Ok, I know that it's coming to Easter and all, but I had a thought of something relating to the event, which might sound like a pretty silly question.
Why do people in general don't remember about the Passover the night before Good Friday? I mean, it's a major event before the trial (and I must admit, I do forget most years). But why not celebrate it like the rest Easter?
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:57 am
There are so many factors. sigh~
Even in my life: growing up as an unbeliever and adherent of nothing, I grew up thinking that Judaism and Christianity had zero to do with each other. My only exposure to Jews/Judaism was the 9-branched menorah, dreidels, and the chocolate coins that came around Hannukah (taught by my music teacher of all people, in elementary school lol, and she mentioned her husband was a Christian; so I had at least one positive association with the religions, but a pretty ignorant one). The rest of my interaction with Jews came from some witty/intelligent Jewish classmates, who I don't recall ever speaking about their faith—except for one girl in highschool who mentioned in passing that Jews and Christians are the same, essentially only differing on who they think the messiah is. That was a big piece of the puzzle but still incomplete and I didn't seek any further information. And then somewhere along the way I found out, or rather became cognizant of the fact, that Jesus was a Jew. It wouldn't be until years later, after that, that I would pick up a bible and actually read what these holy texts had to say. I say all that to say this: ignorance, a lot of it, is to blame; just simply not knowing that it's a Jesus thing (and a thing his disciples also partook of—even after he ascended).
Another factor is the animosity against all things Jewish: even the early church fathers wanted to break away from Jews, condemning the notion of holding to the law and believing in Jesus at the same time (so, essentially speaking against Paul, a Judean from the tribe of Benjamin [Acts 21:39; Romans 11:1], who was both holding to the law and also a believer in Christ; that tells us how erroneous those church fathers were/are about that).
i.e. Ignatius
Quote:
It is monstrous to talk Jesus Christ and to live like a Jew.
Compare that to the apostle Paul who kept observing biblical feast days, along with Gentiles (i.e. he observed passover and wrote to the Corinthian Church [Gentiles] about participating as well, in a dignified manner because they had begun to abuse it), and demonstrated that he wasn't teaching against Moses by scheduling to make offerings at the temple and circumcising Timothy:
Quote:
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 (NIV)
7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Quote:
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 (NIV)
Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper
17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34 Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.
Quote:
Acts 20:16 (NIV)
16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
Quote:
1 Corinthians 16:8 (NIV)
8 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost,
***Pentecosts (Feast of Weeks) and Passover are feasts/times God assigned in Leviticus 23.
Quote:
Acts 16:1-3 (NIV)
16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
Quote:
Acts 21:19-26 (NIV)
19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”
26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.
Ignatius also says,
Ignatius
CHAP. III.
For the Christian religion did not 14 embrace the Jewish, but the Jewish the Christian; that so every tongue that believed might be gathered together unto God.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/lbob/lbob19.htm
or
For Christianity did not believe in Judaism, but Judaism in Christianity. People of every tongue have come to believe in it, and so been united together in God.
...which contradicts Paul, again, who says Gentiles (the wild olive branches) are being grafted into the natural branches of Israel (in Romans 11). Christianity wasn't even called Christianity until Antioch (Acts 11:26); it used to be known as a sect of Judaism known as "The Way" (Acts 24:14). So, Ignatius is being dishonest. Christianity is Judaism, it's simply not the Pharisaical kind (nor the Sadducee's kind, nor Herodian kind). Not only is he contradicting Paul, but Ignatius contradicts the prophets Isaiah, Micah, Zechariah and Ezekiel (Isaiah 14:1; Micah 4:2; Zechariah 8:23; Ezekiel 47:22) who say, "Gentiles are joining us Israelites". It's not the other way around.
Further insult, Ignatius states sabbaths (which God established) have been done away with and replaced by the Lord's day, contradicting the prophet Isaiah who prophesies a time is coming when foreigners, all mankind, will be keeping those Sabbaths and New Moons:
Quote:
CHAP. III.
3 Wherefore if they who were brought up in these ancient 5 laws came nevertheless to the newness of hope: no longer observing sabbaths, 6 but keeping the Lord's day in which also our life is sprung up by him, and through his death, 7 whom yet some deny:
So I would say the biggest factors which led to this "forgetting" of passover are: (1) ignorance and (2) a hatred for all things Jewish. Other contributing factors include: a reluctance to admit error, as well as laziness. Too lazy to read the scriptures, and if people do, they're afraid to admit the Church is wrong (or that they were wrong), afraid to go against the majority who believe one thing, though scripture may be saying something else.
And I don't think this is so much a fear of getting killed, as it is a fear of interrupting so much of the culture that has developed around it (especially people who are profiting off of these holiday traditions and the status quo of the time). Not wanting to ruffle any feathers (which use to be me early on since I was an adherent of nothing, and school groomed me to be politically correct).
In relation to laziness, even if a person wanted to observe passover, even if they wanted to genuinely keep it, there's a lot of confusion out there which could be difficult to sift through. If one is lazy, one won't survive and just give up and not want anything to do with it. "Let's just do what the pastor says". Take the calendar for example: mainstream Jews use a mathematical formula to calculate it, mainstream Christians have their own liturgical calendar and their own formula and then, there's what God left behind in scriptures (moon, sun, barley harvest). There's controversy about how exactly to go about calculating it based on what's written, but let's take scripture at face value and say it's determined going by the moon (Exodus 12:2, the hebrew for "month" = moon) and based on the barley harvest (Deuteronomy 16:1, Abib, a stage in the ripeness of barley)—something Jews admit to doing once upon a time until the fourth century (http://www.jewfaq.org/calendar.htm) and Karaite Jews (who only go by what's written in Tanakh/The Hebrew Bible/aka Old Testament instead of what Rabbinic tradition says) still do it that way today ( Abib | New Moon). You'll be celebrating two days earlier than the official Jewish Calendar if you do it this way. And there's controversy about whether or not we can observe passover in a ceremonially unclean state or not. So, what to do about passages like Numbers 9:1-14 which say if you were unclean on the day you were suppose to observe passover, you can celebrate it a month later? Well, in order to be cleaned, the cleansing ritual of Numbers 19 has to be carried out, BUT there's no temple/tabernacle/earthly priests. So for all intents and purposes we can't keep passover by the book (not to mention the sacrifices, which, after tabernacle times, sacrifices were only allowed at the temple / at the place God designated for all sacrifices to be made—and there is no temple right now) though some people argue that we can do it anyway. I don't know their reasonings, but I know the Samaritans keep sacrificing on Mount Gerizim every year; whether our Heavenly Father is viewing that as obedient, I doubt it, but it's being done). So, not even amongst people who observe passover is there harmony; and as far as calendars go, the groups are not in sync with each other—much less with Christians who are a whole week (or so) off from the official Jewish calendar.
To observe passover, biblically, would throw all the other holidays out of whack too. While the Jews are observing passover, Christians are commemorating that Jesus is just about to enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Palm Sunday). And by the time Christians are ready to commemorate Jesus crucifixion and resurrection, both those dates have come and gone on the biblical calendar.
That said, Jesus did observe passover, ate the passover sacrifice (the lamb that gets slaughtered and roasted) and as they were eating the sacrifice, it became the next day (days end and begin at sunset) and it became first day of unleavened bread (according to Matthew 26:17). As they were eating the passover sacrifice, He broke the bread and afterwards passed the wine in commemoration of what his sacrifice would do (forgive sins and start the new covenant) and that's what we can keep today in spirit and truth, without violating anything of what's written. Until the earthly priesthood is reestablished alongside the temple (which was up in Jesus' day, that's why he could observe all these things), there's no legit basis for being able to keep passover today (...for now).
Aside from the passages I quoted above from Corinthians (Paul describing how to observe the Lord's Supper and to keep the Passover Festival with sincerity and truth [though, for the latter, take into consideration the temple was still up during his time], the following passages were also helpful to sort all of this information out: Luke 22:1-20; Matthew 26:17-30
So, why don't we observe passover?
In a nutshell:
- ignorance of it, that it's equally Christian. - the dubiousness of whether we can, and how to actually keep passover in a way that our Heavenly Father views as obedient. - discrepancy over what day it legitimately falls on. - hatred for all things Jewish.
That's why people don't keep passover or have forgotten about it.
side note:
I kept the Lord's Supper with my family this year for the first time (sounds all big and fancy when I say it like that, but no); we just bought some unleavened bread aka matzah, some grape juice and copied Jesus: blessed the food, thanked him for the sacrifice, for shedding his blood and giving up his body to be our sacrifice, and went on discussing scripture. I don't think it's suppose to be some big ritualized event, even Jesus was in a casual setting when he did it: inside a home, eating a meal and afterwards he broke the bread and passed the cup.
edited
But as far as passover goes, I'm of the interpretation that we can't do it even if we wanted to. There are very specific commands concerning it; if we "adapt" it (aka change any details, add or take away from the ritual) that means we change the meaning of very specific symbols he may have wanted the passover to represent. I don't want to be guilty of that. I know something changed—and apparently with YHWH's approval—because by 2 Chronicles 30, passover during King Hezekiah's reign has temple and priesthood involved in a way that wasn't the deal back in Moses' day (the first passover didn't even have a tabernacle, let alone a temple, so that's a factor; and the situation in Hezekiah's time required postponing passover because not enough priests were consecrated). I don't know where to end this post, there's just so much information to sift through, lol). What I do know for sure is that passover eventually became a thing that was suppose to be done at the temple and there is none right now.
Just to give some more light on Ignatius' statement about not following after Sabbaths. In the Bible Paul tried to establish not to judge one another in concern of Sabbaths and feasts days. To celebrate them isn't terrible or recognizing it isn't bad but to use it for the sole purpose of salvation lead to error as to say you cannot AT all. Two bi polar extremes lead to many errors.
Passover was a great picture of the saving Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ by applying the blood of the lamb to the door posts with hisop is the cleansing and preservation of those who in dwelt therein. The Jews today remember it Christians practice it. Christians take it a step further we look at the very real image, Christ dying for mankind and in death delivered us from the deaths of all Sin and sins.
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 7:38 pm
It is an interesting thing to think about. I always used to think that Passover was a Jewish only holiday. Until about six or so years ago. The church I currently attend used to have a man there that was very passionate about the Jewish people and he studied to great lengths their holidays and history and such. He celebrated Passover every year with his family, and held it at both my church and the sister church to our church. (Or is the term 'mother church' since the pastors there are the pastors over our pastors? ...I'm not sure. But anyway.)
I learned through that literally just about everything in the Passover feast and tradition points to Jesus. I couldn't tell you what they all are anymore because it's been a few years, but it's all actually very interesting.
I personally don't celebrate Passover (though if our church held it again I'd probably go). It was interesting to go to, though to be honest the food was...interesting. I'm not a fan of grape juice, nor am I fan of lamb meat. Considering you have to drink quite a bit of grape juice (or wine, but our church does grape juice for things instead of wine as alcoholism is pretty heavy in our area), I wound up with a rather upset stomach. XD
I do think it's important to at least be aware of it, though. To remember it and such.
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:43 am
Tsur
[...] To celebrate them isn't terrible or recognizing it isn't bad but to use it for the sole purpose of salvation lead to error as to say you cannot AT all. Two bi polar extremes lead to many errors.
Passover was a great picture of the saving Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ by applying the blood of the lamb to the door posts with hisop is the cleansing and preservation of those who in dwelt therein. The Jews today remember it Christians practice it. Christians take it a step further we look at the very real image, Christ dying for mankind and in death delivered us from the deaths of all Sin and sins.
I'm not against teaching what it prophetically means/meant and still symbolizes. Recognizing the day it falls on and knowing what it represents doesn't violate a single command. But aside from what I mentioned above, the reason I lean more towards the "can't celebrate" position is because in the past, in scripture, that has been the exact same scenario. They couldn't observe it in the foreign lands they found themselves in (during exile for being Idolatrous/adulterous against God) because they couldn't go to the temple. So whatever sacrifices they made out there, in foreign lands, wasn't accepted and actually rendered them unclean if they ate it.
Quote:
Hosea 2:11 (NIV)
11 I will stop all her celebrations: her yearly festivals, her New Moons, her Sabbath days—all her appointed festivals.
Quote:
Hosea 9:1-5 (NIV)
1 Do not rejoice, Israel; do not be jubilant like the other nations. For you have been unfaithful to your God; you love the wages of a prostitute at every threshing floor. 2 Threshing floors and winepresses will not feed the people; the new wine will fail them. 3 They will not remain in the Lord’s land; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria. 4 They will not pour out wine offerings to the Lord, nor will their sacrifices please him. Such sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat them will be unclean. This food will be for themselves; it will not come into the temple of the Lord. 5 What will you do on the day of your appointed festivals, on the feast days of the Lord?
When we have biblical precedents such as that, I would be wary of participating in an unauthorized fashion.
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