Passover Haggadah Christianized

You will notice that when we start our Seder, there are a few things missing. There are several changes that will be made through the Seder that were influenced by Jesus’ statement that the Passover is representative of His death on the cross. Our Messiah gave forgiveness of sin and permanent deliverance from the bondage of sin through His death on the cross. On Passover, Jesus changed the meaning from just remembering deliverance from Egypt to include deliverance from sin.

Passover Reading Guide

One significant change that we will make is to have a meal first. This allows the hungry stomachs to be filled so that we can focus on biblical truth. 1 Cor 11:20-34. The Passover meal is a holy meal, those who eat it unworthy or unclean can bring sickness on themselves (2 Chr 30:18-20; 1 Cor 11:27-34). Those who were unclean waited until a month later for a second celebration (Num 9:10-11; 2 Chr 30:2-3, 13-17). Let’s take a moment to examine our souls and repent before God. Pray for those present.

Shorter version: When a reference is standing alone, it is to be read. Parentheses are references for later study. Longer, deeper version: Rotate reading of every referenced passage around the group by reading as it is encountered. Open discussion on each passage for insight.

Jesus’ Hebrew name was Yeshua. It was transliterated into English as Jesus. His name literally translated is “Salvation”. Passover is the celebration and remembrance of Salvation from Egypt. It changed meaning at the Last Supper to focus on Salvation from sin through the death of Jesus. His name and nature is Salvation. Our Messiah provided forgiveness from sin and a permanent deliverance from the bondage to sin through His death on the cross.

There are a few things missing from our seder that are present in a traditional one. These changes were influenced by Jesus’ statement that the Passover is in remembrance of His death on the cross. We will also look at the original Passover. The original Passover was a meal in remembrance of the deliverance from Egypt. (Ex 12:1-32.) Some of the rituals involved in the traditional Jewish Passover are from tradition. We will use a few of the rituals as springboards to enhance understanding of Passover, others we will discard. The Passover meal will be followed with a period of instruction and discussion.

Lighting Candles

Tonight, we will light two candles to recognize that Jesus is our light.  Jn 8:12. (Matthew 5:14-16). Serve the meal.

Instructions

Exodus 12:21–27: Redeemed believers are “under the blood” of Jesus, this is a direct reference to Passover. The upright piece of the cross and the horizontal piece are covered Jesus’ shed blood. Just as the lintel and doorposts were painted with the blood of the lamb. By this, we are saved from the angel of death and delivered to eternal life. Jesus’ shed blood joins us with the Jewish people by transforming and grafting us in with God’s chosen people. (Ro 11:17-18; Eph 2:11-16; Gal 3:27-29.)

The First of five Cups of Wine

This is the cup of freedom. [1] God will free us from our oppression. Jesus’ name in Hebrew is Yeshua which literally means “salvation”. He came to free us from bondage. Let us now drink the wine.

Bitter Tears

Each person take a piece of parsley and dip it into the salt water on the table and sprinkle it on the plate. This symbolizes the bitter tears of slavery for the Jewish people. It also symbolizes the bitterness of life without redemption through our Messiah Jesus. Before we knew Him, we dealt with life through the bitterness of slavery to sin. Slavery comes in many forms. The Jews were slaves of the Egyptians. Each of us had areas where we were slaves or in bondage before we knew Jesus. Today we are set free. We are redeemed! As a reminder of the bitterness, you can taste the parsley. You are Free! (John 8:31–36.)

Breaking the Afikomen

Matzah is unleavened bread. It is a cracker that has been created in modern times from flour and water. It is processed quickly so that there is no chance that yeast will cause the bread to start rising. Matzah is pierced with many holes and rolled out flat (Isa 53:5-6).

There are three pieces of Matzah that are in a special napkin on the table. We will remove the center piece and break it in half. This unleavened bread symbolized the bread of affliction that was given during enslavement to Egypt. It also reminds us of the flight from Egypt. The people had to run for their lives without waiting for the bread to rise. This bread is about deliverance.

The broken piece is called the Afikomen, it will be wrapped carefully in a cloth and hidden in another room.  This symbolizes Jesus being broken and buried in the tomb. He was wrapped in the cloth of His burial clothes. The three pieces of Matza symbolize the three Persons of God’s identity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Son came to life as a human being. He was broken on the cross and died for our sin. (Matthew 27:59–60.) He will rise from the dead on the Sunday following Passover (Lev 23:10-11).

Four Questions

Traditionally in a Jewish Seder, four questions are asked. The young children present ask the question, or the youngest person of the group, the leader of the group read the response:

1. Why do we only eat Matzah bread on Passover and not other breads like other nights?
   1. On the original Passover they were in such a hurry to leave that there was not time to leaven the bread. So, we eat it unleavened in remembrance. (Ex 12:8, 34; Num 9:11; 1 Cor 5:7-8).
2. Why do we eat bitter herbs at our Passover Meal?
   1. Bitter herbs are eaten to remind us of the bitterness of slavery.
3. Why do we dip parsley in salt water and the bitter herbs in Haroset?
   1. Parsley represents new life while the salt reminds us of the bitterness of the tears shed during slavery. The Haroset masks the flavor of the bitter herbs to show how God can take the bitterness of life and turn it sweet again. The coarseness of the bitter herbs and of the Haroset reminds us of the mortar in the bricks were used to build for Egypt.
4. Why on this night do we eat leaning, while on other nights we sit up straight in our chairs?
   1. Slaves must sit or stand to eat. They must eat quickly so that they can return to work. Tonight, we are celebrating freedom from slavery. Freed people lean on pillows and eat at leisure enjoying the freedom that they have. (Matt 9:10; 26:7; Mk 14:3; Lk 12:37; 13:29; 14:10; 22:14; Jn 13:25-28 and more).

The Second Cup of Wine

Fill the cups of wine: Everyone will raise their cup of wine. But will not drink from it. This is the cup of slavery. Israel was in bondage in Egypt. God sent Moses to deliver the people from bondage. Pharaoh was not willing to release the people from bondage. Instead, with each judgment that God delivered on Egypt, Pharaoh increased the pain and difficulty of the people.

Ten plagues

At this point we will dip our finger into the wine and sprinkle a drop onto our plate to symbolize the blood of affliction. These drops represent the Egyptian plagues that God used to Deliver His people:

1. Blood: All the water in the land turned to blood. This plague was universal and affected water in rivers, streams, lakes and in homes. The only way to get water was to dig holes in the ground after the plague started and wait for water to seep into the hole. (Ex 7:19-25.)
2. Frogs: Frogs covered the land. There were so many frogs that when the plague was over, mounds of frogs were made in the streets. (Ex 8:1-15)
3. Gnats: The plague was very severe because of the bites and irritation. This was the turning point of the plagues. The Jewish people and the Egyptians recognized that God was the only true God. After this plague the Jewish people were exempt from the plagues. (Ex 8:16-20.) We will see this happen again during the Tribulation. During the seal judgments in the tribulation, God’s people will go through six of the seven bowl judgments before making this declaration. (Rev 6:15–17.) After this there is an interlude where all the children of God are marked (Revelation 7). No plagues will affect them again through the judgments that follow.
4. Flies: Swarms of flies covered everything. They bit people on every part of exposed skin. They were a constant pestering annoyance. The Flies did not affect the Hebrew people. (Ex 8:20-24)
5. Livestock: All livestock in the land except for the Hebrew livestock died in this plague. (Ex 9:1-7)
6. Boils: Both the Egyptians and their livestock were covered by boils. Where did the livestock come from? Remember, they were slaves. The Egyptians probably confiscated the Hebrew livestock to replace their lost stock. The Hebrew people were not affected. (Ex 9:8-11)
7. Hail: Hail rained from the sky so that every green thing was destroyed. If people or livestock were outside, they also died. The hail did not fall on the land of the Hebrews. (Ex 9:18-35)
8. Locusts: Locusts (grasshoppers) swarmed the land and ate every green thing that managed to survive the hail. There were so many the skies were dark with them. The Hebrew land was spared (Ex 10:4-20)
9. Darkness: Every single place was dark as midnight. The darkness was like darkness in a deep cave. Israelites had light in their homes (Ex 10:21-23).
10. Death: Death of the firstborn is where the Passover got its name. Jewish homes and homes of people who followed the Jewish commands were spared of the death of the first born because of the blood over the doorpost and lintels. This was the final plague (Ex 11-12.)

Each of the plagues directly debunked false gods of the Egyptians. God demonstrated His power over them. In the same way, God delivers His people from lifestyles of slavery when He brings us to salvation. Christians did not go through the Ten Plagues. We were delivered from sin through Jesus our Messiah. Many of us went through difficult times that drove us to the Messiah. Many Christians have their own stories or testimonies about their lives before and after Messiah. Optional: Everyone share their testimony, set a time limit, one minute is suggested.

We will now raise our cups and drink from the second cup of wine. We celebrate the fact that God delivered His people from bondage in Egypt. God brought the Children of Israel through all the plagues to freedom. As Christians we celebrate that Jesus delivered us from bondage to sin. He is salvation.

Lamb Shank bone

We do not have a shank bone on our plate as the Jewish people do in their Seders. The reason for this is because Jesus was the final Passover sacrifice. The Hebrews sacrificed a lamb at the Passover. The temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. stopping this sacrifice. The Talmud records at Yom Kippur a scarlet thread was tied to the scape goat, when it was released, it turned white. This changed 40 years prior to the destruction of the temple, it never turned white again.[2] That was when Jesus was crucified and rose.  No other sacrifice would offer redemption from sin again. We stand free today because of the shed blood of Jesus, our Passover Lamb. He finished the work of the Passover delivering permanent salvation to all men.  Jesus stated clearly that the Passover sacrifice was completed. (Mat 26:26-28; Jn 6:53–58.)

Righteousness up to the Last Supper was fully based on following God’s instructions (Torah) and upon the sacrificial system to make atonement for sin (Ro 10:5). After the sacrifice of Jesus, the rules changed. Salvation is now found in that atonement. The focus of the believer changes from the letter of Torah to following Jesus. Ro 10:5-10. Jesus is the living word (Torah) and He is also the one who gave the instructions of the Old Testament (John 1:1-13).

Maror

First dipping: Each of us will dip our Matza into bitter herbs (horseradish) and eat it. This symbolizes the mortar of the bricks during slavery. It also symbolizes the control that sin had on our lives before we met Jesus (Ro 6:4-11; Col 3:9-11; 2 Cor 5:14-18; Gal 2:20; 5:24-25). Dip a piece of Matza into horseradish and taste it.

Second dipping: Now we will dip the matzah into the horseradish and then dip it in the haroset. This symbolizes that after redemption our bitter lives have been made sweet through the Messiah. It does not matter now what bitterness comes our way since we have the Messiah who stands with us (1 Cor 12:9; Phil 4:13).

There is an interesting twist to this story. During the Last Supper Jesus confronted Judas at this point during the Seder. He dipped his matzah into the bitter herbs and Jesus responded: John 13:21–30. Judas was no longer able to continue with the Passover Seder since he was in bondage to the thirty pieces of silver that he had received for betraying Jesus. Judas could not celebrate salvation.

Search for the Afikomen

Send the small children or the youngest present to find the missing piece of the Matzah, the Afikomen. Once it is found a reward is given to the one finding it. Those who have found the risen Jesus have found eternal life (1 Cor 15:20-26). Jewish custom says that this reward will be held until the fiftieth day when it will be redeemed for a greater gift (Lev 23:15-20). We see this take place in the New Testament when the disciples waited expectantly for fifty days in the upper room. They were given the gift of the Holy Spirit at that time. From that time on they were empowered to teach and preach and moved forward with their ministry. (Acts 2:1-3)

Breaking Bread, Eating the Afikomen

Everyone will break off a piece of the Afikomen and share it around the table. This bread represents Jesus the Messiah. He instructed us that when we have a Passover Seder to eat the bread in remembrance of Him. We eat this Afikomen in remembrance that Jesus had died on the cross. This piece of Afikomen represents His sacrificial body. He was dead and now has risen from the grave. Jesus is the resurrection of life. (Matthew 26:26–29; Mk 14:11-25; Lk 22:19-20; 1 Cor 11:23-26). Note: Christian tradition has changed the Lord’s Supper (Passover) to become a ritual. The scriptural meaning only points to the Passover meal.

Third cup of Wine

We now drink the third cup of wine. This is the cup of redemption. We celebrate that we are redeemed through the blood of Jesus. He instructed us to drink this cup to remember the blood that He had shed for the redemption of men. All drink. 1 Corinthians 11:23–26.

Elijah: During a Traditional Jewish Seder, a small child is sent to the door to see if Elijah has arrived. A cup of wine is symbolically filled and set in the center of the table for Elijah. The child comes back to the table disappointed; Elijah is not there. Jesus said that John the Baptist was Elijah who was predicted to come before the Messiah arrived. (Matthew 11:13-14). We will not send a child to the door to see if Elijah has arrived since he already came in the form of John the Baptist.

Fourth Cup of Wine

This is the cup of Praise or the Cup of Hallel. We praise God since He now claims us as His people. Romans 6:1–11. (John 15:1–11; Psalm 118)[3].

Foot Washing

Jesus switched the traditional hand washing to foot washing in His Passover meal.  John 13:5-17. Optional: Take a basin and a pitcher of water. The leader of the table will wash each of the people’s feet at the table as a sign of servanthood. I suggest praying specifically for each person.

Fifth Cup of Wine

This cup is consumed at leisure after the Seder is completed. We are celebrating that Jesus will one day completely restore His people during the Millennial kingdom. He will return and bring wrath upon the world as He ushers in His new Kingdom[4]. This cup is often called “Elijah’s cup” it has to do with deliverance. Elijah will return a third time in Revelation. Elijah will return to bring punishment on all nations. (Jer 25:15–17; Rev 11:3–6). During the drinking of this cup, we will have a time of fellowship and relaxation where we will relax after the meal. Move to an informal setting, fellowship and people are welcomed to leave at their leisure.

Preparation:

1. Two large candles for candle lighting
2. Prepare Basin and water for foot washing and hand washing. Need a large towel for foot washing and a hand towel for hand washing.
3. Prepare Salt water and Parsley.
4. Horseradish
5. Prepare Haroset
6. Matzah Bread
7. Have a good meal prepared or buy one
8. Wine or Grape Juice and small glasses or wine glasses
9. Cloth to wrap three pieces of Matzah. Have one cloth for the broken Afikomen. Can also have a Matzah/Afikomen napkin set designed for this.
10. Prize for the child finding the Afikomen.

[1] Exodus 6:6-8 is the basis for the five cups of wine. Each cup signifies a portion of this passage.

[2] Babylonian Talmud: y. Shabbat 9:3 [E]; y.Yoma 6:3, 1.4A

[3] The Old Testament word lovingkindness is the same as the New Testament word grace.

[4] For further reflection: Marriage Super of the Lamb is a Passover Seder (Rev 19:7-10). This is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread when Jesus clears out all the “yeast” of ungodly people (Rev 19:11-20:3). The next Feast celebrated is the Feast of First Fruits where Jesus raises the martyrs as the very first fruits of men of the earth (Rev 20:4-6).