The Passover is a Jewish celebration marked to recall their
exodus from slavery into freedom. This celebration is marked by the eating of
unleavened bread, unblemished lamb, bitter leaves and the meal itself eaten in
haste. The Eucharist is the real presence of Christ in the two species of bread
and wine. The Eucharist was presided over by Jesus Christ, who himself became
the spotless victim, the sacrificial lamb.
The Passover and the Eucharist are theologically
interrelated because of the following reasons:
- UNLEAVENED BREAD
In the festival of the unleavened bread (Exodus 13:1-10 & 12:14-20)
by the Israelites, the kind of bread used was unleavened. That is to say that there was no yeast in the bread;
which implied that there was no time for the preparation of bread. Likewise in
the Last Supper’s institution (Matthew 26:20-30 & Luke 22:7-23), Jesus used
bread which was unleavened.
- THE PRESIDER WAS THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY
Family heads preside over the Passover and Jesus Christ was the president
of the Last Supper. In Exodus 12:46, it was stipulated that every household of Israel
shall celebrate this event. In the Jewish custom, it is the duty of the family
head to preside over the family gatherings. Likewise, Jesus is the head of the
body of Christ, the Church and hence presided over the celebration.
- UNBLEMISHED LAMB
Every household was entitled to one unblemished lamb for the celebration
of Passover. If a household cannot, they are to join another household for the
celebration. In the last supper, the lamb was Jesus Christ, who himself became
for us real food.
- COMMUNAL MEAL
The Passover was celebrated by the whole congregation of the Israelites
in exception of the slaves and foreigners (Exodus 12: 43-45). The communal meal
in the context of the Last Supper was celebrated by Jesus and his apostles.
- MEMORIAL MEAL
The festival of unleavened bread was to be marked by the Israelites to
remember their exodus from Egypt. Jesus told his apostles to “do this in
remembrance of me”.
- DECREED BY GOD
…As an annual meal of the Passover and a daily meal of the Last Supper. The
Israelites were decreed by God to commemorate this event. Jesus commissioned
his apostles to always carry out this event.
- THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB
The blood of the lamb was to prevent the angel of death from striking
down the non-Israelites (Exodus 12:13). The blood of Christ was to set us free
from sin. That was why he died on the Cross for the remission of sins-
salvation history.
From these similarities highlighted from the sacred scriptures, we can
concretely deduce that the Passover and the Eucharist are theologically
interrelated.
