In the last chapter, we showed that the Israelites fulfilled the mandates of the seven festivals of the three, annual feasts of the Mosaic Law (Section 3.4), recall that we are using the term festival for a separate event during a feast.). Similarly, we can show that Jesus fulfilled the mandates of the festivals of the three feasts. Here, we will consider Jesus’ fulfillment of the first two feasts, Unleavened Bread and Pentecost.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread starts with a festival to commemorate the exodus of the Israelites from slavery after God Almighty brought the ten plagues upon Egypt. The last of these plagues was the death of all first-born in Egypt, except in the households of the Israelites where the blood of the sacrificial lambs was applied to the door posts and lintels of their houses. Here are the mandates of the original Passover.
“Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. … Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. And they shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its heads and its legs along with its entrails. And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, your shall burn with fire. Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste – it is the Lord’s Passover.’ ” Exodus 12:3,5-11
The Festival of Passover began with the ritualistic sacrifice of the meat source for the evening, Passover meal. Once the Israelites were settled in the Promised Land, this sacrifice was to occur only at the place designated by God Almighty.
“And you shall sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where the LORD chooses to establish His name.” Deuteronomy 16:2 NASB
God Almighty identified the unique place for the Passover sacrifice when He spoke to Solomon in c. 957 BC at the dedication of the temple built in Jerusalem.
And the LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.” 1Kings 9:3 NASB
God Almighty established His name in the temple in Jerusalem, thereby making it the one and only place for the Passover sacrifice. Solomon’s temple was constructed at the top of Mount Moriah where, many years earlier, Abraham prepared to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice and where, one thousand years later, Jesus was sacrificed.
The gospel of John, offering a different day of the feast for Jesus’ crucifixion than the synoptic gospels, indicates that the day of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion was the day of preparation for the Passover meal.
When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” John 19:13-14 NASB
According to John, Jewish leaders avoided portions of the proceedings regarding Jesus, lest they thereby become prohibited from participating in the Passover meal to be held at sunset of that day.
They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium; and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium in order that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. John 18:28 NASB
Jesus was the Lamb of God Almighty sacrificed in the place and on the day mandated for the Passover observance. Thus, the place where and the day on which Jesus died was set many years prior by virtue of God Almighty’s mandates in the Law. Some, using the intersection of dates of rulers and dates of Passover, have tried to identify the exact date that Jesus was crucified. We will simply note that the calendar of ancient Israel was based on the lunar cycle with the first of a month occurring with the new moon. Therefore, the sacrifice of the Passover lamb at twilight on the fourteenth day of the month coincided precisely with the full moon, and you can be sure that it is no coincidence that Jesus, the Light of the world, died and was buried at the time of a full moon.
The following table displays the original Passover in Egypt as a pattern for Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb of God Almighty during Passover.
The sacrificial lamb was selected four days prior to its death. The Israelites in Egypt, on the tenth day of the month, identified the sacrificial lamb, and then kept it close until the time for the meal on the 14th day of the month.
“Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their father’s households, a lamb for each household. … And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.’” Exodus 12:3,6 NASB
The Passover of Jesus’ death, according the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, was on a Thursday evening, which means that the Passover lamb was to be identified on the previous Sunday. Therefore on the very day that the Passover lambs were being identified (Sunday, the 10th), Jesus was identified and celebrated as King during His triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday).
And as He was now approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, saying, “BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:37-38 NASB
Jesus’ Jewish brethren hailed Him as king on the day designated to select the Passover sacrifice, and the inscription on Jesus’ cross read “The King of the Jews.” Thus, it seems that Jesus’ followers unwittingly selected Him as the sacrificial Lamb of Passover.
The Passover sacrifice was mandated to be a male without spot or blemish.
Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Exodus 12:5 NASB
Jesus, by His life without sin, was the unblemished Lamb of God.
For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:13-14 NASB
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 1Peter 1:18-19 NASB
The lamb was to live four days with those who later would kill it.
“And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.” Exodus 12:6 NASB
After identification by the multitude as the Lamb of God on Palm Sunday, Jesus then spent the next days in the temple with those who would kill Him.
At that time Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as though I were a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me.” Matthew 26:55 NASB
The killing of the sacrificial lambs in ancient times was to be a communal event with participation of the leadership and the rank and file.
“And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.” Exodus 12:6 NASB
Likewise, the multitude as well as the leadership of the Jews participated in the killing of Jesus.
And the multitude went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. And Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he was aware that the chief priests had delivered Him up because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the multitude to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. And answering again, Pilate was saying to them, “Then what shall I do to Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!” Mark 15:8-13 NASB
Jews on two previous occasions had attempted to kill Jesus in Jerusalem (John 8:59 and 10:31). Now, by divine will and with the aid of the Romans, the Jewish leadership is able to execute Jesus on a third attempt (divine completeness).
For the original Passover in Egypt, each household performed the ritual sacrifice at twilight.
“And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.” Exodus 12:6 NASB
The temple, after its dedication, was the only place where the sacrifice of the Passover offering could take place. The need to complete the sacrifices of the entire population in one place before sundown made it necessary to start the sacrificial process in mid-afternoon, at the ninth hour.
And when the sixth hour had come, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” which is translated, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAS THOU FORSAKEN ME?” … And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. Mark 15:33-34,37 NASB
Therefore, Jesus’ death at the ninth hour was within the appointed time for the sacrifice of the Passover offering.
No bone of the sacrificial offering was to be broken.
“It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside the house, nor are you to break any bone of it. Exodus 12:46 NASB
Similarly, none of Jesus’ bones were broken.
The soldiers therefore came, and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other man who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs; … For these things came to pass, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN.” John 19:32-33,36 NASB
The flesh of the sacrificial lamb was to be eaten. The Israelites ate the roasted meat of the sacrifice as part of the Passover meal.
“And they shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.” Genesis 12:8 NASB
Likewise, Jesus is the meat for a new, spiritual meal.
And while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And He took a cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is to be shed on behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:26-28 NASB
The Eucharist or Holy Communion, which is a commemoration of Jesus’ sacrifice, is a symbolic meal representative of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood.
Miracles occurred in conjunction with the death of the sacrificial offering. In the land of Egypt, God Almighty performed a miracle of life and death.
Now it came about at midnight that the LORD struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the first-born of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the first-born cattle. Exodus 12:29 NASB
Likewise God Almighty performed miracles in conjunction with the death of Jesus.
And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook; and the rocks were split, and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Matthew 27:51-53 NASB
None of the meat of the Passover sacrifice could remain until morning.
“And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire.” Exodus 12:10 NASB
“For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning.” Deuteronomy 16:4 NASB
Likewise, none of Jesus’ flesh was found in the morning (after the Sabbath).
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Luke 24:1-3 NASB
Those who ate the original Passover meal were to be dressed for a journey on a new path which they would follow after the meal.
“Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste – it is the LORD’s Passover.” Exodus 12:11
Likewise, the new Christian embarks upon a new walk after eating the spiritual Passover, i.e., receiving Jesus as Savior.
Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4 NASB
Thus, the original Passover is a type or foreshadowing of Jesus’ sacrifice upon the cross.
We have mentioned that Jesus at the physical, Passover meal instituted the symbolic meal of the Eucharist or Holy Communion that is to be celebrated by Jesus’ followers (Matt 26:26-28). Humanity is in need of partaking of the flesh and blood of Jesus because the flesh and blood of humanity has been corrupted and is unacceptable to God Almighty.
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 1Corinthians 15:50 NASB
God Almighty instituted shedding the flesh and blood of our birth so that we may take on the flesh and blood of Jesus. Circumcision, the removal of the flesh of the foreskin of the male reproduction organ, is the symbolic removing of the fleshly, human nature that encourages sin (Section 3.5). There is a companion shedding of blood from the female reproductive organ during the monthly cycle implemented by God Almighty in His curse upon the woman in the garden (Section 2.7). Thus, we have the concept of humanity collectively shedding the flesh and blood of our birth so that it may be replaced by the flesh and blood of Jesus through participation in the spiritual meal prepared from the sacrifice of Lamb of God.
Jesus therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day. My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” John 6:53-56 NASB
Who is to partake of this new, spiritual meal?
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6 NASB
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 NASB
Jesus declared that all the nations (Jews and Gentiles) are to partake of this meal made available because of His sacrifice. The Jewish congregation of Jesus’ time was blind to God Almighty’s plan for the restoration of humanity.
And when He approached, He saw the city [Jerusalem] and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.” Luke 19:41-42 NASB
The Jewish leaders, willing participants in the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, were not willing to eat the spiritual meal made available by Jesus’ sacrificial offering. Thus they continued in their rites of Passover another 35 or so years until the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. In the 2,000 years since, Jews have not been able to perform the Passover sacrifice as prescribed at the place where the Lord your God chooses to establish His name (Deut 16:6). Thereafter, the Jewish religion has been denied the temple sacrifices and has transitioned from temple-based worship to synagogue-based.
Following the Passover meal, there are seven days of the Festival of Unleavened Bread during which leaven in prohibited.
“You shall not eat leavened bread with it [the Passover meal]; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), in order that you may remember all the days of your life the day when you come out of the land of Egypt. For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning.” Deuteronomy 16:3-5
As we have pointed out, Jesus is the unleavened (sinless) bread from heaven (John 6:48-50). Because there are seven days of unleavened bread, we also get the suggestion of spiritual perfection of humanity. Jesus is the source of the meat (flesh of the Lamb), the drink (blood of the Lamb), and the unleavened bread (from heaven) that is our spiritual sustenance after being born again into newness of life. In other words, the seven days of the Festival of Unleavened Bread is an assurance that Jesus, after our salvation, is there to sustain us in our spiritual walk toward righteousness.
The Festival of First Fruits, an offering of the first fruits of the barley harvest, is the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying “Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘When you enter the land which I am going to give you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD for you to be accepted; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. Now on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb one year old without defect for a burnt offering to the LORD.’ ” Leviticus 23:9-12 NASB
The activities of First Fruits included the sacrifice of a one year old male lamb without defect, a repeat of that which occurred at Passover. Therefore, just as the lamb of Passover symbolized Jesus, so also the lamb of First Fruits of Unleavened Bread symbolized Jesus’ participation in First Fruits. The sheaf of grain was waved on the day after the Sabbath, and likewise Jesus’ tomb was empty on the day after the Sabbath.
And when the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. Mark 16:1-2 NASB
The first fruit, grain offering of unleavened bread was a sheaf or bundle of mature barley plants that had been severed from roots in the ground. This separation from that which was in the earth is symbolic of Jesus’ resurrection wherein He was brought forth from the grave and freed or disconnected from the earthly (ground) realm.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 1Corinthians 15:20 NASB
Jesus Christ, as the first fruits of those who are asleep, fulfills the first fruits of Unleavened Bread. In ancient Israel, the first fruit, wave offering was a celebration in anticipation of the reaping of the full harvest. Likewise, Jesus’ resurrection is to be celebrated in anticipation of the resurrection and justification of all humanity (Rom 5:17-18). As His death was the spiritual fulfillment of Passover, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the fulfillment of the Festival of First Fruits of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Thus, Jesus fulfilled the mandates of the three festivals of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Jesus fulfilled the next feast, Pentecost. Jesus, after His resurrection, spent 40 days with His followers.
To these he also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3 NASB
Recall in the discussion of Jesus’ temptation (Section 4.5), we developed the idea that forty days or years was a period of purification in preparation for service to God Almighty. From this perspective, the forty days accomplished the purification of Jesus required by His time among the dead, and thereafter Jesus ascended to heaven.
And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received him out of their sight. Acts 1:9 NASB
After ascension into heaven (i.e., to the presence of God Almighty), Jesus sat down at the right hand of God Almighty.
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; Hebrews 1:3 NASB
Ten days later, the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Pentecost/Weeks.
“And you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks, that is, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.” Exodus 34:22 NASB
On the day of the Feast of Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension, 120 of Jesus’ followers received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 NASB
The baptism with the Holy Spirit is identified as first fruits of the Spirit.
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. Romans 8:22-23 NASB
This event on the day of Pentecost can be viewed as the return of Jesus’ spirit. On the day of Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus bestowed His Spirit upon His disciples.
Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He has said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:21-22 NASB
Plus, the Holy Spirit, after Jesus ascension is also characterizes as the Spirit of Jesus.
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Galatians 4:6 NASB
Thus, the baptism of the church with the Holy (Jesus’) Spirit on the day of Pentecost is the fulfillment by Jesus of the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost.
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