What is Passover in the Bible?
Quick Summary
Passover in the Bible is the foundational story of God’s liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Instituted in Exodus 12, Passover commemorates the night God passed over the homes marked with the blood of a lamb, delivered Israel from oppression, and began forming them into a covenant people. Over time, Passover became a defining festival of identity, worship, and hope. In the New Testament, Jesus celebrates Passover with his disciples, and the early church understood the cross and resurrection through its imagery of deliverance, sacrifice, and new creation.
Introduction
Passover sits at the center of Israel’s story. It is the moment when God acts decisively to free the people from oppression, break the power of Pharaoh, and begin the journey toward the promised land. Every year, Israel retold and reenacted this story to remember who God is and who they were called to be.
Passover is not only about leaving Egypt. It is about belonging to God, trusting God’s promises, and embracing a new identity shaped by liberation and faithfulness. Scholars such as Jon Levenson, Carol Meyers, and Terence Fretheim emphasize that Passover functions as Israel’s theological anchor. It describes a God who hears the cry of the oppressed and responds with compassion and power.
The Origin of Passover in Exodus
Passover begins with God’s command during the final plague in Egypt. Pharaoh has refused to free the Israelites, and God announces a final act of judgment in which the firstborn of Egypt will die (Exodus 11:4 to 5). To protect the people, God establishes a covenant sign.
The Passover Lamb
Each household is instructed to take a lamb without blemish (Exodus 12:5). The lamb is to be slaughtered and eaten in haste, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Its blood is to be placed on the doorposts and lintel of the home.
The blood is not magical. It is a sign of trust. It marks the community as belonging to the God who saves.
The Night of Deliverance
God promises to pass through Egypt and strike down the firstborn but will pass over the homes marked with blood (Exodus 12:12 to 13). This night becomes the turning point. Pharaoh releases the Israelites, and they leave Egypt with urgency.
Unleavened Bread
Because the people left in haste, they had no time to let their dough rise. Unleavened bread becomes a yearly reminder that God’s deliverance came quickly and decisively.
A Lasting Ordinance
God commands that this day be remembered throughout all generations (Exodus 12:14). Passover becomes a ritual of remembrance and identity.
Carol Meyers notes that the Passover ritual creates a sense of solidarity across time. Each generation participates in the original deliverance by retelling and reenacting the story.
Passover in the Old Testament Story
Passover does not end in Exodus. It becomes a recurring moment of renewal.
Passover at Sinai
After leaving Egypt, Israel receives the law at Sinai and becomes God’s covenant people. Passover and the covenant are linked. One celebrates deliverance. The other describes the life meant to follow.
Passover in the Wilderness
In Numbers 9, Israel celebrates Passover even before entering the land. God allows a second Passover one month later for those who were unclean or traveling. This inclusion highlights God’s desire for everyone to participate.
Passover in the Promised Land
Joshua 5 describes Israel keeping Passover at Gilgal. It is a moment of transition. The manna ceases, and the people begin to eat the produce of the land.
Passover in the Monarchy
Passover becomes a symbol of renewal during the reigns of faithful kings.
Hezekiah keeps Passover and invites the northern tribes to join (2 Chronicles 30).
Josiah keeps Passover with profound dedication, and the text says no Passover like it had been kept since the judges (2 Kings 23:21 to 23).
Jon Levenson notes that these Passovers function as spiritual reforms. They call the people back to their identity as a liberated community.
Passover and the Prophets
The prophets often echo Passover themes when calling Israel to repentance. God reminds the people that they were strangers in Egypt and must therefore act with justice and compassion toward the vulnerable.
Hosea 11 recalls God’s love in bringing Israel out of Egypt. Amos condemns empty rituals when they are not paired with justice. Micah calls the people to remember God’s saving acts.
Passover becomes more than memory. It becomes a measure of faithfulness.
Passover in the Time of Jesus
By the first century, Passover had become a pilgrimage festival. Jewish families traveled to Jerusalem to sacrifice the Passover lamb and share the meal. The temple courts were filled with singing, sacrifice, and celebration.
Jesus Goes to Jerusalem for Passover
The Gospels describe Jesus traveling to Jerusalem for Passover in John 12. The crowds greet him with palm branches, and tension between Jesus and the religious authorities grows.
The Last Supper
The Last Supper takes place in the context of Passover. Jesus sits at table with his disciples, breaks bread, and shares the cup. He interprets the bread as his body and the cup as his blood, connecting his death with God’s liberating work.
Jesus as the Passover Lamb
The New Testament consistently sees Jesus through Passover imagery.
Paul writes, “Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).
John notes that Jesus dies at the hour when Passover lambs were being slain (John 19:14).
None of Jesus’ bones are broken, echoing the instructions for the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:46).
The early church understood the cross as the new Passover. Through Jesus, God delivers people from sin, death, and fear.
The Meaning of Passover in Christian Theology
Passover continues to shape Christian understanding of salvation.
Deliverance
Passover proclaims that God hears the cry of the oppressed and acts with power.
Sacrifice
The lamb becomes a symbol of substitution and redemption.
Covenant
Passover leads to covenant. God rescues the people and calls them into a life of holiness and faithfulness.
New Exodus
Many theologians describe Jesus’ death and resurrection as a new exodus. God leads his people from slavery into freedom.
Identity
Just as Israel remembered the Passover to remember who they were, Christians remember the Lord’s Supper to remember the cross and resurrection.
Terence Fretheim observes that Passover reveals a God who enters history to transform it. Salvation is not abstract. It is communal, embodied, and lived.
How Passover Shapes Faith Today
Passover offers several enduring lessons for believers.
Gratitude
God’s deliverance invites joy and thanksgiving.
Compassion
Remembering Israel’s slavery inspires care for those who suffer.
Faithfulness
Passover calls believers to respond to God’s grace with obedience.
Hope
Passover reminds us that God overturns injustice. No Pharaoh has the final word.
Worship
Passover is a feast. It invites celebration, community, and remembrance.
FAQ
Is Passover the same as Easter?
They are connected but not identical. Passover celebrates God’s deliverance from Egypt. Easter celebrates Jesus’ resurrection, which took place during the Passover season.
Why unleavened bread?
It recalls Israel’s haste in leaving Egypt and symbolizes purity and readiness.
Was Jesus’ Last Supper a Passover meal?
The Synoptic Gospels present it as a Passover meal. John connects Jesus’ death with the slaughtering of the lambs. Both highlight Passover themes.
What is the main message of Passover?
That God delivers, redeems, and forms a people for a new life.
