The First Passover

The Passover is a national holiday of the Jews, both Jesus’ day and today. How did it start? Why is it so important?

Throughout the Old Testament, God has given many examples of what His one and perfect sacrifice would look like. One of these examples was Passover.

When the Jews were slaves in Egypt, God told Moose that He would send the angel of death to kill the first born of every house hold.

The family had to take a perfect lamb with no spots or defects and bring into their home to live with them for a week. Then, they had to kill the lamb and smear the blood on the door posts of their home. When the angel of death came, he would see the blood and pass over the house, spearing the first born.

By the blood of the lamb, death passed.

Jewish thinking vs. Greek thinking

When we read the Bible, we must understand that first century Jews didn’t think like we do today.

Today, in America, we think like the Greeks did. We love bullet lists. If someone were to ask a Greek to describe God, he would say, “He is powerful. He is all knowing,” etc.

The Jews, however, thought differently. They saw things in pictures and in illustrations. If someone were to ask a Jew to describe God, he would say, “He is my shepherd. He is a rock. He is living water,” etc.

We can’t understand what these pictures mean unless we understand the Jewish culture and customs. What does a shepherd do anyway?

By learning the Jewish culture, we are able to understand the pictures and illustrations used throughout the Bible.

"It Is Finished"

When sin entered the world, so did death. For every sin mankind committed, something had to die. The practice of sacrificing animals, especially lambs, began.

Whenever Man sinned, an innocent animal would have to be killed, and by its blood that sin was cleansed. A sacrifice had to be constantly given, for we are constantly sinning.

The Jewish people under Moses sacrificed twice a day; in the morning at 10am, and in the afternoon, at 3pm. At the time of sacrifice, a priest would blow the shofar, a Jewish horn. At that moment, the lamb’s throat was slit, and all the religious Jews would pause for a moment, begging God to remember the final and perfect sacrifice He’d promised to Abraham. This practice continued for years.

About 2,000 years ago, Jesus hung on a cross. At 3pm, the shofar sounded for the sacrifice, and Jesus said, ‘it is finished.’ Then He died.

The daily sacrifices weren’t needed anymore, for He was the last, perfect, and sinless sacrifice.

The Early church in a Roman world: Fire

The wind beats against the walls. Rain pours down the roof. During the storm, your fire goes out.

Unlike the 21st centaury, you don’t have matches or a lighter. You live in the 1st centaury in a Roman town. How are you going to re-light your fire?

In a Roman city their religion is the center of their culture. The Romans lived in constant fear of offending the gods and bringing down their wrath. Sacrifices and offerings were given daily to appease the gods.

In the mountain above the town, in a cave, there constantly burned a fire. The Romans believed that that fire was from the gods. If you needed fire, you would hike up to the cave with a torch, light it, and then go back to your home. The presents of the gods were with that fire. How wonderful it was to have the presents of the gods in your home!

But you’re a Christian. Are you going to climb up to that cave and accept the gods’ fire? Will you bring that fire into your home?

This is one of the daily challenges the early church faced as they tried to share the gospel of Christ.

Source: That the world may know: in the dust of the Rabbi

The Early Church in a Roman World: The Market Place

Imagine living in a Roman city where their religion is the center of their culture. The Romans lived in constant fear of offending the gods and bringing down their wrath. Sacrifices and offerings were given daily to appease the gods.

You are a Christian, and you believe Jesus is the only God. Imagine the culture clash. When we think of the challenges the early church faced, we think of them being thrown to the lions. Though this is true, they faced many other challenges on a daily level.

You come to the market to sell your grain, but before you can sell your goods, you must put incense on the altar of Zeus and pledge your allegiance to him. As a Christian, you can’t do that; only Christ is God. The officials will not allow you to sell your grain for fear of offending the gods.

Suddenly, your source of income is gone.

This is one of the daily challenges the early church faced as they tried to share the gospel of Christ.

Source: That the world may know: in the dust of the Rabbi