John 18:28 (Maundy Thursday)                        
St. John, Galveston 4/17/25
“That We Might Eat the Passover”

+ In Nomine Jesu +

Grace and peace to you, from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

    “The Jews led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium (the palace of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate), and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium in order that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.”

    It was early Friday morning. The Jewish council convicted Jesus on some false charges. They had dragged Him off to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, in order to get the necessary legal approval to crucify Him. Everything seemed to be going as planned. But there was a problem. The Jewish leaders refused to enter the palace of Pontius Pilate because it was the Passover. Perhaps they had to explain themselves to Pilate; “Forgive us, your Excellency, but as you know, it is our Passover. According to our customs, no one may eat the meal unless he has kept himself, well, let’s just say, ‘separate.’”

    The Old Testament was emphatic that the Israelites were to purify themselves for the Passover. All yeast was to be removed from the house for seven days prior to the feast. No work could be done. Certain illnesses would disqualify a person from eating the Passover. Later, the rabbis added a prohibition against entering the home of a Gentile on the Passover. This is where the problem came in with them entering the Palace of Pontius Pilate. Had they entered the palace, by their own law, they would have been considered unclean, and therefore, unfit to partake of the Passover meal.

    As governor of Judea, Pilate was rather sensitive to accommodating local religious customs. But even he had to be troubled by Jesus’ accusers insisting that they couldn’t enter his house. I mean, the trial was in there, but all of Jesus’ accusers were outside. John’s Gospel alone records at least four round trips by Pilate in and out of the Praetorium – hearing charges, questioning Jesus, reporting his findings, repeating the process.  He may actually have made many more trips than four, but we know of at least four.  It would have been so much easier for everyone concerned if the Jews had just come inside so the trial could continue.

    Why do suppose the Israelites when to such lengths to ensure that they could partake of the Passover meal? Well, simply put, they understood what the Passover meant. Israel had been in bondage in Egypt for some 400 years. But God brought them out of their bondage by a series of mighty miracles. In the last of those miracles, the angel of death passed through the land of Goshen and kill the firstborn of every household. But Israel was provided a way to be saved. A spotless Lamb was to be sacrificed in each home of the Israelites. The blood of the Lamb was then to be smeared on the doorpost of the house. That blood on the doorpost would cause the angel of death to passover the home. And so it had happened; Israel was saved from their bondage in Egypt. That night, they came out of the land to receive their freedom.

    The Passover was the Old Testament’s clearest depiction of the way God would save His people.  By means of a Lamb.   By means of blood.  By means of the Messiah.  To eat the Passover meant being incorporated into the promise of God to send His Son to redeem the world.

    The irony of the text for this evening is more bitter by far than the bitter herbs which were part of the Passover meal: even as the Jews were so meticulous to keep the Passover, they were killing the Passover Lamb. As they stood outside the Praetorium, the True Passover Lamb stood inside before Pilate – at their demand, on trial for His life. Christ is our Passover, as St. Paul reminded us in the epistle reading for this evening from I Corinthians 5. “For Christ our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

    For those who failed to see Jesus in the Passover, the festival was simply an  outward fellowship. Oh, they longed to participate in it. Perhaps they saw it as a favor they were doing for God. They were glad to do God all kinds of favors, as they saw it—they fasted, they made vows, they kept the oil burning in the temple. And more importantly, the Passover was their annual opportunity to wrap themselves, as it were, in the flag. It was for them a sign of patriotism, the celebration of their independence day. It represented a day they could finally dream about being free and mighty again.

    How about you? Do you long for true fellowship with God and His people?  Are you desperate for the forgiveness that comes with sharing in Christ’s fellowship? Then you can rejoice – and especially tonight – because “Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us, for you.”  And here, tonight, you do share in Him.

    You see, in the sacrament of the Altar, Christ incorporates us into Himself, the True Passover. Here is the true body and blood of the Son of God Himself. Here we receive His body into our bodies. Here we become One with Him. Here we hear His words, “Given and shed for you for the remission of sins.” Here the blood of the crucified Lamb is smeared on our doorposts. Here we have the promise that eternal death must and will pass over us. And Christ brings it all here to us. Thanks be to God that He brings us here to celebrate His sacrifice in sincerity and truth.  

In name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting.  Amen.

+ Soli Deo Gloria +