04/05/11
The Holy Days: Passover, Part 3. -
Categories: Part 3: The Passover of the New Testament.
Jesus, Himself, kept the Passover prior to and during His ministry. His parents, His disciples and His followers also kept the Passover before and after the crucifixion.
However, after Jesus’ crucifixion, the followers of Christ now observed Passover as Christ had taught them, in remembrance of Him. They did not keep the Passover of the Old Testament but observed the new Passover, with the new symbols set forth by Christ, of which Jesus Christ had fulfilled on the cross.
The Passover Feast was observed before Jesus’ crucifixion, by Jesus, His parents and His followers.
Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother knew not of it. ~ Luke 2:41 through 43.
And the Jews’ Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ~ John 2:13.
Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in His name, when they saw the miracles which He did. ~ John 2:23.
The Passover Feast was observed before Jesus’ crucifixion, by Jesus, His parents and His followers.
Now the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto Him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the Passover? And He said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at thy house with My disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the Passover. Now when the even was come, He sat down with the twelve... And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. ~ Matthew 26:17 through 20 and 26 through 28.
The Passover was observed after Jesus’ crucifixion, with the new symbols set forth by Christ... the New Covenant.
Jesus, Himself, knowing He came into the world not to condemn the world, but to save it by being a living sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin, the Lamb of God, instituted the new Passover symbols we should observe in remembrance of Him, our “Passover”. (1 Corinthians 5:7). Below we see an example of the Corinthians keeping Passover, though disrespectfully, with the apostle, Paul, correcting them and teaching them how to keep it properly, with their hearts in the right place.
When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. For in eating everyone taketh before another his own supper. And one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread. And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat. This is My body, which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood. This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till He come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:20 through 34.
End of Part 3.
