The Significance of Passover in the Gospel of John

The Gospel of John is different from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke in the description of the events leading up to the crucifixion, specifically in the mentioning of Passover. However, the reasons for these discrepancies stem from how the gospels attribute meaning to the Passover feast and its relation to the death of Jesus. The Gospel of John mentions Passover with a more symbolic tone, aligning the sacrificial death of Jesus with the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

One of the largest discrepancies between the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke with the Gospel of John is when the Passover takes place in correspondence to the crucifixion. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Christ tells two of his disciples to go get a Passover lamb and to sacrifice it, prepare it, and get it ready so that they may gather and eat it as soon as the sunset. During the Passover dinner, also known as the last supper, Jesus tells his disciples to eat the bread and drink the wine, which represents his body and blood. These Gospels state that the crucifixion takes place after the Passover supper. However, in the Gospel of John, Jesus’ death occurs on the day of the Passover. The reason that John aligns the crucifixion with the Passover is to make the theological and spiritual claim that Jesus is the true Lamb of God.

The Passover lamb is known throughout the Gospels and the Old Testament as an atoning sacrifice. The original Passover sequence in the Old Testament consecrates the firstborn sons and animals so that they now belong to God. On the night of the first Passover, death visited the homes of those who did not follow God’s instructions for demonstrating that they belonged to the people of God in the form of a plague that kills the first-born sons of Egypt. The Passover sacrifice of the lamb’s blood is the only way for the lives of firstborn sons to be spared from the wrath of God (Hoskins 287). Here, death is portrayed as an experience of God’s wrath and punishment for sin. The role of the Lamb of God is to take away the sin of the world by removing the sin and guilt from those who believe in Jesus so they may live free from bondage to sin and the devil.

The Passover lamb is the most suitable representation for Jesus as an atoning sacrifice due to its preeminent sacrifice connected to the redemption of the people of God in the Old Testament. Even the original purpose of saving the firstborn sons of Egypt connects to Jesus’ sacrificial death; he sanctifies himself for his disciples so that they might be saved by the truth of his sacrifice. During the last supper, Jesus tells his disciples that he is “the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:51). By sacrificing himself for the life of the world, he is becoming the sacrificial Lamb of God, as flesh and blood constitute the two main components of a sacrifice. However, Jesus means by his statement that his spirit, not his flesh, will give life. After eating and drinking the symbolic meaning of the flesh and blood of Jesus, his disciples remain in him, and similarly, he also remains in them (Hoskins 291). Thus, his disciples need to eat and drink the benefits of his sacrificial death in order to have eternal life as the true children of God.

In addition, the Passover lamb fits in well with John’s teachings on deliverance from God’s judgment and death caused by sin. The blood of Jesus and the imagery depicting the body and flesh of Jesus are both prominent parts of John’s description of Jesus on the cross. The blood flowing out from his side also points to his fulfillment of the Passover lamb, whose blood is also poured out. Additionally, Passover lamb blood is also thought to have symbolic meaning in relation to purification, or freedom from the impurity of sin (Hoskins 290). This idea is further supported by the fact that in the Gospel of John, Jesus dies at the exact hour that the lambs being used for the Passover meals are being sacrificed in the temple. Evidence for this is the passage “And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour, and he says unto the Jews, ‘Behold your King! But they cried out, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him” (John 19:14). Therefore, the blood of Jesus is meant to symbolize the blood of the true Passover lamb. Unlike the temporary protection from death on Passover night resulting from the blood of the lamb, the blood of Jesus saves people from eternal death caused by sin. Faith in the truth in the saving effects of his selfless death is necessary for eternal life (Hoskins 288). Thus, when the Gospel of John says, “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), John is declaring Jesus to be the true Lamb of God who makes the ultimate sacrifice for humanity.

Also, during the last supper, Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, and says, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet but is completely clean” (John 13:10). This statement means that his disciples had been clean once when the act of baptism washed away their sins. However, after walking amidst the soil and dirty roads of sin, they had been tempted to nourish their pride and jealousy. Thus, they needed Jesus to wash their feet and for his divine grace to wash their hearts of selflessness and pride. (Hoskins 286). Additionally, after receiving God’s Holy Spirit, people are seen as perfectly clean in God’s eyes. The foot-washing also has another meaning referencing the crucifixion, in which the blood of Jesus Christ has symbolically washed away all sins of the past, allowing for his followers to stand before him completely free of sin. This meaning is purification is also accompanied by a message of humility. Jesus, the son of God, stoops to wash the feet of his disciples, an action normally performed by those far beneath him in status. However, by humbly washing his disciples' feet, Christ shows them the true meaning of letting go of sinful pride. He says, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:12-15). This encourages his disciples to continue living their lives in his image in order to remain clean after he has sacrificed himself for them.

Furthermore, the Gospel of John also differs in its accounts of the events occurring in the garden of Gethsemane. Instead of suffering immensely and begging God to spare him from facing death, he appears to have a calm and complete control over the situation. He lets the soldiers arrest him without any resistance. During his trial, he appears to have all of the authority even though he is technically a prisoner and when he dies, he does not cry out in despair. Instead, he cries out in victory “It is finished” (John 19:30), which only further portrays him as the perfect willing and saving sacrifice. He is the good shepherd who willingly gives his life for his sheep.

Thus, Passover in the Gospel of John adopts a very complex and deep meaning, serving to portray Jesus as the Lamb of God, who dies in order to cleanse the world of sin. The Gospel encourages one to regard the contents of the text in relation to the redemption of believers from their slavery to sin. It also connects the Lamb of God with the ultimate deliverance of believers from sin and death, allowing them the chance to experience eternal life. Therefore, the crucifixion of Jesus in the Gospel of John brings fulfillment of the Passover to all those who believe in God and ingest the beneficial meanings of his sacrificial death.

Works Cited

Hoskins, Paul M. "Deliverance From Death by the True Passover Lamb: A Significant Aspect of the Fulfillment of the Passover in the Gospel of John." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 52.2 (2009): 285-99. Print.

John. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. N.p.: Crossway Bibles, 2001. Print.