Pesach (Passover) is just around the corner, and you can feel the excitement in the air here in Israel. The homes are being cleaned, the kitchens are getting ready, and families are gearing up to gather together for this special time. It’s one of the most significant celebrations of the year, and we’re about to dive into a powerful season of remembrance and renewal.
This year, I want to invite you to look at Passover in a new way, through the eyes of Yeshua (Jesus). We all know the Last Supper, but did you know that Yeshua celebrated Passover every year of His life?
It wasn’t just one special moment; it was a yearly tradition for Him, His family, and His community.
And today, I want to take you through some of the key moments of His life and show how Passover was so important to Him.
Let’s start with a passage from Luke:
His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
Luke 2:41
This verse might sound simple, but it tells us something important about Yeshua’s life. His parents, Joseph and Mary (or Yosef and Miriam in Hebrew), were obedient to the Torah, and one of the commands was to travel to Jerusalem for the major feasts, especially Passover. So, every year, they made the long journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem — and this wasn’t a quick trip. It took time, and it took effort. Yet, it was something they did faithfully because it was a way of honoring God.
Yeshua, of course, went with them every year.
Can you imagine how significant that must have been for Him? As a child and later as an adult, He celebrated Passover with His family, following the same customs and traditions as the Jewish people of His time.
One special moment in the Gospel happened when Yeshua was 12 years old. In Luke it says:
When He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast. And when they had finished the days… the boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem.
Luke 2:42-43
At just 12, He wasn’t just going through the motions of the celebration — He stayed behind in the Temple, engaging with the teachers of the law. This moment shows us that even at this young age, He was starting to step into His divine calling, and His understanding of the significance of Passover was already deepening.
As Yeshua grew up, He continued to celebrate Passover. Fast forward to the adult life of Yeshua, and we see Him coming to Jerusalem year after year for the Passover feast. In John we read:
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Yeshua went up to Jerusalem.
John 2:13
He left Galilee — where He lived — and made the journey to Jerusalem, just like everyone else. But when He arrived, He saw something that troubled Him deeply. The Temple was filled with merchants and money changers, and people were taking advantage of the situation during such a sacred time. So, what did Yeshua do? He overturned the tables, calling out the corruption that had overtaken the house of God. This act happened during Passover, and it wasn’t just about the physical space — it was about the heart of the celebration and the purity of worship.
It’s a reminder for us today that Passover is about honoring God’s holiness, not just going through rituals.
Later, in John 5, we see Yeshua again in Jerusalem for another Passover, and this time He heals a paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethesda. It’s an incredible moment, not only because of the healing, but also because it happened during Shabbat. There was a big debate about whether it was okay to heal on the Sabbath, but Yeshua used the opportunity to teach about God’s heart of compassion and mercy — and to challenge the religious leaders’ understanding of the law.
These moments from Yeshua’s life help us understand just how central Passover was to His story and mission.
Passover wasn’t just a tradition for Him; it was a way of living out God’s redemptive plan for humanity. Every year, when He celebrated Passover, He was remembering God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt — and at the same time, He was preparing for His ultimate sacrifice, where He would become the true Passover Lamb.
As we prepare for Pesach this year, let’s remember that it’s not just about the story of the Exodus; it’s about the freedom Yeshua brings to all of us. His death on the cross fulfilled everything that Passover pointed to — freedom from sin, from death, and from the enemy.
Next week, we’ll dive into the prophetic significance of Passover today, not just for us as believers, but for Israel as a nation. We’ll explore how Israelis celebrate this feast and what it means for them in modern times.
There’s so much to discover in this season, and I can’t wait to share more with you!
Until then, let’s all take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of Passover — freedom, redemption, and the incredible love of our Passover Lamb, Yeshua.
