Revelations from the Word

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The Lord's Passover

by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf

"When the hour had come, He sat at table, and the apostles with Him… Then He took some bread: and, after He had given thanks, He broke it, and gave it to them, saying: This is My body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance [anamnésis] of Me. In the same way he took the cup, after supper, and gave it to them, saying: This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you" (Luke 22:14-20).

The Lord's Passover, Pesach in Hebrew, is a solemn gathering so that the people of God may remember that they have been set free from the slavery of Egypt, redeemed from their servitude, saved by God and for God, in order to enter His inheritance (Exodus 6:6-8). It had to be celebrated inside each house, with a male lamb without blemish, accompanied by unleavened bread and bitter herbs; no uncircumcised person was able to participate in it (Exodus 12). In accordance with the Torah, Jesus very much wished to eat the Lord's Passover with His twelve disciples (Luke 22:15); that is why He sent Peter and John on the first day of Unleavened Bread (Luke 22:7) to prepare the Passover meal [Seder Pesach in Hebrew].

Jesus announced that it was His last Passover meal before His death (Luke 22:15) and that He would no longer eat of it until it was accomplished in the Kingdom (Luke 22:16); and so He was announcing a new Passover, for which He would be the Lamb. When this new Passover was complete (accomplished), He would celebrate again a meal with His disciples. The Lord's Passover was a judgement on the Egyptian gods; and so God set the Hebrews free so that they might become His people, that is to say a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6). The new Passover of Jesus was a judgement on the world and threw out the prince of this world (John 12:31). It established God's renewed Covenant for all men in Jesus Christ.

To avoid this being forgotten [anamnésis], it is celebrated by the sharing some bread, symbolising the body of Jesus, and some wine, symbolising the blood of Jesus, by all those who have accepted the Redemption acquired by Jesus, that is to say those who have their hearts circumcised and who belong to the House of God. The Passover will be celebrated in this way until all the chosen ones enter the Kingdom, until the return of Christ. It reminds us that Jesus has set us free from the grip of Satan, that He has delivered us from servitude to him, that He has bought us back so that we may belong to Him (Jesus), so that we may have eternal life and become a Kingdom of priests, a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6).