The passover
What to Know
Passover is More than a Jewish Tradition: While often viewed as a historical or cultural observance for Jews, Passover is a divinely instituted Feast that reveals God’s redemptive plan for all humanity.
Its meaning is Fulfilled in Jesus Christ: The original Passover lamb (Exodus 12) pointed forward to Jesus, the true Passover Lamb, whose blood provides spiritual deliverance from sin and death (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Jesus and the Early Church Kept Passover: Jesus observed Passover throughout His life (Luke 2:41; Matthew 26:17–19), and the apostles continued its observance with both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 18:21; 1 Corinthians 5:8).
The Last Supper was a Passover Meal: Jesus redefined the bread and wine as symbols of His body and blood, making Passover a memorial of His sacrifice and deepening its spiritual meaning (Matthew 26:26–28).
Passover Remains Relevant for Christians: Far from being abolished, Passover points to Christ’s atonement, reinforces gratitude for grace, and aligns believers with God’s redemptive timeline.
Revelation Presents Christ as the Slain Lamb: The imagery of Jesus as the Lamb in Revelation 5:6-9 ties directly back to Passover, confirming its enduring place in God’s plan and in Christian worship.
Observing Passover Brings Spiritual Clarity and Renewal: Passover invites Christians to reflect on God’s deliverance, recommit to His purpose, and find hope in the promise of His coming Kingdom.
When most people think of Passover, they often associate it with a historical or cultural observance primarily kept by those who are Jewish, either by faith or nationality. However, Passover is far more than just a historical or cultural tradition. Regrettably, many — including Christians — fail to recognize its deeper spiritual significance. Passover is a divinely instituted Feast Day that holds profound meaning, pointing to God’s redemptive plan for all of humanity and carrying significant implications for Christians today. Although its roots are found in the Old Testament (Exodus 12), its ultimate fulfillment is revealed in the New Testament through Jesus Christ.
The origins of Passover are recorded in Exodus 12, where God instructed the Israelites to commemorate their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Central to the Passover observance was the sacrifice of a lamb without blemish, whose blood was applied to the doorposts of Israelite homes (Exodus 12:5-7). This blood served as a protective marker, sparing the household from the final plague — the death of the firstborn. God commanded Passover to be an everlasting memorial of His redemptive power and deliverance, distinct from the Passover Feast (that the Jewish faith keeps today) and the Days of Unleavened Bread. Its observance not only celebrated Israel’s physical liberation from Egypt, but also pointed forward to the greater spiritual deliverance that would come through the Messiah. For believers, Passover takes on even greater significance as it foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate Passover Lamb, whose sacrifice provides redemption for all humanity.
In the New Testament, Passover finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is explicitly identified as the Passover Lamb. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” Just as the blood of the lamb spared the Israelites from physical death in the Old Testament, the blood of Christ spares believers from eternal death and pays the spiritual debt of sin. Christ’s sacrifice perfectly fulfills the prophetic symbolism of the Passover lamb, offering redemption and reconciliation to all humanity.
John the Baptist recognized this profound truth when he saw Jesus approaching to be baptized and declared,
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Furthermore, Jesus’ crucifixion occurred during the Passover season, precisely when lambs were being sacrificed in the Temple. This alignment underscores the deep connection between the Passover and Christ’s atoning work, revealing that He is the ultimate fulfillment of the redemption foreshadowed in the Old Testament Passover.
The Last Supper, which Jesus celebrated with His disciples, was a Passover meal, as clearly demonstrated in Scripture. Matthew 26:17-19 states: “Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, ‘Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?’ And He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, ‘My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’ So, the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.” All the synoptic gospels — Matthew, Mark, and Luke — affirm this event as a Passover meal (Mark 14:12-16, Luke 22:7-8, Luke 22:15).
During this Passover, Jesus redefined its elements to reflect the deeper spiritual deliverance He would accomplish. The unleavened bread became a representation of His body, broken for humanity, and the wine symbolized His blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-28, Luke 22:19-20). By observing Passover with His disciples, Jesus reaffirmed its significance and fulfilled its ultimate purpose by providing deliverance from spiritual bondage. Rather than abolishing Passover, Jesus completed its meaning, ensuring its continued relevance as a memorial of His sacrifice. Jesus even commands His followers to continue to keep the Passover, doing it “in remembrance of Me (Luke 22:19).”
Passover is central to God’s redemptive plan, encapsulating themes of atonement and deliverance. In the Old Testament, Passover commemorated God’s power to save His people from physical bondage and deliver them from Egypt. In the New Testament, Passover highlights Christ’s victory over sin and death, offering spiritual liberation and a chance for eternal life to all who believe in Him. Observing Passover allows believers to reflect on these profound truths, deepening their understanding of salvation and fostering gratitude for God’s grace. As Paul exhorted in 1 Corinthians 5:8, “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
The observance of Passover also aligns with the practices of Jesus and the early Church. Jesus celebrated Passover throughout His life, as recorded in Luke 2:41 and Matthew 26:17-19, affirming its importance. The early Church continued this observance, demonstrating that Passover was not merely a Jewish tradition, but an enduring part of God’s plan for His people. Paul’s writings and accounts in the early Church show that Gentile converts also kept Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7-8, Acts 18:21, Acts 20:6), reinforcing its universal relevance for all believers.
Contrary to the belief that Passover was abolished and is exclusive to the Jewish faith, its fulfillment in Christ enhances, rather than nullifies, its observance. Jesus’ death did not render Passover obsolete; instead, it deepened its meaning, transforming it into a memorial of His ultimate sacrifice. For believers, observing Passover serves as a powerful reminder of God’s deliverance, both past and present, and the ongoing relevance of His redemptive plan for humanity.
For believers, keeping Passover is a profound way to honor Christ’s sacrifice, reflect on God’s redemptive plan, and engage in meaningful introspection. It serves as a powerful reminder of the deliverance from sin and death made possible through the blood of the Lamb. In the book of Revelation, which prophesies the culmination of this age, Jesus is portrayed as this Lamb: “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain... And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.’” (Revelation 5:6, 9).
Even as Jesus prepares to return triumphantly to the world, saving it from destruction, we are reminded of the central role of His sacrifice. Without the events symbolized by Passover — His death and the shedding of His blood for humanity’s redemption — His ultimate return and the establishment of His Kingdom would not be possible. Passover is more than a memorial; it is a cornerstone of God’s redemptive plan, pointing to the assurance of salvation and the promise of His eternal Kingdom.
If this day holds such significance in God’s plan and the establishment of His Kingdom, shouldn’t it be a day that those seek to follow Jesus should embrace and reflect upon? What other observance so vividly connects humanity to the profound truths of Christ’s sacrifice and the hope it brings? As believers, how might celebrating Passover help us recommit to God’s purpose for our lives, renew our faith, and deeply reflect on the assurance we have through Jesus’ sacrifice?
If no other mainstream holiday offers this type of certainty and hope for humanity, should we instead not make Passover a central part of our worship and reflection?
If you’re interested in researching more about the Passover and why this Biblical Feast should be kept both from the Bible and a historical perspective, we’ve provided additional references here for your review.