Is Passover a Jewish Holiday?

by Rod Thomas | Apr 9, 2014 | Blog

Greetings. Today, according to God’s calendar, is the 9th day of the Month of Aviv. Still a New Year, a new beginning for those of us who love the Lord Yehovah. According to Rood’s Gospel Chronology, in 27 CE, Yeshua, his family, and His newly selected disciples (inner circle) left Capernaum (aka: Kfar Nahum) for Jerusalem to observe Passover and Unleavened Bread (reference Leviticus 23 and John 2:13). According to the passage,

“The Passover was at hand and Yeshua went up to Yerushalayim (aka: Jerusalem).”

This passage may not get much attention to the average Christian (Gentile) Reader simply because it is sort of a commentary bridge between two or more important invents. It doesn’t take a whole lot of scholarly knowledge to understand what this verse is talking about, although possessing an understanding of the context and having a full appreciation of the Feasts of Yehovah catapults this verse to a higher level.

The King James Version’s rendering of this event reads, “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem…” Notice, if you would, the distant perspective the translator placed upon his rendering–“…and the Jews’ passover…” Oh how we in churchianity have so distanced ourselves from our heritage but will fight to the death to brag about the inheritance. There appears to be some misplaced or partially messed up understanding of the full matter.

No individual understood the reality of both the inheritance and the heritage we gentiles enjoy in Messiah, than the Apostle Paul. According to Paul, “For the Scripture says, no one believing on Him shall be ashamed. For there is no difference of Jew and Greek; for the same Lord (aka: Yehovah) is rich towards all that call upon Him. For every one whosoever, who shall call on the name of Yehovah, shall be saved” (Romans 10:12-Darby Translation). Certainly, there is some under-current of anti-Judaism going on here and sadly, that under-current remains even today. We’ve all but discarded the significance of the Jews to our inheritance and our heritage, and by doing so, we’ve also lost all sight of the big picture. There was something to wearing the badge of Jew, regardless whatever negative spin the satan and him minions have put upon that culture. Again, the expert here is Paul who brilliantly asserts, “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither that circumcision which is outward in flesh; but he is a Jew who is so inwardly; and circumcision, of the heart, in spirit, not in letter; whose praise is not of men, but of Yehovah” (Romans 2:28,29-Darby Translation). Indeed, being a True Jew (spiritual) is the desired outcome that the Messianic Torah Observer must aspire. And what constitutes a True Jew? It is the one who desires after the ways of Yehovah, who is obedient to His laws and ways, who is a disciple of Yeshua, and who is filled with the Holy Spirit. So many of us are so focused upon the physical manifestations of a culture of people–i.e., their traditions, habits, and appearance. Our culture, the Torah Observing Messianic Believer of Messiah, by nature has its behavioral uniqueness, but more importantly, we have that spiritual component that pushes us beyond anything that is common to human cultures. So we must not ever distance ourselves from our heritage for the sake of the intheritance. Paul explains: “Now if the first-fruit be holy, the lump also; and if the root be holy, the branches also. Now if some of the branches have been broken out, and thou, being a wild olive tree, hast been grafted in amongst them, and hast become a fellow-partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree, boast not against the branches; but if thou boast, it is not thou bearest the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, the branches have been broken out in order that I might be grafted in. Right: they have been broken out through unbelief, and thou standest through faith. Be not high-minded, but fear; if God indeed has not spared the natural branches; lest it might be he spare not thee either. Behold, then the goodness and severity of God: upon them who have fallen, severity; upon thee goodness of Yehovah, if thou shalt abide in goodness, since otherwise thou also wilt be cut away. And they too, if they abide not in unbelief, shall be grafted in; for Yehovah is able again to graft them in. For if thou hast been cut out of the olive tree wild by nature, and, contrary to nature hast been grafted into the good olive tree, how much rather shall they, who are according to nature be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this m ystery, that ye may not be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the nations be come in; and so all Israel shall be saved…” (Romans 11:16-26-Darby Translation).

Praise Yehovah that we, Yehovah’s redeemed, His chosen, have been grafted into the one True Faith that was once delivered and that is Torah-based. Thus, there is no such thing as “a Jews’ passover.” Passover, like the rest of the Holy Days and observances and appointed days, belong to Yehovah! He instituted these times for a purpose and these days provide us with shadow pictures of good things to come and they prepare us for the Kingdom.

One more thing to take away from this passage: Yeshua, our Redeemer, our Lord, and Savior, was faithful to keep and obey Torah. Why do we feel that we should be any different. Oh, some would contend that Yeshua kept Torah so we don’t have to. Others will foolishly misinterpret Pauline writings and assert that we are not under the Law, and thus we are compelled to not keep Torah but rely upon Grace. Indeed, we are not under the penalty of the Law, but the Law was given by Yehovah as a means of instruction of how we are to live holy and righteous lives. Without Torah, life becomes a crap-shoot, as is typical churchianity today, where everyone lives according to how he or she see fit.

These days of the Spring Feast have such richness and the shadow pictures that are awaiting each True Believer to view are simply precious beyond understanding. May you be richly blessed this Spring Feast season.