Passover Ceder

Passover Ceder The six items on the Seder Plate are: Maror and Chazeret: Two types of bitter herbs, symbolizing the bitterness and harshness of the slavery which the Jews endured in Ancient Egypt. For maror, many people use freshly grated horseradish or whole horseradish root. Chazeret is typically romaine lettuce, whose roots are bitter-tasting. Either the horseradish or romaine lettuce may be eaten in fulfillment of the mitzvah of eating bitter herbs during the Seder. Charoset: A sweet, brown, pebbly paste of fruits and nuts, representing the mortar used by the Jewish slaves to build the storehouses of Egypt. Karpas: A vegetable other than bitter herbs, usually parsley but sometimes something such as celery or cooked potato, which is dipped into salt water (Ashkenazi custom), vinegar (Sephardi custom), or charoset (older custom, still common amongst Yemenite Jews) at the beginning of the Seder. Zeroa: A roasted lamb bone, symbolizing the korban Pesach (Pesach sacrifice), which was a lamb offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and was then roasted and eaten as part of the meal on Seder night. Beitzah: A hard boiled egg, symbolizing the korban chagigah (festival sacrifice) that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and was then eaten as part of the meal on Seder night. 最后晚餐，有新的尝试： 逾越節的傳統和起源的問題。 现代犹太教逾越节庆祝时间与古代不尽相同。 现代犹太人的历法是按照天文上的新月日子而定，而古代犹太人的历法则是按照耶路撒冷出现新月的那一天日落后作为一个月的第一天。 除此之外，今天的大部分犹太人在尼散月十五日庆祝逾越节，而不是像耶稣一样在十四日守逾越节。 為什麼今天晚上與其他的晚上不同呢？ 在平日晚上，我們可隨意吃酵餅或無酵餅，今晚為什麼只能吃無酵餅呢？ 在平日晚上，我們可隨意吃任何一種蔬菜，今晚為什麼要吃苦菜呢？ 在平日晚上，我們可隨意吃炆、炒、煮、燉的肉，今晚為什麼要吃烤熟的羊肉呢？ 在平日晚上，我們可隨意吃調味品，今晚為什麼要用鹽水和甜醬呢？ John是最年輕者，因此，晚餐中可能由他發問以上的四個問題。 為回應這些問題，主禮人（家長）便會把逾越節的起源。 基督便是那拯救普世的羔羊，衪更藉無酵餅和葡萄酒的標記， 為我們建立了祭，以重演十字架的祭獻。 近年來，不少的堂區，都會在接近聖週時舉行猶太人的逾越節晚餐。 也許有些朋友會問，為甚麼基督徒要舉行猶太人的逾越節晚餐呢？ 其中最主要的原因便是根據對觀福音的記載，耶穌與門徒們一起吃的最後晚餐，正是按照猶太人習俗舉行的逾越節晚餐。 耶穌更藉此晚餐的儀式，建立了聖餐， 並囑咐教會要 「 行此禮 ， 為紀念我 」 路 22： 19。 我们有羊肉、苦瓜、生菜、和葡萄汁 羊肉：象征献给上帝的逾越节羔羊，纪念上帝在埃及越过以色列人列祖的房屋，鱗的海產、蚧殼類。 猶太法律規定羔羊應在耶路撒冷聖殿內先行祭殺，然後才拿回家中烤食。 故此現在猶太人在逾越節晚餐中不吃羊肉，但以一根羊骨放在餐盤中來紀念象徵羔羊，又以半塊無酵餅當作羔羊來吃。 這片餅被稱為「保留之餅」。 吃過了逾越節晚餐正餐的食物後，便是吃尾盤－－保留之餅的時間。 主禮會把之前擘餅時所收藏的「保留之餅 」拿出來，分成小塊給參禮者吃 ， 這時不須作任何祈禱， 但可吃一些飯後甜品。 保留之餅是用來代逾越節羔羊的， 這樣可滿全逾越節吃「無酵餅」「苦菜」和「羔羊」的誡命。 苦菜（苦瓜）：象征希伯来人于埃及时期所受奴隶之苦 青菜（生菜）：象征春天，蔬菜初生，为上帝所赐的土地感恩及在世上的生命生生不息 酒（葡萄汁）：參禮者共飲酒四巡。 1. 由埃及解放； 過逾越節，把他們從埃及為奴之地拯救了出來。祝文後，全體便飲第一杯酒。 事實上，猶太人的安息日和一切慶節，都會以「葡萄酒祝文」和「慶典祝文」這兩個祝文來開始的。在逾越節晚餐中，耶 穌在最後晚餐中，遞給門徒第一杯酒時說： 你們把這杯拿去，彼此分來喝吧！ 我告訴你們，從今以後，非等到天國來臨，我決不喝這葡萄酒了。」（ 路 22： 18） 2. 由奴役中被救出； 我們得以從1死亡及2罪惡的奴隸境界裡被拯救出來。 3. 上帝以神迹奇事拯救； 第三杯酒「祝謝之杯」 在耶穌的最後晚餐中，是路加所說的： 餐後，他同樣拿起杯來說 ： 這杯是用我為你們所傾流的血而立的新約。 路 22： 20 4. 成为属上帝的子民 第四杯酒，主禮會斟多一杯酒，放在空位上，並請人把門打開。 這杯酒被稱為「 厄里亞之杯 」 意味著猶太人對默西亞的期待：相傳默西亞將在一個重要的慶日上來臨，而他的前驅厄里亞 ---------------- Kadeish קדש – recital of Kiddush blessing and drinking of the first cup of wine Urchatz ורחץ – the washing of the hands Karpas כרפס – dipping of the karpas in salt water Yachatz יחץ – breaking the middle matzo; the larger piece becomes the afikoman Maggid מגיד – retelling the Passover story, including the recital of "the four questions" and drinking of the second cup of wine Rachtzah רחצה – second washing of the hands Motzi מוציא, Matzo מצה – blessing before eating matzo, and Maror מרור – eating of the maror, Koreich כורך – eating of a sandwich made of matzo and maror Shulchan oreich שולחן עורך – lit. "set table"—the serving of the holiday meal Tzafun צפון – eating of the afikoman Bareich ברך – blessing after the meal and drinking of the third cup of wine Hallel הלל – recital of the Hallel, traditionally recited on festivals; drinking of the fourth cup of wine Nirtzah נירצה – say "See you in Jerusalem again!" ------------------------------------------------------------ Most professing Christians see the Passover as an aspect of the Old Covenant that is unnecessary for New Covenant Christians. But Jesus instituted a new administration of the Passover service for His followers that has deep meaning for us today. How Should Christians Celebrate the Passover? Every year, towards the end of Abib 14 of the Hebrew calendar, many in the Jewish community gather for the Passover seder. This special meal includes a shank of lamb, herbs, wine and an egg. A place is set for Elijah and during the ceremony children formally ask why this night is observed. Passover customs at the time of Christ included formal temple ceremonies as well as a meal. The "Last Supper" recorded in the three Synoptic Gospels is a Passover celebration. But Christ's practices on that night opened a whole new dimension for Christians. God's Covenant With Abraham Understanding the history and theology of the Passover begins with God's dealings with Abraham. Genesis 15 records God's recommitment to an earlier covenant promising Abram that his descendants would be numerous and prosperous (Genesis 12:1-4). In Genesis 15:2-3 Abram reminds God that because he has no natural heir, the promises remain unfulfilled. God then instructs Abram to present animals suited for sacrifice. The unusual rituals found in Genesis 15 are not explained in the Bible but are found in ancient Middle Eastern covenant rites. The Kiel & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament states: "The transaction itself was not a real sacrifice, since there was neither sprinkling of blood nor offering upon an altar, and no mention is made of the pieces being burned. The proceeding corresponded rather to the custom, prevalent in many ancient nations, of slaughtering animals when concluding a covenant, and after dividing them into pieces, of laying the pieces opposite to one another, that the persons making the covenant might pass between them" (Vol. 1, 1996, pages 136-137). God, as the initiator of the covenant, is represented by the "smoking oven" and "burning torch" of Abram's vision. (Fire and smoke are common manifestations of God's presence.) It is interesting that Abram didn't pass between the cut animals as was customary in a covenant between equals but was incapacitated. The covenant ultimately includes a promise of the land of Canaan (Genesis 15:18-21). Genesis 15:13-14 contains a prophecy concerning Abram's descendants spanning over four centuries: "Then He said to Abram, 'Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions." The rest of the book of Genesis details the lives of Isaac (including the near sacrifice of Isaac with its foreshadowing of Christ's sacrifice—Genesis 22), Jacob and Joseph and how Abraham's descendants migrated to Egypt. The book of Exodus begins hundreds of years later when Israel is enslaved just as God predicted. The Exodus Passover The 400-year prophecy of Genesis 15 is fulfilled during the life of Moses as Israel's deliverer, making the Passover of the Exodus a prophesied event of the Abrahamic covenant. Exodus chapters 1 through 11 outline God's judgment on Egypt leading to the 10th plague of killing the firstborn. In Exodus 12 God institutes the Passover sacrifice: • Verses 1-6: A lamb, without blemish, to be selected on the 10th day of Abib and held until the 14th when it is to be killed. • Verse 7: The blood of the lamb to be spread on the doorposts of the houses. • Verses 8-9: The Israelites are to roast the lamb. • Verses 10-11: The Israelites are to eat it with sandals on their feet and staff in hands. • Verses 12-14: This is to be a memorial of when God passed over them in Egypt. • Verse 21: The lamb itself is called the Passover. • Verses 22-28: The Israelites trusted God and obeyed Him. Instructions in Exodus 12:43-49 specify that the Passover could only be eaten in households where the males were circumcised. No one could participate in the Passover without entering into God's covenant and accepting the sign of that covenant. Since the Sinai covenant, or what is often called the Old Covenant, hadn't yet been instituted, the reference here is to the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17:21-27). To be a participant in the Egyptian Passover, a person had to be a participant of the Abrahamic covenant. The death angel "passed over" those who placed the lamb's blood on their doorposts, and the Israelites left Egypt for the Promised Land as God had prophesied. The Deuteronomy Passover Months later, as Israel camped before Mount Sinai, God instituted a new covenant with them that was an extension and fulfillment of promises made under the Abrahamic covenant. The Sinai covenant eventually involved a formalized priesthood and tabernacle, which necessitated some changes in the Passover administration as recorded in Deuteronomy 16:1-7: • Verses 1-4: These instructions encompass the sacrifices of the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread (notice verse 2 mentions both flocks and herds or cattle, while cattle were not to be slain as the Passover), but also seem to specifically deal with changes in the administration of the Passover. •Verses 5-7: Under the Deuteronomy administration the Passover lamb was to be slain at a central place, which later became Jerusalem, the site of the temple. The Torah also emphasizes that events of Abib 14, specifically the killing of the Passover, are distinct from events of Abib 15 (Leviticus 23:4-8; Numbers 28:16-17). Jesus Institutes a New Covenant Biblical scholars debate on whether the "Last Supper" was a traditional seder. The Gospels contain very specific language signifying that these events were in fact, if not a seder, a Passover meal. Notice Luke's account in Luke 22:7-23: • Verse 7: The Passover was to be killed on Abib 14. Jesus' instructions are on the 13th because the next day was the 14th. Since biblical days begin at sunset, the meal and ceremonies that night would be after sundown and occur on the 14th. • Verse 8-13: The wording here is definite in declaring that Jesus and the disciples are participating in a Passover service. • Verses 14-16: Jesus says that He has desired to eat this Passover with His disciples before His "suffering." Jesus clearly calls this meal with His disciples a Passover. • Verses 17-23: Jesus now institutes a new Passover observance. The administrative elements of the Passover were to take on a new meaning because a new covenant was being established. The New Covenant Passover It is important to notice the profound administrative differences in the Exodus, Deuteronomy and New Covenant Passovers. The Exodus Passover entailed a slaying of a lamb on the 14th of Abib so that the death angel would pass over the Israelites. The Deuteronomy Passover entailed sacrificing lambs as a memorial of the Exodus Passover. In Israel's history it was also seen as a means of sanctification. Hezekiah's Passover included sprinkling the lamb's blood on those present (2 Chronicles 30:15-17). The New Covenant Passover entails the reality of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God (1 Corinthians 5:7). The Exodus and Deuteronomy Passovers entailed eating a meal including a lamb. The New Covenant Passover entails eating bread and drinking wine as symbols of Christ as the Lamb of God. With the reality of Christ fulfilling the Passover sacrifice, it was necessary to change the symbols of the Passover service. It was no longer essential to sacrifice a lamb as a type of a future event. On the night before He died, Jesus instituted bread and wine as symbols of His body and blood. Neither the Exodus nor Deuteronomy Passovers contain any instructions about drinking wine. The Jewish seder contains wine, but the seder is a Jewish tradition, not a scriptural injunction. Notice Paul's instructions to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 11:17-26: • Verses 17-22: Paul instructs the Corinthian church not to have a meal during this communal ceremony. • Verses 23-25: Paul instructs the Church to follow Christ's example of taking the bread and wine on the same night He was betrayed. The Exodus Passover involved the painting of the lamb's blood on the doorposts. The Deuteronomy Passover involved the sacrificial blood of a lamb. The New Covenant Passover involves its participants being "washed" in the blood of Christ (Revelation 1:4-6). The Exodus and Deuteronomy Passovers contain no instructions for foot-washing. The New Covenant Passover contains instructions for foot-washing (John 13:1-17). The Exodus and Deuteronomy Passovers entailed sacrificing lambs as a memorial of the Egyptian deliverance. The New Covenant Passover is a memorial to Christ's deliverance of Christians from the slavery of sin (Romans 6). Participation in the Exodus and Deuteronomy Passovers was limited to families whose males were physically circumcised. The New Covenant Passover is only for those who have been spiritually circumcised symbolized by baptism (Romans 2:28-29; Colossians 2:11-12). The Exodus and Deuteronomy Passovers involved the quick killing of the lamb. The New Covenant Passover involves the suffering of the Lamb of God (Isaiah 52:13-53:12; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7). Christ's sacrifice was more than the act of a Roman soldier stabbing Him around 3 in the afternoon of Abib 14. It included all the events that began the night before. Typology of the Passover Many of the types of the Exodus or Deuteronomy Passovers are celebrated in the reality of the New Covenant Passover. The Exodus or Deuteronomy slaying of a lamb were types of Christ's sacrifice. Israel's leaving of Egypt is a type of the Christian leaving spiritual Egypt. Christians should gather on the anniversary of the night before Christ's sacrifice, not as a type of Israel's experience, but as a celebration of the profound reality of Christ's sacrifice and their deliverance from spiritual bondage. It is important for Christians not to base their Passover observance on the Exodus or Deuteronomy administrations, but to follow Christ's instructions as the Passover Lamb and High Priest of a better covenant. Controversy in the Early Church Eusebius (A.D. 263-339) gives us a glimpse into the early church in The History of the Church. He records that in the early second century a bishop from Asia Minor named Polycarp confronted the bishop of Rome over the issue of observing the Passover on Abib 14 instead of celebrating Easter. Polycarp claimed to have been a disciple of the apostle John and taught that the Passover was the true observance of the apostles. In the latter half of the second century the Passover controversy became critical and divided the churches in Asia Minor from those who observed Easter in the West. The Passover contingent, known as Quartodecimans, were led by Polycrates. In a letter to the bishop in Rome, Polycrates wrote, "We for our part keep the day scrupulously, without addition or subtraction. For in Asia great luminaries sleep who shall rise again on the day of the Lord's advent, when He is coming in glory from heaven and shall search out all the saints... All of these kept the fourteenth day of the month as the beginning of the Paschal festival, in accordance with the Gospel, not deviating in the least but following the rule of the Faith" ( The History of the Church, Eusebius, pages 230-231). In the resulting conflict the churches in Asia Minor who observed the Passover on Abib 14 in accordance with the Gospel accounts were excommunicated by the bishop of Rome. Henry Chadwick sums up the dilemma in The Early Church: "It was impossible in so weighty a practical question for diversity to be allowed, but there can be little doubt that the Quartodecimans were right in thinking that they had preserved the most ancient and apostolic custom. They had become heretics simply by being behind the times" (1985, page 85). The Exodus, Deuteronomy and New Covenant Passovers all reflect God working out His plan of salvation. Each administration involves different ways of celebrating both the temporary realities of the people of those times and the future reality when Jesus Christ would become the Passover and administer the New Covenant as the High Priest of God. Christ leaves a clear example of how the New Covenant Passover is to be observed. As Paul wrote, "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). On the night He was betrayed, Christians are to gather together to conduct a foot-washing ceremony and take bread and wine as symbols of His sacrifice. Christians are to celebrate this special occasion as a reminder of Christ's sacrifice, our present relationship with God through the resurrected Christ and the future establishment of Christ's priesthood at His return.