“The Fourth theme of the Exodus: the rescue of God’s people, achieved in such a way as to make it clear to them that this was an act of special favor and mercy. “Passover” is called that because, on the last night in Egypt, the angel of death, bringing judgment on all the firstborn of Egypt, “passed over” the Israelite houses where a lamb had been sacrificed and its blood daubed on the doorposts. The shared family meal of that night has been repeated ever since.” (“Re-Living the Exodus”,  Simply Jesus,  N. T. Wright, p. 64-65)

Passover was established when G-d rescued His people Israel from Egyptian slavery. After nine plagues did not move the pharaoh to let the Israelites go, G-d sent one final plague that provoked Pharaoh, the king of Egypt to relent temporarily and free the Israelites. This plague, the death of all of Egypt’s firstborn sons, gave only a short window in which to escape; thus, the meal preceding it had to be something that could be eaten in haste. Unleavened bread was essential to the Passover as the people had no time to wait for the dough to rise if they were to get away. The blood of the Passover lamb was also a part of the feast. Though the people did not consume the blood, they did spread it on their door posts so that the angel of death would “pass over” their households. In so doing the Israelites marked themselves off as G-d’s people, saved from divine wrath.

It was during the Passover celebration that Jesus enters Jerusalem in his triumphal entry, which we celebrate on Palm Sunday. The events of that week would end with Jesus being hung on a cross—his blood an expiation for the sins of many. When we partake of the wine in communion, we say in part that “..this cup is the new covenant in his blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sins.” It is in this blood, like the blood of the lamb at Passover, that our sins are forgiven—that we too are marked as G-d’s people, through the blood of Jesus Christ—and we too are saved from Divine Wrath.

Pastor Dave