15th Nissan 5779, 19 April 2019

We, three families, sat around a long table, a glass of red grape juice was poured for each of us.

This is the Cup of Sanctification.(1)

We toasted the Lord and then a plate of unleavened bread was passed round. We were told to rip it in two and…

Jesus had said at his last Passover meal;

“This is my body, broken for you.”

The question was asked why no leaven and we were reminded it was to represent sin and we were to clear it all out.

In looking at the traditional practice of breaking the unleavened bread, eating part and then hiding the rest till later; points to Jesus’ death and then resurrection.

The cup of judgement, or the cup of deliverance followed. To commemorate the plagues on Egypt that released God’s people from bondage.

Discussion around the first Passover circulated around the table, the plagues of Egypt, the gnats, frogs, river of blood….. the death of the first born.

Who’s the first born in your family? Why didn’t the Israelites loose their first born? It was they were told to choose a wee lamb, keep it with them in their home for days, then kill it, drain the blood and then paint the lintel and door posts of the door with it. If the painting was done as directed, the form of a cross appeared on the door in the blood of the lamb. And the Angel of Death ‘Passed Over’ that home and their first born was saved.

A plate of beautifully cooked lamb was served.

A third cup was poured; the Cup of Redemption.

We were told this is what Jesus picked up and said to his disciples:-

“This is my blood, poured out for you”.

We drank too.

Jesus then said “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29). The cup of praise, or Hallel is one to be savoured, one to celebrate the salvation and deliverance and redemption of our Lord.

We also didn’t have the last cup.

Jesus, Your Kingdom come!

*(Please note this is not a true Passover or Seder meal described, but our attempt at making sense of what Jesus demonstrated for us at what has become known as his ‘Last Supper’, which should actually be ‘The’ Last Supper… the Last Passover. As usual Jesus fulfilled the Passover and converted it to a simpler meal of two items, that we now call communion or Eucharist.)

1.Yossef Marcus notes that; The Four Cups represent the four expressions of deliverance promised by God Exodus’ 6:6–7: “I will bring out,” “I will deliver,” “I will redeem,” and “I will take.” Marcus, Yossef. “What is the significance of the four cups of wine?”. Chabad. Chabad. Archived from the original on 21 April 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011. Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_Seder