More Than a Memorial Meal: Discovering Jesus in the Passover
As we pause during Holy Week, I want to remind us of the significance of this day, often called Maundy Thursday. On this night, Jesus gathered with His disciples in an upper room to celebrate the Passover meal. This meal was rich in symbolism, deeply connected to God’s deliverance of His people from Egypt, yet it pointed forward to an even greater redemption and the New Covenant fulfilled in Christ. I wanted to share a bit on the symbolism and meaning in the Passover Seder.
Last Sunday, we looked closely at Exodus 12 and the institution of the Passover. We saw how God reset Israel’s calendar around redemption and instructed each family to take a spotless lamb into their home, observe it, and then sacrifice it. It was deeply personal. The blood of that lamb had to be applied to their doorposts. Full service can be watched here: Jesus, Our Passover Lamb
Not just selected. Not just inspected. Sacrificed. Applied. We saw this key truth that:
Deliverance from God’s judgment requires the death of an innocent substitute.
We shared how Jesus, the true Lamb of God, fulfills this picture in every way. From the personal nature of His sacrifice to the perfect timing of His death. He is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. We remembered Him through communion, as we looked at the greater Lamb.
Only through the blood of the Lamb (JESUS) is God’s wrath satisfied and His people spared.
The same God who delivered through the blood of a lamb in Egypt now delivers through the blood of the Lamb at Calvary, and the Passover meal is packed with reminders of that rescue.
Here’s a brief overview of the traditional Passover Seder elements and their meanings:
Karpas (Parsley or Greens): Symbolizes life and hope, dipped in salt water representing tears from slavery. It recalls the hyssop used to apply the lamb’s blood in Egypt.
Maror (Bitter Herbs, often Horseradish): Represents the bitterness of slavery.
Charoset (Sweet Apple-Nut Mixture): Resembles mortar, a reminder of Israel’s forced labor.
Z’roa (Shank Bone): Symbolizes the lamb sacrificed at Passover.
Beitzah (Roasted Egg): Represents the festival offering and mourning the Temple’s destruction.
Chazeret (Second Bitter Herb, often Romaine Lettuce): Reinforces the bitterness of Israel’s enslavement.
Additional Symbolism in the Seder:
The matzah is striped, pierced, and bruised, just as Jesus was (Isaiah 53:5).
Many Christians see the three Matzah used in the Seder as symbolizing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The middle matzah, called the Afikomen (“that which comes later”), is broken, wrapped in linen, and hidden until later in the meal, symbolizing burial and resurrection.
The Passover meal also includes four cups, each tied to promises from Exodus 6:6–7:
The Cup of Sanctification: “I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”
The Cup of Deliverance: “I will rescue you from their bondage.”
The Cup of Redemption: “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.”
The Cup of Praise: “I will take you as My people.”
When Jesus shared the Passover with His disciples, it is believed He lifted the third cup, the Cup of Redemption, declaring, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20). Jesus fulfilled the symbolism. He didn’t simply remember Israel’s past redemption; He provided eternal redemption through His own blood.
Additionally, there’s often a fifth cup in Jewish tradition, the Cup of Elijah, which remains untouched, symbolizing the hope of Elijah’s announcement of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5–6). Jesus affirmed John the Baptist as fulfilling Elijah’s role (Matthew 11:14), and on Palm Sunday, Jerusalem echoed with cries of “Hosanna!” recognizing Jesus as the awaited Messiah. Therefore, the fifth cup is no longer waiting to be drunk. The Messiah has come, and He promises to return again!
Understanding the Timing Differences in the Gospels:
Many readers notice an apparent discrepancy between the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and John’s Gospel regarding the timing of the Last Supper and the crucifixion. Matthew, Mark, and Luke clearly portray Jesus celebrating the Passover meal (Matt. 26:17–19; Mark 14:12–16; Luke 22:7–15), while John seems to suggest that Jesus was crucified as Passover lambs were being prepared, indicating the meal had not yet taken place for the Judean authorities (John 19:14).
Possible explanations for these differences include:
Different methods of reckoning the date based on sighting the New Moon—either the first sliver or not seeing it at all.
Historically, during Ezra’s time (First Temple period), Passover was celebrated correctly on Nisan 14 (Ezra 6:19), but during the Second Temple period, it shifted to Nisan 15 based on Deuteronomy 16:1–6.
Some suggest that what Jesus celebrated was a memorial Passover meal rather than a full Seder.
The explanation I personally find most compelling is the Judean-Galilean calendar theory, harmonizing the Gospel accounts:
Jesus celebrated Passover on Thursday evening according to Galilean reckoning (sunrise-to-sunrise calendar).
He was crucified on Friday afternoon as Judean leaders slaughtered Passover lambs, perfectly fulfilling Passover symbolism.
“Jesus ate the Passover on the proper day according to the Galilean method of reckoning time, and He died at the very hour the Passover lambs were being slaughtered according to the Judean method. Thus, the Synoptics and John are harmonized.” — Harold W. Hoehner
This view magnifies the powerful truth that Jesus is our true Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7).
As we reflect this Holy Week, let’s rejoice in the richness of God’s redemption plan fulfilled in Christ:
The Lamb has been slain.
The tomb is empty.
And yes, He is coming again!