Dear Editor,

On the Jewish calendar beginning on 4/22/2024 the Passover is commemorated when the first-born throughout Egypt died due to Pharaoh’s stubbornness before God while Israel was delivered by the offering of lambs & their blood.-Ex 12:1-51, RSV

“Death” originated with God as the judgement on sin hearkening back to the Garden of Eden.- Gen 2:16-17

“Man–male & female” (Gen 5:1-2) was created by the Triune God for fellowship with God as denoted in Gen 1:26: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion . . . .” God’s “Paradigm & Crucible of Freedom & Uniqueness” were created for Man to fellowship with the Triune God & their neighbors.-Mk 12:29-31

“Man’s” rebellion against God was initiated by Eve & Adam and characterizes every human being ever conceived except one–Jesus the Christ – Son of man & Son of God.-Mt 1:18-23, Lk 1:28-35, Rev 22:16

Despite sin and necessary judgement (Gen 3:1-24, 6:5-9, Jn 7:24), the Godhead remained undeterred “For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”-Eph 1:9-10, Lk 24:25-27, 44

As such, Jesus’ commentary on his incarnation culminating in his arrest, interrogation, scourging, & crucifixion is vital–Jn 3:14-16, 8:28-32, 12:27-33, 16:7-11–especially in the light of Is 52:13-14 & Job 2:4-5: “Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. As many were astonished at him – his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men”—“Then Satan answered the LORD, ‘Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But put forth thy hand now, and *touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.”

These scriptures put Jesus’ passion & the Passover lambs & their blood into perspective. The Passover lambs were offered without blemish (Ex 12:5) whereas Jesus’ body of flesh was “marred beyond human semblance” (Is 52:14b). Like his temptations of Jesus in the wilderness (Mt 4:1-11), Satan was trying to prove that Jesus the Christ was not the human Lamb of God.-Mt 3:15-17, Jn 1:29, 14:30-31, Lk 22:53

Jesus’ death proved otherwise as the Apostle Paul declared in Rom 5:6, “While we were yet helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”-Jn 19:1-19, 30-34 The Godhead’s patience is profound.

Recently, Glenn Beck discussed Hamas’ leadership’s 10/7/2023 attack on Israel as being due to a planned Passover ceremony on the Temple Mount scheduled for 4/22-30/2024 using the ashes of a red heifer from Texas. The Messianic expectations of the rabbis involved are obvious.

Beck did not cite pertinent scriptures regarding the significance of the body that include in part: Jn 2:13-22, Mt 12:6, *Lk 24:36-43, I Cor 3:11-16, Col 1:19-20, Rev 21:22

The Apostles John & Paul underscore the importance of Jesus the Christ’s body of flesh– humanity’s Passover Lamb–in Jn 1:9-18, 6:51, I Cor 5:7, & Phil 2:1-11.

W.M. Yavelak

Belmont