With the upcoming celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus, let’s review the Jewish feast of Passover – a significant event in the final hours of Jesus’ life.
Read Exodus Chapter 12:1-29; See also Deuteronomy 16:1-8
1. Let’s review what we can know from the Bible about Passover.
a. What day should the lamb be taken?
b. Describe the lamb to be taken.
c. How long do you keep the lamb?
d. What happens to the lamb at twilight?
e. What do you do with the lamb’s blood? Why?
f. How should you cook the lamb?
g. What do you do with any leftovers?
Read Matt. 26:17-30
Note: The scenes described in these scriptures are of the Last Supper (as it is known by the Church) which was a Passover meal (a Seder) which Jesus (a Jew) celebrated with his disciples (all Jews) the night He was arrested. The Seder was very ritualized. Passover was to begin at sundown which in March or April would be at approximately 6 p.m. The meal had to be eaten within the walls of Jerusalem. For that reason, at the time of Passover, pilgrims from all over Israel would crowd into Jerusalem, and its population would swell. Passover was a very intimate meal to be shared with family and close friends. Here Jesus is with his very closest friends and disciples.
2. What do you observe? What is your impression? Why are we given this part of the story?
Read Luke 22:7-23
3. According to Luke 22:15-16, what does Jesus say about this Passover?
4. In Luke 22:19, how did Jesus describe the bread?
5. In Luke 22:20, what did Jesus say about the cup?
