Should Christians celebrate Passover?
I remember when my pastor gave me a book for learning Hebrew. I was only 13 or so and I was fascinated with learning the original language of the Old Testament. Eventually I developed an interest in all things Jewish. After saving money and buying a Hebrew/English Bible, I added more to my collection: Hanukkah dreidel, a skull cap, a colorful book in Hebrew showing how to celebrate Passover, more souvenirs, and many other books. I have seen many Christians exhibit fondness toward Jewish things.
However, should Christians celebrate Passover and other Jewish holidays? I see a problem.
Something I never lost sight of was the fact that the Jewish people rejected Christ. I love all things Jewish, both biblical things and post-biblical traditions and rituals. However, I realize they got the important things wrong. Imitating Jews will not make me closer to the Lord.
Should Christians celebrate Passover?
Is celebration of the Passover how the Spirit was poured out? Keeping Sabbath? Is that how your sins were washed away? Blowing a ram’s horn? Is that what makes the devil flee?
I do not want to live in the shadow of my house. I want to enjoy the comforts and conveniences inside. Living under the types and shadows of the old covenant is not anything like being inside the Kingdom of God. Those who go back to the outdated covenant are living in a mirage, sucking on gravy rather than the meat, and wearing tissue paper rather than real garments of righteousness.
Living in the shadow or in the fullness?
Many are going down the path warned against in Galatians, Hebrews, Romans, and epistles to the Corinthians. Judaism is religion. It is not relationship with Jesus Christ. It is ritual. It does not bring you closer to the Lord.
One big purpose of that religion was to preserve the knowledge of God and His Word. The law of Moses cast shadows of what Jesus would be like and gave glimpses about God’s Kingdom. However, following that religion did not get anyone closer to heaven. In fact, by slavishly following those rituals, one will be distracted from the true encounter with Jesus Christ.
What would the first Christians think?
Jews were the first enemies of the first Christians. Believers in Jesus lost their jobs, were excluded from their families, and even had their lives threatened by Jews. What would they think of believers today going back and celebrating their persecutors? Would Jews today enjoy seeing us celebrate Hitler and the gas chambers?
The phrase many use is “we need to get back to our Jewish roots.” No. We do not have Jewish roots. Our roots are in Jesus. We are not tied to His earthly identity but His spiritual identity. Our claim to the Kingdom is that we have been born from above, not because we’ve had a Bar Mitzvah.
Should Christians celebrate Passover? My friend, do not go back to powerless forms of religion. Christians should not be celebrating Passover (the shadow) but Jesus, the real thing. Get rooted in Jesus through baptism, prayer, Spirit-filling, keeping a pure heart, forgiving, denying your flesh, giving, and loving others the way God loves you. You are of a Kingdom from above, not one born in the desert. Learn to love the fullness of Christ and flee the flatness of the shadow!