Celebrating the evening of 15 April 2022 as a festival to Jehovah God

Tomorrow Friday, April the 15th of the year 2022 we remember what happened in the month Jehovah demanded it to be the first month of the year for the people of God.

“1  The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.” (Ex 12:1-2 NIV)

Jehovah had spoken about a “Passover to God”, where He was going to go through the land of Egypt on that specific night and strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, whether human or animal, and was going to bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt, because they should come to know that He, Jehovah is The God. And that day should be remembered year after year as a lasting ordinance, meaning a ritual practice “for ever”.

“13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. (Ex 12:13 NIV)

Tomorrow evening will be the beginning of a memorial day for us, where even not with many, because of the Corona limitations, we will celebrate the evening as a festival to Jehovah God, like it is already done from one generation to the next generation.

14 “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance.” (Ex 12:14 NIV)

“10 You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year. ” (Ex 13:10 NIV)

But the evening shall be more than just keeping a “Festival of Unraised Bread” like the Jews do.

For us, it is an extra special night, where we recognise that God has provided an other “lamb” for our families which was slaughtered as the Passover lamb.

As the Jews had to keep that word and ordinance that God had given, Jesus too, with his disciples kept to the law, and at that night also asked his disciples to remember that night. The reason Jesus was coming together in the upper room in Jerusalem was that they had to bring the Passover sacrifice to God who passed over the homes of the Israelites in Egypt when He hit Egypt with death but rescued them.

“26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshipped.” (Ex 12:26-27 NIV)

It is our task to tell our children why we are gathering tomorrow night. that they come to learn how God rescued His people the first time, by deliberating them from the Egyptian slavery.

“that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD.”” (Ex 10:2 NIV)

“On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’” (Ex 13:8 NIV)

“14 “In days to come when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in Egypt, both man and animal. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’” (Ex 13:14-15 NIV)

Even when there are already centuries past, it is still necessary to tell our children how God’s Hand was with His People and how He still wants to be with us and saving us from any bondage.

“Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.” (De 32:7 NIV)

The Israelites had lived in Egypt 430 years and at the end of the 430 years, to the very day, God’s entire army left Egypt whilst God kept watch all night, watching over the Israelites as He brought them out of Egypt.

Because Jehovah the God of gods, kept watch, all Israel for all generations will honour God by keeping watch this night — a watchnight.

“41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions left Egypt. 42 Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honour the LORD for the generations to come.” (Ex 12:41-42 NIV)

People may find it strange that we keep the participation of the bread and wine only for baptised members. But as it was not up to foreigners to eat of the Passover meal, so it is still today.

“43  The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover: “No foreigner is to eat of it. 44 Any slave you have bought may eat of it after you have circumcised him, 45 but a temporary resident and a hired worker may not eat of it.” (Ex 12:43-45 NIV)

In addition to the deliverance of God’s People from Egypt, we remember that special ‘lamb‘ that God provided for all people in the world. It is the Nazarene Jew Jeshua ben Josef (Jesus Christ) who had prepared himself to do fully the will of his heavenly Father and therefore offered himself as a ransom sacrifice. It is thanks to Jesus’ sacrificial act that deliverance has now come to all who are willing to accept that sacrifice.

We celebrate it in community, even when not all in the same house of place, we consider us to be united by the bond of our baptism.

In the past we allowed visitors, friends and interested people to see how we remembered that day. But this year, like last year, the places in our ecclesiae are limited, and therefore our memorial service shall only be open to members of our community.

(Sorry folks. Next time, when Covid may belong to the past, you all shall be welcome again.)

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Dutch version / Nederlandse versie: Het vieren van de avond van 15 april 2022 als een feest voor Jehovah God

Preceding

Fellowship over meals

Coming together for a meal to remember a special lamb

Another year of 14 Nisan with restricted access

Those who Jesus can call friends

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #7 Matthew 26:26-30 – Keep Doing This in My Memory

When Belonging to the escaped ones gathering in Jesus name

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Additional reading

1. Ember and light the ransomed of Jehovah
2. Vayikra after its opening word וַיִּקְרָא, which means and He called
3. Shabbat Pesach service reading 1/2
4. Trust in the blood of the Lamb God provides
5. The Last Supper was a Passover meal
6. Objects of God’s final wrath
7. An unblemished and spotless lamb foreknown
8. Trust in the blood of the Lamb God provides
9. Redemption #4 The Passover Lamb
10. Redemption #5 The perfect sacrifice
11. Ransom for all
12. Thinking about fear for the Loving God and an Invitation for 14 Nisan
13. This day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the Most High God
14. Yom Hey, Eve of Passover and liberation of many people
15. Observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal
16. A meal as a mitzvah so that every generation would remember
17. Partakers and sons of the Realm
18. The Most special weekend of the year 2018
19. Soon it shall be Erev Pesach and Passover 2019
20. A special weekend for Jews, Messianics, Jeshuaists and Christians
21. Able to celebrate the Passover in all of its prophetic fulfilment

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Related

1. A Simple Easter Passover Lesson for Kids
2. Pesaj / Pesach
3. PassoverPassover Circa 33 AD; Hallel
   A Passover Gift
4. Pascha – Death is not the end
5. The Week of Passover, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
6. The Stronghold of Passover – Blood of the Lamb
7. Passover: The Sacrificial Lamb
8. The Lamb of God
9. Blood Poured Out
10. Lamb of God
11. Nisan 14 — Good Thursday

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #7 Matthew 26:26-30 – Keep Doing This in My Memory

Matthew 26:26-30 – Keep Doing This in My Memory

|| Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20

MT26:26 But as they were eating[1] [the Passover meal], Jesus took some unleavened bread and having blessed it he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: “Take. Eat. This is my body.”[2] MT26:27 Next, Jesus took a cup and after giving thanks he gave it to his disciples, saying, “All of you drink. MT26:28 For this is my blood of the covenant[3] [Exodus 24:8] about to be poured out for the forgiveness of many sins.[4] MT26:29 But, I tell you: From now on I shall not drink from the vine until the day that I drink a new fruitage with you[5] in my Father’s Kingdom.”[6] MT26:30 And having sung [Hallel] hymns[7] they went out into the Mount of Olives.

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[1] As they were eating: By inspiration Paul clarifies at 1 Corinthians 11:25, “… after he had the evening meal.” Traditional they have eaten from a roasted lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. There were usually four cups of wine at certain moments in the celebration. The disciples would have life long experience that the lamb was emblematic of that deliverance out of Egypt 1,500 years before.

[2] This is my body: Or, MOF: it means my body. Luke 22:19 adds, “… which is to be given in your behalf.” 1 Corinthians 11:24 adds, “… which is in your behalf.” The Nazarene means his perfect human body is to become a redemptive sacrifice. On the body of Jesus compare Romans 7:4; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 11:24; Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 10:5,10; 1 Peter 2:24.

We note in Matthew’s account there is no indication of a command to continue this observance. However, note Luke 22:19, “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” Paul states on the basis of inspiration or a personal message from the glorified Lord the same words of Luke with regard to both the loaf and the cup. Paul summarizes the reason for the observance: “For as often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

There are several opinions on how often the Memorial (Eucharist, Communion, Lord’s Supper) was to be observed. The historical evidence seems strong that for a very long time Christians observed Nisan 14 as the annual date for the commemoration. It is likely that as the Church wanted more control over the laity the Mass was celebrated more often until it became daily.

[3] This is my blood of the covenant: The KJV reads: “This is my blood of the new testament,” but other Greek texts omit this here though the phrase is in Luke. The phrase here is an allusion to Exodus 24:8 when the first, or “old” covenant was instituted with Israel. 1 Corinthians 11:25 has this, “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood.” Research the phrase blood of the covenant and new covenant for related texts.

[4] About to be poured out for the forgiveness of many sins: Or, PME: to set many free from their sins. The next historical reference to the blood of Jesus is by Paul at Acts 20:26. Paul goes on to use blood in relation to Christ at Romans 3:25; Romans 5:9; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 11:25, 27; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:13; Colossians 1:20. Other books refer to the blood: Hebrews uses the word 23 times; 1 Peter 1:2, 19; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 5:6-8; Revelation 1:5; Revelation 5:9; Revelation 7:14; Revelation 12:11.

[5] Until the day that I drink a new fruitage with you: Or, RIEU: a new kind of wine with you in the Kingdom; BECK: drink it with you in a new way; LAM: drink it anew with you. He may be referring to the new yield from the vine a new and better vintage.

[6] My Father’s Kingdom: This is not the “kingdom of the heavens,” or, the Realm of Heaven, but the actual celestial government and realm of the Father. Compare notes on Matthew 13:43.

[7] Sung [Hallel] hymns: Traditionally the Hallel Psalms 112-118 were sung during and at the end of the Passover meal. These are interesting psalms to read within the context of Jesus’ life at this moment, particularly Psalm 118. During Memorial season these are good psalms on which to meditate. Or, NEB: after singing the Passover Hymn.

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Preceding

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #1 Matthew 26:1-2 – Two Days Before Execution

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #2 Matthew 26:3-5 – Plotting to Seize Jesus

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #3 Matthew 26:6-13 – A Woman to Be Remembered

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #4 Matthew 26:14-16 – The Price of Betrayal

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #5 Matthew 26:17-19 – Passover Preparations

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #6 Matthew 26:20-25 – The Last Passover

Glory of God appearing in our character

14 Nisan a day to remember #4 A Lamb slain

On the first day for matzah

For the Will of Him who is greater than Jesus

Most important weekend of the year 2016

Imprisonment and execution of Jesus Christ

The Most important weekend of the year 2018

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Related articles

1. Objects around the birth and death of Jesus
2. First month of the year and predictions
3. Seven Bible Feasts of JHWH
4. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
5. Spoken in the name of Jehovah God for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience
6. A particular night to share unleavened bread and red wine
7. Shabbat Pesach service reading 1/2
8. Yom Hey, Eve of Passover and liberation of many people
9. Seven days of Passover
10. Deliverance and establishment of a theocracy
11. Not dragged unwillingly to death
12. High Holidays not only for Israel
13. The son of David and the first day of the feast of unleavened bread
14. A Holy week in remembrance of the Blood of life
15. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
16. The Memorial Supper
17. This day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the Most High God
18. A night different from all other nights and days to remember
19. 14-15 Nisan and Easter
20. Vayikra after its opening word וַיִּקְרָא, which means and He called
21. Solution for Willing hearts filled with gifts
22. Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart
23. Observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal
24. Most important day in Christian year
25. Celebrations pointing to events of ultimate meaning
26. Making sure we express kedusha for 14-16 Nisan
27. Able to celebrate the Passover in all of its prophetic fulfilment
28. Memorial Observance 1909
29. The Most special weekend of the year 2018
30. Soon it shall be Erev Pesach and Passover 2019
31. A great evening and special days to look forward in 2019
32. Torah Portion – Pesach B
33. Anointing as a sign of Promotion
34. Lost senses or a clear focus on the one at the stake
35. Inauguration of the New Covenant
36. Death and Resurrection of Christ

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #5 Matthew 26:17-19 – Passover Preparations

Matthew 26:17-19 – Passover Preparations

|| Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13

MT26:17 Now on the first day of the unfermented cakes[1] the disciples approached Jesus and asked, “Where do you wish to prepare to eat the Passover?” MT26:18 Jesus told them, “Go into the city and when you face So-and-so say to him,[2] ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near.[3] With you I am having the Passover[4] with my disciples.”’” MT26:19 And the disciples did just as Jesus directed them. They prepared the Passover.[5]

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[1] The first day of the unfermented cakes: There is no universal agreement on this phrase. The Greek PROTE may infer, “the day before,” meaning Nisan 13. Compare Exodus 12:18; Exodus 23:15. Mark 14:12 adds, “… when they customarily sacrificed the Passover.” (Luke 22:7) Nisan 14 would begin at sundown. The Jews had to clear all leaven out of their homes and prepare the sacrificial meal of lamb. In the case of the collection of manna it was to be done the day before Sabbath when they would get a double portion (Exodus 16:5, 22-27; Exodus 20:10). In time “the day before the sabbath” came to be termed “Preparation,” as Mark explained (Mark 15:42). “(The Jews) need not give bond (to appear in court) on the Sabbath or on the day of preparation for it (Sabbath Eve) after the ninth hour (3 PM).” The Jews thus began to prepare for the Sabbath on Friday afternoon, or on those occasions where a special Sabbath fell on another day, the afternoon before [Jewish Antiquities, XVI, 163 (vi, 2)]. Nisan 14 was also a Sabbath day no matter what day it fell on. Friday evening at sundown would begin a high holy day with a double Sabbath (John 19:31, 42; Mark 15:42, 43; Luke 23:54). There is disagreement on these dating of matters.

[2] When you face So-and-so say to him: Mark 14:13 adds, “… a man carrying an earthenware vessel of water will encounter,” something rare for men so easily identifiable (Luke 22:10). Or, NEB: go to a certain man in the city.

[3] My time is near: Or, NEB: my appointed time is near. How would Jesus know this? It is possible he could calculate the “middle of the week” of Daniel 9:25, 26 or three and a half years after the beginning of the Nazarene’s ministry which would have begun in the Fall of 29. This would be a period of 1,260 days or 42 months.

[4] With you I am having the Passover: Or, KJV: I will keep the Passover at thy house; RHM: with thee will I keep the Passover.

[5] They prepared the Passover: According to tradition this would begin late on Nisan 13 some hours before sundown and the beginning of Nisan 14. The first day of the eight-day Passover festival was also a Sabbath no matter the day of the week upon which it fell. This period was called “preparation” and would have occurred twice during this particular year. The disciples would have prepared a lamb, green herbs, unleavened bread, red wine for a dozen people. This was the average family size as the Passover was a family celebration.

Even among the Jews there is disagreement about the precise timing: some choosing Nisan 14 and others Nisan 15. “Different opinions have prevailed among the Jews from a very early date as to the precise time intended. Aben Ezra agrees with the Caraites and Samaritans in taking the first evening to be the time when the sun sinks below the horizon, and the second the time of total darkness; in which case, ‘between the two evenings’ would be from 6 o’clock to 7.20…. According to the rabbinical idea, the time when the sun began to descend, viz. from 3 to 5 o’clock, was the first evening, and sunset the second; so that ‘between the two evenings’ was from 3 to 6 o’clock. Modern expositors have very properly decided in favour of the view held by Aben Ezra and the custom adopted by the Caraites and Samaritans.” (Commentary on the Old Testament, 1973, Vol. I, The Second Book of Moses, p. 12)

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Preceding

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #1 Matthew 26:1-2 – Two Days Before Execution

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #2 Matthew 26:3-5 – Plotting to Seize Jesus

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #3 Matthew 26:6-13 – A Woman to Be Remembered

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #4 Matthew 26:14-16 – The Price of Betrayal

Coming together for a meal to remember a special lamb

Tonight we come together for remembering what Jesus has done for each of us.

During Jesus’s last days on earth, he new calamity was approaching. First he wanted to start the Festival of unleavened bread with his closest friends. He was very well aware of the meaning of that remembrance day every Jew had to ‘celebrate’. It was a God given festival he also wanted to keep with his closest friends.therefore he came together to have that evening meal with his apostles and the ones dear to his heart. Though for him it was not only to remember bloodshed of the lambs in Egypt and the passover of the messengers of God so that the People of God could leave Egypt and in this way could leave slavery from man behind.

Now Jesus wanted to get his friends to know his end was near, but that he would offer himself as a fresh lamb for God, giving his body, his flesh and blood, to sign a New Covenant with God.

Tonight we think of that Last Supper and read in the Scriptures what went on later in the night and the next hours when the sun had come up and before it became dark again.

We shall come to read what happened in the upper room and how Jesus took the bread and wine as symbols for his bloodshed a few hours later.

We shall also come to read what happened in the garden of olives and see what an agony went on in Jesus heart. The fear in him was great, and therefore he asked God to release him from the great tragedy that was in his path. But, he had sufficient faith to finish the prayer with,

“not my will, but yours”,

trusting God with his eternal fate.

We are expected to have Jesus type of faith, trusting God even unto death, this is how we save our eternal life. If we love our physical life too much, being afraid to die, then we risk losing our eternal life. We must learn to trust God completely, knowing he chooses when we slip into the beyond.

Jesus as a man of flesh and blood could really die. God is the only One Who cannot die. But Jesus like us was a mortal who had to trust the promise of God. Doing God His Will, he gave himself as a ransom for our sins. He died at the stake and was put in a grave. But we shall read also how after three days in hell (the grave) Jesus was taken out of the dead, as an example for what can happen also to us.

All those events we shall remember tonight, are of such importance that they may be part of the most important days of our Christian church year.

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Additional reading

1. Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart
2. Solution for Willing hearts filled with gifts
3. Commentary on Parashat Tazria
4. 9 Adar and bickering or loving followers of the Torah preparing for Pesach
5. Purification and perfection
6. Shabbat HaGadol in preparation for Pesach
7. Symptom of tzara’at a white spot on the flesh
8. Search for any remnant of chametz
9. Thinking about fear for the Loving God and an Invitation for 14 Nisan
10. A meal as a mitzvah so that every generation would remember
11. Torah Portion – Pesach B
12. Observance of a day to Remember
13. Celebrations pointing to events of ultimate meaning
14. This day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the Most High God
15. Able to celebrate the Passover in all of its prophetic fulfilment
16. A great evening and special days to look forward in 2019
17. Most important day in Christian year
18. Lost senses or a clear focus on the one at the stake
19. Worthy partakers of the body of Christ
20. 1691 years ago on June the 20th in 325
21. Peter Cottontail and a Bunny laying Eastereggs

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Further related

1. April 18, 2019 Maundy Thursday-The Lord of Life, Given for Us -Luke 22:7-23
2. Maundy Thursday
3. Maundy Thursday – Breaking the New Commandment
4. Bridget of Kildare: “Thy most worthy Passion”
5. Last Day on Earth
6. INRI Appam
7. Christ-Defining Moment (Sermon)
8. 14. Nisan Abendmahl Gedächtnismahl Todestag Jesus Christus
9. The Date of Christ’s Dead; Catholics Got It Right?
10. The Silence of the Tomb

Fellowship over meals

After God made a covenant with the People of Israel at Mount Sinai, Moses and the 70 leaders of Israel

“saw God, and they ate and drank.” (Exodus 24:11)

the did not literally saw God but felt His nearness. Every year Gods People also came together for a special meal, remembering how the Most High was willing to come to the help of those that worshipped Him. It was the most significant meal in the Tanakh (Old Testament) that God required the People to eat and as such Jesus (the Nazarene Jeshua, being a devout Jew) also took every year, as required by Scriptures, the occasion to have a Passover meal with those he loved.

And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

(Exodus 12:14-17 KJB:PCE)

Jesus had more than once had meals with common people, sinners and publicans as well intimate meals with his beloved ones. We may not forget it was not generally accepted to have friendship with publican, because they were detested by the Jews at that time, because they were the tax collectors and had a reputation of adding their own greedy motives to the amount they collected. Just like the fishermen, when the master teachers asked the tax-collector Matthew to follow him, he went with Jesus, who wanted those who wanted to be his disciples to follow him in his word and not to be slaves of sin. When Jesus knew his time was coming to an end the master wanted to have the yearly memorial meal with his beloved in an upper-room in Jerusalem.

This coming week, on the first night of Passover (Passover Seder: Friday, April 19), believers who participate in the traditional Jewish Passover meal (known as a Seder) will have the opportunity to celebrate and enter into fellowship with Jeshua (Jesus Christ) as he instructed his disciples to do, the night he was betrayed and arrested.

Over the centuries, this Passover meal evolved into a lengthy ritual, and we don’t know for certain which parts of the custom existed at the time of Jeshua. We do know that Messiah’s last meal with his disciples included the breaking of bread and drinking of wine, as do Jewish meals to this day, and that is the part Jeshua or Jesus wants us to remember the most.

As Jeshua’s disciples gathered together for their final meal with him, Jesus blessed the bread, broke it, and said,

“This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).

In Christendom we can find lots of people who first of all think Jesus is God, Who would have come to earth and Who would through a mysterious process come into the bread itself. This is called transubstantiation and is practised by Catholics, Anglicans, and Orthodox Christians, such as Greek, Ukrainian, Ethiopian, etc. as well as other denominations.

However, in the ancient Jewish practice of sacrificial offerings that God instituted, nothing ever transformed from one substance into another substance.  Rather, most of the animal offerings were killed and eaten.

When Jesus said

“This is my body”

he did not have the intention to have those around him to believe the bread would have become part of his body.

Jesus often spoke about himself in metaphors, especially in terms of bread and life.

He said,

“I am the bread of life”

and

 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.”  (John 6:35, 51)

Throughout history we can see how God provide the food (literal and spiritual) for His people. The manna was bread for man. The spiritual manna now was this sent one from God, the Nazarene master teacher Jeshua, Jesus Christ.

Jesus his teaching about eating his body and drinking his blood should be taken as a figure of speech, having the spiritual manna provided and represented by those symbols.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
(John 6:53-58 KJB:PCE)

Symbolically consuming the Word of God is not a foreign concept in Judaism and Jesus is seen as that Word of God having come into the flesh.

When we shall come together this Friday night we shall have a gathering where we remember those last hours of our master teacher. Assembled we shall feel united with brothers and sisters all over the world, gathering in private houses or in prayer halls (Kingdom halls or churches).

When we at the meeting come to eat the bread and drink the wine at the Passover meal this coming Friday night (April 19), we shall remember how we have been delivered from an eternal spiritual death that God provided through the sacrifice of His only begotten beloved son Jesus (Jeshua) him being

“the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).

With our sins paid for, his sacrifice heals any broken fellowship we had with God so we can freely commune with Him.

Coming together several times a year, we remember that moment of the Last Supper and once a year we remember it especially for two reasons, the liberation of Israel from Egypt, standing for the liberation of slavery from man, and secondly the liberation from the curse of death, by Jesus giving himself as a ransom for the sins of all.

All those meals we share in the year are just a reflection of that exceptional meal Jesus had in Jerusalem. The one night of fellowship on 14 Nisan is especially to remember those liberation acts provided by the Most High. By our gathering we show our thankfulness, but also our unity with all those who remember that Pesach Seder, all over the world. With all of them we have a united fellowship as brothers and sisters, being part of One Great Family, as children of God.

Christ has made know the path of freedom by his word to those who believe him and live in the truth. When calling ourselves “Christian”, “Jeshuaist” or “children of God” we should show others our unity and our “family”, showing them we are really following the real Christ and not the false dogmatic person who is part of a so called “holy Trinity”. Jesus worshipped not himself, but his heavenly Father, the Only One true God, the God of Abraham Who is an eternal Spirit (having no beginning or no birth and no end or no death). At the Memorial Meal Jesus had with his apostles he honoured that Singular God and expects from all his followers also to praise that One Supreme Being Who gave light and salvation to the world.

So, let us come together Friday night to remember how the Most High provided for the liberation of Israel and provided also for a lamb that brought salvation for Jews and non-Jews, to be liberated from the chains of death, being thankful that those who live in Christ’s word are free.

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Additional reading

1. Egypt, Moshe and Those who never felt they belonged there
2. At the Shabbat HaChodesh: readings about blood, liberation and purification
3. Commentary on Parashat Tazria
4. Why Fuss over a Little Leaven (Yeast)?
5. Purification and perfection
6. Shabbat HaGadol in preparation for Pesach

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