Passover Symbols
Passover Symbols
| IN O.T. ACCOUNTS | AT LAST SUPPER AND/OR IN EARLY CHURCH | IN RABBINIC TRADITION | IN CONTEMPORARY JUDAISM | AS APPLIED IN THE CHURCH TODAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BONDAGE AND EXODUS | God's dealings with Israel — yearly celebration and remembrance (Ex. 12:24-27) | Freedom in Christ from Bondage of sin (Romans 6:18) | "In every generation let each man look on himself as though he himself came forth out of Egypt" (individuals to personalize the meaning of Passover) | In the Soviet era, the plight of Russian Jewry was seen as a counterpart to ancient bondage in Egypt. Reform Judaism especially has always related Passover to general hopes for freedom for all peoples. | God as Redeemer of lost humanity |
| THE LAMB | One of the 3 items to be eaten at the Passover meal (Ex. 12:8) | Christ is the Passover lamb (I Cor. 5:7) | No tradition because not eaten at Passover since destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. | Among Ashkenazic Jews (those of Eastern European origin) chicken often substituted; Sephardic Jews (those of Mediterranean, Spanish, and Middle Eastern origin) may continue to eat lamb | Christ portrayed as "Lamb of God" |
| THE MAROR (Bitter Herbs) | One of the 3 items commanded in Exodus 12:8 | May have been the "sop" which Jesus handed to Judas | Represents the bitterness of Egyptian slavery | Eaten at the contemporary seder; given the same significance as in rabbinic tradition | – |
| THE UNLEAVENED BREAD | One of the 3 items commanded in Exodus 12:8 (called matzo) | The body of Christ given in sacrifice (Luke 22:19);* Absence of sin (leaven) (I Cor. 5:8) | Represents the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt (they could not wait for their bread to rise) | Eaten at the contemporary seder and 7 days following in place of leavened bread; also year-round non-ceremonial use; given the same significance as in rabbinic tradition | Many churches use matzo as Communion element |
| THE CHAROSETH (A sweet mixture of chopped apples, nuts, wine and cinnamon) | – | Another possibility for Judas' "sop" | Represents the mortar used by the Israelite slaves to make bricks for Pharaoh | Eaten at the contemporary seder; given the same significance as in rabbinic tradition | – |
| THE CEREMONIAL CUPS | – | The cup before the Last Supper (Luke 22:17-18); The cup after dinner (Luke 22:20); The cup of blessing represents the blood of Christ (I Cor. 10:16) | Represents the four phrases in Exodus 6:6-7: "I will bring you out"; "I will deliver you"; "I will redeem you"; "I will take you to me for a people" | Four cups taken at the contemporary seder; given the same significance as in rabbinic tradition | One of the elements of Communion |
| THE KARPAS (Greens) | – | Probably eaten at the Last Supper, but not specifically mentioned (greens were a likely part of festive meals during that time period) | Dipped in salt water, they represent the lives of the Israelite slaves immersed in tears | Eaten at the contemporary seder; given the same significance as in rabbinic tradition | – |
* Some Jewish scholars believe the afikomen ceremony may reflect an early messianic symbolism. Many Jewish believers today see this ceremony of breaking, burying, and retrieving a piece of matzo as a picture of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.
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