- the passover:
- This word comes from the Hebrew verb pasach, to pass, to leap or skip over. The destroying angel passed over the houses marked with the blood of the Paschal Lamb, so the wrath of God passes over those whose souls sprinkled with the blood of Christ. "Purge outª° thereforeª the¹ oldª leaven,ª thatª ye may beª° a newª lump,ª asª ye areª° unleavened.ª Forª evenª Christª ourª passoverª is sacrificedª° forª us:ª" {1Co 5:7}. As the paschal lamb was killed before Israel was delivered, so by the death of Christ, we have redemption through his blood. It was killed before the tables of the law were delivered to Moses, or Aaron's sacrifices were enjoined; thus deliverance comes to men, not by the works of the law, but by the only true passover, the Lamb of God. "Whomª Godª hath set forthª° [to be] a propitiationª throughª faithª inª his²¹ blood,ª to² declareª¹ his²¹ righteousnessª forª the¹ remissionª of sinsª that are past,ª° throughª the¹ forbearanceª of God;ª" {Rom 3:25} + "How much²¹ moreª shall²° the¹ bloodª of Christ,ª whoª throughª the eternalª Spiritª offeredª° himselfª without spotª to God,ª purgeª° yourª conscienceª fromª deadª worksª to² serveª° the livingª° God?ª" {Hbr 9:14}. It was killed the first month of the year, which prefigured that Christ should suffer death in that month. "Thenª led¹ theyª° Jesusª fromª Caiaphasª untoª the¹ hall of judgment:ª andª it wasª° early;ª andª they¹ themselves² wentª° notª intoª the¹ judgment hall,ª lestª they should be defiled;ª° butª thatª they might eatª° the¹ passover.ª" {Jhn 18:28}. it was killed in the evening. "And ye shall keepª¹ it up until¹ the fourteenthªª dayª of the same¹ month:ª and the wholeª assemblyª of the congregationª of Israelª shall killª° it inª the evening.ª" {Exd 12:6}. Christ suffered at that time of the day. "Andª aboutª the¹ ninthª hourª Jesusª criedª° with a loudª voice,ª saying,ª° Eli,ª Eli,ª lamaª sabachthani?ª that²° is to say,¹ Myª God,ª myª God,ª whyª hast thou forsakenª° me?ª" {Mtt 27:46} + "Hath²° inª theseª lastª daysª spokenª° unto usª byª [his] Son,ª whomª he hath appointedª° heirª of all things,ª byª whomª alsoª he madeª° the¹ worlds;ª" {Hbr 1:2}. At even the sun sets; at Christ's passion, universal darkness was upon the whole earth. The passover was roasted with fire, denoting the sharp and dreadful pains that Christ should suffer, not only from men, but God also. It was to be eaten with bitter herbs, "And they shall eatª°¹ the fleshª in that¹ night,ª roastª with fire,ª and unleavened bread;ª [and] with¹ bitterª [herbs] they shall eatª° it." {Exd 12:8}; not only to put them in remembrance of their bitter bondage in Egypt, but also to testify our mortification to sin, and readiness to undergo afflictions for Christ, "Whoª nowª rejoiceª° inª myª sufferingsª forª you,ª andª fill upª° that which is behindª of the¹ afflictionsª of Christª inª myª fleshª for²° his² body's² sake,ª¹¹ which isª° the¹ church:ª" {Col 1:24}; and likewise to teach us the absolute necessity of true repentance in all that would profitably feed by faith on Christ, the true paschal lamb.
|
