Topical Bible: The Feast of the Passover: Called The: Feast of Unleavened Bread

Bible > Topical > The Feast of the Passover

◄ The Feast of the Passover: Called The: Feast of Unleavened Bread ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Introduction:
The Feast of the Passover, also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is one of the most significant and ancient festivals in the Jewish calendar. It commemorates the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt, as described in the Book of Exodus. This feast is both a historical remembrance and a spiritual symbol of redemption and liberation.

Biblical Origin:
The origins of the Passover are found in the Book of Exodus. God commanded Moses to institute the Passover as a perpetual ordinance for the Israelites. The event is detailed in Exodus 12, where God instructs the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and mark their doorposts with its blood so that the angel of death would "pass over" their homes during the final plague on Egypt. Exodus 12:14 states, "This day is to be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD. You are to celebrate it as a permanent statute for the generations to come."

The Feast of Unleavened Bread:
The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, immediately following the Passover meal. It lasts for seven days, during which the Israelites are commanded to eat unleavened bread. This is a reminder of the haste with which they left Egypt, not having time to let their bread rise. Exodus 12:17 instructs, "So you are to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your divisions out of the land of Egypt. Therefore, you are to observe this day as a permanent statute for the generations to come."

Rituals and Observances:
The Passover meal, or Seder, is central to the observance. It includes the retelling of the Exodus account, the eating of symbolic foods, and the singing of hymns. The unleavened bread, or matzah, is a key element, symbolizing both the affliction of slavery and the haste of liberation. Bitter herbs are also consumed, representing the bitterness of bondage.

Significance in the New Testament:
The Passover holds profound significance in the New Testament, particularly in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The Last Supper, which Jesus shared with His disciples, was a Passover meal. During this meal, Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, or Communion, as recorded in the Gospels. In 1 Corinthians 5:7 , Paul refers to Christ as "our Passover lamb," highlighting the fulfillment of the Passover's redemptive symbolism in Jesus' sacrificial death.

Cultural and Theological Importance:
For Christians, the Passover is a foreshadowing of Christ's atoning sacrifice. It underscores themes of deliverance, redemption, and covenant. The unleavened bread is seen as a symbol of purity and sincerity, as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:8 , "Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

Conclusion:
The Feast of the Passover, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread, remains a vital observance in Jewish tradition and a profound symbol in Christian theology. It serves as a reminder of God's deliverance and faithfulness, pointing to the ultimate redemption through Jesus Christ.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Mark 14:1
After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Luke 22:1
Now the feast of unleavened bread drew near, which is called the Passover.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Passover: an Expiation and a Feast, a Memorial and a Prophecy
... We have called the Passover a sacrifice ... was sprinkled with hyssop"a peculiarly
sacrificial usage; the treatment of the remainder after the feast; the very ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the passover an expiation and.htm

Of the Question Whether There is any Contradiction Between Matthew ...
... of unleavened bread." And Luke likewise gives this as his own affirmation: "Now
the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the passover;" that is ...
/.../the harmony of the gospels/chapter lxxviii of the question whether.htm

Preparation for Passover. Disciples Contend for Precedence.
... He also sometimes reckons the feast as lasting seven days ... the day could be very
fittingly called "the first ... bread, when they sacrificed the passover, his { ^a ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cxvii preparation for passover disciples.htm

Jesus Predicts, the Rulers Plot For, and Judas Bargains for his ...
... A Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16; ^B Mark 14:1, 2, 10, 11; ^C Luke 22:1-6. ^c 1 Now the feast
of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cxvi jesus predicts the rulers.htm

And when Jesus Finished all These Sayings, He Said unto his ...
... [6] [3024] And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, who was of the ...
[11] [3033] And before the feast of the passover, Jesus knew that the hour ...
/.../hogg/the diatessaron of tatian/section xliv and when jesus.htm

The Rod that Troubled Egypt.
... be ready for the journey they were to make, and it should be to them forever the
feast called the Passover. They were to eat it with unleavened bread, and the ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xi the rod that.htm

The Treachery of Judas. Ch. 22:1-6
... 1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.2 And
the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death; for ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/a the treachery of judas.htm

Archelaus Makes a Funeral Feast for the People, on the Account of ...
... And indeed, at the feast of unleavened bread, which was now at hand, and is by the
Jews called the Passover, and used to be celebrated with a great number of ...
/.../chapter 1 archelaus makes a.htm

The Passover visit
... On completing this year a Hebrew boy was called a son of the law, and also a son
of God. ... The Passover was followed by the seven days' feast of unleavened ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 8 the passover visit.htm

The Last Supper
... could not have been the day after the Passover; that is ... the feast day, which would
be unlawful; that the feast day would not be called simply Preparation ...
/.../rhees/the life of jesus of nazareth/vii the last supper.htm