Chap. IV — Of Their Passover, and Their Feasts of Unleavened Bread — Moses and Aaron by Thomas Godwin

Chap. IV Of Their Passover, and Their Feasts of Unleavened Bread

Some of the Fathers have derived 296 the word Paschal, from a Greek Verb, signifying to suffer, because the sufferings and Passion of our Saviour; are celebrated about that time. This Opinion Augustine justly confuteth,297 for the word is originally an Hebrew word, signifying to pass by, to leap, or pass over. The Etymology is God’s own. It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, which passed over, &c. Exod. 12. 27.

The word Passover in Scripture hath three acceptions. First, it is taken for that yearly solemnity which was celebrated upon the fourteenth day of Nisan,298 otherwise called Abib; you may call it the Passover of the Lamb, because on that day toward the evening, the Israelites were commanded according to their Families to roast a Lamb, and eat it in their private houses. Secondly, it signifieth that yearly Festivity which was celebrated on the fifteenth of Nisan: it may be called the Passover of sheep and Bullocks, Deut. 16. 2. Otherwise we may call it the Feast of the Passover; as the fourteenth of Nisan was called simply the Passover. In the fourteenth day of the first moneth, is the Passover of the Lord, and in the fifteenth day of this moneth is the Feast, Num. 28. 16, 17. Toward this Feast we are to understand that Josiah gave unto the people such a multitude of Sheep, Lambs, Kids, and Bullocks. Thirdly, it is taken for the whole solemnity, beginning the Fourteenth of Nisan, and ending the one and twentieth of the same moneth. Now the Feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover, Luk. 22. 1. So that in this acception is contained the Feast of unleavened bread also, notwithstanding, in proper speaking, the Feast of unleavened bread was a distinct Feast from the Passover.

First, the Passover was to be kept on the fourteenth day of the first month, at even. This was their second Sacrament, in which although they were enjoyned to eat unleavened bread with the Lamb, yet the Feast of the unleavened bread began not till the morrow following, being the fifteenth day of the same moneth, and lasted seven daies of which only the first and last were holy Convocations, wherein they might do no servile work, Levit. 23. 5, 6, 7, 8.

Secondly, the Passover, in the age following its first institution, might not be killed and eaten in any other place, save only where the Lord did choose to place his name, which afterward was at Jerusalem: but the feast of unleavened bread, the Hebrews thought themselves bound to keep in every place wheresoever they dwelt, if they could not be at Jerusalem: and eating of it, they say,299 depended not upon the eating of the Passover, but it was a commandment by it self.

The Rites and Ceremonies observed by the Jews in the eating of this Sacrament, their Paschal Lamb, agreed with those general Ceremonies used in their solemn Feasts. They blessed the cup, and blessed the bread, and divided amongst the guests, and washed the feet of those that sate at the table, as is shewn in the Chapter of Feasts. The particulars in which it differed from other Feasts, are delivered in those interrogatories, or questions proposed in way of Catechism, by some child, at the time of eating their Passover, or rather in the answer made unto the child by him that blessed the table. The question was thus: What meaneth this service? The form of the answer was,300 How different is this night from all other nights, for all other nights we wash but once, in this twice (thus Christ when supper was ended washed his Disciples feet.) In all other nights we eat either leavened or unleavened bread, in this only unleavened: In other nights we eat any sort of herbs, in this night bitter herbs: In all other nights we eat and drink either sitting or lying, but in this we lye along. Then he proceeded to declare, that the Passover was in respect that the Lord passed over the houses of their Fathers in Egypt. Secondly, He held up the bitter herbs in his hand, and said; These bitter herbs which we eat, are in respect that the Egyptians made the lives of our Fathers bitter in Ægypt. Thirdly, he held up the unleavened bread in his hand, and said, This unleavened bread which we eat, it is in respect that the dough of our Fathers had not time to be leavened, when the Lord appeared unto them, and redeemed them out of the hand of the enemy. This kind of Catechising they say, is commanded, Exod. 12. 26. They called it ‎‏הגדה‏‎ Haggada, (i.) Annunciatio, the declaration or shewing forth of the Passover. Hence the Apostle borroweth this phrase; As often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye shall declare, or shew forth, the Lord’s death, 1 Cor. 11. 26.

Concerning this Lamb they are charged thus: Upon the tenth of Abib every one shall take a Lamb for an house, a male of the first year, without blemish, and this be kept until the fourteenth day of the same month, Exod. 12. 3. &c. The Lamb, it was either of Sheep or Goats. For an house, the whole body of the Israelites, was divided into twelve Tribes, the Tribes into Families, the Families into Houses: if the House were too few for the eating of the Lamb, then the next Neighbour joyned with them in the eating thereof. The whole Company was termed φρατρία, in the same sense S. Mark useth συμπόσια, and πρασιαὶ, Mark the sixth. All these words signifie a society, or company of guests, so many as can sit at the same table: the latter word properly signifieth, a bed in a Garden; and thus in the Gospel, the whole multitude sitting on the grass, seem to be compared unto a Garden; and their several societies or companies, unto so many beds in the Garden. The number of Communicants in this Paschal society was never less than ten, nor more than twenty.301 It followeth in the Text, A male, to note the masculine and peerless vertue of our Saviour, whom it did typically shew forth. Of the first year;302 which phrase they interpret thus, That the lamb, after it was eight daies old and forward, was allowable to be offered for the Passover, but not before; because it is said, When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat is brought forth, then it shall be seven daies under the dam, and from the eighth day, and thenceforth, it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the Lord, Levit. 22. 27. And the reason of this Law, some of the Hebrews have thought to be,303 because in their Opinion nothing in the world was absolutely perfect, until a Sabbath had past over it. Moreover if it were an hour elder then a year, it was unlawful, because it is said, A male of the first year, without blemish, as well to admonish the Israelites of their own personal integrity, as to signifie the absolute perfection of him who was in truth the Lamb of God. And this he kept till the fourteenth day of the same month. The Rabbines affirm 304 four causes of this: First, because otherwise through the multitude of businesses, at the time of their departure, they might forget the Paschal Lamb. Secondly, that in this four daies space they might have the more certain knowledge of the Lamb’s perfection. Thirdly, that by beholding the Lamb so long before their eyes, they might have the better occasion, in that space, both to recount with themselves Gods mercy in their deliverance from Ægypt, and also to instruct and Catechise their children in that point: for which respect it was a received Tradition amongst the Jews, that during the space of these four daies, their Lamb was tyed to their bed-posts. Lastly, that in this time of preparation, they might throughly sit and address themselves for the Oblation.

The time when the Paschal Lamb was to be slain, was at the Evening, Exod. 12. 6. Or, as the Original reads, between the two evenings. Here Divines move the question, what part of the day should be understood by this phrase. Some distinguish the two evenings thus,305 That there was Vespera Solis, the evening of the Sun; namely, when the body of the Sun setteth: and Vespera luminis, the evening of the light, when the beams and shining of the Sun is also gone from off the earth; The space or interim between these two Evenings, is thought to be one hour, and the third part of an hour; in which space of time, they say, the Paschal Lamb was slain. Others 306 admit a greater latitude, and distinguish thus: There is say they, Vespera declinationis, the Evening of the Sun declining; and Vespera occasus, the Evening of the Sun setting; and their meaning is, that their Passover was offered in this intermediate time, between noon and night. This latter answer seemeth most agreeable to the truth. First because by this speech we must understand a latitude of time wherein might be offered not only the Passover, but the daily Evening Sacrifice also, for even that likewise was commanded, Inter duas Vesperas, between the two evenings, Num. 28. 4. Now this might be offered in the former part of the after-noon. The manner of their sacrificing, in regard of this time, we find thus registred,307 if we count the hours according to our usual computations: the daily sacrifice of the evening Lamb was usually slain between two and three, it was offered between three and four: upon the Passover Eve it was slain between one and two, it was offered about half an hour before three; but if their Passover Eve hapned to be the same with their Sabbath Eve, then the daily Evening Sacrifice was slain between twelve and one, it was offered half an hour before two; and afterward the Passover. Secondly, this agreeth with the Oblation of the true Paschal Lamb; for, as the time of his crucifying began in the third hour of the day, with the daily morning sacrifice, Mark 15. 25. so it ended at the ninth hour, Mark 15. 34. which was the time of their ordinary evening sacrifice: but upon their Passover Eve, it was the time when their Paschal Lamb was slain.

Furthermore, the Lamb was to be eaten with bitter herbs: the reason of this command is, that thereby they might be moved to thankfulness towards God, for their deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, in which their lives were made bitter unto them, Ex. 1. 14.

These bitter herbs they dipt in a certain sauce thick like Mustard, called Charoseth,308 which thick sauce (say they)309 was a memorial of the day wherein they wrought in Egypt. This is thought of some 310 to be that wherein Christ diped the sop which he gave to Judas. Of this sauce the Hebrews write thus;311 they used to dip the unleavened bread in that sauce Charoseth, and to eat; then they dipt the bitter herbs in the Charoseth, and did eat them. It was made 312 of the Palm-tree branches, or of dry Figs, or of Raisins, which they stamped and put Vinegar thereto, and seasoned it, and made it like Clay; and brought it unto the Table in the night of the Passover.

The other seven daies following the fourteenth of Nisan, were in strictness of speech a distinct Feast, as is above-shewed; namely, the Feast of unleavened bread because in that space of time, no leavened bread ought to be found in their houses;313 their degrees 314 of preparation to this feast are four. 1. Expurgatio fermenti, the cleansing of all their houshold stuff and vessels, unto which leaven might haply cleave; and this was done two or three daies before the Passover. 2. Inquisitio fermenti, the searching after leaven throughout all the rooms of their houses, even to the Mouse-holes: this they did with a waxen Candle, and as Buxtorfus noteth, upon the night before the Passover: and Scaliger delivereth it in other words to the same purpose, namely,315 that this search was made, Ineunte quarta decima, usque ad quartam horam post ortum solis. At the beginning of the fourteenth day, until the fourth hour after the rising of the Sun. Now, the beginning of the fourteenth day was the night going before; for the Jews, in the computation of their Holy-daies, counted their day from even to even. 3. There was Exterminatio, or Conflagratio fermenti, A burning of the leaven; and this was done from the fourth to the sixth hour, about dinner-time; at which time followed the last degree, which Scaliger hath ommitted, namely, Execratio fermenti, the cursing of the leaven, in this form:316 Let all that leaven, or whatsoever leavened thing is in my power, whether it were seen of me, or not seen, whether cleansed by me, or not cleansed; let all that be scattered, destroyed, and accounted as the dust of the earth.

In case any did eat leavened bread those seven daies, the penalty was, that such a soul should be cut off from Israel, Exod. 12. 15. Which penalty hath amongst Expositors a three-fold interpretation.317 Some understand thereby such a man to be cut off from his heavenly inheritance: others, that God would cut off such from the living by an untimely death: others, that he should die without children, leaving no posterity behind him: To this purpose their Proverb is,318 A man childless is lifeless.

Of these three, the first is most probable in this place, though the same Text may admit the second interpretation in other places of Scripture, as is declared in the Chapter of Circumcision. Notwithstanding here let the judicious Reader determine, whether these words do not imply, besides the secret actions of God touching the soul of such a Delinquent, a direction unto the Church how to deal with parties thus offending by censuring them with Excommunication, which kind of censure elsewhere the Scripture calleth, A casting out of the Synagogue, John 16. 2. A speech much like this, A cutting off from Israel.

Three things may be here demanded. First, who killed the Paschal Lamb? Secondly, where it was killed? Thirdly, where it was eaten? First, it was killed by the Priests, 2 Chron. 35. 6. Secondly, it was killed after the first time in the Court of the Temple, the place which God had chosen. Deut. 16. 6. Thirdly, the owner of the Lamb took it of the Priest, and did eat it in his own house at Jerusalem, Christ with his disciples kept the Passover in an upper-chamber at Jerusalem.319

It may further be demanded, whether the Passover consisted of two suppers, one immediately succeeding the other? Some affirm it, and their reasons are these: First, say they, the Passover was eaten standing, but Christ used another gesture. This argument of all other is the weakest, for Christ used the gesture of lying on his body, as well in the eating of the Passover, as at the consecration of the Sacrament, and the Jews, generally after the first institution, in all their Passovers, used rather this posture of their body, than the other of standing, in token of rest and security, as appeareth in the Chapter of Feasts. Secondly, they say, the Paschal Lamb was wont to be rosted; but in the last Passover which our Saviour celebrated, there was Jus cui intingebatur panis, Broth into which he dipped the bread. This reason is as weak as the former, because though there was a command to eat the Paschal Lamb rosted; yet there was no prohibition to joyn their ordinary supper with the eating thereof, and that might admit broth: but, as it is shewn above, the matter into which the sop was dipped, was thought to be the sauce Charoseth. Thirdly, they urge John 13. 2. That the first supper was done, when Christ arose and washed his Disciples feet, and after that he gave Judas the sop, which must argue a second sitting down. This foretelling his Disciples, that one of them should betray him, is likewise by Saint Luke recited after the consecration of the Sacrament. This is the strongest argument, and yet not of sufficient validity, because by a kind of Prolepsis, or anticipation of time, it is not unusual, in the Scripture, to relate that first, which according to the truth of the History, should be last. Thus John 11. mention is made of Mary which anointed the Lord, yet her anointing of him followeth in the next Chapter. And this same History of betraying Christ, Saint Matthew, and Saint Mark recite it before the consecration of the Sacrament. Whence the Jews have a Proverb,320 Non esse prius aut posterius in scriptura; That first and last, must not be strictly urged in Scripture. Together with these answers, consider how improbable it is, that ten persons (for sometimes they were so few) should eat a second supper, after they had eaten A Lamb of the first year, which might be an year old. It is evident also by that of Barabbas, that it was a received custom on the Passover, to let loose and enlarge one Prisoner or other. Concerning the reason hereof, the conjecture is three-fold, Some think this custom to have been used in memory of Jonathan the son of Saul, when the people rescued him from the hands of his Father. Others say that the reason hereof was, that the Feast might be celebrated with the greater joy and gladness. Others more probably think, it was done in remembrance of their deliverance from the Egyptian bondage.

Again, here is to be observed, that the Jews, speaking of their Passover, did sometimes speak according to their civil computation, wherein they measured their days from Sun-rising to Sun-rising: sometimes according to their sacred computation, which was from Sun-set to Sun-set. This serveth for the reconciliation of that, Numb. 12. 18. which seemeth to make the fourteenth day of the first month, the first day of unleavened bread. And Josephus321 telleth us that they numbered eight days for that Feast. In like manner the Disciples are said to come unto Christ the first day of unleavened bread, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover? Mat. 26. 17. as if the first day of unleavened bread, were before the Passover. All these are true according to the computation of their civil days, though according to the computation of their Holy-days, the feast of unleavened bread began the fifteenth day, and continued seven days only, and the Passover was before the feast of unleavend bread.

In the last place we must know, that there was permitted a second Passover to those who could not be partakers of the first, by reason either of their uncleanness by a dead body, or of their far distance from the place where it was to be offered. This was to be observed in the second month, the fourteenth day thereof, according to all the Ordinances of the first Passover, Numb. 9. Touching that permission of a second Passover, to those that were in a journey far off: the Hebrew of this word far off, hath extraordinary pricks over it, for special consideration. Hereby the Lord might intimate, that we Gentiles which were unclean, even dead in trespasses and sins, and far off, Ephes. 2. 13. should be made nigh by the blood of Christ, and so partakers of him, the second Passover. Of this legal Ordinance the Hebrews say,322 What is this journey far off? fifteen miles without the walls of Jerusalem, who so is distant from Jerusalem, on the fourteenth day of the first month, fifteen miles or more, when the Sun riseth, Lo, this is a journey far off; if less than this, it is not a journey far off, for he may come to Jerusalem by after midday, though he go on foot, easily. The Agreement between the Paschal Lamb and Christ standeth thus,

Christ is our Passover, 1 Cor. 5.
The Paschal Lamb was,		Christ was,
1	One of the flock.	1	Perfect man, John 1.
2	Without blemish.	2	Without sin.
3	To be sacrificed and roasted.	3	Suffered and died.
4	His bones were not broken.	4	They brake not his legs, John 19. 33.
5	About the Evening.	5	In the end of the world, Heb. 9. 26.
6	Their door-posts were to be sprinkled with the blood.	6	The Blood of Christ purgeth our consciences.
7	That the punishing Angel might pass over them.	7	That sin and death might not prevail against us.
8	It was eaten in their several families.	8	He is applied by Faith.
9	The whole Lamb.	9	According to all the Articles of the Creed.
10	Without Leaven.	10	Without Hypocrisie, 1 Cor. 5.
11	With bitter herbs.	11	With patience under the Cross.
12	In haste, and in the manner of Travellers.	12	With an earnest and longing expectation of life eternal.
13	Only by the Circumcised.	13	Only by the faithful, 1 Cor. 11.

Notes

296 Tertul. advers. Judaic. c. 10 It. Ambros. lib. de Myster. Pasch. cap. 1.

297 Aug. in titul. Psal. 68.

298 E Theologia non pauci omnia quæ ad 14. noctem pertinent 15. attribuunt quem errorem hauserunt ex turbidis Rabbinorum lacunis qui hodie eundem errorem errant, teste Scaliger. de emend. Temp. l. 6 p. 270.

299 ‎‏לא תלה אבי לת זר בקרבן הפסח אלא זו מצות עצמה‏‎ Maimon. de fermento & Azymo c. 6. sect. 1.

300 Scalig. de emend. Temp. l. 5. p. 270.

301 Ioseph. de bello Jud. l. 7 c. 17.

302 Hebraice ‎‏בן שנה‏‎ Filium anni. Sunt qui distinguunt inter Filium anni & Filium anni sui, filium anni interpretantur, qui annum unum agit, nec minor, nec major. Filium vero anni sui, qui est in anno primo, licet eum nondum absolverit. Sed Aben Esra negat absque Cabala posse sciri quis sit filius anni sui, nam fieri potest, inquit, ut sit Vau addititium sive paragogicum, quale in ‎‏חיתו‏‎ & similibus.

303 Vid. Munster ad Levit. 22.

304 Hospinian. de Orig. fest. cap. 5.

305 Aben Ezra, Exod. 12.

306 R. David. in Radic. Hoc etiam colligi potest ex Pirk. Aboth. c. 5.

307 Talmud. tract. de paschate. c. 1. in initio.

308 ‎‏חרוסת‏‎

309 Moses Kotsensis, fol. 118

310 Scalig. de emend. temp. l. 6. p. 272.

311 Maim. de fermento. c. 8. sect. 7.

312 Maimon. in ‎‏חמץ ומצה‏‎ c. 7. sect, 11.

313 Huius moris vestigia quædam sunt reperta in Roman. Flamine Diali. A. Gell. noct. Attic. lib. 10. c. 15.

314 Buxtorf. Synag. Judaic. c. 12. p. 317.

315 Scalig. de emend. Temp. in prolegom.

316 Buxtorf. Synag. c. 12. p. 325.

317 Vid. P. Fag. in Exod. 12.

318 Vid. P. Fag. ibid.

319 Maimon. in Korban Pesach c. 1. sec. 6.

320 ‎‏אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה‏‎ Salom. Iarchi. in Gen. 6. 3.

321 Joseph. Antiq. l. 2. c. 5. p. 65.

322 Maimon. in Korban. Pesach c. 5. sect. 8, 9.

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