Nature of the Historical Material

• If the historical and ritualistic material here is analysed, it becomes obvious that Exodus 12:1-20, 28 is from the P source and gives a description not of what actually happened in Egypt, but of the ceremonial keeping of the anniversary in later post-exilic times. So this is read back into the time of the original Passover e.g. the 'congregation' in v..3 is P's regular description of Israel as an organised religious community after the Babylonian exile. The details, therefore, have to be assessed in the light of a later date. Nevertheless behind these, is the faith expressed in the rituals, of a festival first celebrated in Egypt itself.
  
  
• P material is concerned with the rules and regulations that had to be kept by Israel in relation to every day life as well as the ritual of the Temple and its sacrifices. So here are details of how Passover had to be kept and in the following chapter, details about the festival of Unleavened Bread and the Redemption of the First-born.
  
  
• This interweaving of later laws and instructions with the description of Israel's last day and night in Egypt demonstrate just how complex biblical material is. This affects the way in which it can be interpreted.

God's Providence

• The Festival of Passover is a reminder to both Jews and Christians that they owe their existence not to themselves, but to a mighty and gracious act of God.
  
  
• The Exodus reveals God's nature to the Israelites in a dramatic and profound way. Their God is no distant, dormant God but one who is fully engaged in Israel's struggles. His foreseeing and protective care is evident in the way that he has planned Israel's escape and freedom through Moses' battle with the Pharaoh. God's relationship with Israel is such that he can be relied upon to defend her and vindicate her before her enemies.
  
  
• God's providence will also see Israel through all the dark times that lie ahead in the wilderness. He will not leave her to fend for herself but continue his protection, guidance and provision.
  
  
• However, Israel's side of the covenant relationship is to trust God and she is less dependable than God!

Festivals

• Festivals introduced 'holy-days' which were days 'set aside' to honour God and celebrate whatever the past event was.
  
  
• Festivals are celebrated to remember some important past event where God's presence was especially felt and to give thanks for that. Festivals carry the meaning of that original event forward, so that it is ever-present.
  
  
• Festivals use rituals to incorporate the historical events and the beliefs they engender. Rituals are words and symbolic actions which have grown up and become the tradition which preserves the truths in order to pass them on to new generations. In this way the past becomes present and the present will become future. The rituals express the underlying beliefs. Unless these are known and understood, the ritual might appear odd and meaningless.
  
  
• Judaism re-enacts its history throughout the year to remember and rejoice in their God-given history. By remembering past difficulties and their reliance on God they guard against complacency in the future. In Egypt, Israel had to endure much oppression and suffering, but God did not forget them and delivered them to freedom, a new beginning in a new land. Passover is one of the most important celebrations for Jews, even today. Nowadays, Jews remember other Jews who are oppressed and pray for their deliverance.
  
  
• Christianity has incorporated some of the rituals of Passover in its celebration of the Eucharist or Lord's Supper, which Jesus perhaps instituted during the Passover meal (Mark 14:12-21).

Pilgrimage

• Some festivals involved pilgrimage. Originally the Feast of Unleavened Bread required a journey to a shrine to celebrate it. Later on, Passover was one of three Jewish festivals that required pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.
  
  
• Pilgrimage is found in many religions. It involves journeying to a special, holy place and performing certain rituals of celebration. It may be that the holy place is linked to a particular event or to a particular person, perhaps a martyr. It involves pilgrims in disconnecting themselves from ordinary life and reconnecting themselves to a religious focus. Pilgrimage is symbolic of the journey of life: moving towards the final destination.

Uniformity in action for solidarity and unity

• In Exodus 12, the P strand sets out the rules which have to be kept in order to observe the Festival of Passover and then, in Exodus 13, the rules for the Festival of Unleavened Bread and the Redemption of the First-born. Israel is shortly to receive many more rules from God on Mount Sinai.
  
  
• Through the rigid observance of the rules a uniformity of action was established in Israel. This uniformity was believed to produce a solidarity which strengthened Israel's identity and purpose.
  
  
• Here there is also insistence on unity, the one lamb must be eaten in the one house and no part must be taken away. The unity of the animal must be maintained and no bone therefore broken. No Israelite was to fail to eat.
  
  
• This theme of uniformity is still emphasised in Judaism today and still binds Jews together throughout the world. Jews believe that they could never find uniformity in thought and creed, so they hold to 'uniformity in action and diversity in thought' through their strict observance of the Law ('Torah').

First-born redemption

• The regulation for the dedication of the Firstborn is found in Exodus 13:2, 11-16. See also Numbers 3:13. The Exodus was the origin of this rite.
  
  
• The sanctification of the firstborn is the claim and recognition that all life, of people and cattle, is sacred to God.
  
  
• It was believed by ancient Israel that the first-born, both human and beast belonged to God and must therefore be redeemed or ransomed from him if the owner or parent desired to retain it. The animals given to God would be sacrificed and the sons would be 'redeemed' meaning 'bought back'. Joseph and Mary offered Jesus to God in obedience to this law (Luke 2:23).
  
  
• Later, this concept of redemption was adapted in Christianity. Jesus was believed to redeem sinners by the shedding of his blood on the cross. In traditional Christian language, according to one interpretation of the 'atonement' (act of redeeming humans and making them 'at one' with God) Jesus's death paid the price for their sins.

Freedom from oppression

• Freedom is an important theme throughout the Bible. The activity of God in history is directed towards the deliverance of God's people from their troubles. God was supremely, the Deliverer. The Israelites believed they were delivered by God from the oppression of the Pharaoh. For them, this was a sign that God was keeping his side of the covenant he had made with Abraham, to make his descendants a great nation and to give them a land of their own.
  
  
• Freedom also embraces freedom not only from political tyranny but also the slavery of sin.

Circumcision - a sign of God's covenant with Israel

• As a sign of God's covenant, Israelite boys were circumcised (the foreskin of the penis was cut off) eight days after they were born (Genesis 17:9-14). To be uncircumcised was to be a 'heathen' e.g. Judges 14:3.
  
  
• In the early church there was a Council in Jerusalem 49CE (Acts 15) to decide whether non-Jews who became Christian should be circumcised. It was decided that gentiles did not have to become Jews by circumcision, but should adhere to certain basic moral standards.

Israel and Foreigners

• Exodus 12:43-51 makes it clear that Israel's unity is to be maintained by excluding non-Israelites from the Passover celebration. Israel always sought to maintain her special covenant relationship with God and detach herself from foreigners, who worshipped other gods.
  
  
• However, it is interesting to note here that if the foreigners became circumcised, in other words became technical Israelites, they could then share in the festival and participate in the unity of the festival.
  
  
• Israel's attitudes to foreigners change according to Israel's circumstances. While acknowledging responsibilities for foreigners within their community, at one point after the exile, the Jews felt they had to separate themselves from all foreigners in order to purify themselves and be acceptable to God. It took a long time for Israel to accept that God was God of everyone, even though God had a special covenant with Israel in order to execute God's purposes.