Passover

The Passover is one of the most significant feasts in the Jewish calendar, commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The origins of Passover are found in the Book of Exodus, where God commands Moses to institute the feast as a perpetual memorial of the night when the Lord "passed over" the houses of the Israelites during the tenth plague, sparing their firstborn while striking down the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 12:12-13).

The Passover is observed on the 14th day of the first month, Nisan, according to the Hebrew calendar. The central ritual of Passover is the Seder meal, which includes the eating of a lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs, as prescribed in Exodus 12:8. The lamb, without blemish, symbolizes the sacrifice, while the unleavened bread, or matzah, represents the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt, having no time to let their bread rise (Exodus 12:39).

The blood of the lamb, which the Israelites were instructed to apply to the doorposts and lintels of their homes, served as a sign for the Lord to pass over their houses, sparing them from the plague of death (Exodus 12:7, 13). This act of faith and obedience is central to the Passover narrative and is seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the "Lamb of God," whose blood redeems believers from sin and death (John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7).

Feast of Unleavened Bread

The Feast of Unleavened Bread immediately follows Passover and lasts for seven days, from the 15th to the 21st of Nisan. During this time, the Israelites are commanded to eat unleavened bread and to remove all leaven from their homes (Exodus 12:15-20). The absence of leaven, which causes bread to rise, symbolizes purity and the removal of sin, as leaven is often associated with corruption and sinfulness in Scripture (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

The Feast of Unleavened Bread serves as a reminder of the Israelites' hasty departure from Egypt and their reliance on God's provision. It is a time of reflection and consecration, as the people of Israel remember their deliverance and commit themselves to holiness and obedience to God's commandments.

In the New Testament, the Feast of Unleavened Bread is mentioned in the context of Jesus' final Passover meal with His disciples, known as the Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-19, Mark 14:12-16, Luke 22:7-13). This meal, which took place during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is significant for Christians as it institutes the Lord's Supper, or Communion, where Jesus identifies the unleavened bread as His body and the wine as His blood, establishing a new covenant with His followers (Luke 22:19-20).

The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are deeply intertwined, both historically and theologically, representing themes of redemption, sacrifice, and sanctification. They are observed by Jews worldwide as a time of remembrance and celebration of God's deliverance, while Christians see in them the foreshadowing of Christ's redemptive work on the cross.