This weekend I had the chance to experience a passover meal celebration. It was the most amazing experience. The presentation was given by Jews for Jesus, and it was given at the church I attend. What was revealed to me, and to all who attended, was that the Last Supper was actually the Passover Meal as it had always been. Some may think, “of course it was”, but I really didn’t know that. I had thought that the Lord’s Supper was something entirely new. Because he took the cup, blessed it, gave thanks, and all of that. (You can read the account of the Last Supper in Luke 22:20) But actually, the blessing was part of the passover celebration already. It started with preparation, which the Lord sent out two of the disciples to do before hand, and then during the evening on the passover the celebration would begin. There were four cups, and they drank four times. There were four questions, which the youngest son would ask the father and the father would answer them throughout the evening celebration.
The Passover celebration was given to the Jews during the time of the Exodus. Actually during the time of the last plague that hit Egypt. This, of course, was when God spared their sons from death. You can read that account in Exodus 12:13-14. “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you… So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations.” And so the Jewish community still keeps the Passover Feast, and will throughout their generations.
But what was happening when Jesus said that He was making a new covenant? Well, the Bible says that they had already eaten the meal when Jesus broke the bread and blessed the cup. (I have attached a link to the video presentation that helps to explain this very well, but will explain it here for you as well.) This meant that they had already completed half of the celebration. Two cups had already been drank. Now, the third cup, which was the one that Jesus was holding when He announced the new covenant, symbolized redemption and blessing. When Jesus blessed the cup, as the head of the household always did on the Passover, He changed one thing. He said, “This is the cup of the NEW Covenant which is in MY BLOOD…” He was letting the disciples know that He was the Spotless Lamb that would be given up for all. Just as the spotless lamb had been given up for them during the first passover.
Now, the bread. In the passover, there are three pieces of bread. All made without leaven. Leaven represented sin. So, the bread is baked in a way that leaves stripes and piercings. The three pieces are placed in a linen bag with three separate compartments. Symbolizing the Trinity of God. (Note: Most Jewish people do not believe that it represents this because they are still waiting for the Messiah.) So, the father reaches in to the bag. He takes out the second piece. Which represents the Son of God. Second in the Trinity. Then he breaks it in half. He then wraps the piece in a linen cloth, hides it somewhere in the house beneath something, and has the children find it. The children bring it back to him and he breaks pieces off for the entire family. Jesus did this same thing. He took the second piece, broke it, and told the disciples that it was representing His body which would be broken. Then He gave them all to eat of it, just as it had been done at every Passover before.
But what had changed? Well, the disciples were aware that the Passover was to remember their redemption from sin. That Jesus’ blood was the new Covenant, and that death would pass over them once again. But this time, for good and once and for all.
Jesus was now the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” In 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, the Bible says, “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast…”
Ok, I have given the basics, but there is a film that gives the most beautiful presentation of this. I would invite you to take a look at it. Everyone should see this. Just press play to watch. It takes 40 minutes, but it is amazing. You can visit their website at www.jewsforjesus.org
