Time to celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection . . . Again!(Jewish Roots) by Terri Gillespie 

 “You know that after two days is Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Matthew 26:2

For most believers in Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah) celebration of His resurrection was in March. However, according to the Biblical calendar, Jesus’ resurrection was during the 7-day Biblical feast of Passover. 

Volumes of books have been written on the significance and symbolism of Passover to Christians. As mentioned in previous articles, many Christian and everyday traditions are based on Jewish traditions.

Believe it or not The Last Supper Jesus ate with His disciples was a Passover Seder. And our Lord actually longed to partake of this ancient Biblical feast with those closest to Him (Luke 22:15).

Over the years communion has come to symbolize the Last Supper. Christians have long understood that the elements of bread and wine/juice represent the Body and Blood of Jesus. But did you know the Passover meal in its prophetic fulfillment is rich with even more symbolisms!

For example, within the Seder (which means the order, or how the meal is structured), there were four cups of wine. The cup after the meal was finished, was the third cup called the Cup of Redemption or Salvation. Jesus' Hebrew name is Yeshua which means Salvation. So for centuries (Psalm 116:13) Jewish people were raising the Cup of Yeshua!

As you partake of the Lord's Supper next time, savor the sweetness of the fruit of the vine. Remember how sweet our salvation is.

Did you know matzah (unleavened bread) is the original fast food? God commanded the Jewish people to eat it in a hurry, with belts around the waist, shoes on their feet and their rods in their hands (Exodus 12: 11).

The unleavened bread used only for Passover is specially made. Certain grains cannot be used because they make the dough rise even without adding a leavening. After centuries of preparing the simple flour and water bread, bakers know that the dough cannot sit for longer than 18 minutes or it will no longer be matzah. There are no idle hands in this process, for every 18 minutes all the utensils and the preparers' hands must be cleansed.

After the dough is rolled out, the baker uses a special tool to pierce the dough to keep it from bubbling up while baking. After a brief visit in the oven (about 30 seconds) the matzah comes out striped from the fire.

The Passover matzah alone offers a wealth of symbolism. We know Paul compared leaven to sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-8) and Yeshua/Jesus referred to Himself as the Bread of life (John 6:48). We know prophecy foretold that the Anointed One—the Messiah—would be pierced (Psalm 22:16; Isaiah 53: 5; Zechariah 12:10) and that by His stripes we were healed (Isaiah 53:5).

These are but two of the elements of Passover, there are so many more. Explore them for yourselves and you will be richly blessed.

Read More About It: God’s Appointed Times, by Messianic Rabbi Barney Kasdan, Lederer Ministries, 1993, 2007.

RECIPE:

Since no leaven is used during the seven days of Passover, desserts can be a challenge. However, I’ll challenge that you’ll love this cake and not even miss the leaven.

Apple Cake

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup oil (sunflower or corn is great)

3/4 cup matzah cake meal (most supermarkets carry this)

5 apples, pared and thinly sliced

1/3 cup walnuts

1/2 cup sugar (or powdered sugar)

2 teaspoons of cinnamon (more if you love cinnamon)

Beat eggs with sugar and oil until the mixture is light. Add cake meal and mix well. Pour half of the batter into a lightly greased 8 or 9 inch square pan. Distribute half of the apples over the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and cover with the remaining apples. Combine walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the apples. The recipe may be doubled and baed in a 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for about 1-1/2 hours.

NEXT TIME: The Traveling Holidays: The Biblical Calendar

 Terri L. Gillespie
May 2008 release: 
Making Eye Contact with God,