Information Related to "The Passover"
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Fundamental Beliefs
The Passover
We believe in observing the New Testament Passover
on the night of the 14th of Abib, the anniversary of the death of our Savior (Leviticus 23:5; Luke 22:13-14).
That Jesus instituted the new Passover symbols of the bread and the wine, and said of the wine "This is My blood of the new covenant" (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24), clearly shows that the Passover ceremony we are to observe is a New Covenant (New Testament) observance. Also, Jesus personally identifies this memorial ceremony (Luke 22:19) as "this Passover" (verse 15) and observed it on the date set aside in Leviticus 23 for annual observance on the 14th of Abib according to the Hebrew calendar.
Jesus Himself set the time of the New Testament Passover service on the night before His death. Paul confirmed that we are to keep it "on the same night in which He was betrayed" (1Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 22:14-20; John 13:1-17) -- at the beginning of the 14th of Abib. Jesus specifically applied the name "Passover" to this special memorial service (Matthew 26:18; Luke 22:8,15). He gave His disciples instruction concerning how, when and where they should prepare for this new way of portraying the death of the Messiah (Luke 22:7-13).
The New Testament Passover is not just about the death of the "Lamb of God." It is also about His suffering (Luke 22:15). We are to remember the entire sacrifice that He made -- both His suffering and His death. His suffering, death and burial all occurred on the 14th of Abib. The symbols of the bread and the wine replaced the sacrificial lambs from the Old Testament (Exodus 12), which were a type of Jesus Christ.
Jesus, as the Lamb of God, is "our Passover" (1Corinthians 5:7). The bread and wine represent His total sacrifice -- His suffering and His death. Jesus' death occurred on the afternoon of the 14th of Abib, but His suffering began the night before His death while He was still with His disciples. "And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death'" (Matthew 26:37-38).
Our practice for remembering Christ's death as our Passover at the beginning of the 14th, the night Jesus was betrayed, and keeping the Festival of Unleavened Bread from the beginning of the 15th to the end of the 21st satisfies the directions given in Scripture. The biblical record is plain in this regard, and we have no difficulty discerning the correct sequence of events -- Passover is followed by Unleavened Bread.
As Christ is our Passover, the bread and wine are reminders of His suffering and death. As Jews, Jesus Christ and the disciples had observed the Passover throughout their lives. But now there are new symbols. Christ showed His disciples the deep meaning of the Passover through the new symbols and through His ultimate suffering and death on the 14th day of the first month.
After telling His disciples to drink the wine, Jesus said, "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Christ's instituting the Passover symbols is consistent with His role as "the Mediator of the new covenant" (Hebrews 12:24).
In His sacrifice, He took on Himself the penalty for all mankind's sins (1Peter 3:18). When we partake of the bread and wine, we recognize that His body and blood were given to cover our sins. Through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we are reconciled to the Father. Reconciliation grants us access to the Father, making it possible for us to come boldly before His throne of grace to find help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). It is because of His sacrifice that we can be healed spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally (Isaiah 53:4-5, James 5:14).
When we eat the bread, we symbolize Christ living in us (John 6:53-54). We also show our unity with Christ and with each member of the body of Christ -- the Church (1Corinthians 10:16), as well as our willingness to live by the word of God.
Jesus commands us to observe the Passover service in remembrance of Him (Luke 22:19-20). Paul makes it clear in 1Corinthians 11:20-26 that the Church is to "come together" to "eat this bread and drink this cup.î The purpose of this ceremony is to "proclaim the Lord's death till He comes" -- representing the only way mankind can be reconciled to God the Father. Paul also tells us that we are only reconciled to God the Father by Jesus' death -- that we are saved by His life (Romans 5:10).
The foot-washing part of the Passover service was established by Jesus. After first giving us a personal example of being a servant by washing His disciples' feet, He then told us: "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (John 13:17).
All three elements -- the footwashing, the bread and the wineñare
a part of the annual ceremony observed by the United Church of God, an International
Association. This ceremony is observed only once a year, shortly after sunset on
the evening at the beginning of the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar,
as established by the Word of God.
© 1999-2008 United Church of God, an International Association
The Festivals of God
We believe in the commanded observance of the seven annual Holy Days that were given
to ancient Israel by God; were kept by Jesus Christ, the apostles and the New Testament
Church; and will be observed by all mankind during Christ's millennial reign. These
Holy Days reveal God's plan of salvation (Colossians 2:16-17; 1Peter 1:19-20; 1 Corinthians 5:8; 15:22-26; 16:8; James 1:18; Exodus 23:14-17; Leviticus 23; Luke 2:41-42; 22:14-15; John 7:2,8,10,14; Acts 2:1; 18:21; 20:16; Zechariah 14:16-21).
When God delivered the nation of Israel from captivity in Egypt, He commanded the
nation to participate in special worship during the harvest seasons of the year (Exodus 23:14-16; Deuteronomy 16:1-17). God defined these celebrations as His festivals,
or "the feasts of the Lord" (Leviticus 23:2-4). The gospel message and God's plan
of salvation are enriched by understanding that the physical harvests of food crops
are types of the spiritual harvests of humans through God's gift of salvation by
Jesus Christ (Matthew 9:37-38; John 4:35; 15:1-8; Colossians 2:16-17).
The seven annual Holy Days are annual Sabbaths. They are holy convocations, or commanded
assemblies, of God's people. These days are holy because they are sanctified (set
apart) by God. He commands His people to assemble for worship and to learn about
Him and His plan. His command goes further than worship only; it includes fellowshipping
and rejoicing together (Leviticus 23:1-4; Deuteronomy 14:23-26; Nehemiah 8:1-12).
The New Testament record shows the continuity of observance of these days by Jesus
Christ and the Church. Jesus observed these festivals, and we as His followers are
told to walk as He walked (John 7:8-14; 1John 2:6). The New Testament Church began
on an annual festival -- the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The apostles and disciples
of the early Church continued to observe these festivals long after Jesus' death
and resurrection (Acts 18:21; 20:16; 27:9; 1Corinthians 5:8). Paul upholds their
observance and presents them as continuing "shadows" or outlines of the great events
in God's plan of salvation that are yet to be fulfilled (Colossians 2:16-17). He
also instructed the congregation in Corinth, "Let us keep the feast" (1Corinthians 5:8).
Through the observance of these feasts, God's people focus on and are reminded throughout
the year of the work of Jesus the Messiah. It is through preaching the gospel of
the Kingdom of God and the divine calling to a new way of life (John 6:44) that we
see the building up of the Church as the family of God. Through Christ as our focal
point, we begin to understand the special meaning behind the annual feasts.
During the course of the seven annual festivals are seven Holy Days, which are annual
Sabbaths. These Holy Days are the first and last days of Unleavened Bread, the Feast
of Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the first day of the Feast
of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day. Although the Passover is a festival, it is
not an annual Sabbath.
The plan of salvation as revealed in the Holy Scriptures is pictured in the meaning
of these seven annual festivals.
- The Passover teaches us that Jesus Christ was sinless and, as the true Lamb
of God, gave His life so that the sins of humanity could be forgiven and the death
penalty removed (1Corinthians 5:7; 1Peter 1:18-20; Romans 3:25). Passover, although
not observed as a Holy Day, is the first festival of the year.
- The Feast of Unleavened Bread teaches us that we have been called to reject
lawlessness and repent of sin. We are to live by every word of God and according
to the teachings of Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 5:8; Matthew 4:4). During this festival,
leaven symbolizes sin and, as such, is removed from our homes for the seven days
of the festival
(1Corinthians 5:7-8; Exodus 12:19). By eating unleavened bread we picture living
a life of sincerity and truth, free from sin.
- The Feast of Pentecost, or firstfruits, teaches us that Jesus Christ
came to build His Church. This festival pictures the coming of the Holy Spirit and
the establishment of the Church. The firstfruits are those who will be given salvation
at the return of Christ. They have been empowered with the Holy Spirit, which creates
in each one a new heart and nature to live by the commandments of God (Exodus 23:16;
Acts 2:1-4,37-39; 5:32; James 1:18).
- The Feast of Trumpets teaches us that Jesus Christ will visibly return
to the earth at the end of this age. At that time He will resurrect the saints who
are no longer living and instantly change those saints who are still alive to immortal
spirit beings (Matthew 24:31; 1Corinthians 15:52-53; 1Thessalonians 4:13-17). This
festival commemorates the blowing of the trumpets that will precede His return. Seven
angels with seven trumpets are described in Revelation 8-10. Christ will return with
the blowing of the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15).
- The Day of Atonement teaches us that Jesus Christ gave His life
to atone for the sins of all mankind. It also points to the time when Satan will
be bound for 1,000 years (Leviticus 16:29-30,20-22; Revelation 20:1-3). This Holy
Day pictures our High Priest, Jesus Christ, making atonement for our sins, which
allows us to be reconciled to God and enter into the "holiest of all" (Hebrews 9:8-14;
10:19-20). By fasting on this day, we draw closer to God and picture the reconciliation
of mankind to God. Christ is essential in this process as our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-15; 5:4-5,10) and as our eternal sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9:26-28).
- The Feast of Tabernacles teaches us that when Jesus Christ returns, a new
society will be established with Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Christ,
assisted by the resurrected saints, will set up His government on the earth for 1,000
years (Revelation 19:11-16; 20:4; Leviticus 23:39-43; Matthew 17:1-4; Hebrews 11:8-9).
Rule under His laws will spread from Jerusalem throughout the world to usher in an
unprecedented period of peace and prosperity (Isaiah 2:2-4; Daniel 2:35,44; 7:13-14).
- The Last Great Day, or eighth day, teaches us that Jesus Christ will complete
His harvest of humans by raising from the dead and extending salvation to all human
beings who have died in the past and have never been given a full opportunity for
salvation (Ezekiel 37:1-14; Romans 11:25-27; Luke 11:31-32; Revelation 20:11-13).
The annual cycle of the celebration of the festivals and Holy Days reminds Christ's disciples that He is working out His plan of extending salvation from sin and death and offering the gift of eternal life in the family of God to all humanity -- past, present and future.
© 1999 United Church of God, an International Association
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