Verse: Exodus 13:8-10 You shall tell your son on that day, 'It is because of what the Lord did for me when
I came out of Egypt.' And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes,
that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of
Egypt. You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year. ESV
Read pp. 47-51 Messiah in the Feasts of Israel by Sam Nadler
The “four questions” are recited in a traditional Seder near the beginning of the meal. They are in part
meant to be a completion of the instruction to tell our sons the meaning of the Passover meal.
A child begins by asking the opening question:
Why is this night different from every other night?
The four questions of a traditional Seder:
1. Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzah, but on this
night we eat only matzah?
Matzah (unleavened bread) reminds us that when the Israelites left Egypt they had no time to
let their bread rise because they left quickly without delay. It is called “the bread of haste”
2. Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night we eat only bitter
herbs?
Maror reminds us of the bitter and cruel way the Pharaoh treated Israel in their bondage.
3. Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once, but on this night we dip
them twice?
We dip bitter herbs into charoset to remind us of the bitterness of our slavery. The chopped
apples and nuts look like clay used to make bricks for Pharaoh’s buildings. We dip parsley in salt
water to remember the tears of our captivity.
4. Why is it that on all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night we eat in a
reclining position?
We eat reclining to remind us that we are no longer slaves but free people.
Jesus and the disciples were reclining at the past Passover supper as was the tradition (Matthew 26:20).
Just before the last Passover, Jesus emphasized His position as a servant rather than a man of privilege.
John 13:12-18
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said
to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and
you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also
ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do
just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master,
nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. ESV
John 13:20
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." ESV
Jesus demonstrated His position as our leader and example by bending low and washing the disciples’
feet (John 13:1-20). Freedom does not come just by standing or sitting, but by serving out of a heart of
compassion. Jesus demonstrated His authority by going about doing good and healing all that were
oppressed of the devil throughout His three-year public ministry (Acts 10:38). Jesus healed the sick, the
lame, the blind, and the oppressed. He extended these mighty acts of deliverance to Samaritans,
Romans, tax collectors, and other sinners. We are free men as a result of Jesus’ covenant with the
Father, but we do not parade that freedom as privilege. Rather, we model the servanthood of our
Messiah by bending low and serving others, not as slaves in bondage, but as bond slaves who willingly
choose to follow His example. This is true liberty and this night commemorates the day we are “born
from above” (John 3:3 AMP) and the nature of Christ is born in us.
The Passover reminds us of how we were delivered out of bondage into freedom. It is the day our eyes
are opened to the salvation of the Lord and we accept His covenant of mercy. The price for our
deliverance is beyond words, yet He freely gave His own life for ours. On this one day every year we can
collectively celebrate this day of freedom. True freedom comes we serve others as He did for us.
He also established new significance to the third cup of the Passover meal.
Read also on the tradition of the afikomen, pp. 28-30 and 47-51 Messiah in the Feasts of Israel by Sam Nadler
Matt 26:26-29
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the
disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given
thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this
fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." ESV
Luke 22:14-20
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them,
"I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not
eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." And he took a cup, and when he had given
thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I
will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body,
which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after they had
eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” ESV
As Jesus was about to become the sacrifice to which all the lambs of Israel pointed, He described the continued need for us to remember Him.
Why is this night different from every other night?
The Exodus was the night that YHWH delivered all those who would receive His covenant to be delivered
from the bondage of the Egyptians. On the same night generations later, our Messiah Jesus gave His life
for our deliverance from sin. Exodus and the Feast of Passover are signs that point to the reality of the
sacrifice of the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
On this particular day let us always remember:
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has
come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the
ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not
counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you
on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no
sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ESV
This is the message of Passover and this is why this night is different from every other night.
Ex 13:3
Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. ESV
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