Passover.......

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

Originally posted by Tim:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by robycop3:
Of course WE aren't bound to the Passover observance, but it's hard to ignore God's statement "for ever" in Exodus 12. While CHRIST is the Christians' Passover, His having delivered us by His power from our captivity to sin and the penalty thereof, the earthly Passover is to commemorate God's having removed Israel from Egyptian captivity by His power. This had nothing to do with either covenant except the paschal lamb represented Christ.

Today, the bread and drink of Communion represents Christ's flesh & blood. Again, this is separate from Passover and its meaning to Israel.

When did "for ever" end?

For ever never ends, but the ceremony has become obsolete. We keep it in Christ--in the same way we keep all the Law in Him. Hebrews 8-10 deals with this concept in detail.

While the specific reference of the Passover to Israel was deliverance from Egypt to become a nation of God's chosen people, that is simply a type of our spiritual deliverance from the power of sin and Satan to become a new chosen people of God through our Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ.

No feast or ceremony of the old covenant was unaffected when the new covenant eclipsed the old. The spiritual reality in Christ replaces the old physical shadow observances. </font>[/QUOTE]Long last that I've read a post I so felt in sympathy with!

 

[robycop3]

There IS a difference in the observances. Jesus established Communion at HIS "last supper", which is shown by Scripture to have been the paschal meal.

Passover Week has a definite date for its beginning, while Communion does NOT, and in fact it appears that the early Christians observed Communion quite often. My church observes it quarterly and solemnly, with the theme being REMEMBRANCE OF JESUS, as He instructed when He began it.

 

[Tim]

If indeed the Last Supper's Communion was initiated at the time of Passover meal, it seems only to reinforce the fulfillment aspect of what Christ instituted. Jesus said that the elements represented His sacrifice (as Passover Lamb), the body and blood of the New testament. The NT fulfills the shadows of the OT (as Hebrews teaches)--so this act by Christ was to indicate that a transition was taking place.

To continue to celebrate the Passover with the blood of lambs, rather than the blood of THE Lamb is to not fully recognize the fulfillment of that OT figure. I celebrate the Passover in Christ every time I take the Lord's Supper. Jews who recognize their Messiah will do the same--thus it will indeed be observed forever.

 

[Bunyon]

"The spiritual reality in Christ replaces the old physical shadow observances." If christ wanted to do away with passover as opposed to fulfillin it he could have had the last supper any night and he could have died at another date.

 

[robycop3]

Tim & Bunyon...

These are two of the most plausible explanations I've seen. I just cannot accept any explanation that cuts off an observance GOD ordained for Israel FOREVER.

Thanx for the input!