Christ in the Passover

Christ in the Passover

Passover =Haggadah

When we mention the Passover most people bring to mind the Leonardo's Da Vinci painting of the Last Supper in Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. Many churches have a beautiful reproduction of the painting. In the church I served in Rogers a lady spend day’s croqshuaing a 5foot by 4foot reproduction of that masterpiece. It was hung on the wall of the church.

The Painting is a beautiful masterpiece of Italian Art, design, and focus.

But the artist is depicting the last supper as if it happened in 15 century Italian culture. The artist did not know Jewish culture and Jewish practices. Remember it shows 12 men sitting on chairs or standing on one side of the table as if to get their picture taken.

I want to help you paint the correct picture in your mind.

Jesus & the disciples did not sit at a table in chairs, like we do today. The table was about 12 inches off the floor with cushions all around. The table was called a TRICLINUM and was shaped like a U or channel iron, a long table with one on each side.

The Host would recline at the right table in the center. That would be Jesus.
The youngest member would reline to the right of Jesus. That would be John.

That was so the host to tell the Passover story in the ear of the youngest

The most honored and trusted guest reclined to behind Jesus, that would be Judas.

It was the most trusted seat; he must protect the Hosts back. It is interesting because Judas is known as Judas the knife. Our Lord knew that Judas would betray him but placed him in the most honored position and the most trusted position, at his back.

The servants reclined on the left side across from the Host so that the Host could catch the eye of the servants to meet the needs of the guests. Most likely Peter would have been in last place.

The Da Vinci painting picture is wrong because:

It is the wrong table. Wrong height and wrong shape.
There are no wine glass or wine bottle, each person would drink 4 full glasses of wine.
There are no pitches of water for washing hands or water catch basins during the Passover.
The picture shows fish on a plate not lamb.
The picture shows some of the disciples dressed in royal blue or purple. That was too expensive and only kings could afford to have that color.
The picture shows a bright blue Italian sky. The Passover would begin at dusk as soon as you could see 3 stars.
The Picture shows the family banners of Leonardo's Da Vinci’s patron Duke Ludovico Sforza

The Passover Seder at TRICLINUM

The Passover was a very special occasion; It would take place on the 14 of April each year. You needed to go to Jerusalem to celebrate this event. So many people traveled to Jerusalem and need a room for Passover that most families had an extra story added to their house to rent. This is what Jesus sent his disciples to prepare. Remember they were to follow a man carrying a water jug, that was unusual because that was a woman’s job.

We cannot go to Jerusalem tonight but we will try to give you the meaning of this great occasion.

LESSONS: Almost everything from the White Linen, white candle sticks, 3 pieces of Matzah food were all to teach everyone to ask questions. What does that mean? Why do we do that? Why do we eat this?

1. PURGE OUT THE LEVEN

Passover doesn’t just happen. It takes a lot of preparation. The house must be clean –sterilized-in honor of this great occasion. Every family member participates in this one-of-a-hind housecleaning.

The house must be free of all leaven. Leaven is simply yeast, the stuff that makes bread rise, and it’s found in bread, cake, cookies.

I think that we got the idea of spring housecleaning from the Jews cleaning their house for the Passover.

Remember it was to be a fun family celebration. It lasted in many homes from sundown to midnight. It was not all serious: The children played a big part. Some families sang fun songs.

THE FATHER PLAYED A GAME WITH THE CHILDREN.

(ACTION) The father plays a game concerning getting all the leaven out of the house. While mother is busy in the kitchen, bringing out the special Passover dishes and tableware, (kids close your eyes) father hides crumbs of bread throughout the house- on bookshelves behind the furniture, on window sills, under a plate, then the children come like an army, ferreting out all the crumbs. (This is where I think we got the tradition of the family Easter egg hunt.)

When they find some breadcrumbs or leaven they shout for father, who comes with a feather and a wooden spoon. He carefully brushes the crumbs into the spoon with a feather, carries them to the fire and throws them in.

The removal of Leven (chametz) is proceeded by the following prayer: BLESSED ARE YOU, ADONI OUR GOD, CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, WHO MAKES US HOLY WITH YOUR MITZVOT, AND WHO COMMANDED US CONCERNING THE REMOVAL OF CHAMETZ.

The symbolize the search and removal of all chametz at the Seder, each person should look under the plate and remove (or pretend to remove) any traces of chametz they may find there.

Immediately following the search, the following prayer is said: “ANY CHETZ, WHICH IS IN MY POSSION THAT I DID NOT SEE, WHICH I DID OR DID NOR REMOVE, SHALL BE NULLIFIED AND BE OWNERLESS AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH.”

I John 1:9 “IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Picture = The little sins and bad works are burned up (“AND THE FIRE SHALL TRY EVERY MAN’S WORK OF WHAT SORT IT IS.” I Cor. 3:13

Paul said: “PURGE OUT THEREFORE THE OLD LEAVEN, THAT YE MAY BE A NEW LUMP, AS YE ARE UNLEAVENED, FOR EVEN CHRIST OUR PASSOVER IS SACRIFICED FOR US: THEREFORE LET US KEEP THE FEAST, NOT WITH THE OLD LEAVEN, NEITHER WITH THE LEAVEN OF MALICE AND WICKEDNESS, BUT WITH THE UNLEAVENED BREAD OF SINCERITY AND TRUTH” I Cor. 5:7-8

2. WHITE LINEN, THE RIGHTEOUNESS OF SAINTS

Through Passover tends to vary from village to village, and even from house to house, but in preparation for the Passover they would get out the special white linen artifacts that go with the meal. WHITE LINEN is symbolic of righteousness in the Scriptures, (Rev. 19:7-8) and the cleansed house is trimmed with it for the service. The table is set with a white tablecloth and white candles, and father dons a white robe, called a kitel, and a white crown.

White dishes may be used, but in any case these dishes are very special. They are not the dishes used throughout the rest of the year but are kept away from the others for exclusive use at Passover. The proper kosher housewife keeps 4 sets of dishes: two sets keep meat and milk meals separate during the year; two others keep milk and meat meals separated ruing Passover.

The splendid white artifacts, which included the various linens used on the table as part of the service, the napkins, etc, lend an atmosphere of purity and festivity to the meal. Father's costume is that of the High Priest in the Tabernacle, who wore a pure white robe, and the effect, is that part of the official temple worship has been brought home for Passover. Father also symbolized the risen Christ, the High Priest, who glowed white after His resurrection.

3. LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES (Leader or Hostess)

(ACTION) Jewish women did very little in Orthodox Judaism. But women light the candles. WHY?

The symbol there is obvious. It was a woman who brought us Christ, the light of the World.

Jesus could have come by many methods, He could have suddenly appeared or walked down the Mt or anything else imaginable when God sent Him. But instead He was born of a woman. He was born sinless.

(WOMAN SAYS): “BLESSED ART THOU, O LORD OUR GOD, KING OF THE UNIVERSE, WHO COMMANDED US TO KINDLE THE PASSOVER LIGHTS.

MAY ALL WHO ARE ENSLAVED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD COME TO KNOW FREEDOM.

MAY ALL WHO ARE FREE, APPRECIATE THE BLESSING OF ABUNDANCE. AND MAY ALL OF US DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF GOD AND GIVE THANKS FOR OUR GOOD FORTUNE AND WE CELEBRATE THESE RITUALS OF PASSOVER.”

4. (HOSTS POUR FIRST CUP – Do Not drink yet)

Why four? They serve as a reminder of the four references to Redemption that are mentioned in the Book of Exodus.

I will bring you out of Egypt
I will deliver you from bondage.
I will redeem you with an outstretched arm
I will take you to Me for a people.

It is traditional that each person’s cup be filled by the person sitting next to them, to symbolize the majesty of the evening, as though each person had a servant (at least for the night). During the Seder proceeding, whenever wine is consumed, it is customary to drink the entire cup.

Four cups of wine will be drunk as part of the Passover festivities. The first cup is called the Cup of Sanctification and it simply sanctifies the table and all of the preparations. Sanctification means to set apart for a special purpose.

LEADER: (Raising his cup) “Baruch atah Ahdonai, Eloheynu

Meleh Ha-olom, borey, p’ree ha-gephen.”

“BLESSED ART THOU, O LORD OUR GOD, KING OF THE UNIVERSE, WHO CREATES THE FRUIT OF THE VINE.”

Let us drink the Cup of Sanctification. (ALL DRINK THE FIRST CUP)

5. THE HIDDEN BREAD.

(ACTION) The father takes three loaves of the unleavened bread and places them in a (Matzah bag) special white linen envelope which has three compartments. (Why three Compartment? Why Three loaves?) = The Trinity.

Hold up the Matzah.

1. Why is it brown from baking?

2. Why does it have holes?

3. Why does it have stripes?

Isa. 53:5 “HE WAS WOUNDED (CRUSHED) FOR OUR TRANGRESSIONS.

HE WAS PIERCED FOR OUR INIQUITIES

BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED”

It is a picture of Christ

In a special ceremony the, father removes the middle SLICE from its compartment. Why the middle compartment of 3?

FATHER UNCOVER THE BREAD AND SAYS: “THIS IS THE BREAD OF AFFLICTION THAT OUR FOREFATHERS ATE IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. LET ALL WHO HUNGER ENTER AND EAT. WHOEVER NEEDS TO, LET HIM COME AND CELEBRATE PASSOVER WITH US.”

(ACTION) He breaks it and wraps it in a separate piece of white linen and hides it away. (Kids close your eyes)

Why does he break it?
Why does he wrap it?
Why does he wrap it in white?
Why does he hide it?

He “buries” it behind the cushion on his chair, usually, though some fathers prefer to put it away in a drawer or under the table.

(ACTION) DIVIDE THE BREAD: LEADER: breaks the middle wafer of unleavened bread. Put back one half, then wrap the second half in a napkin and hide it out of sight under the table cloth.

6. THE FOUR QUESTIONS

4 THE FOUR CHILDREN

The four children..The wise, wicked, simple and too you to ask. Most of us have shown qualities of the four children in our lives at one time or another.

Because we all learn in different ways and at our own pace, when sharing the meaning of Passover with children, it’s important to approach them in a way that best-suits their ever-evolving personality and ability to learn.

1. THE WISE CHILD

The “wise” or studious child likes to study and analyze the details. Give this child the tools to discover the meaning of Passover on their own and explain to them why it’s important to retell the story of Exodus each year.

2. THE WICKED CHILD

The “wicked” or rebellious child probably wants little to do with Passover and they exclude themselves from getting involved. A typical response can be, “What’s this got to do with me?” Explain that Passover is a celebration of the freedom we all enjoy. Since this child usually lacks empathy, ask questions that get them involved, like “How would it feel if you were a slave and freed by God?

3. THE SIMPLE CHILD

For a “Simple” child who is easily overwhelmed give a simple explanation. Don’t confuse them with details; instead tell them the basic facts of the story, and explain the general meaning of Passover in terms they can understand.

4. THE CHILD TOO YOUNG TO ASK

Maybe they’re too young to form a question, or unable to ask one because they simply don’t understand. Perhaps this child of God may be an adult that lacks the capacity to speak, or lives with some other disability. Treat them with love, understanding, and patience, and explain the meaning of Passover in terms that they can relate to. Try telling stories or singing songs and make it a festive time.

(ACTION) CHILD: Why is this night different from all other nights? (Choose a child who is old enough to read well).

1. Why do we eat only unleavened bread?

2. Why do we eat bitter herbs?

3. Why do we dip our food twice?

4. Why do we eat reclining?

(ACTION) Wash hands: (Pass bowl of water around each table and everyone dips fingertips into water and dries them on a towel or paper napkin)

1. THE UNLEAVENED BREAD SYMBOLIZES PURITY, since the leaven of sin has been removed. I Cor. 5:8 “Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”.

FATHER: We eat only unleavened bread to remember that the Hebrews in their haste to leave Egypt could not wait for the bread to rise and removed it from the ovens while it was still flat.

ALL: We who are redeemed by Jesus, the Lamb of God, see this bread, made without leaven as a symbol of the Savior himself, made in human form, yet without the leaven of sin.

2. FATHER: WE PARTAKE OF THE BITTER HERBS on this night so we may remember the bitterness of life in Egypt.

The bitterness of the herbs is like your life before your salvation. The sweetness of the Charoses reflects sin you once enjoyed. The salt water for the dipping represents your tears of repentance when you came to the Lord. The Red Seas is your baptism; you went into the water but you came out again, safely, raised to the newness of life. Now you’re wandering in the wilderness of this world, the Sinai desert awaiting your trip to the Promised Land

3. FATHER: WHY DO WE DIP THE GREENS IN SALT WATER TWICE? The dipping, by which Jesus identified His betrayer, Judas, (Jesus said: “The one who dips after me, will betray me”) The other meaning is the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea on dry land. Since the parsley is dipped twice in salt water the image is interesting.

FATHER: We now dip the greens in salt water to remind us that life in Egypt was immersed in tears.

(ACTION) (Everyone takes a sprig of parsley, dips in salt water, eats)

The first dip is Israel going into the Sea and coming out unharmed.
The second dip is for the Egyptian army who tried to follow them- The parsley is dipped and then immediately eaten. Down the hatch with Pharaoh’s persecutors!

What is the symbol of the egg? The Jews have no answer? Just like in the church we have eggs to celebrate Easter. Some believe the Jews added the egg when they were in Babylon. It was part of the worship of Eistar. We get the name for Easter not from the Bible but from “Babylon. Easter should be called “First fruits” because Christ arose from the dead; he was the first fruits of the resurrection. If he arose it is a guarantee we will also arise.

We dip the egg in salt water to mourn for the destruction of the Temple...

4. FATHER: WHY DO WE ALL RECLINE AT THE TABLE?

ALL: We eat reclining to contrast the haste of the Israelites when they left Egypt. Tonight we take our ease to show that we are eternally redeemed by Jesus, the true Passover lamb

FATHER: The Israelites were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord took them out with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. It is our duty to tell the story and the more we tell it, the better it is. These are the ten plagues the Lord visited upon the Egyptians.

7. (HOSTS POURS SECOND CUP –DO NOT DRINK)

(ACTION) The second cup is “spilled” into the individual plates in front of each person, a drop, at a time, each drip remembers a plague God visited upon Egypt while the implacable Pharaoh’s heart hardened.

(Hand Plague box to Kids)

These ten red drops fall into the empty white plate in front of each person and they are clearly representative of those terrible ten smiting of Egypt.

Take your finger and dip it into the grape juice and let a drop drip onto your clean white plate.

Let me tell you why we do this!

LET MY PEOPLE GO!

We weren’t always slaves in Egypt. We became slaves…and the story of how we became slaves to the Pharaohs of Egypt, and ultimately how we were freed, is really the basis of the story of Passover, it’s a part of history that belongs to all of us. By telling the story year after year, we’re ensuring that we’ll never forget our oppression or our freedom.

Many years ago, in the land of Egypt Joseph, the son of Jacob and Rachel, was sold into slavery by his brothers. Joseph was skilled and intelligent and soon became an official in the court of the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Joseph could interpret dreams, which he sometimes used to predict the future. He offered the Pharaoh his prediction of the upcoming famine, which the Pharaoh heeded.

Because Joseph’s timely advice saved the land from a great famine, Pharaoh invited them to stay when Joseph’s family came to Egypt searching for food. They lived in peace for many years and became known as Israelites.

Years later, a new Pharaoh came to rule. He did not remember Joseph and all he had done for the Egyptians. He saw that the Israelites’ population was growing rapidly, and feared that in a war they might side with the enemy and become a danger to Egypt.

To remove this “problem of the Israelites”, Pharaoh enslaved them. He forced them to work hard, building his cities and palaces. Baking brick and carrying stones in the desert heat, they knew neither peace nor rest, only misery and pain. To limit their population, Pharaoh decreed, “Every baby boy born to an Israelite woman shall be drowned in the river.”

In an effort to save their baby, Amram and Yocheved, a Jewish slave couple, put him in basked on the river. When Pharaoh’s daughter, the princess, came down to the river to bathe, she found the baby and decided to take him home to the palace. The princess named the baby, Moses: which means, “Brought out of the water.”

Because she needed a nurse to feed and care for the baby, the princess looked for a Jewish nurse. Yocheved’s daughter Miriam, who was hiding by the river watching over the little ark came out and told the princess that she knew of a nurse. She ran home and brought Yocheved her mother back to the princess not revealing that she was really Moses’ mother. Yocheved became Moses’ nurse and was able to care for him throughout his childhood.

Moses being the adopted son of the Egyptian Princess would have lived a rich life in the Pharaoh’s palace, but he could not bear to see the people suffer at slaves. One day, he came upon an Egyptian taskmaster who was beating an Israelite slave. In a fit of anger, Moses beat the Egyptian to death. His crime soon became know and Moses was forced to leave his homeland and flee into the desert. Wandering around the desert, he came upon a family of shepherds in the land of Median. He was taken in and became shepherded himself.

One day while tending to his sheep. Moses came upon a bush that was on fire. Although it was burning, it was not being consumed. He heard God’s voice coming from the bush, telling Moses to go back to Egypt and free his people from slavery and lead them out of Egypt. Because Moses was merely a shepherd he asked God. “How may I accomplish this great task, I am but a lowly shepherd and I am of impaired speech.” God replied, “Go forth to Egypt with your wooden staff. I will be by your side and the Pharaoh will be forced to free your people.”

Moses returned to Egypt.

And went to see the Pharaoh with his brother Aaron, as his spokesperson, “Let my people go!” Moses demanded. But Pharaoh had a hardened heart and refused. Through Moses, God brought ten plagues on the people of Egypt. The plagues at first amused the Pharaoh, but soon frightened him. The Pharaoh promised to free the slaves several times, but God hardened the Pharaoh’s heart many times, and each time he agreed to fee the Israelites slaves, Pharaoh went back on his word.

SONG: LET MY PEOPLE GO

After the ninth plague, God said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Toward midnight I will go forth among the Egyptians, and every first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; and all the firstborn of the cattle. And there shall be a loud cry in all the land of Egypt such as has never been or will ever be again.”

God then instructed Moses to tell his people to take a lamb from among their flocks and sacrifice it at twilight; taking some of the blood to paint a mark on the two doorposts and lintel of their homes as sign of the cross.

Moses was further instructed by God to have his people roast the lamb over a fire and eat it with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs that same night.

At midnight, God brought forth the tenth and most devastating plague; the killing of the firstborn. In every Egyptian household, the firstborn child suddenly took ill and died, but the plague “Passover over” the homes of the Israelites slaves. It was then that the Pharaoh finally agreed to free the Israelites’.

While we celebrate the freeing of the Israelites from slavery, God has instructed us to take no pleasure in the suffering of the Egyptians. To commerate their suffering, each person dips their little finger into their wine and places a drop on their tongue as we recite the ten plagues that God brought down upon the Egyptians.

Each plague was upon a god the Egyptians worshiped to show the gods of Egypt were powerless.

Why did he turn the River into blood? Because of all the baby boys that were drowned in the river. God turned the river into blood because of their blood.

Also the Soldier who forced the Midwives to drown the babies were drowned in the RED SEA.

(ALL RECITE TOGETHER, DIPPING OUT ONE DROP FORM THEIR CUPS AT THE MENTION OF EACH PLAGUE)

(ACTION Child holds up one of Plagues for all to see)

Blood…Frogs…Lice…Beasts…Flies…Boils…Hail…Locusts…Darkness… Death of the firstborn.

The Egyptians worshiped the Nile river, God turned it to blood #. They worshiped frogs (that was the sex god of Egypt) so God sent a plague.
The Lice were a plague from the ground they worshiped.

But once again the Pharaoh changed his mind-and sent his soldiers to capture the Israelites. As Pharaoh’s army caught up with the Israelites at the Red Sea, God told Moses to hold up his wooden staff. Suddenly, a huge wind came up and the Red Sea parted – allowing all the freed slaves to pass. Once all the Israelites were safely across, Moses again held up his staff and the waters closed upon the Pharaoh’s soldiers killing all of them.

God led them in the wilderness for 40 years and fed them & protected them.

: The fruit of vine is a symbol of joy. Our joy is diminished as we remember the sufferings of the Egyptians.

How many good deed the Lord has done for us! If He had taken us out of Egypt and not punished them..DAYEMU! It would have been enough. But he punished them and their gods, split the sea for us, and brought us through on dry land. He sunk our enemies in the water and cared for us forty years in the desert. He fed us with manna, gave us the law and the Sabbath, brought us into the land and built us the Temple. If He had done any of these things, DAYENU! It would have been enough.

ALL. But he sent Jesus, our Messiah, and the Lamb of God, to atone for all our sins. See we must thank The Almighty again and again!

LEADER: Rabbi Gamaliel taught that whosoever does not make mention of the three symbols used in the Passover has not performed his duty. The three symbols are the Paschal lamb, the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs.

ALL: You’ve already mentioned the unleavened bread and the bitter herbs. What does the shank bone signify?

LEADER: The shank bone represents the Pascal lamb that our forefathers ate while the Temple remained. It remains us that the Lord passed over the house of the Hebrews when he smote the Egyptians but spared our houses. It also reminds us of Jesus, the Lamb of God who gave his life at Passover time that we might be spared from judgment.

ALL: And what, then, is the significance of the roasted egg?

LEADER: The egg represents the sacrifice in the Temple, the CHAGIGAH. But it is also a symbol of resurrection and rebirth. This the Messiah has accomplished. We mourn His sufferings, but we rejoice in the redemption his atoning death brings to all who believe.

Dipping the egg in salt water represents “Every baby boy born to an Israelite woman shall be drowned in the river.”

ALL: (Raise their cups and recite) “We must thank and praise the Almighty over and over again and again. He has brought about miracles for our fathers and for us. He has brought us out of slavery into freedom, out of pain into joy, out of mourning into a holy day, out of gloom into a great light.

You might be asking, "Why should I celebrate the Passover? I'm not Jewish. The Jews always brought the Gentiles to church; it's the other way around that seems to be the problem. Actually, you're because a Jew when you receive Christ, the Jewish Messiah. PAUL TEACHES US IN ROMANS: “YOU BECOME ADOPTED, GRAFTED INTO THE JEWISH OLIVE TREE” (Rom. 11). What a blessing you inherited! What a good thing that the Lord chose your best friends as His bride.

People ask "What percentage of Jews is there in the church today?" and I say, "100% some were born that way and some were adopted."

After the blessing over the wine Jesus presented it as His blood of the New Covenant, or testament, certifying for once and for all that all who drank this cup with Him would have their sins remitted. That's just what God promised in the New Covenant"

I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE" (Jer. 31:34; Heb 8:12). And He went on to spill His literal blood at the crucifixion. It fell to the earth like the blood of the sacrificial lambs of old, setting the new arrangement between God and man in motion.

How much more significant it is to now consider John the Baptist's declaration,

"BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD."

And now we see communion, the bread and the wine, in all its glory.

The main difference between communion as it is done in church, which is a solom occasion, and communion as it is done at the Passover at the family table is a party a time of Joy and celebration.

Communion is usually a very solemn event.

The Jew somehow displays more pure joy at the idea of his ancestors being freed from slavery 3,500 years ago than the Christian does over the prospect of eternal life. That's amazing. Passover is a celebration because we are now free, but who's really free.

HALLELUJAH! (Set down the cup)

LEADER: hallelujah. Praise ye the Lord.

All: Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.

Leader: From the rising of the sun to the going down thereof, praise ye the Lord.

All: The Lord is high above all nations. His glory above the heavens.

Leader: Blessed art thou, O Lord, Our God, King of the Universe, who has redeemed us and brought us to this occasion.

All: Hallelujah! Let us drink the Cup of Praise.

(Everyone raise the cups and recite) “BLESSED ART THOU, O LORD OUR GOD, KING OF THE UNIVERSE, WHO HAST CREATED THE FRUIT OF THE VINE.” (Everyone drinks)

LEADER: (washes hands and recites:) “BLESSED ART THOU, O LORD OUR GOD, KING OF THE UNIVERSE, WHO BRINGS FORTH BREAD FROM THE EARTH AND HAST COMMANDED US TO EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD AND BITTER HERBS.”

(ACTION) The bitter herbs represent the bitterness of Egypt: the CHAROSIS represents the mortar used to build Pharaoh’s treasure cities.

ALL: IF THE MORTAR REPRESENTS BITTER LABOR, THEN WHY IS IT SWEET?

LEADER: When we know that our redemption drew night, even the bitterest of labor was sweet. And because Christ has redeemed us, even life’s bitterest trials are sweetened with hope.

(ACTION) No one likes this part. (Everyone dips some (MATAZAH) unleavened bread into the HORSERADISH and into the CHOPPED APPLES and eats it)

LEADER: This is probably the bitter sop that our Lord handed to Judas on the night he betrayed him.

AT this time they sang Hymns. This hymn consisted of the first part of the Hallel (song of praise), Ps 113-114 (according to the school of Hillel; according to Shammai, only Psalm 113), and then the second cup was drunk.[1]

LEADER TELLS THE STORY OF THE PASSOVER

GRACE BEFORE MEAL

LEADER: Now let us recite grace.

ALL: Let us bless God’s name forever and ever.

LEADER: We offer thanks to God for the food about to eat.

All: Blessed be He of whose bounty we have partaken and through whose goodness we live.

LEADER: Blessed be He, and blessed be His name

SERVE THE MEAL

(ACTION) (While it is being served, the father peels a hardboiled egg and distributes slices to everyone at his table. Everyone dips the egg slice in salt water and eats)

LEADER: Afikomen means, “That which comes last.”

This represents the Pascal lamb. In ancient times a small morsel of the lamb was the last food eaten at the Passover feast, that the memory and taste of redemption might linger in the minds of God’s people. We complete this Seder meal now with the eating of this symbol. When our Lord Jesus broke the Passover bread at the Last Supper, he said, “THIS IS MY BODY WHICH IS BROKEN FOR YOU.’ He is our Passover Lamb.

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8. (HOSTS POUR THIRD CUP)

Now comes the most beautiful and touchingly symbolic part of all the Cup of Redemption.

It is time to bring forth the buried loaf of unleavened bread, which will serve as the dessert to the meal. The AFIKOMIN, as it is called (literal meaning = festival procession, = It makes one think of Jesus triumphantly entering Jerusalem under the palm branches)

(ACTION) The Child finds it and brings it and the father redeems it in silver (most likely $3.00 in quarters).

That buried unleavened bread – the Middle piece that had been hidden in a drawer or behind a cushion is eaten with the third cup of wine.

HERE IS WERE WE GET OUR COMMUNION

The three loaves represent the Trinity, and the middle one is the Son.

It was that one, the Son in the Trinity, the middle one who left the other two. Which we broke (His body broken for you) wrapped in white linen and buried, as was the body of Jesus; and now brought forth to eat with the Cup of Redemption

Everyone must partake of it (“The bread of life”) and it is the last thing eaten, as though the eating of this piece of bread will sustain everyone forever.

The father breaks off a small piece about the size of an olive; each person eats the bread and then drinks the cup

The father pronounces a blessing over both the bread and the wine individually.

Finally, the second part of the Hallel was sung, namely Ps 114 (115)-118 [2]

LEADER: We are about to partake of the cup of Redemption. We are grateful for Israel’s physical redemption from Egypt and for our spiritual redemption in Christ.

ALL: Blessed be His name forever and ever.

LEADER: When our Lord Jesus shared the cup after supper, he said, “This is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.” – Let us drink the Cup of Redemption.

(Everyone drinks the third cup, also called the Cup of Blessing)

LEADER: Throughout Jewish history our people have looked for Elijah to come and bring glad tidings of the Messiah.

ALL: As the prophet Malachi wrote, “Behold I send Elijah before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.”

LEADER: May this year be the year of the Messiah. In faith we welcome Elijah to our table.

(Someone is now went to open the door)

ALL: Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

(Close the door and Hosts pours the fourth cup-Everyone drinks the fourth cup)

The Fourth Cup

Jesus didn’t drink the fourth cup, and there’s a good reason why He didn’t. He was the fulfillment.

The Elijah Cup

The fourth cup – the cup of Praise

THE FATHER: Someday, the prophet Elijah will return to earth to lead the way for an age of Peace. In the Spirit of Passover, as a celebration of freedom, we welcome Elijah into our home and to our Seder.

An empty chair has been left at the table throughout all these proceedings, and even a wine goblet. Many Jewish homes set a plate, silverware and napkins for Elijah, assuming that he might be hungry after his arduous journey through all the Jewish homes in the world that night.

Elijah is expected to enter, on some Passover night, take his seat, drink his cup and say, "Well, the waiting is over. The messiah has come!"

The wine is actually poured into Elijah's cup, as well as into all the other cups.

(ACTION) One of the children goes to the front door and looks out in the street to see if Elijah is coming. He may be down the block or at the next house.

FATHER: “Enter, Elijah the Prophet, may you soon come and issue in the great Age of Peace!

The youngest child goes to the door to see if Elijah is making his way down the street at this electrifying moment. The family waits, breathless, until the report comes back from the front door-either, "I don't see him," or "Wait!" Here he comes!" (And thus the youngest child learns to anticipate the coming of the prophet, and the Messiah as well).

Many Jewish boys would go down the street and look around the corner to see if he was coming down a different street because it was so real to them.

***Jesus and His men didn't partake of that cup because the Messiah was already there, of course. And Jesus had stated that John the Baptist had come in the Spirit of Elijah and had already announced the Messiah.

Jesus made it very clear that the 3RD. cup was the last cup. He would drink. When He put down that cup of the New Testament He said,

"BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, I WILL NOT DRINK HENCEFORTH OF THIS FRUIT OF THE VINE, UNTIL THAT DAY WHEN I DRINK IT NEW WIT YOU IN MY FATHER'S KINGDOM."

By that He meant, that Passover is some form would be a part of the Kingdom, but also that the 3RD. cup-His blood-would be sufficient to get us all to the Kingdom.

No further sacrifice would be necessary, no further ritual, no further coming of prophets. "It is finished," he was to say on the cross as His blood was actually shed.

Jesus will come in triumph, and will be announced by Elijah, we understand, but He will come to those who have drunk His Cup of Redemption and trusted in His blood for salvation. The "great and dreadful day" refers to the second coming, obviously.

So, Elijah does not appear on Passover night. That night is, to the Jew, the night of salvation, accurately enough and if Elijah does not come then another year must passes until the Messiah can reasonably be expected to come.

If he does not see him he comes back inside.

Close the front door.

(ACTION) The Fourth Cup of Wine

Raise the glass of wine and recite the following:

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Creator of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine.

Drink the fourth cup of wine while reclining, leaning to the left side.

They would sing a song.

Closing Prayer

LEADER: What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits?

All: “I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good. His mercy endureth forever.”

LEADER: L’SHANAH HABA’AH B’YERUSHALAYIM! NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM. Our Jewish people utter these last words at the Seder as a prayer for the coming of the Messiah..

LET US THEREFORE PURGE OUT THE OLD LEAVEN AND BE A NEW LUMP…FOR CHRIST OUR PASSOVER IS SACRIFICED FOR US!

In the Gospel it says, concluding the Passover, 'AND WHEN THEY HAD SUNG AN HYMN, THEY WENT OUT INTO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES " (Matt. 26:30)

Many Jewish families sing 5-10 hymns after the Passover.

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[1]du Toit, A. (1998). The New Testament Milieu. Halfway House: Orion.

[2]du Toit, A. (1998). The New Testament Milieu. Halfway House: Orion.