Jesus and the Passover Lamb: A Biblical Narrative

The Passover Lamb and the Lamb of God  “For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor 5:7).

Narrator: Isaiah spoke of the suffering servant, the messiah, as a sacrificial lamb…

Reader 1 : Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth. He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins…(Is 53:7, Is 53:5).

Narrator: John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the sacrificial lamb…

Reader 2: The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (Jn1:29).

Narrator: Moses was told to offer a lamb, spread its blood on the doorposts and eat the lamb so that death would Passover…

Reader 3 : The Passover lamb “shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight. They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and lintel of every house in which they partake of the lamb. That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh…”(Ex 12:6-8).

Narrator: At the hour that the lambs were being slaughtered, Jesus, the Lamb of God was presented to the crowd…

Reader 4 : It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon. And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your king!" (Jn 19:14).

Narrator: The Passover lamb was to be male, without blemish and it must have no broken bones…

Reader 5: It must be eaten in one and the same house; you may not take any of its flesh outside the house. You shall not break any of its bones (Ex 12:46).

Narrator: Jesus was male, without sin and none of his bones were broken…

Reader 6: So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. For this happened so that the scripture passage might be fulfilled: "Not a bone of it will be broken" (Jn 19 33-36).

Narrator: Jesus had the disciples prepare for his Last Passover Meal…

Reader 7: The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. Mk 14:16

Narrator: During the meal Jesus identified himself as the sacrificial victim…

Reader 8: While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body,” then he took a cup, gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.

Narrator: The next day, the Lamb of God was sacrificed…

Reader 9: So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to…Golgotha. There they crucified him. When Jesus had taken wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit (Jn 19: 17-18, 30).

Narrator: Paul proclaimed this victory to the Corinthians…

Reader 10: "For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed" (1 Cor 5:7).

Narrator: The Lamb of God spread his blood on the wood of the  cross and ‘death passes over’ those who partake of the Lamb and his precious Blood…

Reader 11: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” (Jn 6:54).

Narrator: The Lamb sits at the right hand of the Father and continually makes satisfaction for our sins…

Reader 12: Then I saw standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders, a Lamb that seemed to have been slain. He had seven horns and seven eyes; these are the (seven) spirits of God sent out into the whole world (Rev 5:6).

Narrator: The Eucharistic feast on earth shares in and anticipates the wedding feast of the Lamb…

Reader 13: “Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb”… “Come here. Gather for God’s great feast”…(Rev 19:9,17).