The Passover lamb is a central symbol in the Bible, especially in relation to the Exodus story and the sacrificial system prescribed by God for the Israelites. Here is an overview of what the Bible teaches about the Passover lamb:
The Original Passover Lamb
The Passover lamb was first instituted by God prior to the Exodus, when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. God sent nine plagues to judged the Egyptians, but warned the Israelites that the tenth and final plague would involve the death of all firstborn sons in Egypt (Exodus 11:1-10). To protect themselves, God commanded each Israelite household to sacrifice an unblemished one-year-old male lamb and smear its blood on their doorposts. When the angel of death passed through Egypt to strike down the firstborns, he would “pass over” any house marked with lamb’s blood, sparing the firstborn sons of Israel (Exodus 12:1-13, 21-23). This final plague convinced Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery, allowing them to make a hasty Exodus from Egypt.
God intended the Passover lamb to be a sacrifice of atonement, with the lamb as a substitute that bore the punishment of death in place of the firstborn (Exodus 12:27). The Passover lamb also had to be eaten fully during the meal, symbolizing Israel’s hasty departure from Egypt and God’s deliverance of His people from bondage (Exodus 12:8-11). As a lasting ordinance, God commanded that Israel commemorate Passover and the Exodus every year by sacrificing a lamb and observing the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:14-20, 42-49).
The Fulfillment in Christ
In the New Testament, the Gospels present Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover lamb. John the Baptist declared Jesus to be “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) when he first saw Jesus. The symbolic parallels are striking:
- Like the Passover lamb, Jesus was a male (Luke 2:7) and of the priestly tribe of Judah (Hebrews 7:14).
- He was inspected and declared faultless, just as the Passover lamb had to be unblemished (1 Peter 1:19).
- Jesus sacrificed Himself voluntarily for the sins of the world (John 10:17-18), taking on the penalty of spiritual death that rightfully belonged to humanity (Romans 6:23).
- His crucifixion took place at Passover season (Matthew 26:2).
- Just as the Passover lamb’s blood caused the angel of death to “pass over,” Jesus’ blood covers believers from God’s final judgment and wrath against sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10).
- Eating the lamb was essential at the first Passover; now believers commune with Jesus by spiritually partaking of His body and blood (John 6:53-56).
- As the perfect sacrifice, Jesus’ death fulfilled all that the repeated sacrifices of Passover lambs merely foreshadowed (Hebrews 9:11-14).
So while the annual Passover lamb was an important sacrifice for temporal deliverance and atonement under the old covenant, Jesus is mankind’s eternal spiritual Passover Lamb, offering permanent forgiveness, salvation, and protection for God’s people.
Vocabulary and Key Themes
There are several Hebrew words and concepts associated with the Passover lamb in Scripture:
- Pesach – The Hebrew name for Passover, referring to God “passing over” Israelite homes during the final plague (Exodus 12:11-13).
- Korban – The general term meaning “offering” or “sacrifice” in Hebrew.
- Chatta’t – “Sin offering” – an offering made to atone for sins unintentionally committed.
- Asham – “Guilt offering” – an offering for sins committed, including restitution.
- Olah – “Burnt offering” – an offering that was completely burnt on the altar.
- Sh’lamim – “Peace offerings” – offerings to give thanks or fulfill a vow.
- Zevach – “Sacrifice” – The Passover lamb was a type of “zevach” offering.
While the original Passover lamb was a zevach (sacrifice), in many ways it uniquely combined elements from other offerings:
- It served as a chatta’t (sin offering) – bearing God’s judgment so Israel’s firstborns were spared.
- It was like an olah (burnt offering) – consumed completely by each household.
- It expressed thanksgiving like a sh’lamim (peace offering).
Most importantly, the Passover lamb represents the concepts of substitutionary atonement – of an innocent life bearing the penalty of death in place of the guilty. It also signifies deliverance from bondage, commemorating how God saved Israel from slavery to be His covenant people. Jesus’ death fulfilled these prophetic types as the ultimate Passover Lamb.
Old Testament References
The origins and regulations concerning the Passover lamb can be found in these key passages:
- Exodus 12:1-28 – God institutes the first Passover.
- Exodus 12:43-49 – Regulations for who may partake of the Passover meal.
- Leviticus 23:4-8 – Instructions for keeping the Passover feast.
- Numbers 9:1-14 – Details for celebrating the Passover at the correct time and for those who are unclean or traveling.
- Numbers 28:16-25 – Relaying God’s directives for the offerings to be made during Passover.
- Deuteronomy 16:1-8 – A reminder of the Passover observance commands.
- 2 Chronicles 30:1-27 – Keeping the Passover during Hezekiah’s reforms.
- 2 Chronicles 35:1-19 – Details of Josiah’s faithful observance of the Passover.
These passages provide vital background for the origins, meaning, and regulations pertaining to sacrificing the Passover lamb.
New Testament References
In the New Testament, Jesus is proclaimed as the fulfillment of the Passover lamb imagery in these significant verses:
- John 1:29 – John the Baptist declares Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
- 1 Corinthians 5:7 – Paul states that “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”
- 1 Peter 1:18-19 – Peter speaks of the incomparable blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish or defect.
- Revelation 5:6 – In John’s apocalyptic vision, the glorified Christ appears as a slain lamb.
- Revelation 7:9-10 – The multitude in heaven cries salvation to “the Lamb” (Christ).
- Revelation 21:22-27 – In the New Jerusalem, John sees no temple because Christ Himself is the perfect sacrifice.
Examining how Jesus perfectly completes the old covenant Passover symbols as the Lamb of God is a central New Testament theme with profound soteriological implications.
Implications and Analysis
The Passover lamb provides a dramatic example of how a covenant can be both reciprocal (with responsibilities for both parties) yet profoundly unilateral in its inception. God alone initiated the covenant by redeeming Israel from Egypt, while prescribing the Passover ordinance as a means for Israel to reciprocally commemorate, give thanks, and sustain covenant identity.
For the Passover sacrifice to accomplish atonement, the lamb’s death had to substitute for the punishment of the firstborn son. This principle of substitutionary atonement was graphically on display at the first Passover and foreshadowed the culminating sacrifice that would finally satisfy God’s justice once for all (Hebrews 10:1-18).
Examining how each element of the Passover meal signifies Christ reveals intricate layers of symbolism that all find their meaning and fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. He does not just fulfill the role of Passover lamb, but is uniquely capable of perfectly enacting all that the Passover signifies – liberation, protection, thanksgiving, substitutionary atonement – on a cosmic scale.
The Passover lamb provides one of the clearest clues prepared by God throughout the Scriptures pointing to the Messiahship of Jesus. It helps disclose the beautiful unity of Scripture, as anticipated types converge and resonate powerfully with the reality found in Christ.
The Lamb in Biblical Theology
Tracing the Passover lamb symbol through Scripture reveals a biblical theology that escalates from limited, repetitive sacrifices seeking temporary atonement to the one eternally effectual sacrifice that Jesus alone could offer. Key highlights include:
- The Exodus – God establishes the sacrificial Passover lamb as a sign of His covenant with Israel.
- Prophets – Imagery of God’s people as sheep in need of a Shepherd emerges.
- Psalms – David alludes to the protective care of God as a shepherd sheltering his sheep.
- Isaiah 53 – The Suffering Servant is compared to a lamb led to slaughter.
- John – John the Baptist announces Jesus as the anticipated “Lamb of God.”
- Paul – The Apostle explains how Jesus as the Passover Lamb offers spiritual redemption.
- Hebrews – Christ’s sacrifice is compared extensively to Old Testament offerings.
- Revelation – The exalted Lamb, having conquered through sacrificial death, reigns victorious.
This selectivity reinforces how the Bible is not random but purposefully revelatory – the themes and imagery develop meaning as they resonate and reconcile in the person of Jesus.
Controversies and Questions
There are few major controversies, but some questions arise from the Passover lamb symbolism:
- Would God actually punish or kill the innocent on behalf of the guilty? Why was a blood sacrifice required?
- If God can deliver in mercy, why use a destructive plague?
- Is substitutionary atonement an immoral doctrine?
- Why don’t Christians continue sacrificing animals?
- Wasn’t Jesus’ death just an act of martyrdom, not a sacrifice?
These questions lead to deeper discussions about God’s justice and mercy, the problem of evil, theodicy in Biblical plagues, Old Testament violence, and ultimately the meaning of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross.
Conclusion
The Passover lamb occupies a seminal place in Scripture as a sign of God’s redemptive power, a symbol of atonement for sin, and a vivid foreshadowing of the climactic sacrifice of Christ for the salvation of the world. As a rich symbol interwoven throughout the Bible, the lamb represents God’s constant provision of grace to cover the sins of His people, ultimately through the long-promised arrival of Jesus and His completed work on the cross as the true Passover Lamb.