Early Christian Beliefs About Passover

Origen, Commentary on John Direct teaching

But our Passover is sacrificed for us, namely, Christ.

Methodius, Concerning Free Will Supporting witness

The typical Passover, therefore, then ceased, the true Passover being present: For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us, as has been before said, and as that chosen vessel, the apostle Paul, teaches.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

but foretold Him, after a figurative manner, by the name given to the passover;

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

And the apostle writes, Christ our passover was sacrificed for us;

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

and again, Christ our passover is sacrificed for us;

Clement of Alexandria, Connection to 1 Corinthians 5:7 Supporting witness

And the apostle writes, "Christ our passover was sacrificed for us; "

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

...consider this fact: the legal command was made for the Jews, who in later times would kill the true Passover. And this Passover sacrifice, in its power, has spread to the Gentiles and is understood by faith, and is not now observed merely by the letter. They pay attention to this one commandment, and do not look to what has been spoken by the apostle: "For I testify to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to keep the whole law." Galatians 5:3. In all other respects, however, these agree with all the traditions handed down to the Church by the Apostles.

Mark 14:12 Background

Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?”

Mark 14:1 Background

After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.

Luke 22:7 Background

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.

Matthew 26:17 Background

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

Methodius, Fragments Background

... written by him, where he says: “Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the judgment hall. And it was early. And they themselves did not go into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.” John 18:28. And after a few more things, he says: “When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat, in a place that is called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the third hour,” as the correct books give it, and as the very copy written by the hand of the evangelist gives it, which, by the divine grace, has been preserved in the most holy church of Ephesus and is there honored by the faithful. And again the same evangelist says: “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, so that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath day—for that Sabbath day was a high day—asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” John 19:31. Therefore, on that day on which the Jews were about to eat the Passover in the evening, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was crucified, being made the sacrifice for those who w

Tatian, The Diatessaron Background

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Jews used to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus sent two of his disciples, Cephas and John, and said to them, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it." They said to him, "Where do you want us to prepare it?" He said to them, "Go into the city. When you enter it, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'Our Master says, "My time has come, and at your house I am keeping the Passover." Where is the guest room where I may eat with my disciples?' He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Prepare for us there." His two disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as he had told them. And they prepared the Passover.

Methodius, Concerning Free Will Background

...ten by him, where he says this: "Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the judgment hall. And it was early. And they themselves did not go into the judgment hall, so that they would not be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover." John 18:28 And after a few more things: "When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out, and sat down in the judgment seat, in a place that is called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the third hour," as the correct books render it, and as the copy itself that was written by the hand of the evangelist says, which, by the divine grace, has been preserved in the most holy church of Ephesus, and is there adored by the faithful. And again the same evangelist says: "The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, so that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day (for that Sabbath day was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away." John 19:31 On that day, therefore, on which the Jews were about to eat the Passover in the evening, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was crucified. He was made the victim to th

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Background

For the passover was Christ, who was afterwards sacrificed, as also Isaiah said, ‘He was led as a sheep to the slaughter.’ And it is written, that on the day of the passover you seized Him, and that also during the passover you crucified Him.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Background

... He showed that He alone would save those who do not turn away from His faith. And the blood of the Passover, sprinkled on each man’s doorposts and lintel, saved those who were rescued in Egypt, when the firstborn of the Egyptians were destroyed. For the Passover was Christ, who was later sacrificed, as Isaiah also said, ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.’ And it is written, that on the day of the Passover you seized Him, and also during the Passover you crucified Him. And just as the blood of the Passover saved those who were in Egypt, so also the blood of Christ will save from death those who have believed. Would God, then, have been wrong if this sign had not been placed above the doors? I do not say that; but I assert that He announced the future salvation for humanity in advance through the blood of Christ. For the sign of the scarlet thread, which the spies sent to Jericho by Joshua, son of Nun, gave to Rahab the harlot, instructing her to tie it to the window through which she let them down to escape from their enemies, also showed the symbol of the blood of Christ, by which those who were once harlots and unrighteous people from all nations are saved, receiving f

Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Background

and added that it was the passover of the Lord, that is, the passion of Christ.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Background

Accordingly, of all the festal days of the Jews He chose the passover.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Background

And the blood of the passover, sprinkled on each man’s door-posts and lintel, delivered those who were saved in Egypt, when the first-born of the Egyptians were destroyed.

Origen, Commentary on John Direct teaching

...l statements about the law, especially those connected with the festivals, and most of all with the Passover. The Jews' Passover consists of a sheep that is sacrificed, each person taking a sheep according to his father's house. The Passover is also accompanied by the slaughter of thousands of rams and goats, in proportion to the number of the people's houses. But our Passover has been sacrificed for us, namely Christ. Another feature of the Jewish feast is unleavened bread. All leaven is removed from their houses. But we keep the feast, 1 Corinthians 5:8, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Whether there is any Passover and any feast of leaven beyond the two we have mentioned is something we must examine more carefully, since these serve as a pattern and a shadow of the heavenly things we spoke of. And not only such things as food and drink and new moons and Sabbaths, but the festivals also, are a shadow of the things to come. First, when the Apostle says, "Our Passover is sacrificed, Christ," one may raise doubts such as these. If the sheep among the Jews is a type of Christ's sacrifice, t

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

for even Christ our passover is sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

... and that it is his duty to keep the feast by eating the flesh of the Word, never stops keeping the paschal feast. For pascha means a passover, and he is always striving in all his thoughts, words, and deeds to pass over from the things of this life to God, and is hurrying toward the city of God. And finally, he who can truly say, "We are risen with Christ, and He has exalted us, and made us sit with Him in heavenly places in Christ," is always living in the season of Pentecost, and most of all when, like the apostles of Jesus, he goes up to the upper chamber and gives himself to supplication and prayer, so that he may become worthy of receiving the mighty wind rushing from heaven, which is powerful to destroy sin and its fruits among men, and worthy of having some share of the tongue of fire which God sends.

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

for the pascha means a passover, and he is ever striving in all his thoughts, words, and deeds, to pass over from the things of this life to God, and is hastening towards the city of God.

1 Corinthians 5:7 Background

Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

.... Keep your nights of watching in the middle of the days of unleavened bread. And when the Jews are feasting, you must fast and mourn for them, because on the day of their feast they crucified Christ. And while they are grieving and eating unleavened bread in bitterness, you should feast. But no longer be concerned to keep the feast with the Jews, for we now have no communion with them. For they have been led astray even in the calculation itself, which they think they carry out perfectly, so that they may be led astray on every side and shut off from the truth. But carefully observe the vernal equinox, which comes on the twenty-second of the twelfth month, which is Dystros, March. Observe carefully until the twenty-first of the moon, lest the fourteenth of the moon should fall in another week, and by making an error, you should in ignorance celebrate the Passover twice in the year, or celebrate the day of the resurrection of our Lord on some day other than Sunday.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...r Lord's way of life and His legislation. But let this solemnity be observed before the fast of the Passover, beginning on the second day of the week and ending on the day of the Preparation. After these solemnities, when you have ended your fast, begin the holy week of the Passover. During it all of you are to fast with fear and trembling, praying during those days for those who are about to perish.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

8. If any bishop, or presbyter, or deacon shall celebrate the holiday of the passover before the vernal equinox with the Jews, let him be deprived.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

XVII. It is therefore your duty, brethren, who are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, to observe the days of the passover exactly, with all care, after the vernal equinox, lest you be obliged to keep the memorial of the one passion twice in a year.

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Direct teaching

...lly perfected in understanding a mystery, is a new and not outdated feast, legal and everlasting, a Passover of the Lord God kept through our generations by those who are able to discern this mystery, at the beginning of the fourteenth day, which, he says, is the beginning of a decade from which they count. For the monad, up to fourteen, is the summary of that one small stroke of the perfect number. For one, two, three, and four become ten, and this is the one small stroke. But from fourteen to twenty-one, he says there is a Hebdomad contained in the one small stroke of the world, and it makes an unleavened creature in all these. For in what way, he says, would the one small stroke need any substance such as leaven from outside for the Lord's Passover, the eternal feast, which is given from generation to generation? For the whole world and all the causes of creation make up a passover, that is, a feast of the Lord. For God rejoices in the conversion of the creation, and this is brought about by ten strokes of the one small stroke. And this small stroke is Moses' rod, which God gave into Moses' hand. And with this rod Moses strikes the Egyptians in order to alter bodies, for exam

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

But the entire is for those who have not been altogether perfected in understanding a mystery, a new and not antiquated feast, legal, (and) everlasting, a passover of the Lord God kept unto our generations, by those who are able to discern (this mystery), at the commencement of the fourteenth day, which is the beginning of a decade from which, he says, they reckon.

Methodius, Concerning Free Will Supporting witness

Exodus 9:32 Whence it is rightly prescribed by the law, that from the vernal equinox, in whatsoever week the fourteenth day of the first month shall fall, in it the Passover is to be celebrated, becoming and conformable songs of praise having been first taken up for its celebration.

Methodius, Fragments Supporting witness

Exodus 9:32 Whence it is rightly prescribed by the law, that from the vernal equinox, in whatsoever week the fourteenth day of the first month shall fall, in it the Passover is to be celebrated, becoming and conformable songs of praise having been first taken up for its celebration.

Methodius, Fragments Supporting witness

...sual time or after it. This happened even at the very beginning, when the law was given, before the Passover, as it is written: "But the wheat and the rye were not struck down, for they had not grown up," Exodus 9:32. Therefore the law rightly commands that, from the vernal equinox, in whatever week the fourteenth day of the first month falls, in that week the Passover is to be celebrated, after fitting and appropriate songs of praise have first been taken up for its celebration. For he says, "This first month shall be to you the beginning of months," Exodus 12:2, when the sun in the summer season sends out a much stronger and clearer light, and the days grow longer, while the nights are reduced and become shorter. Moreover, when the new seeds have sprung up, they are fully cleaned and brought to the threshing floor. Not only this, but all the shrubs also blossom and come into flower. Immediately, therefore, they are seen to produce various and different fruits in turn, so that grape clusters are found at that time, as the lawgiver says: "Now it was the time of spring, of the first ripe grapes," Numbers 12:24. And when he sent the men to spy out the land, they brought back, carr

Methodius, Concerning Free Will Supporting witness

...me and sometimes after it. This happened at the very beginning of the giving of the law, before the Passover, as it is written, "But the wheat and the rye were not smitten, for they were not grown up," Exodus 9:32. Therefore the law rightly commands that, from the vernal equinox, in whatever week the fourteenth day of the first month falls, the Passover is to be celebrated in it, after suitable and fitting songs of praise have first been taken up for its celebration. For, "this first month," he says, "shall be to you the beginning of months," Exodus 12:2, when the sun in the summer-time sends out a much stronger and clearer light, and the days are lengthened and become longer, while the nights are shortened. Moreover, when the new seeds have sprung up, they are thoroughly purged and brought into the threshing floor. Not only this, but all the shrubs also blossom and burst into flower. Immediately, therefore, they are seen to bring forth various and different fruits in turn, so that grape clusters are found at that time. As the lawgiver says, "Now it was the time of spring, of the first ripe grapes," Numbers 13:20. And when he sent the men to spy out the land, they brought back,

Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness

For the Hebrews celebrate the passover on the 14th day according to the moon, and the passion of our Saviour fails on the day before the passover;

Julius Africanus, Extant Writings Supporting witness

...ness an eclipse of the sun. In my opinion, he does so without reason. For the Hebrews celebrate the Passover on the 14th day according to the moon, and the suffering of our Savior falls on the day before the Passover. But an eclipse of the sun happens only when the moon comes under the sun. And it cannot happen at any other time except in the period between the first day of the new moon and the last day of the old, that is, when they come together. So how could an eclipse be supposed to happen when the moon is almost directly opposite the sun? However, let that opinion pass. Let the majority accept it. And let this sign in the world be considered an eclipse of the sun, like other signs that are only visible to the eye. Phlegon records that in the time of Tiberius Caesar, at full moon, there was a full eclipse of the sun from the sixth hour to the ninth hour. This is plainly the one of which we speak. But what does an eclipse have in common with an earthquake, rocks being split, and the resurrection of the dead, and such a great disturbance throughout the universe? Surely no event like this has been recorded for a long time. But it was a darkness brought about by God, because the