Jesus in the Passover

Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” (John 5:39)

Jesus is the theme of the Bible—this is true of the New Testament and the Old. In the New Testament, we see the life of Christ, the devotion of His followers, and doctrine that flows from Him. In the Old Testament, we encounter types and shadows that point to Christ. One of the clearest of these is the Passover.

Though often overlooked today, the Passover is rich with meaning. It was during the Passover feast that Jesus instituted Communion. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:6–7, “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” We often think of Christ as the spotless Lamb whose blood spares us from wrath. That alone is profound—but the Passover reveals even more.

During a traditional Passover celebration, four cups represent four phases of the meal: the Cup of Sanctification, the Cup of Plagues, the Cup of Redemption, and the Cup of Praise.

In the Cup of Sanctification, participants eat from a plate with six symbolic items. Greens (representing life) are dipped in saltwater (symbolizing the tears of slavery) and then eaten—representing redemption from bitterness. Bitter herbs (horseradish) are placed on unleavened bread and eaten, recalling the pain of bondage. This bread was likely the one Judas dipped with Jesus, reminding us also of the sorrow of betrayal. A sweet apple mixture is eaten to signify the hope of redemption—it offsets the bitterness, much like grace covers the sorrow of sin. A bitter root reminds participants of the inescapable pain of a fallen world. A boiled egg, dipped in saltwater, represents the high cost of sacrifice. Finally, an unbroken shank bone from the lamb symbolizes the perfection demanded of the sacrifice—no spot, no blemish, no broken bones—pointing directly to Christ.

The Cup of Plagues recalls the ten plagues of Egypt. Participants dip a finger into the cup and let a drop fall for each plague. Special attention is given to the final plague, where the blood of the lamb on the doorposts protected Israel’s firstborn—just as Christ’s blood covers us today.

These first two phases are rich in symbolism, but the third cup, the Cup of Redemption, is especially powerful.

Between the second and third cup, a special bag called the Matzah Tosh is brought out. It contains three pieces of unleavened bread in three separate compartments. Jewish tradition sees this as a unity, though it is not clearly defined. As Christians, we recognize this “three-in-one” as a beautiful picture of the triune God.

From the Matzah Tosh, the second piece of matzah is removed. This piece is called the Bread of Affliction. It represents Christ, the second Person of the Trinity. Isaiah 53:7 says, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted… as a lamb to the slaughter.” The matzah is pierced to prevent leavening and bears stripes from the cooking racks. It is then broken. So, we have a piece of bread—striped, pierced, broken—taken from a three-in-one unity and called the Bread of Affliction. The imagery is unmistakable.

This broken bread is then wrapped in a linen cloth and called the Afikomen, which means “The One Who Is to Come.” It is taken out of the room and hidden. After the meal, children search for it. When it’s found, it is brought back to the patriarch. Before he takes it, the child demands silver coins in exchange. The Bread of Affliction, hidden in linen, is bought back with silver—just as Christ was betrayed and buried.

Once received, the Afikomen is broken and distributed to everyone at the table. It was this very bread Jesus took and said, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Then came the third cup—the Cup of Redemption—which Jesus lifted, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”

When we consider all the symbolism—the pierced bread, the unity of the Matzah Tosh, the silver exchanged for the Afikomen—it becomes difficult to miss the message: the Passover is all about Jesus.

Hebrews 10:1 says, “The law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things…” The Old Testament wasn’t just a record of laws and traditions. It was filled with shadows pointing to Christ.

As we approach this Passover season, let us remember: the Passover pointed forward to the coming Christ, and now it points backward to the Christ who came. Trust in Jesus, the true Lamb of God, our Bread of Affliction, and our Cup of Redemption.