The term "Passover Lamb" refers to the sacrificial lamb that was central to the observance of Passover, a pivotal event in the history of Israel as recorded in the Old Testament. The Passover Lamb is first introduced in the book of Exodus, where God commands the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and use its blood as a sign for the Angel of Death to pass over their homes during the final plague in Egypt.

Biblical Origin and Instructions

The instructions for the Passover Lamb are detailed in Exodus 12. God commands each household to select a lamb without blemish, a male a year old, on the tenth day of the first month. The lamb was to be kept until the fourteenth day, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel would slaughter it at twilight. The blood of the lamb was to be applied to the doorposts and lintel of each house where the lamb was eaten. The flesh was to be roasted with fire and consumed with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Any remains were to be burned by morning. This act of sacrifice and the application of the blood served as a sign for the Lord to "pass over" the houses of the Israelites, sparing them from the plague of the firstborn (Exodus 12:1-13).

Symbolism and Significance

The Passover Lamb holds profound symbolic significance in the biblical narrative. It represents deliverance and redemption, marking the moment when God liberated the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. The lamb's blood, a symbol of life and protection, prefigures the sacrificial system that would later be established under the Mosaic Law.

Messianic Fulfillment

In Christian theology, the Passover Lamb is seen as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, who is referred to as the "Lamb of God" in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul explicitly connects Christ to the Passover Lamb in 1 Corinthians 5:7, stating, "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." This typology is further reinforced in the Gospel of John, where John the Baptist proclaims, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).

The timing of Jesus' crucifixion during the Passover festival underscores this connection. Just as the blood of the Passover Lamb spared the Israelites from death, the blood of Christ is believed to provide salvation and deliverance from sin for all who believe. The Apostle Peter emphasizes this in 1 Peter 1:18-19, describing believers as redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."

Passover in Jewish Tradition

In Jewish tradition, the Passover Lamb remains a central element of the Passover Seder, although the actual sacrifice ceased with the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD. The Seder meal includes symbolic foods that recall the Exodus, and the account of the Passover is recounted through the Haggadah.

Conclusion

The Passover Lamb is a foundational element of both Jewish and Christian traditions, symbolizing deliverance, sacrifice, and redemption. Its significance is deeply rooted in the historical Exodus event and finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, according to Christian belief.