I’ve chosen to title our discussion here today “Choosing Yeshua as our Pesach: Shadows of Pesach 2024.”
If I could have you turn to Exodus 12.1-6, we will read the portion of Torah is directly tied to this special day on Yah’s set-apart calendar:
And Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “This month will be the beginning of months; it will be for you the first of the months of the year. 3 Speak to all the community of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month, they will each take for themselves ⌊a lamb for the family⌋, a lamb for the household. 4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, he and the neighbor nearest to his house will take one according to the number of persons; you will count out portions of the lamb ⌊according to how much each one can eat⌋. 5 The lamb for you must be a male, without defect, in its first year; you will take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 “⌊You will keep it⌋ until the fourteenth day of this month, and all the assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter it ⌊at twilight⌋ (The Lexham English Bible; Ex 12:1–6).
Take for Yourselves a Lamb
Few commentators give much attention to this somewhat nuanced instruction of taking unto ourselves a lamb on the 10th day of this Month of the Aviv and holding him in our homes for four-days until we as a community slaughter him, apply his blood to the doorposts and lintels of our homes, and eat its flesh. Indeed, we primarily focus on eating the Pesach (aka the Seder) on the 14th day each year during this time. But the prophetic shadows of this instruction are pregnant with spiritual significance that we would be sorely remiss to overlook. Yes, observing the Passover/Pesach on the 14th of every Aviv is a requirement, and we must keep the day in spirit and in truth. For as the writer of the cepher of Hebrews brilliantly described: The Torah has a shadow of the good things to come...(Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version; (Heb 10:1). (I’ve posted several teachings on Messianics keeping Passover that I humbly invite you to check out if you are so led).
Post Passover-Feast of Unleavened Bread Thoughts and Reflections (themessianictorahobserver.org)
The command to take unto ourselves a perfect yearling lamb or goat and keep and inspect it for four-days was the first step in Yah teaching us to obey Him and, in so doing, secure our deliverance and redemption. This was one of the first commandments that we as individuals, families, and a nation were required to keep if we wanted to live.
The Torah of the Four Days of Inspection and Introspection
These four days served as a time to inspect the lamb and detect any defects which might diminish its efficacy; consider the ramifications of what we were doing in terms of our slaughtering it on the 14th of the month; and finally having the wherewithal to slaughter the animal that we as a household over those four days, grew to love.
Yeshua as the Lamb that Taketh Away the Sins of the World
Our Master Yeshua was crucified on the Passover of 28 CE in Jerusalem. According to Rood’s Chronology, Passover in that year fell on a W-dnesday. Master would have been in His 30th year, the age at which a Levitical Priest would begin service in the Tabernacle or Temple.
Just a few days shy of a year before His crucifixion, Yeshua had been water immersed by His cousin Yochanan in the waters of the Jordan, this being a few weeks before the Passover of 27 CE. (Mat 3.13-17; Mar 1.9-11; Luk 3.23-22).
Upon emerging from the waters of the Jordan, Yochanan witnesses the Holy Spirit (aka the Ruach Kodesh) fall upon His cousin. Besides witnessing the Holy Spirit fall upon Yeshua, Yochanan heard a clear affirmation from Yehovah that Yeshua was His beloved Son — His Yachid — of Whom He was well pleased (Mat 3.13-17; Mar 1.9-11; Luk 3.21-22). This historic and spiritually rich event marked the start of the Master’s earthly ministry.
The Multifaceted Earthly Mission of Yeshua Messiah
Most folks in the world today who are knowledgeable of the Greatest Story hardly ever told, see Yeshua as having but one mission, and that mission was to die for the sins of the world. But truth be told, Yeshua had more than one mission that he successfully packed into one year of service.
The same unction of the Spirit that fell upon Yeshua after he emerged from the waters of the Jordan drove him into the wilderness. He sojourned in the Transjordan region of Judea for 40 days, where he endured testing, fasting from food throughout. Where have we read of such an event? Why, the exodus story. According to the Apostle, during the Exodus, we were all “baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Cor 10.2).
We were made to go without food and water for a period as we traveled through the harsh and unforgiving wilderness. Yeshua repeats that which the forefathers endured (Mat 4.1-2; Mar 1.12-13; Luk 4.1-2). However, Yeshua successfully endured and navigated what the forefathers endured, but were unsuccessful in navigating. Our forefathers failed to come into strict obedience to Yah and to fully trust Him, despite Yah’s powerful presence having bore them on eagles’ wings out of Egypt to Mount Sinai. As it relates to Yeshua, Yah’s Spirit was upon Him throughout His wilderness sojourn. That Spirit no doubt helped Him endure and successfully navigate through His 40-days of fasting and His subsequent testing.
At the terminus of his fast and wilderness sojourn, the Master came face to face with the tempter, hasatan (Mat 4.3-11; Mar 1.13; Luk 4.3-13). The enemy crafted his temptation of Mashiyach (aka Messiah) such that it fell within three specific areas of the human experience: (1) The Lust of the Flesh, whereby hasatan egged the Master to prove He was the Son of Yah by turning the stones of the wilderness into bread to satisfy His hunger. (2) The Pride of Life, where Yeshua would tempt His Father to break His fall from a height to prove He was the Son of Yah. And (3) The Lust of the Eyes, whereby Yeshua would receive from hasatan the riches of the world for His worship of Him.
As the story goes, the Master rebuffs each temptation with a recitation of his Father’s Torah.
Now, embedded within the third temptation, hasatan revealed a reality of his existence that few ever consider:
(5) Hasatan took Him (i.e. Yeshua) up into a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, (6) and said, “All this authority will I give you and all the glory of these kingdoms, for all that has been delivered unto me — and to whomever I will — I give it” (Luk 4; Rood’s Chronology).
Master identified hasatan (aka the devil) as a liar (Joh 8.44). However, as it relates to this temptation, Yeshua who is the Truth personified, did not dispute the tempter’s claim of possessing the kingdoms of the world and their glory and his wherewithal to deliver these things to Yeshua if the Master would but bow down and worship him.
Truth be told, at the fall, Adam lost the title deed to this world to hasatan. The apostle decreed to the Messianic Assembly in Corinth that he was the god of this world (2 Cor 4.4), at least for the time being. It thus fell to the Son of Yehovah to reclaim that title deed. And thus, by successfully rebuffing hasatan’s temptation, He – the second Adam (1 Cor 15.45) – qualified to reclaim the title deed from hasatan. He will officially and fully accomplish this when the seals are opened in the End Times (Rev 6.1-8.5).
Reclamation of the title deed to this world by Yeshua was a necessity if the Kingdom of God were to be established on earth. This was a secret mission that Yah assigned to Yeshua.
You see, beloved, our God is a God of righteousness and justice. He does everything according to the rule of Law that He established at creation. Yeshua would, then, restore creation to its rightful human caretakers. This was the reclamation and judgment portion to His ministry.
The timing of Master’s water immersion and temptation was roughly parallel to that of the Exodus story (in terms of the spiritual elements embedded therein) that was roughly 1,500 years prior. Yeshua’s Passion would take place about a year later.
Yochanan the Revelator reports in his Gospel record that the day after He’d completed His 40-days of testing, Master emerged from the wilderness, being seen by His cousin, Yochanan the Immerser. The Immerser, operating under the authority and revelation of the Holy Spirit, confers upon the Master the redemptive appellation of “The Lamb of Yehovah which takes away the sin of the world” (Joh 1.29). And thus, in haste, our Master got to work to fulfill the redemptive portion to His ministry. This aspect of His ministry was to atone for the sins of Yah’s people (by extension all of humanity) and “redeem Yah’s people so that they may receive the adoption of sons” (Gal 4.5). And Yeshua had but one year to complete this complex but existentially vital task.
The Shadows of Pesach
I’ve expressed countless times on this platform that Yeshua is the walking-talking Torah. The writer of Hebrews described Torah as having a shadow of good things to come (Heb 10.1).
The Shadows of Torah are manifested in the Person and Ministries of Yeshua Messiah and in the Feasts of the LORD.
Both the Torah-side and Yeshua’s Passion side of Pesach is a masterpiece story and expression of Yehovah’s love for His people, and by extension, the whole of human creation. It is still about a covenant, a people, and the Land.
Fast-forward a year ahead to the Month of the Aviv, 28 CE (Rood’s Chronology reckoning). The Master would have spent a year grooming His disciples to continue the work of the Gospel and the Kingdom that He began a year prior.
Passover, in general terms, encompasses Passover Day (i.e. the 14th Day of Aviv) and the seven-day pilgrimage Feast of Unleavened Bread. Being a pilgrimage feast, Jerusalem of the first century, at the time of Passover, would have been bursting at the seams with thousands of Torah observant Jewish pilgrims. A few days prior to the start of the Feast, these pilgrims would have prepared themselves for the coming holy week by engaging in purification rituals via the many mikveh pools that were scattered in and around the city, as well as rendering unto Yehovah various offerings and sacrifices (Joh 11.55). At this time, Yeshua had become a marked and wanted man by the Jewish religious establishment and its leaders (Joh 11.56).
As the story goes, on or around the 9th Day of the Month of the Aviv, Yeshua and His disciples had arrived in the Jerusalem area. In a beautiful fulfillment of prophecy, Yeshua’s disciples secured for Him a colt (i.e. some English translations refer to the animal as a donkey). He would ride this colt into Jerusalem proper the next day, the 10th of the Month of the Aviv, in what Christians have labeled as His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Zec 9.9; Mat 21.1-7; Mar 11.1-6; Luk 19.29-34).
Thus would begin the shadow picture of us taking unto ourselves the Korban Pesach — that is, the Lamb that would serve as our Pesach on the 10th Day of the Month.
The day that the disciples secured the colt, Miriam, sister of the resurrected Lazarus (ref. Joh 11-12), while reclining at dinner at a home in Bethany, anoints the Master with costly ointment (Mat 26.6-13; Mar 14.3-9; Joh 12.2-11). This paints for us a beautiful portrait of our Master’s official title of Mashiyach, meaning the Anointed One. Yeshua asserted to His outraged disciples, who chided Miriam for wasting such a costly commodity on the LORD of Lords, that Miriam’s anointing was a preparation for His burial. Why? Because, by the time Yeshua would be taken down from His execution stake five days hence, His rapid burial in the borrowed tomb due to the advent of the first day of Unleavened Bread, would not permit His body to be properly prepared.
The next day, on the 10th of Aviv, Yeshua makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As prophesied, He rode in on the colt that His disciples procured for him the previous day (Mat 21.7-16; Mar 11.7-11; Luk 19.35-44; Joh 12.12-16). Thus, the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world — our Pesach/Passover — would begin His four-day period of inspection. During this time, He would undergo inspection by the nation’s religious leaders.
Now, Yeshua’s aptly named “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem, just four days ahead of His Passion, falls dramatically within the realm of divine orchestration. For there, on that day, the 10th Day of the Month of the Aviv, as commanded by Yehovah in Exodus 12, we were also selecting the lambs we would use for our Pesach observance for that year.
The 10th of the Month of the Aviv in first century Jerusalem became known as “Lamb Selection Day” (www.biblesearchers.com/hebrews/festivals/passover.shml#passoverlamb). According to the cited article along with several other similar articles on the subject, the high priest on this date went out of the city of Jerusalem through the Damascus Gate and headed north of the city to select the most perfect of the yearling lambs in Judea. And for the next four-days, the high priest would inspect the Passover Lamb daily on the Temple grounds. By the fourth day, if the high priest finds no fault in the animal, it will be sacrificed on the 14th, Passover Day afternoon.
Looking back to our Egyptian servitude, I came across some interesting information regarding lambs and the Egyptians. According to the Jewish scholar and commentator Rashi (commenting on Exodus 8.22), Yehovah induced irony was for us to take lambs unto ourselves and then slaughter them a few days later. Turns out that the lamb was considered a deity in Egypt. Our taking lambs into our homes and then slaughtering them would be considered an offense to the Egyptian overlords.
Our selecting of lambs on the 10th day of the Month of the Aviv was not symbolic of some form of symbolism on our part, but done out of thoughtfulness, ordered intention, and obedience (chabad.org; “Why Take the Pesach Lamb Days Before Offering It?”).
Circling back to Yeshua: It was the enemy’s plan to ensnare Yeshua by hook or crook, which would lead to their diabolical plan to destroy Him, which they believed further their efforts to promote the Kingdom of Darkness and stymie the advent of the Malchut Elohim here on earth. However, the enemy did not realize that it was Yehovah’s intention all along — from the foundation of the earth — for His Son to be sacrificed for the sins of Yisra’el, and by extension all of humanity (Rev 13.8). This is what we see taking place before us, as over a seven-day period, their efforts to destroy the King of Glory would prove to be an embarrassing failure on the enemy’s part. For had the enemy known that Yeshua’s execution was Yah’s plan from the beginning, and that it would be the nail in the enemy’s coffin, so to speak, they would not have crucified the Master of Glory (1 Cor 2.7-8).
Now, some have suggested that the Master’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem took place on Shabbat HaGadol that year. As an aside, Shabbat HaGadol, aka the Great Sabbath, is the Sabbath that precedes Passover Day. Interestingly, according to Rabbinic tradition, our Exodus out of Egypt took place on a Thursday, the 15th of the Month of the Aviv. This means that we would have selected our Pesach, the previous Shabbat, which would be the 10th of the Month of the Aviv. Thus, some people, including me, believe that the same week-day orientation occurred when Yeshua was crucified, with His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem happening on Shabbat, Aviv 10, 28 CE. You can’t make this stuff up, beloved. This being the case, then, Yeshua’s triumphal entry precisely symbolized the Torah regarding the selection of the Korban Pesach.
In Yeshua’s day, the nation, having gathered themselves in Yerushalayim before Pesach and the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, would select a Korban Pesach for their family and hold on to him for four-days, in obedience to Exodus/Shemot 12.3-5, to be slaughtered on the afternoon of Aviv 14. On the day of the Master’s Triumphal Entry — the Lamb Selection Day — the Cohen Gadol in 28 CE, who would have been Caiaphas, accompanied by dozens of attending cohenim or priests, ceremoniously walked through the Damascus Gate. Throngs of attending cohenim lined either sides of Damascus street, waving palm fronds, while the Cohen Gadol exited Yerushalayim through the North Gate, heading for a nearby pasture to inspect the yearling male lambs. He would select what he believed to be the perfect lamb to serve as Korban Pesach on behalf of the nation. Caiaphas would have reversed his route and returned to the Temple with the perfect lamb in tow.
Awaiting Caiaphas were the throngs of palm frond waving priests who were positioned along the route, along with thousands of Jewish pilgrims who lined the streets of Yerushalayim, also waving palm fronds. As these awaited the Cohen Gadol and the Korban Pesach’s arrival with great exuberance and anticipation, Yeshua took advantage of the moment by riding into Yerushalayim on the colt that His disciples procured for Him the previous day. His disciples spread, as every Gospel writer noted, their garments and palm branches along His path. These, as if heralds of a triumphal king entering and traversing his realm, proclaimed ahead of Him: “Hoshia-na to the Son of Dawid! Blessed is He who is coming in the Name of Yehovah! Hoshia-na in the highest!” (Mat 21.9; LSB; cf. Psa 118.26; Mar 11.9-10; Luk 19.36-38).
The intense passion and exuberance of the disciples was contagious. The gathered crowds joined into the welcoming of their king. Word had spread amongst the multitude of the gathered and celebrated crowd that the great prophet from Nazareth of Galilee was in their midst (Mat 21.10-11). No doubt many within this multitude — Disciple and Passover Pilgrim alike — entertained in their souls that finally the prophesied kingdom and their King David incarnate had arrived. Indeed, Hoshia-na in the Highest — Blessed is He who comes in Yehovah’s Name!
The ruling cohenim were of course incensed at this spectacle. They bid Yeshua bring this disturbance to their lamb selection ritual to an abrupt end (Luk 19.39). But Yeshua’s classic response set the eternal tone of what was happening before their very eyes: I say to you [Prushim/Pharisees] that if these [rejoicing souls] Shall be silent, the stones of Jerusalem would cry out” (Luk 19.40; LSB modified).
Indeed, like the multitude that took part in the previous year’s Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles’ “Water Libation Ceremony” (see my teaching on the Water Libation Ceremony), this crowd did not have the slightly clue that they were taking part in a divinely orchestrated shadow of good things to come, foretold by the prophets of old centuries before. There would be no stopping this divine appointment and Yehovah’s auspicious intrusion into the affairs of men!
Before I go any further, I want to advise you I could not put my fingers upon any credible historic references to this so-called first century Lamb Selection Ceremony/Ritual. I believe much of this reported ceremony to be true, given the widespread agreement among Jewish and Christian teachers alike, that this event actually took place as I’ve recited to you here in this post. But if you’ve been with me any length of time, you know I strive to provide you as many available proofs and references as I can access in relation to the various issues and topics that I present on this platform. I am a little frustrated at not being able to pinpoint viable references to this ceremony. But suffice to say, this is a popular historic tradition that has little to no proofs to support its telling. The lack of references or proofs, however, does not detract from the gospel and torah records’ story and its associated spiritual applications.
Back to our topic at hand. At this point in our Pesach story, the Jerusalem religious leaders were “hot.” These religious leaders believed their hands were tied. They reasoned: “You see that you are gaining nothing; look, the world has gone after Him…” the Him being none other than Yahoshua HaMashiyach” (Joh 12.19; LSB modified).
Meanwhile, true to Zechariah’s prophecy, the master entered the temple complex where he not only embarked upon an intense 4 days of teachings but also began four days of inspection — which included entrapments that were meant to incite His arrest and ultimate crucifixion (Luk 19.47-48).
The enemy, still ignorant of the critical error he was bent on carrying out against the Master (that error being to kill Yeshua), took advantage of the tense politico-religious situation at play at this time by stoking the flames of hatred that burned within the Jerusalem religious leaders against Yeshua. The Prushim/Pharisees had no clue that they were being used by hasatan to further His interests, nor were they aware that they were blindly fulfilling prophecy, much to their detriment.
Of course, Yeshua knew what was going on behind the scenes. His Father openly certified that he, Yeshua, was indeed the Korban Pesach for his people. Several individuals standing near Him heard the third Bat-Kol from heaven. Yeshua explained to those who heard this Bat Kol that his heavenly father proclaimed it, not for his own edification, but for theirs (Joh 12.27-30). Yehovah had selected the perfect Korban Pesach for the sins of His people, ensuring the efficacy of the sacrifice that would be made on our behalf just four-days hence.
So, from this juncture in human history, the world would be “judged and the ruler of this world cast out “ (Joh 12.31; LSB). We’re not talking about a wrathful judgment from on high, mind you, but a judgment of the results the words and witness of our Master Yeshua would have on humanity. In other words, the world would now be judged according to their faith in the Person and ministries of Yeshua HaMashiyach.
A year previous to these events, Yochanan declared that the Malchut Elohim/The Kingdom of God was at hand (Mat 3.1-2). And indeed, in great part, the Malchut Elohim had arrived, although not in a manner that the patriarchs of old and the so-called first century sages could have ever imagined (Luk 8.56). Certainly not in any way envisioned by hasatan and the Kingdom of darkness. Hasatan was about to cash in his chips, but Yehovah was about to pull a check checkmate on him.
In this same scene, Master affirmed his destiny to those hanging on to his every word. He would suffer crucifixion, despite the traditional understanding that Israel’s prophesied Messiah could not die. Yeshua corrected the group’s understanding that he was fulfilling an eternal mandate to bring light to a darkened world and the opportunity for eternal life to those that would believe in him (Joh 12.44-46).
Over the course of the next four days, the master lodged in a friend’s home in Bethany at night, but returned to Jerusalem and the Temple grounds during the day.
The next day, Master cleanses the temple campus of the sketchy money changers who had set up shop at various temple access points, hoping to overcharge the Pesach-attending pilgrims who would look to purchase animals for their worship purposes (Mat 21.12-14; Mar 11.15-19; Luk 19.45-46). And like most things having to do with commerce, timing is crucial, and these slick salesmen were positioned to make a killing during the week of Pesach. Certainly, no money changer could ply his wares on the temple property without permission from the temple religious leaders, who no doubt got a cut of the daily sales receipts. Yeshua’s upsetting of the money changers’ kiosks further fueled the ire of the Prushim, who, by that time, were desperate to find a means to take him out.
Next day, the temple religious leaders challenged Master’s authority to chase the money changers away, which was a challenge to Prushim authority (ref. Babylonian Talmud, Baba Metzia 59). The Prushim had taken unto themselves full authority over temple operations. Ironically, the only authority to be had over temple operations was Yehovah. Yehovah had given that authority to His Son (Mat 28.18). The ruling religious leaders were disingenuous in their query of the Master, prompting the Master to refuse to reveal to them the source of His authority (Mat 21.23-27; Mar 11.27-33; Luk 20.1-8).
Master, through parables, exposed the unfit state of his religious challengers, warning them that “the Malchut Elohim shall be taken from you, and given to Gentiles who bring forth the fruits of the kingdom” (Mat 21.43).
The religious leaders’ rejection of Yeshua, Yochanan, and the Prophets of old would be their ultimate spiritual downfall. For these time and time again, because of their steadfast rebelliousness and self-serving evil hearts, they missed the time of their visitation. What they were witnessing was Yehovah’s doing. Tragically, they rejected Yeshua, John the Immerser, and the Prophets of old, which had the effect of placing themselves in spiritual and physical harm’s way. For it would be just 40 years later that most of them would end up dying in their sins amid the rubble of the Temple that they claimed full authority over.
These unfit leaders could not stop what had and what would come: “The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner …Whoever shall fall/stumble upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Luk 20.17-18).
These religious leaders took personal offense to the Master’s judgment of them. Thus, he was blameless as it relates to his authority in doing that which he did.
Next, ill-intentioned Pharisees and Herodians attempted to entrap the master by tripping him up on an issue related to the paying of taxes. These rationalized that if they could tap some masked resentment the Master may have had in relation to the bitter burden of Roman taxation over his brethren, they may get Him to speak against Israel’s paying taxes to Rome. For Yeshua to even suggest an Israeli not pay taxes would bring a death sentence upon His head. Conversely, for the Master to suggest that devout Israelis not tithe would make him eligible for punishment as well, since He would be seen as encouraging his brethren to transgress the Torah. Yeshua, however, saw through their devilish ploy, and responded to their entrapment question, instructing that Israelis must do the right thing: pay their taxes in accordance with Roman law and give tithes in accordance to Torah (Mat 22.15-22; Mar 12.13-17; Luk 20.20-26). Thus, he was blameless in his teachings and doctrine. The Prushim and the Herodians were left, according to Mark, “dumbfounded” (Rood’s Chronology; Mar 12.17; p. 203).
Next inspectors and nefarious character bent on ensnaring Yeshua in either his words or deeds/actions were the Sadducees, otherwise referred to as Zadokim. This religious sect served in the Jerusalem Temple as priests/cohenim. The Prushim/Pharisees did not/could not operate as priests, although they took unto themselves much authority over Temple operations in general. The Sadducees, in general, were distinguished from the other sectarian Jewish brethren by their insistence that there is no resurrection of the dead. Their position on this issue would serve as their means of entrapping the Master. These postulated unto the Master the conundrum of a woman having died after having survived the deaths of seven husbands. These ill-intentioned Sadducees demanded of Master Yeshua give them His position as to which husband the woman would be reunited with in the resurrection. (Wait, I thought they didn’t believe in a resurrection of the dead.) Of course, Yeshua schooled these Sadducees on the foundational truths related to the institution and practice of marriage in the resurrection. That being that like the angels in heaven, resurrected humans will not marry.
And the master threw a barb at these Sadducees’ of there being a resurrection of the dead, citing that Yehovah was a God of the living, not the dead (Mat 22.23-33; Mar 12.18-27; Luk 20.27-39; Exo 3.5, 15; Dan 12.2; 4 Mac 7.19; Isa 26.19; etc). Yeshua chided them on their lack of spiritual understanding and belief in Yehovah’s ability to enact a resurrection of the dead. Thus, Yeshua proved he had mastery of the scriptures and was blameless in his understanding of the Scriptures.
Nevertheless, these Sadducees were astonished at His doctrine.
The next sectarian group to attempt an ensnaring of the Master was the so-called sages, known to most of us today as the Scribes.
Scribes were the learned lawyers of Torah.
One sage asked the Master what the greatest commandment of Torah is. Master responded with a recitation of the Shema (Deu 6.4-5) as being the greatest commandment. Yet, He said, there is an accompanying commandment that has equal import: Love of neighbor as one loves him/herself (Lev 19.18).
These querying scribes were impressed with the Master’s understanding and command of Torah. The religious leaders could find no fault in Him.
Having now passed the religionists’ inspection, the Master turned the tables, so to speak, and inspected them, judging them as wanting and lacking in their knowledge and understanding of the Person of Yeshua Messiah and His relationship with Yehovah (Mat 22.41-46; Mar 12.35-37; Luk 20.41-44; Psa 110 and Psa 2). Sadly, many within and without our beloved Faith are as many of the sectarian leaders of our Master’s day. These have no understanding of who Yeshua is and the role He plays in His Father’s grand plan of salvation, redemption, and restoration.
I published a couple of teachings which are titled “The Divinity of Yeshua” and “Who and What is Yeshua Messiah,” where I share my perspectives on this critical subject. I would humbly invite you to either read or listen to those posts if you are so led. Yeshua is the Son of Yehovah and the Son of Man: He is Yah’s right-hand.
For the remaining days leading up to his Passion, the Master taught daily on and around the temple grounds. He warned his disciples to be wary of the Jewish religious leaders who he revealed were hypocritical in their deportment and example as self-appointed spiritual leaders of the nation (Mar 12.37-40; Luk 20.45-47). He observed the souls who’d come up to the temple to worship during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, distinguishing between those who came and gave all they had to Yehovah from those who gave measuredly according to their abundance (Mar 12.41-44; Luk 21.1-4). He instructed his disciples to observe the Torah that Moses gave, but to reject the takanot and ma’asim of the Scribes and Pharisees: Those who falsely assumed to possess the authority of Moses to divide the Word of Truth to the Jewish nation (Mat 23.1-39).
From there, the Master criticized the dangerous/deadly hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees whom He described as “blind chairs or blind guides” (depending on the English translation you may be referencing) (Mat 23.16).
It was during this expose of these religious leaders that the Master sealed His fate and ensured that His crucifixion would take place just two days hence.
The culmination of the Master’s time of inspection as our Korban Pesach was His delivery of the famous Olivet Discourse, where He crams in some last-minute teachings to His disciples (Mat 24-25). (The Olivet Discourse is a monumental discussion all on its own. We’ll save such a discussion for another day.)
Meanwhile, the religious leaders completed their plans to dispense with the Master, choosing to use someone who was close to Him as the means of taking and ultimately executing Him. True to their evil make-up, these would not commit the crime against the Master themselves but use one of His own along with the might and resources of their Roman overlords to bring an end to the Rabbi Yeshua. But the end that these envisioned were in all reality, the start of the good things set to come to Yah’s set-apart people,
So, I conclude this discussion on Passover being a Shadow of Yeshua as the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world but encouraging all of us to take the fullness of Yeshua — His reality — into our thoughts and reflections on this 10th Day of the Month of the Aviv. And over the next four days leading up to Passover 2024, that we allow Yeshua to be as a mirror unto ourselves such that we identify the high calling of our Creator in Yeshua Messiah. He is our example, and we must endeavor to be like Him in every conceivable way. Are we willing to press toward the high mark that He has established in order that we may be called sons and daughters of the Most High Elohim? I say yes, yes, yes and Amein.