Passover of Jesus Christ Contains Hidden Jewels

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The Passover of Jesus Christ contains hidden jewels of wisdom for the Believer’s good health, strength, well-being and long life. References are from Matthew 26:17-29; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:1-23; John 13:21 and 1 Corinthians 11:20-34.

This hidden wisdom of well-being, for the Believers, is told by Christ against a background of betrayal. The same night Jesus was betrayed he ate his last Passover with his twelve disciples but one of them was his betrayer, Judas Iscariot.

In another Bible Study, I explained how Jesus took all our sicknesses and all our diseases and carried them in his body. These were nailed to his cross when Jesus was crucified. This is true also for all our sins.

However, there is a special supernatural provision for perfect health, strength and long life built in the Lord’s Supper – Passover – for Believers.

There is a record of an interesting occurrence in the Scriptures. Immediately before the Lord and his disciples ate their last Passover together, the Synoptic Gospels have some interesting records. Matthew 26:14-16 record Judas Iscariot contract with the Chief Priests to betray Jesus.

Mark 14:10-11 records, Judas’ visit covert visit to the Jews “to betray” Jesus Christ.

However, only Luke informs us of the true motive how this betrayal happened. Luke explains, “Then entered Satan into Judas Iscariot,” and he went and sold Jesus to the Priests, Luke 22:1-6.

This contract on Jesus’ life according to the Synoptic Gospels, happened prior to the Passover but on the same day of this feast.

Jesus made an announcement while he was eating the Passover with his disciples. He said, “One of you shall betray me,” Matthew 26:21; Mark 14:18; Luke 22:21-22 and John 13:21.

The main components of the Passover are unleavened bread and the lamb. The Passover is also know as “the feast of unleavened bread,” Exodus 12:8.

In contemporary congregations, most times the Passover is called Communion.

Passover  -  Sign to Believers

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The Lord instituted the Passover, with Israel, while they were in Egypt. It was a sign for Israel to remember how the Lord killed all the first born of the Egyptians of both man and beasts. That night each family of the nation of Israel killed a spotless lamb. Its blood was placed on the lintels of their doors.  The lamb was roasted and eaten that night by each family of the entire nation of Israel. The first Passover is recorded in Exodus Chapter 12.

In the New Testament, the unleavened bread represents the body of Christ for he is the Lamb of God, John 1:29,36. See also these Scriptures for more references Mathew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:10.

The drink of the Passover represents the blood of the slain lamb, Jesus Christ, Matthew 26:27-29, Mark 14:24 and Luke 22:17-18, 20.

Let us go to 1 Corinthians 11:20-34, for this where the Passover gets very interested. The Church of Corinth was  a problematic assembly. Paul’s First Epistle to The Corinthians was to address many of those issues. The case in point, they were experiencing problems with the Passover as explained in 1 Corinthians 11:20-22.

In this dispensation, many denominations and religious organizations are teaching doctrines totally contrary to the Scriptures’ intent. They instruct, if you are not “living right” meaning an unrepentant  life a Believer should not eat or take the Passover. A repentant lifestyle is joy to the Lord and strength to your soul. However, is this what this Scripture teaches?

By eating the Passover, the unleavened bread and the wine of the Lord’s Supper a Believer shows or demonstrates Jesus Christ death, “until he” comes, 1 Corinthians 11:26.

Eat  Passover ”Unworthily”  Guilty of Body and Blood of Jesus

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However, the Believer who eats the Passover; that is, eats and drinks the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ “unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord,” 1 Corinthians 11:27.

The eating of the body of Jesus Christ and the drinking of his blood are both symbolic.

“Unworthily”, is mentioned in the Bible only twice: both in 1 Corinthians 11: verse 27 and verse 29. Therefore, in context, this term means a Believer is placed in similar standing or position with Christ as Judas Iscariot was, when he betrayed Jesus. Judas by his diabolical actions was guilty of the body and the blood of Jesus Christ because he betrayed innocent blood.

Many Pastors and Teachers of the Word may say “unworthily” could mean being in a sinful state. However, this cannot be a guilt of sin for Christ died for our sins and removed that guilt.

Judas Iscariot acknowledged, his sin when he confessed to the Chief Priests, “I have betrayed the innocent blood,” Matthew 27:4.

Even at Jesus’ trial, Pilate’s knew Jesus was innocent for his wife had a dream and sent a message to Pilate concerning Jesus’ innocence. She said, “Have nothing to do with that just man,” Matthew 27:19. One cannot be just and guilty simultaneously.

According to Luke, Pilate declares Jesus innocent three times. Pilate, reported to the Chief Priest, “I found no fault in this man (Jesus)”, Luke 23:4, 14 and 22.  There is no doubt Jesus was innocent of the charges the Chief Priests brought against him.

Judas by Eating the Passover Condemned Himself

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With regard to the shedding of innocent blood, Judas Iscariot was doomed. The only way to remove guilt of innocent blood is with blood of the one who caused the death of the innocent. This is one of the  reasons I cannot accept life sentences for murder. A person who deliberately kills another should be killed for he took a life. Deuteronomy Chapters nineteen and twenty-one provide detail explanations.

Judas is confronted with two evils: the guilt of innocent blood and apostasy. The Scriptures are very specific in how to cleanse the land of “the guilt of innocent blood.” Only the blood of the guilty can cleanse the land of the guilt of innocent blood, Numbers 35:33.

Judas Iscariot did not examine himself or he may not have eaten the body of Christ or drink his blood. Judas by eating the Passover condemned himself. Judas could not have examined himself for he was keeping terrible spiritual health, because he had committed apostasy.

Initially, after the Lord instituted the Passover, the lamb was killed at home and eaten there. This was allowed because Israel ate the first Passover in haste. As a nation, they were imminently leaving Egypt after four hounded thirty years of slavery.

However, later, the Passover lamb could not be killed at home but in the place where the name of the Lord was, Deuteronomy 16:5. In other words, the Passover Lamb was killed in the Sanctuary. Consequently, no defiled person could enter the Sanctuary. Before anyone could eat the Passover, he would have to cleanse himself.

According to Numbers 9:6-8 two men were defiled by dead body and prevented from eating the Passover. However, they presented themselves to Moses and explained their situations. The prophet of God seeks God direction and the Lord instructed him what to do.

The Lord told Moses they could observe the Passover but one month later. Because these men were defiled, they ate the Passover one month later, on the 14^th of the Second month of the year. All the ordinances of the Passover were still enforced, Numbers 9:13.

Another similar case is recorded in 2 Chronicles 30 19-19. In this case, a number of Jewish people did not cleanse themselves according to the purification of the Sanctuary. However, the God fearing king, prayed for their cleansing and God heard his prayer and grant it.

It is against this background and the prevailing crisis at the Church of Corinth why the Apostle Paul encourage each Believer to “examine himself” before he eats the Passover.

The Apostle Paul also informs us he had a revelation from God. He said, “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you,” 1 Corinthians 11:23.

Jesus encourages the Believers to eat the Passover. On the other hand, Paul reminds us how to eat.

The Apostle cautions, “For he that eatheth and drink unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body,” 1 Corinthians 11:29.

Judas Iscariot had overlooked this aspect of the Passover.  The members of the Corinthians Church had done the similar thing in eating the Passover “hungry” and or drunk. This is “unworthy” behavior.

Paul, said, because Believers are not realizing the body of Christ was broken for our healing therefore, many are weak, sickly among you, and many sleep, 1 Corinthians 11:29.

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world,” 1 Corinthians 11:31- 32.

Jesus explained Judas Iscariot’s situation to him before he ate the Passover. Jesus wanted him to exclude himself but he knew he if he did it would be obvious to the other disciples that he betrayed the Lord. Judas therefore was unworthy to eat the Passover.

The Apostle Paul encourages the Believer and the Corinthians Church to examine themselves before they eat the Passover. This self-assessment is not to identify any sin but a sin of a special nature. John told us Satan entered into Judas Iscariot’s heart, John 13:2. Therefore, Judas’ heart made him unworthy to eat the Passover. But how?

Before eating the Passover, a Believer can repent of most sins. But the “unworthiness” that Paul speaks about we cannot find repentance for that. What is this “unworthiness?”

This is not talking about backsliding but about a former Christian whose heart has become corrupted.

He has turned his back on that which he once proclaimed. He has become a reprobate.

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ⁵And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame,” Hebrews 6:4-6.

This was Judas Iscariot’s sin. He had fallen away from the body of Christ and not in a proper spiritual state to discern the body of Christ. Therefore, he died a premature death. The Scripture was fulfilled on him.

In closing, if we examine ourselves before we eat the Lord’s Supper we do well. By discerning the Lord’s body, we cleanse ourselves before we eat and are assured, strength, good health and long life because the body of Jesus was broken for us.

To be continued.

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