In biblical days, Passover was celebrated in Jerusalem for one day only. On this day, the exodus was remembered with the eating of the Paschal lamb. Passover was immediately followed by Hag ha Matzot – the Feast of Unleavened Bread-- which lasted for six additional days. Today, the term Passover encompasses both feasts. An eighth day was added to this feast because of calendar uncertainties, thus and no leavened bread is eaten during the entire eight day period.
The instructions for the Lord’s Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are found in Numbers 28:16ff:
'Then on the fourteenth day of the first month shall be the LORD'S Passover. 'On the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast, unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days. 'On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. 'You shall present an offering by fire, a burnt offering to the LORD: two bulls and one ram and seven male lambs one year old, having them without defect. 'For their grain offering, you shall offer fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for a bull and two-tenths for the ram. 'A tenth of an ephah you shall offer for each of the seven lambs; and one male goat for a sin offering to make atonement for you. 'You shall present these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. 'After this manner you shall present daily, for seven days, the food of the offering by fire, of a soothing aroma to the LORD; it shall be presented with its drink offering in addition to the continual burnt offering. 'On the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work.
Exodus 13:7 mandates the eating of Matza [unleavened bread] on Passover: "Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen among you, nor shall any leaven be seen among you in all your borders." Before Passover, a hunt for leaven is conducted in every home. This is known as Bedikat Hametz. Leaven is representative of sin and as such was not allowed in offerings unto the Lord as prescribed in Leviticus. The message of Passover is that God, as a holy God, has no tolerance for sin. In orthodox families, a separate set of "kosher for Passover" dishes, pots & pans and utensils is used throughout the holiday. The every-day wares are removed from the house totally and are "sold" to a non-Jewish neighbor, only to be bought back after the holiday.
The story of Passover is told during a meal called the Seder. Seder means order of service and is held on the first or the first and second night of Passover. During this meal a Haggada or prayer book of the Seder is read from recounting the exodus from Egypt.
The Seder tray contains six compartments which hold the symbolic Passover foods:
1. Bitter Herbs (Horseradish)—maror -- a reminder of slavery and bitter times.
2. Fruit & nuts–-Charoset—a reminder of the mortar that the Israelites made as slaves of Pharaoh.
3. Roasted Lamb Shankbone—Zero’a—which is symbolic of the Pascal lamb that was eaten on Passover.
4. Roasted egg—Baytza—which serves as a reminder of the "Holiday Offering"
5. Vegetable—Karpas (Usually parsley)—represents springtime—rebirth.
6. Second Vegetable -- more bitter than Karpas (Radish)
Passover is used as a teaching time for children who are included in the merriment by participating in the Seder and who ask the "four questions" which, when answered, tell why this night is different from all other nights in Jewish homes.
From a Messianic standpoint, Passover is a feast without equal. Passover is also a picture of the death and resurrection of Messiah. It helps us to understand and it also foretells of the atoning death of Yeshua—the "Lamb of God" whose blood passes us from death into life just as the blood on the Israelites doorposts protected them and passed them from death into life. Yeshua’s death at Passover, as our Pacal Lamb, was no coincidence.
Matza, the unleavened bread is perforated before it is baked. These perforations allow the air to escape, retarding fermentation. During the Seder, three pieces of the Passover Matza are placed in a linen cover. The middle piece, called the afikomon (Greek for dessert) is broken and half of it is wrapped in a linen cloth and hidden by the children, to be bought back (redeemed) later on. The afikomen is the last of the foods eaten at the Seder. Each participant must partake of the afikomon before seder can be completed. There is much symbolism in this feast:
• Matza is representative of being without sin (leaven)--Yeshua was without sin.
• Matza is striped --Yeshua was wounded with the stripes of a whip.
• Matza is pierced—Yeshua was pierced in the side with a sword.
• Matza [the afikomen] is wrapped in a linen cloth—Yeshua was wrapped in linen.
• Matza is hidden for a short time—Yeshua was buried for a short time in a borrowed cave.
• Matza is found amidst great rejoicing and is bought back by the father for a price—After Yeshua’s resurrection, there was great rejoicing, He bought us back (redeemed us) for a price.
The "Last Supper" was a Passover Seder. The elements of communion – the bread [matza] and the wine, [the third Passover cup-- the cup of redemption] were symbolic of Messiah’s broken body and shed blood. Passover is a celebration of the resurrection of Messiah.