Passover for Christians by Susie Hawkins

“Wait. Why should I care about Passover? I’m a Christian. Isn’t that a Jewish thing?”

I frequently hear this response when I speak about “Passover for Christians.” Yes, Passover is a “Jewish thing,” but it is also a “Christian thing!” The two are closely related. Jesus celebrated Passover all of His life, including the night before His crucifixion. At that meal (Matthew 26:17-30), Jesus instituted the “Lord’s Supper” (Communion), which is one of the two ordinances Christians observe. Understanding the Passover story enhances our understanding of the Lord’s Supper.

Exodus 12 recounts the dramatic deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. To convince Pharaoh to let His people go, God sent ten plagues on Egypt, the last being the death angel who would “pass over” every home, where every firstborn child would die. The Israelites would avoid this judgment if they obeyed Him. God instructed them to slaughter a lamb, smear its blood over the doorposts of their homes, and prepare to leave Egypt quickly. Their obedience spared the lives of their children, and they left slavery behind, journeying on to the Promised Land.

From that point on, God instructed them to observe Passover every year as a reminder of His deliverance, and so they have. Passover (aka The Feast of Unleavened Bread) became a major Jewish holiday in the spring of every year, usually coinciding with Easter.

For believers, this story has a Christological meaning, pointing to the coming Messiah. Passover’s foods have symbolic meaning for our Jewish friends – the matzah is the unleavened bread that had to be baked quickly before leaving Egypt. The lamb shank bone represents the lambs’ slaughter, and the wine represents the blood spread over the doorposts of each home. As believers, we see these metaphors as hallmarks of our faith. The lamb is Christ, our sacrifice; his shed blood is the wine, the unleavened bread represents His body. Each food of the Passover has a symbolic meaning, especially as we look at the meal through Christianity’s lens.

Here is where we “connect the dots.” Passover is not an isolated story. It is an account of God’s redemption, the meta-narrative, or big story, of the Bible. In the Passover, we have the past (the Old Testament) and Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper (the New Testament). But wait – there’s more! We also have the future, as pictured in Rev 19:6-9, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. At that feast, God will gather all of His redeemed in celebration of His final appearing. In this story, we celebrate the past and look to His future promise.

“But what does this mean to me?” you ask. Consider this: Christians celebrate two significant events on the church calendar – Christmas and Easter. Christmas observances are well-established traditions in our homes and churches. But not so with Holy Week and Easter. How do we celebrate that season, besides attending a Good Friday Service or an Easter egg hunt or partaking of the obligatory ham dinner? Participating in a Passover meal (seder), from a Christian perspective, provides the perfect opportunity for believers to tell the story of Jesus freshly and creatively.

By celebrating Passover during Holy Week, we prepare ourselves spiritually for Resurrection Sunday. We “step into HIS story” of redemption, eating the same foods Jesus ate at His final Passover, reading the scriptures He read, and understanding the rich symbolism. It is time we, as followers of Christ, recapture the wonder and rich tradition of the Holy Week and Easter season.

In 1978 we moved from a small Oklahoma town to a new pastorate in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with a substantial Jewish population. It was quite a cultural adjustment! We soon met a group of “Messianic Jews,” who were believers in Christ but remained in their Jewish culture regarding their feasts, traditions, etc. These new friends introduced us to the Passover from a Christian perspective; its beauty and mystery captured us.

Many years later, after moving to Dallas, Texas, I met up with my friend Melanie Leach, who was already holding Passover meals in her home during Holy Week. Through our collaboration, we launched “Passover for Christians,” co-authoring Passover for Christians: Creating a New Easter Tradition and teaching workshops, seminars, and seder presentations to anyone interested. We have done Passovers for children’s ministries, women’s bible studies, Christian schools, and other venues. But our very favorite Passover celebrations are the ones we hold in our own homes, around our own tables.

The Passover meal is both a ceremonial meal and a typical meal. All participants take turns reading or telling Bible stories and reading various scriptures, psalms, prayers – all from a “Seder Guide.” Not meant to be a stiff, formal meal, the seder is one where children take part and conversation is encouraged.

For adults, it is a perfect time to share spiritual stories and experiences that have shaped us. We have celebrated a seder every year in our home since our grandkids were little. Yes, they wiggle, pronounce the food “gross,” interrupt, and do everything kids do! But that’s part of the charm – it’s a family celebration.

Ceremonial foods are served for each person to taste – the matzah crackers, horseradish, haroset (apples and cinnamon), a green vegetable, and saltwater. The meaning of each food is explained. Not meant to satisfy hunger, this kind of “meal” illustrates a spiritual truth.

After the ceremonial meal, we serve a full dinner. Melanie is a food connoisseur and goes all out with Mediterranean dishes and foods that fit the night’s chosen theme. (The Hawkins are happy with chicken fajitas!) Either way, we say, “Make it your own!” Serve a meal your family or guests enjoy and use the time to talk about the significance of our faith.

So why should Christians care about Passover? Because by observing this meal during Holy Week, we “step into His story” and follow Christ’s example the night before He went to the cross. And believe me, once you do this, Easter will never be the same.

You can find resources, recipes, and free downloads on the Passover seder at www.passoverforchristians.com.

Learn more, listen to our latest podcast – Coffee Chats with Diane Nix and guest Susie Hawkins, and then register for a live event on Saturday, March 27th.

 

Susie Hawkins lives in Dallas and is actively involved in women’s ministries in her local church and the Southern Baptist Convention, and enjoys teaching the Bible. She earned an MA in Theology and Christian Leadership from The Criswell College in Dallas, Texas. The wife of O.S. Hawkins, president of Guidestone Financial Resources, they have two married daughters and six amazing grandchildren. You can learn more about Susie at www.oshawkins.com/susie/.