Sunday (also known as Easter) is not possible without the beauty of the Passover dinner and Passover Lamb. In order for Messiah Jesus to be our Lord, He first had to fulfill the requirements of the sacrificial lamb. He did. He is. And now we as believers in Jesus can all rejoice in both the Passover and the Resurrection.