What Christians Should Know about the Crucifixion

What is the significance of the death of Jesus? As Bible believers, we see that Scripture says that he was sacrificed for us, and that his shed blood covers our sins. But what else should we know about this historical event at Golgotha? It amazes me that even though I grew up in church, there is always more that we can learn about the focal point of Scripture. There are so many fascinating details about the crucifixion that are packed with meaning!

Here are a few things that all believers should know about the Messiah's death:

-It was foretold in the Old Testament. Did you know that there are many prophecies about the death of the Messiah? Passages like Isaiah 53, many Psalms, and Zechariah 12:10 described details of the Savior's death hundreds of years before it happened!

-The Passover story in Exodus was a shadow of the work of the Messiah. In Exodus 12 God told Moses to have every Israelite household slaughter a lamb and brush its blood around the entrance to their homes. The people who followed this instruction were kept safe from the plague of the death of the firstborn. This is why the Messiah is later referred to as the lamb who was slain for our sins, and fits with the New Testament's descriptions of his blood being a covering for our sins.

-The Messiah was put to death on the Biblical holiday of Passover. Amazingly, the true Passover lamb was actually crucified on the day of Passover! Like the Passover lamb, none of his bones were broken. He rose from the grave during the week of Unleavened Bread, on the holiday of First Fruits.

-The Messiah's death was a fulfillment of the shadow of animal sacrifice, particularly the red heifer sacrifice of the Levitical priesthood. Priests used to sacrifice animals to serve as a temporary covering for the sins of the people, and the animals needed to be without blemish. The temple service was an analogy that foreshadowed the work that the Messiah would come to do!

-Caiaphas disqualified himself from his high priest duties. Matthew 26:65 tells us that Caiaphas tore his robes when he accused the Messiah of committing blasphemy. This action meant he was disqualified from serving in the role of high priest, as Leviticus 21:10 tells us that a high priest must not tear his robes. Because of this, there was no high priest that year to officiate the regular sacrifice of a lamb. The only high priest that year was the Messiah himself!

-The covenant with Abraham pointed to the death of the Messiah. Many people believe the cross was some sort of a 'plan B' but YHWH was not surprised by the need for this. All the way back in Genesis 15, the Living God made a covenant with Abraham that indicated that He - YHWH himself - would be the one to die if Abraham or his descendants broke their part of the agreement. If you've ever wondered why Abraham was in a trance during this process, that was YHWH taking full responsibility for the covenant. Isn't that beautiful?

-The Messiah's phrase, "It is finished," has several different meanings. It's not just about the crucifixion being done, we can also understand it to mean he was saying that the system of animal sacrifice as a sin covering had been completed. Many speculate that Levitical priests would have said, "It is finished," at the end of a sacrifice, and take this as another indicator that the Messiah was officiating as high priest. Most significantly, it can also mean that things are restored! I believe part of what Jesus meant when he said that was that now the lost tribes could be restored to the covenant, as well as all individuals having an available means to restoration and relationship with the Living God.

Related posts:
What are the Differences Between Passover and Easter?
The Beginner's Guide to Passover
Five Things Every Believer Should Know about Easter

Messiah our Passover Lamb - Free Printable

Here's a New Testament Bible verse drawing attention to two Biblical holidays: Passover and Unleavened Bread.

"For Messiah our Passover lamb was sacrificed for us: so then let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." -1 Corinthians 5:7-8

That's a powerful statement penned by the Apostle Paul. I love that he said to keep these times, not just know about them. Let us keep the feast. Let us recognize the foretelling of the Messiah in the Exodus story and the holiday of Passover, and celebrate the work he did on this day many years ago. Let us get rid of the old leaven of our cultural traditions and sincerely take part in these times, recognizing that they point to the truth of the Messiah.

What better verse to focus on during these special times? It's an easy way to add a touch of festivity to your home or office, and a decoration that is perfect for Passover and Unleavened Bread. The printable itself is simple enough to print off on any basic printer. I love having this verse out for others to see because it points to the validity of the Messiah and Biblical holidays!

This printable is free for your personal use. Click here to download this printable for Passover and Unleavened Bread. Have a joyous celebration time!

Related posts:
The Beginner's Guide to Passover
Kids Crafts for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits
Why the Biblical Holidays are for All Believers

Bitter Herb Recipes for Passover

What is the "bitter herb" that Scripture says the Israelites ate at their Passover? What recipes can we use to incorporate a bitter herb into our own Passover meals today? We find this description in Exodus.

"They are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and unleavened bread." -Exodus 12:8

The Bible doesn't exactly specify what the bitter is that was eaten along with the roasted lamb and unleavened bread, so we can't know for sure what they ate that night in Egypt. Since Scripture doesn't specify exactly which herb or green or vegetable is being pointed to, that gives us freedom to use what's available near us or what we are used to in our cultural cooking. I love that the Living God gave flexibility in this so that no matter where his people are they can participate in this! Traditionally horseradish is often used. Parsley, endive, romaine, and even celery are popular choices, and greens such as mustard or dandelion greens could be used too. I think any type of green, lettuce, or herb with a slightly bitter taste would be appropriate to eat on Passover.

Potential bitter herbs for Passover:

Parsley
Romaine lettuce
Endive
Radicchio
Kale
Collard greens
Mustard flowers or greens
Dandelion greens
Horseradish
Wasabi
Celery
Bitter melon
Broccoli rabe
Any other herbs, greens, or vegetables with a slight or strong bitter taste.

There are so many different ways you can incorporate these into your Passover meal! From salads to sauces to braised greens or cooked veggies on the side, there is no right or wrong way to incorporate a bitter herb element into your menu. Again, I believe YHWH intentionally lets us use the plants and produce that are in our area and available to us so that all of his people can participate in this custom.

These recipes are just a few ideas for incorporating some of these into your Passover meal for a bitter herb element.

Gremolata from Love and Lemons

Coconut Curried Greens from Minimalist Baker

Bistro Salad from Pinch of Yum

Beet and Goat Cheese Endive Bites from A Beautiful Plate

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe from Love and Lemons

Easy Massaged Kale Salad from Minimalist Baker

Chimichurri Sauce from Love and Lemons

Celery Salad with Torn Olives, Almonds, and Parmesan from Cookie and Kate

Endive Salad with Parmesan and Orange from A Couple Cooks

Grain Free Tabbouleh from Minimalist Baker

Quick Collard Greens from Cookie and Kate

5 Minute Kale Pesto from Pinch of Yum

More about Passover:
The Beginner's Guide to Passover
Meal Ideas for the Feast of Unleavened Bread
What the Bible Says About Passover

The Beginner's Guide to Passover (for believers in Messiah)

Are you new to celebrating Passover and the other Biblical holidays? Are you wondering why to take part in Passover, when it is, what the Bible says about it, or who should celebrate it? This post will go over the details for you and make observing this time doable and spiritually meaningful as a believer in Messiah.

Where in the Bible is Passover?

Exodus 12 gives us many details about Passover, when God was working through Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. The climax of the Exodus story is about the Passover lamb and the death of the firstborn plague not bothering the people who had followed YHWH's instructions.

Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and John 13 talk about the Messiah's last supper and then his crucifixion...which happened on Passover!

There are other mentions of Passover throughout the Old and New Testaments! Joshua and the Israelites kept Passover before the battle of Jericho. Kings and Chronicles record mentions of Passover celebrations. Mary and Joseph kept Passover when Yahusha was young. The Gospels and books of Acts, 1 Corinthians, and Hebrews all mention Passover. Some scholars believe that when Abraham and Sarah served unleavened bread and meat to their heavenly visitors they were observing Passover.

Why is Passover celebrated?

Passover is celebrated because it is one of the seven Biblical holidays that the Living God expressly told his people to celebrate in Leviticus 23, Numbers 9, and Deuteronomy 16. Passover celebrates the miracles of the Exodus story when YHWH spared his people from the plagues against the Egyptians and freed them from slavery. For believers in Messiah, Passover is also when we make a special point of remembering and honoring the Messiah's sacrifice for our sins.

What does Passover mean?

Passover comes from the Hebrew word 'Pesach,' the root word of which means pass-over. This comes from the angel of death 'passing over' the homes of the people who had slaughtered a lamb and put its blood around the door to their homes in the Exodus story. Doors that had not been covered with the blood of the lamb resulted in the firstborn dying in each house/family. This was the tenth plague YHWH brought upon Egypt, and after the death of his son Pharaoh decided to let the Israelites go.

Are Passover and Easter the same?

No. Even though there are many well-intentioned people who believe that Easter celebrates the same thing as Passover, there are many differences between these holidays. For believers in Messiah, Passover focuses on the death of the Messiah and his sacrifice covering our sins, and his resurrection is celebrated a few days later on the Biblical holiday of First Fruits. The holiday of Easter does not have its root in Scripture, and is not mentioned by the Bible. Many Easter traditions and customs are also not from the Bible, such as the ubiquitous Easter bunny. Scripture emphasizes the Passover lamb. Those who currently celebrate the resurrection of the Messiah at Easter would do well to start following the Living God's instructions about this!

Who should celebrate Passover?

All Bible believers should take part in Passover and the other Bible holidays! No matter our ancestry, Scripture instructs all of God's children to take part in this special time. It is mentioned throughout the Old and New Testaments; Moses and Apostle Paul both said that we should keep the feasts! Participating in the Biblical holidays will help us better understand the Bible from historical and prophetic perspectives.

What to know about Passover:

-Passover is a one day holiday, which is immediately followed by seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

-Passover is not a no-work day. This is likely because of the work of sacrificing and roasting a lamb that was required of believers in Exodus.

-Deuteronomy 16:3 says we eat the Passover meal of lamb, herbs, and unleavened bread to remember how quickly the Living God brought his people out of Egyptian slavery!

-The Hebrew word for Passover is Pesach and these words are used interchangeably.

-Passover happens around the same time as Easter, but the holidays are very different. One has its roots in Scripture, the other does not.

-We do not sacrifice a lamb today because the Messiah is the ultimate Passover lamb! However, serving and eating lamb is perfectly okay!

Spiritual significance of Passover:

-The Messiah was put to death on this day. Significantly there was no lamb sacrificed that year.

-John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, Luke, and John all refer to the Messiah as the lamb in the New Testament. This points to Passover and how the Messiah's death would free us from our sins!

-There are many parallels between Jesus and the Passover lamb from Exodus. The lamb had to be without blemish, and none of its bones were to be broken. The Messiah was without sin and, despite the horrific abuse he endured before and on the cross, none of his bones were broken! The Passover lamb was to be selected four days before Passover. Four days before his death, Yahusha rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.

-The Messiah said to do this in remembrance of him! Many of us have limited our participation in this command from Luke 22:19 to occasionally taking communion. But don't miss that the bread Jesus described as himself was the unleavened bread of a Passover meal!

How to observe:

-Remove the leaven from your home. Start with getting rid of breads or similar products made with sourdough starter, yeast, baking soda, or baking powder. Don't forget any containers of breadcrumbs or products made with breadcrumbs such as meatballs, or breaded chicken.

-Plan a meal using lamb, unleavened bread, and herbs. While traditional Passover Seders can be daunting, it's okay to keep things simple! It can be just yourself, or invite family and friends to honor this time with you.

-Have communion. Use unleavened bread and grape juice or wine to pause and give thanks for the Messiah's sacrifice. 

-Read, tell, or watch the accounts of the Messiah's last supper and death, as well as the Exodus story.

-Remember the miracles and faithfulness of YHWH in your own life. Scripture repeatedly instructs us to remember the works of YHWH and I think that applies to our own experiences outside of the Bible. Sharing how you have seen the Living God's provision and encouragement in your life is a great way to spread hope to others, as well as yourself!

There is some learning curve when you start to observe a new holiday, so give yourself grace about that. It takes time to get used to celebrating the times of the Creator and next year it will seem more natural and be even more fun! The Living God is honored by your efforts to take part in his set apart times!

More about Passover: 
What the Bible Says About Passover
Differences Between Passover and Easter
How to Host a Passover Seder
Five Reasons Believers Should Keep Passover