Commentary on Exodus 12:1-14

Ralph W. Klein
Passover in the Old Testament is at the heart of the Exodus experience.
The Pharaoh who did not know Joseph (Exodus 1:8) stubbornly refused the demands of
Moses and Aaron to "let my people go." The tenth and climactic plague, the slaughter of
the firstborn, will finally force Pharaoh's hand. The threatened Egyptian firstborn represent
all classes, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on the throne to the firstborn of the
female slave, not to mention the firstborn of all the livestock (Exodus 11:5).

At midnight the tenth plague struck, involving all the firstborn, including even the firstborn
of the prisoners (Exodus 12:29). The Pharaoh went into crisis mode and told Moses and
Aaron to leave at once and he adds an unusual parting request: Go, worship Yahweh, and
bring a blessing on me too (Exodus 12:31-32).

The narrator does not pause to give all the gory details of the plague, but remembers instead
one central purpose of all subsequent Israelite worship -- to get a blessing for Pharaoh,
heretofore their biggest enemy. So Israel is to pray for its enemies, just as Jesus would later
say, "Love your enemies, and do good to those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44; Luke
6:27, 35).

Passover Explained
Right in the midst of these dramatic actions in Exodus, the narrator pauses and gives
instructions for the observance of Passover in Exodus 12:1-13, followed by instructions for
the feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:14-20). Scholars wrestle with the complicated
background of these festivals, but one thing is clear in our pericope: Israel's escape from the
tenth plague was no accident.

Every spring from now on, in the first month on the fourteenth day of the month, each
household is to set aside a kid (either a lamb or a young goat), butcher it, roast it, and eat it
-- more or less on the fly: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, staff in hand, eaten
with haste (Exodus 12:11). Who wants to stay in Egypt when freedom is just across the
Reed Sea?

But it is the blood of that lamb that makes the difference. It is to be smeared on the two
doorposts and the lintel of the doorway (Exodus 12:7) as a sign. The blood serves as a sign
first of all for the Israelites, but more importantly a sign for Yahweh, who will see the
blood and pass over each Israelite house.

The rainbow in Genesis 9:14-15 is such a double sign too. First, it is a reminder to God of
his everlasting covenant with Noah and all his heirs, just in case they might think that God
has forgotten them. But of course it is not only God who sees that rainbow; we also see its
seven colors and remind ourselves that God never forgets us.

There is no threat for Israelites in that tenth plague. The blood of the lamb means life for
them. The Passover according to Exodus 12:48-49 was an inclusive festival. While no
uncircumcised male could participate, resident aliens were welcome at the feast once they
were circumcised. There is one admission ticket for native Israelites and resident aliens
alike.

Passover and Lord's Supper

Passover, of course, remains a central ritual in Judaism to this day, but Christians remember
that in the Synoptic Gospels at least it was at a Passover celebration that Jesus instituted the
Lord's Supper. This meal too means liberation for all who partake, freedom from sin,
freedom from the world, and freedom from all demonic powers. As the Lord's Supper, it is
open to all the Lord invited, all the baptized, who remember that Christ our Passover is
sacrificed for us. The blood of the host at this banquet means that God will pass over the
sins of all the communicants. As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup we proclaim
the Lord's death until he comes. The infinite One meets us in the finite elements: bread and
wine/grape juice.

At the Old Testament Passover, the narrator said: When your children ask you what you
mean by this observance, just tell them that we are remembering the night when Yahweh
passed over all the Israelite houses (Exodus 12:26-27). That's when we became God's
liberated people. And so at our Christian Eucharist, Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion,
we tell each other, especially our children, just why we celebrate this little banquet so

frequently. It is not blood on our doorposts, but the bread and the wine, the body and blood
of Jesus that says "You are free!" It's so real you can taste it.

All the baptized are welcome here -- every age, every class, every gender, every race,
sinners included. In fact, sinners -- long-time member sinners or new to the faith sinners -are invited to be first in line. As we feast at this table, we hunger for those who have hurt
us, who speak ill of us, or who even hate us. Can our healing of ourselves at this table lead
us to pray that God would bring health to all of our enemies as well?

Our Eucharist catches us on the fly, between Saturday and Monday. Our stay at the table is
short term. We are soon on our way back into our daily life where we live out our freedom,
for others.

This is the third week in our semi-continuous reading of lessons from Exodus. Passover is a
reminder of what the Book of Exodus and our life in Christ is all about: freedom.