Lesson for April 14, 2019

The Last Passover Supper of Jesus Christ

The Jewish Feast of the Passover (also called the Feast of Unleavened Bread) was being celebrated by Jesus and His disciples (including Judas who would betray Him) before He was to go the Cross. This would be the last time the Feast of the Passover would be legitimately celebrated, and it was the last Passover supper that Jesus would partake of before returning to Heaven. The Feast of the Passover eventually became the Church Age ritual of Communion. It was Christ Himself that set the precedence for this transition in the upper room. (Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22:1-20; I Corinthians 11:23-26)

Passover memorializes the time in Egypt when God sent the death angel to punish the nation of Egypt because Pharaoh would not let the enslaved Israelites leave. All firstborn male children were to die when the death angel passed through the city. However, the death angel passed over the houses of those who put the blood of a lamb on the doorpost as God instructed. The story is told to us in Exodus 12, outlining the command from God to take a lamb without spot or blemish and apply its blood to the doorposts. The Israelites were not to add leaven to their bread that night in order to expedite their departure from Egypt since they had no time to wait for the bread to rise.

Passover demonstrates the doctrine of redemption, Jesus Christ being our Redeemer. The lamb without spot or blemish, represented Christ’s perfection. The lamb was to be roasted under fire, signifying God’s judgment of Christ on the Cross for the sins of the world. And it was then to be eaten (an illustration of faith) with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, a picture of Christ’s sinlessness and the bitterness of His death. Just as the life of the innocent lamb was sacrificed for the Jews that night, so an innocent Christ was sacrificed for each one of us. (I Corinthians 5:6-7; I Peter 1:18-19)

The Biblical definition of the word “redeemed” means to be purchased from the “slave-market of sin.” There are three Greek words forredemption: “agorazo”meaning to buy, “exagorazo”meaning to buy out of or remove from sale and “lutroo” meaning to release on receipt of ransom or payment. Christ accomplished all three for us and has redeemed us from the slave-market of sin. (Romans 7:14) The believer is also redeemed from the obligation to observe the Mosaic Law, which had been distorted into a system of “pseudo-salvation” by religious Jewish leaders. The Law was never designed to provide salvation, but to show mankind his need for a Savior and points us to Jesus Christ.

Communion means to have things in common and is called the Lord’s Table, the Lord’s Supper and the Eucharist (thankfulness). All believers in Jesus Christ, regardless of church affiliation, are commanded to partake. The purpose of Communion is to honor and celebrate the life and work of Jesus Christ on the Cross as our Substitute (our Passover). Believers are to be in fellowship with God before partaking. Therefore, believers are to examine themselves before partaking. After examining themselves, believers are to acknowledge their sins to God, if necessary, in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit and in fellowship with God. Communion is a remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unleavened bread speaks of the Person of Christ. Unleavened bread speaks of Christ’s impeccability (leaven in the Bible represents sin). Broken bread speaks of His physical death on the Cross. Eating is non-meritorious, representing faith. The cup speaks of the Work of Jesus Christ. The cup of juice represents the blood of Christ. Shedding of blood speaks of His spiritual death on the Cross as the payment for our sin which introduces a new covenant between God and man, which is grace. Drinking is also non-meritorious, representing faith.

Spiritual Death of Christ

Spiritual death in the Scriptures refers to separation from God. Mankind is condemned from birth because of Adam’s original sin, which is credited to all of us. Condemnation means we are separated from God without the ability to do anything about it, and there is a debt to pay. The debt is spiritual death. (Romans 6:23)

This is the reason that Jesus Christ came to earth as a man and made the payment on our behalf. He became our substitute as God placed the sins (past, present and future) of the entire human race upon Christ and judged them. For three hours the earth was in total darkness as God “turned His back” upon the humanity of Christ while the debt for sin was being paid. This was the only time our Savior cried out. He said, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) Why did God forsake Him? So that Jesus Christ could pay the penalty that spiritual death imposes (separation from God) by becoming sin for you and me in order that we might be redeemed. God, a perfect being, can have nothing to do with sin. Fellowship with God had to be broken, while Christ bore our sin. After the sin of the world had been paid for, He said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) Salvation for mankind had been accomplished and the work of redemption was complete. After Christ had made the payment for sin, He died physically, but rose victorious over physical death three days later.

Physical Death of Christ

Physical death means the separation of soul and spirit from the body. The physical death of Christ was necessary for a number of reasons. In order for the resurrection to occur, Christ had to die physically. Christ’s resurrection guarantees a resurrection for the believer. (I Corinthians 15:19-20) Christ’s physical death was also a fulfillment of prophecy. (John 2:19) We must never forget that Jesus gave His life voluntarily and that no one person or group took it from Him. (Luke 23:46; John 10:18) After Christ paid for sin by His spiritual death, He once again called God “Father” because fellowship had been restored.

Never do we want to “downplay” the physical suffering and physical death of our Savior. However, we must be accurate in our teaching. The plan of salvation involves the spiritual death, the physical death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without the spiritual death of Christ, we have no salvation and the same is true of His physical death and His resurrection.

Christ’s sacrifice was complete and eternal. It was complete in that it never had to be repeated. Christ died once for all mankind. Any time a person attempts to secure eternal life by means of good works, the Bible declares that they are, in effect, attempting to crucify Christ over again (a blasphemous thought). It was eternal in that the results continue throughout the history of man and forever. God’s righteousness had to be satisfied in order for Him to be just in giving eternal life and the other spiritual assets to those who believe. The Doctrine of Propitiation explains how this was accomplished by Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:28)

The Greek word “huper”, translated “for” in Romans 5:8 is a preposition meaning “on behalf of” or “in place of.” The Greek word for “us” is “ego.” Combined in this passage and others, we see the substitutionary character of propitiation. Jesus Christ literally became sin “on behalf of us” or “in place of us.” It is the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ that completely satisfied the righteousness of God and provides eternal life for all who believe. (II Corinthians 5:21)

Christ was a willing substitute. He was not forced by God the Father to become humanity and die in our place. Jesus willingly and joyfully fulfilled a plan that was designed in eternity past. This plan of salvation called for the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ, which would propitiate (satisfy) God’s righteous judgment of sin (a judgment carried out by God’s justice).

The penalty for sin (spiritual death) having been met by Christ, God is free to bestow all 40 spiritual assets upon all those who believe. These 40 assets are transferred to every believer at the moment of salvation. These assets are not seen nor are they felt. The instant a person believes in Christ as Savior all sins of the past are forgiven, he is in fellowship with God and is being controlled by the Holy Spirit. The potential then exists for the believer to execute the Christian Way of Life. (Romans 3:23-25)

When Christ became our substitute on the Cross and paid the penalty for the sin of the entire human race, the barrier of sin that previously existed between God and man was removed forever. The removal of this sin barrier means that sin is no longer an issue at salvation. The issue at salvation is whether a person will accept God’s free offer of eternal life through faith in Christ. It is because of propitiation that God is free to make this offer of eternal life.