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Collision of Old and New
It's interesting to think about, Jesus celebrates the Passover with his disciples and then the very next day he gives himself as the sacrificial lamb for the forgiveness of sins.
1 Corinthians 5:7
On Maundy Thursday evening, Jesus gathered with his disciples in an upper room to celebrate the Passover meal. The Passover meal was something that God had commanded his people to do, as a way to remember how he delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
If you recall parts of what they are originally commanded by God to do involving the 10th plague, and how he was going to bring his messenger of death or his angel of death to come through and kill the firstborn, including Pharaoh’s son. God had commanded them to slaughter a lamb and to paint its blood on the doorframe, on the lintel, and on the posts as well. And as that destroyer that angel of death would come through. He’d see the blood and pass over those homes. So death did not draw near.
But through this also, God brought about Israel’s deliverance. As Pharaoh was so distraught over the death of his son, he finally commanded the children of Israel to leave, and they were rescued by God, freed from slavery.
Every year, God commanded his people to celebrate this meal as a way to remember what he had done for them. But also I think it was very much so looking forward to something else.
It’s quite interesting if you think about it, that evening when Jesus is celebrating this Passover meal with his disciples, it’s the beginning of a new Jewish day. Jews keep time from evening and then into morning into the next day. So a new day always begins in the evening, around sunset or 6 p.m. in general. And so at the beginning of this new day, they celebrate this meal. But what happens leading into Friday, the next day, so to speak, for us, but that same 24 hour period? Jesus goes to the cross. And what does he do there? Jesus sheds his blood for you and for me.
We know the result of the shedding of Jesus blood on the cross, that he did it to protect us from that destroyer death, and that our sins also might be forgiven. The Apostle Paul talks about Jesus as a Passover lamb. He says this in first Corinthians chapter five, verse seven.
For our Passover lamb has been sacrificed, namely Christ. (1 Corinthians 5:7)
What amazing picture to think about the children of Israel being protected by the blood of the lamb painted on their door. And now Christ’s blood has been shed for you and for me on Good Friday, to protect us also from eternal death and destruction, to free us also from our sins and what they deserve.
As the Scripture also says, the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. Another interesting fact, though, is what Jesus did that same Maundy Thursday evening. Not only did he and his disciples celebrate the old Passover meal to remember the way in which God rescued them from Egypt and protected them from that angel of death. But he also establishes a new meal, a new meal that’s so different than the old one. It’s not a meal filled with symbolism, simply, there to remind them of something, though that’s part of it. But it’s a meal that gives the reality and benefit of Christ’s sacrifice. As Jesus handed them the bread, he said, take, eat. This is my body. As he gave them the cup of wine, he said, take drink. This is my blood of the new covenant which is poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus gave them himself the sacrificial Passover lamb to eat and to drink for their benefit, truly bestowing upon them the forgiveness of sins. And as Martin Luther says in his Small Catechism, where there is the forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.
How amazing to think about. Kind of a collision between old and new, all happening in that 24 hour period as they celebrated the old Passover meal, looking back on how God delivered them and protected them from death, and then seeing how Christ became the true Passover lamb, freeing us from sin and death on the cross the next day. But also how he establishes that precious meal that we celebrate even today, so that we can know by it our sins are truly forgiven. We are right with God. We are protected from that destroyer and have eternal life. The blood shed for you and for me. Amen.
