It is no surprise that sacrifice became the basis of the Jewish feast of Pesach (the Old Testament Passover), since in ancient times every nation and tribe without exception perceived it as a form of communion with higher powers, with gods and spirits. And in Yahwism, whose history begins with the calling of Abram and ends in A.D. 70 with the destruction of the Second Temple, sacrifice also became...
It is no surprise that sacrifice became the basis of the Jewish feast of Pesach (the Old Testament Passover) (vv. 3-7), since in ancient times every nation and tribe without exception perceived it as a form of communion with higher powers, with gods and spirits. And in Yahwism, whose history begins with the calling of Abram and ends in A.D. 70 with the destruction of the Second Temple, sacrifice also became the basis of worship, since here too it was the chief means of communion with God. The sacrificial meal was seen as a shared meal of God and human beings, one that nothing could replace. What God sanctified above all was the sacrificial blood, because in antiquity blood was considered the vessel of the life-principle that the Bible often calls the "soul" (Gen 9:4, 10, 12, 15). Thus the beginning of life sanctified by God united a person with God.
But Moses speaks to the people about something else: he speaks of sanctified blood that delivers them from destruction otherwise inevitable (vv. 12-13). At first glance, this may seem somewhat strange. But if we think more deeply, what stands before us is essentially a concrete case reflecting the general state of things. And that state consists in this: life in general, and human life in particular, is not some inalienable right, but a gift of God, which a person does not and cannot have apart from relationship with God.
In the animal world, where God creates not individual specimens but whole species, so that each animal is created according to the pattern characteristic of its species ("according to their kinds," as the Old Testament language expresses this idea, Gen 1:24-25), the life of an individual animal counts for nothing before God; only the species is valuable, because its existence is part of God's plan for the world. With the human being, created not in the image of his biological species but in the image and likeness of God, the situation is different. Yet it can be different only if the person's relationship with God has not been destroyed. If there is no such relationship, the person before God is in the position of an animal, being merely a representative of his biological species. Of course, even in this case God sees the person as His image and likeness; but without relationship with God, this image in the person is distorted, and nothing can be done about it without the person's will, since if a person does not want to let God into his life, He will not break in by force. And then the person is doomed to death. He is doomed to it as a representative of his species, because according to the laws of nature the strongest survives, and the life of each concrete representative of any biological species is in no way guaranteed by God. And he is doomed as a phenomenon of living nature, which is mortal as such: in God's plan, as we can see, there were no immortal animals.
Only in the context of relationship with God does a person receive hope for life. For now, on the night of the Old Testament Passover, hope for temporary life. The time will come when, on another night, the night of the New Testament Pascha, he will receive hope for eternal life.
12 This chapter gives an account of one of the most memorable ordinances, and one of the most memorable providences of all that art recorded in the old testament.
with the reason for it, Exo 12:11-13.
This institution is communicated to the people, and they instructed in the observance.
And the Israelites obedience to these orders, Exo 12:28.
This event is dated, Exo 12:40-42.
2dly. Of this memorable providence, Exo 12:50-51.
12:31 Rise up, and get you forth - Pharaoh had told Moses he should see his face no more, but now he sent for him; those will seek God in their distress, who before had set him at defiance. Such a fright he was now in that he gave orders by night for their discharge, fearing lest if he delay'd, he himself should fall next. And that he sent them out, not as men hated (as the Pagan historians have represented this matter) but as men feared, is plain by his request to them.
12:32 Bless me also - Let me have your prayers, that I may not be plagued for what is past when you are gone.
12:33 We be all dead men - When death comes unto our houses, it is seasonable for us to think of our own mortality.
12:34 Their kneading - troughs - Or rather, their lumps of paste unleavened.
12:37 About six hundred thousand men - The word means strong and able men fit for wars, beside women and children, which we cannot suppose to make less than twelve hundred thousand more. What a vast increase was this to arise from seventy souls, in little more than two hundred years.
12:38 And a mixed multitude went up with them - Some perhaps willing to leave their country, because it was laid waste by the plagues. But probably the greatest part was but a rude unthinking mob, that followed they knew not why: It is likely, when they understood that the children of Israel were to continue forty years in the wilderness, they quitted them, and returned to Egypt again. And flocks and herds, even very much cattle - This is taken notice of, because it was long ere Pharaoh would give them leave to remove their effects, which were chiefly cattle.
12:39 Thrust out - By importunate entreaties.
12:40 It was just four hundred and thirty years from the promise made to Abraham (as the Apostle explains it, Gal 3:17,) at his first coming into Canaan, during all which time the Hebrews, were sojourners in a land that was not theirs, either Canaan or Egypt. So long the promise God made to Abraham lay dormant and unfulfilled, but now, it revived, and things began to work towards the accomplishment of it. The first day of the march of Abraham's seed towards Canaan was four hundred and thirty years (it should seem, to a day) from the promise made to Abraham, Gen 12:2.I will make of thee a great nation.
12:42 This first passover night was a night of the Lord, much to be observed; but the last passover night, in which Christ was betrayed, was a night of the Lord, much more to be observed, when a yoke heavier than that of Egypt was broke from off our necks, and a land better than that of Canaan set before us. That was a temporal deliverance, to be celebrated in their generations; this an eternal redemption to be celebrated world without end.
12:45 An hired servant - Unless he submit to be circumcised.
12:47 All the congregation of Israel must keep it - Though it was observed in families apart, yet it is looked upon as the act of the whole congregation. And so the new testament passover, the Lord's supper, ought not to be neglected by any that are capable of celebrating it.
12:48 No stranger that was uncircumcised might eat of it.Neither may any now approach the Lord's supper who have not first submitted to baptism; nor shall any partake of the benefit of Christ's sacrifice, who are not first circumcised in heart. Any stranger that was circumcised might eat of the passover, even servants. Here is an indication of favour to the poor Gentiles, that the stranger, if circumcised, stands upon the same level with the home - born Israelite; one law for both. This was a mortification to the Jews, and taught them that it was their dedication to God, not their descent from Abraham, that entitled them to their privileges.