A Jewish Dinner … in Church?

The title of this blog leads us to a dilemma with a long history. The Bible records that the church was started by a Jewish teacher named Jesus, who came from heaven to provide salvation for all who believe. This Rabbi taught the world about God through the context of his Jewish faith. He used the Jewish Bible, observed Jewish customs and participated in the Jewish festivals. His final meal before he died was a Passover Seder. (Mt 26:17-19; Mk 14:12-16; Lk 22:7-16; Jn 13:1)

The Last Supper of Jesus was a sit down event

Following the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the early disciples, who were all Jewish, began to teach the message of their Lord to the Jew first and also to the Greeks. A large number of gentiles came to believe the message of Jesus, and in time, these people called their faith in Jesus, Christianity. The early church ate a dinner similar to the Passover called the Agape Feast. (Ro 14:13-21; 1 Cor 10-11; Col 2:16; Jude 1:12)

A drama about the Resurrection

In the beginning, many Jewish traditions were followed among believers in Jesus. But as the church grew and spread to the ends of the world, things changed. A largely gentile world developed new traditions and the Jewish ways were no longer followed. By the end of the first century, Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch wrote letters to churches across Asia Minor and told them, “If any one celebrates the passover along with the Jews, or receives the emblems of their feast, he is a partaker with those that killed the Lord and His apostles.” (Letter to the Philippians 14)

Passover builds relationship with God

The celebration of the Passover as a common meal was the practice of Jesus and of the early church. Sharing this festival as a teaching in the home and as a celebration of the church fell out of practice in the second century, and as it did weakened the congregants of the church. The format of the dinner “feels strange” among people used to attending a service rather than participating in a teaching event.

Passover in the home

The church replaced Jewish traditions which sought to teach faith in the home with ceremonies developed in order to empower the bishop. People began to place their loyalties in the priest rather than God. The historic ways which were practiced by Jesus and his family in their home and community were discarded to fuel an organized religion.

Passover shared with a large group

A Passover dinner led in the traditional format (not from the pulpit), can teach a number of things to a church congregation. The dinner teaches the age old story of how God freed His people from Egyptian slavery. It displays the background in which Jesus shared His message of redemption on the very night He was betrayed. If presented correctly the Passover Seder will teach parents how to instruct their children in the faith at home, which will result in stronger and more self sustaining churches.

A Passover resource that explains everything

I have written a book to help pastors, churches and families to present a Passover Seder in its original context. I sought to re-created the meal enjoyed every year by my extended family so it could become a looked-forward-to tradition in Christian homes and churches. A Christian Passover in the Jewish Tradition will equip parents to lead the dinner at home (as it was in the time of Jesus) and pastors to model the dinner for their congregations. I have produced a $1 Kindle book so families and congregations can read along and join in the Passover celebration. My book Spring: Connecting with God shows how celebrating the Passover as families gave strength to the people of Israel. And this tradition can bring strength to churches today.