Tonight Preston Trails invited a Messianic Jew to come and demonstrate how the last supper would have traditionally taken place. I'm estimating roughly 200 people attended. He explained the meanings behind the different foods on the table and the symbolism each holds. I can't remember them all, but I'm sure I can have Walker jog my memory, because of his reverence for Judaism he has studied up on it quite a bit. Experiencing this passover definitely changed the way I view Easter, just considering everything that led up to the crucifiction of Christ. Yes, today is Friday...but Sunday is coming.
We only recieved an abbreviated version of Passover. The "Papa", as Walker would call him, that led us satirically told us we would be there until Easter if we did the unabridged version. So, this is as much as we know:
First the wife lights the Shabbat (Sabbath) candles and blesses God for his commandments. Why does the woman light the candles when the husband, or Papa as Walker would say, is the man of prayer and instructor of the Seder (or celebration)? For our purposes it celebrates that a woman gave birth to Christ, the light of the world. Pretty cool.
Upon the table there is a boiled egg, shank-bone of a lamb, parsley, horse raddish, diced apples mixed with pecans and cinnamon, motsi (unleavened bread) in a special motsi holder. a cup of wine for each family member, a fifth cup belonging to someone else (more on that later!), and a cup of salt water (heavy on the water).
First the Papa takes the parsley dips it in the saltwater, placing it thereafter on everyone's plate, and everyone eats it. It represents the hyssop that was taken to spread the passover lamb's blood on the posts and lentels of every Hebrew's home so the Lord's plague would Pesach, or Passover. The salt water represents the tears that were shed over the hardships the Hebrews faced in Egypt.
Then the Motzi (unleveaned bread), which is sitting in a special three-compartment napkin, is taken out of the middle layer and broken in half. It is then placed in another napkin. This broken piece of bread is called the "Afikomen". After it is placed in a napkin, it is hidden from the children, whom will search for it after the celebration. Whoever finds it gets a nice prize. The beautiful forshadow this portion represents is magnanimous! This is, supposedly, the part of Pesach where Jesus (Yeshua) said, "This is my body...".
No one really knows, not even the Jews can agree, where the three compartment napkin came from, but Messianics would venture to say that the Lord gave this commandment to them to celebrate his three in one Godship.
The middle or 2nd Motzi(the Bread of Life) was taken from its home (Heaven) and broken by human hands (See the relation?!) and hidden in another place (a tomb and ultimately Heaven). Children search for it and what a prize they recieve when they find it!
Then the Papa will take the other motzi and break it and place the horse-radish (bitter herb) between two pieces for each member at the table. They eat the bitter herb sandwich (Thank God that this was not the part where Christ said, "Do this as often as you gather to remember me"!). This is literally the empathy expressed to the Hebraic ancestors...and you do cry, trust me! Walker's eyes were watering for the rest of the service!
Then the Papa makes another sandwich with horseradish and adds the apple/cinamon mixture and all partake. This is to remember that our sufferings (more so the Jews')though painful are a sweet thing because of the love and grace of God.
Now we get to the four cups that celebrate God's four "I will..."'s upon the Hebrews' exodus. The cups stand for: Sanctification, Deliverance (or Plagues), Redemption, and Restoration. Sactification is taken before the bitter herbs, the cup is refilled for Delieverance. Everyone then takes their finger, dips it in the cup and on their plate 10 times phyically and verbally expressing each plague. The third cup is supposedly the one our Savior used to express his New Covenant. The fourth cup is then the final cup praising God for restoring the Hebrews to their land (and now us to God).
Walker says there a great prayer that can be said to conclude:
Hebrew: "Baruch attah Adonai Eloheinu melekh haolam, asher natan lanu et derekh hayeshua baMashiach Yeshua, baruch Hu. Amen"
English: Blessed are you Lord God, King of the Universe, who gave us the way of salvation through the Annointed Salvation (Jesus Christ in greek), blessed is He. Amen (I confirm, or believe).
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