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I
am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
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Psalm
52:8
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The Christian Passover:
The Real Lord's Supper
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As true Christians, we understand that we should not seek to change God's directives, except as they have been explicitly changed in Scripture. For example: we keep God’s Sabbath, not the first day of the week; we keep God’s annual Holy Days, rather than adapted pagan holidays; at the same time, we do not require the circumcision of non-Israelites. From the Bible, we also understand that the Passover was originally commanded by God to be observed as a family meal, which included as fare, a young lamb (or goat), unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. (Exodus 12:3-9) Have these Scriptural instructions changed? If so, what changes has God now put into effect? Is the proper Christian observance somewhat similar to the Catholic “eucharist” or perhaps to the Protestant “communion”? Or, is the true Christian Passover – unlike these popular rituals – a genuine “Lord’s supper”?
By the time of Jesus Christ, the traditional Jewish Passover meal contained the commanded lamb (or goat), the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs – as well as several other elements. When we read the Gospel accounts of Christ's last Passover, and Paul’s comments in 1 Corinthians, we find evidence that a number of the elements in the traditional Jewish Passover meal were a part of the last Passover of Christ, which He shared with His disciples. Such traditional elements include: the multiple "cups" of wine (including, in particular, the cup of blessing), the dip, interactive discussion, the themes of the instruction, and the conclusion of the Passover observance with a hymn. (Regarding multiple “cups” of wine, see Luke 22:17-20; regarding the dip, see below; regarding interactive discussion, see Matthew 26:20-25 and John 13:21-14:31; regarding the hymn, see Mark 14:26.) [Note: Here, we should digress to quite clearly emphasize a very important point: The Scriptural account does not imply that during their observance of the Passover, Christ’s disciples would have consumed what we now would typically call “4 cups” of wine – that is, 16 or more ounces. To the contrary, the “cups” of wine at the Passover, were actually sips from a communal cup:
This aspect of the Passover observance can be properly imitated by the serving of minute portions of wine, poured for each participant, from a bottle or a carafe.] Certainly, Christ added the new command of washing feet. (See John 13:5, 14-17.) Jesus also uniquely consecrated a serving of the bread, and expanded and consecrated the cup of blessing, using phrases like "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (John 13:14-15) and “do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Yet Christ and the disciples clearly had a Passover meal. (See Luke 22:8-30.) The phrase “after they had eaten" (Luke 22:20) is used of His final Passover. The Greek word for "eaten" in Luke’s account is deipneo, which Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words says refers to "taking the chief meal of the day." John similarly records of Christ's last Passover:
The Greek word here in John 13, is related: deipnon, which according to Vine's "denotes the chief meal of the day, dinner or supper, taken at or towards evening." In the New American Standard Bible, this Greek word is elsewhere translated as "dinner," "banquet(s)," and "supper." Concurrently, Matthew 26:19 records that "the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover"; therefore, by Scriptural requirement, there would have been a lamb (or goat). It is clear also that there was a bowl of some sort of dip into which “sops” or "morsels" were dipped:
Paul writes of Christ, at His last Passover, “¼He took the cup also after supper¼” (1 Corinthians 11:25). Here again, the Greek word is deipnon – the chief meal of the day. As we have learned from the above passages, Paul’s use of deipnon only affirms what the Gospel accounts already attest. Yet within the modern Church, most have observed only these parts of the service which Christ added or expanded – the washing of feet, the consecrated bread, and the cup of blessing. Sadly, many have omitted the other elements of Christ’s observance, and disregarded the original Passover commands, which Christ obviously followed.
In the Apostolic Church, years after Christ’s death, we find the Corinthians clearly continuing to have a Passover meal. The word “supper” is used in 1 Corinthians 11:20 in the context of their Passover observance: "... for in your eating each one takes his own supper first..." – here again is deipnon -- the largest meal of the day. Moreover, Paul's description of the Passover meal in Corinth indicates both the presence of food and drink sufficient for a meal, and that the Corinthians expect that there will be a meal. To their shame, there is so much wine consumed that some even become drunk. Contrary to what many have taught in the past, when Paul writes “Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper¼” (1 Corinthians 11:20), Paul does not criticize the Corinthians for observing the Passover as a “supper.” Let’s notice in very careful detail, the language which Paul uses:
Why does Paul make this assertion? What is the problem? – "FOR" [Contextually, the word "for" here is clearly used to indicate because; thus, Paul will now proceed to tell us why the Corinthians’ observance is not the Lord's supper. He will now tell us what the problem is!]
NOTE: If Paul had meant that a “supper” for Passover were wrong, surely he would have said something such as, “for in your eating each one takes supper.” Instead, Paul strongly rebukes that “each one takes his own supper first.” He is condemning their disregard of one another. Clearly, by what he does say, Paul is not criticizing having the Passover as a “supper.” Rather, he is dismayed by how the Corinthians are conducting themselves – especially by how they are treating each other:
There are divisions:
There is selfishness:
Paul has to admonish them to wait for one another, because some are being left out and neglected, hungry. Others are drunk. “Or do you despise the church of God, and shame those who have nothing?” (verse 22) Because the Corinthians are despising and neglecting each other, there is no way that their activity is “the Lord’s.” The Lord has no part in it, due to the ungodliness of their behavior toward one another! Paul goes on to instruct the Corinthians what to do if they are so hungry that they cannot wait for their fellows. Surely the apostle Paul knew that the brethren had houses in which they could eat. Hence, he is actually being somewhat sarcastic when he asks: "What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink?" (verse 22) Later in the passage, it seems that Paul may also be using a little sarcasm as he suggests: "If anyone is hungry [perhaps, meaning so “starved” that it is “impossible” to be courteous to others], let him eat at home, so that you may not come together for judgment." (1 Corinthians 11:34) NOTE: Again it is crucial to notice that at even the end of this passage, Paul does not tell the Corinthians to forego having a meal at Passover. If that had been Paul’s intent, he could have easily phrased verse 34, using deipnon or deipneo, to the effect that “all of you should take supper at home . . . “ To the contrary, Paul never suggests that all the brethren eat at home – only those who are “hungry” are told to eat at home. Nor does Paul use any form of deipnon, to suggest that any of them must take their “supper” (deipnon) at home. What does Paul conclude? “When you come together to eat” – which in context, indicates that Paul fully expects that the Corinthians will continue to observe the Passover as a meal! We should also note that Paul reiterates the necessity to correct what he has identified as the primary symptom of the existing problem: "So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another" (1 Corinthians 11:33).
Jesus Christ our Lord “earnestly desired to eat this Passover” with the disciples (Luke 22; 15-16). It was He who introduced the newly consecrated emblems and the foot-washing in the midst of that traditional Passover observance. Christ never instructed His disciples to forego the traditional observance. Christ did add some new aspects, and He added some new understanding and new significance to a portion of the bread and to the “cup of blessing,” which is the third of four "cups" of wine at the traditional Jewish Passover meal. Moreover, Christ promises that He will again eat a Passover meal in the Kingdom:
A Passover meal was the original Biblical command. Christ and the disciples had a Passover meal. The Corinthians had a Passover meal. No departure from having a Passover meal is commanded anywhere in Scripture. There will be a Passover meal in the Kingdom of God. Why would we, as Christians, not have a Passover meal today? Why would we not want to do what God's faithful servants have done for thousands of years? The Passover, as observed by Jesus Christ, was a time for fellowship. For teaching. For learning. For breaking bread together. For thoughtful reflection upon the significance of the lamb, the bread, the wine, and the bitter herbs. Today, the Passover is also an occasion especially suited for bonding our Christian family.
We are proposing that the Passover is an occasion especially suited for bonding our Christian family. What exactly does this mean for us today?
God specifically commanded this observance to include our children, yet most have ignored His command. If even the smallest children in Egypt had not observed the Passover, if they had not been in a home with blood on the door posts, then the firstborn among them would have died – a precedent for the fact that any Israelite who would not observe the Passover was to be “cut off.” Part of the work of the Church is to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children. Why would we cut our children off from God's Church, refusing to allow them to observe the commanded Passover with us? Why would we cut them off from one of the most important and meaningful services of the year?
Christ and His disciples did not observe His last Passover with children. Yet neither did they observe it with women. Children have been refused allowance to participate in the Passover. Should we then also refuse to permit women to participate? No; it seems obvious from the Scriptural record that Christ’s circumstances with His disciples at His last Passover were very special and unique in that regard. Further, based upon what we have read in 1 Corinthians 11, there is no reason to believe that only men, or only adults, were participating in the Passover meals at Corinth. In the past, many have taught that only baptized, converted Church members may participate in the Passover; thus automatically excluding even older teenagers and new brethren, who may be just beginning to attend Church services. Yet we know that Christ went up to the Passover in Jerusalem at least once when He was a child, and more probably, almost every year. In Exodus 23: 17, Scripture commands: "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD." In Judaism, a son was considered to come under that stricture when he “came of age,” at about age 12 or 13:
Based upon Scripture, our children who are old enough to observe and to ask questions about the observance, certainly need to be at the Passover meal to see it and to participate in it in some fashion. How old is that? Scripturally, there is encouragement to have all of our children with us at the Passover meal.
The disciples were followers of Christ. According to Vines, the Greek word translated "disciple(s)" in the New Testament "...denotes one who follows one's teaching.... A disciple was not only a pupil, but an adherent; hence they are spoken of as imitators of their teacher..." Interestingly, although they were followers of Christ, none of His disciples were actually converted when they partook of the new covenant Passover emblems with Jesus Christ! With our children present with us at the Passover meal, is it proper for them to partake of the emblems of Christ’s sacrifice – the consecrated bread and the cup of blessing? Let’s consider this question Biblically: Most of the adults and children of ancient Israel were never converted (most never had God’s Holy Spirit), yet the ancient Israelites ate, not just the Passover, but also their portions of other stipulated sacrificial offerings:
God commanded unconverted adult Israelites and their sons and daughters to partake of the sacrificial offerings! Just as the consecrated bread and the cup of blessing serve for us as emblems of Christ’s sacrifice; likewise, those ancient sacrifices which the Israelites and their children consumed were representations of – symbols or emblems of – Jesus Christ’s sacrifice! Those sacrifices foreshadowed the Perfect Sacrifice to come. (See 1 Corinthians 5:7 and Hebrews 9:11-28.) We should also note that the Israelites partook of the first recorded Passover before they were “baptized” in the Red Sea:
Further, as we have already noted, Christ’s disciples did not yet have the Holy Spirit when they observed that last Passover with Christ. It was after Christ’s death and resurrection that He exhorted the twelve to "Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). Yet the disciples partook of the consecrated bread and the cup of blessing – symbolizing Christ’s body and blood – prior to their conversion. It is likewise for our believing children. The children of Church members are called “holy”:
Vitally important to note, is that the Greek word translated here as “holy” is hagios. God calls our children hagios. What is the significance of this? Hagios is the only Greek term which is translated as “saint” in the New Testament. God is telling us that our children are holy; they are consecrated; they are set apart; even before our children are converted, there is a sense in which they are saints! Participation has been refused to many who are not baptized, including the young, based significantly upon 1 Corinthians 11:
However, given the Biblical commands pertaining to the Passover, perhaps what Paul is actually suggesting here, is that those to whom God has given the capacity for self-examination, are accountable to exercise that capacity. Perhaps Paul intends the introspection of the responsible members of the household, to suffice for the entire family. On the other hand, it may be that Paul intends that a person who takes the consecrated emblems, must be capable of examining himself/herself. Obviously an infant or a very young child is not capable of doing this in any spiritual sense. But Paul also said that our children are not “unclean,” but rather “holy.” At what point should our children accept this responsibility for self examination? What is clear, is that once one is responsible, Scripture teaches that to not take the Passover is no longer an appropriate option. Paul said we “must” examine ourselves, and in so doing we are to “eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” Paul’s statement is an imperative, a command. Examine yourself. Conform to God’s commands. Eat the bread. Drink the cup. (No person, of any age, who is living in defiance of God’s commands, should be permitted to be present at the Passover.) Thus, it seems evident that any child who is old enough to “examine himself” – to consider his ways in the light of what God commands – is old enough to examine himself, to eat the bread, and to drink the cup.
The age of responsibility may be different for different children. Parents may wish to carefully consider each child’s understanding and readiness. Generally, children below the age of about 12 years old may not be fully capable of self-examination. Therefore, parents may determine that their younger children should not eat the consecrated bread, nor drink the cup of blessing. However, unless health problems interfere, all family members who are present at the Passover meal should eat the regular Passover bread and the other Passover foods, and everyone may also drink of the other “cups” of wine.
In keeping with the solemnity of the occasion, conversation during the Passover meal should generally be related to (1) the expression of loving affection and concern for those who are present and to (2) the discussion and appreciation of the Scriptures and the events which the evening represents. The Passover is definitely a time for the expression of warmth and love; it is a time for gratitude, not for gloom. On the other hand, since this occasion purposes to memorialize our Lord and commemorate His death (1 Corinthians 11:25-26), it should not be given over to jokes, silliness, or conversation about everyday matters. Children should be particularly encouraged to join in the conversation and discussions:
Appropriate care should also be exercised in regard to the quantity of food and wine consumed. We should not depart from the Passover meal hungry, nor should we become giddy or overfilled.
What a wonderful gift God has given to us and our families, in the observance of the Christian Passover. Not only do we retain and expand upon the richness of meaning and the bond of fellowship enjoyed by God’s people in ages past; as Christians, our Loving Father has also granted us the treasured emblems of our Savior’s body and blood – the priceless symbols of eternal life. "Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great."
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