Christianity & Judaism

Passover (Pesach) and Jesus

Passover (Pesach) remembers God delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt, when the blood of a lamb spared the people from death (Exodus 12). It remains one of the most sacred festivals of Judaism, kept every year at the Seder. Jesus was crucified at Passover, and his last meal was a Passover meal; Christians call him 'the Lamb of God' and read his death through the festival, a Christian interpretation of a shared and holy story.

Passover in the Torah and in Jewish life

Passover is the festival of freedom, God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt, remembered every year in the Seder meal with its story, its questions, and its unleavened bread. It is living, joyful, and central to Jewish faith and identity.

How Christians read Jesus and Passover

Jesus was crucified during Passover in Jerusalem, and the Gospels present his last supper as a Passover meal (Luke 22:15). Reading his death through the festival, Christians call him the Passover lamb, whose blood delivers from death. This is a Christian interpretation, offered as such, of a story both faiths hold holy.

Hebrew Bible quotations: King James Version; for the Jewish rendering, compare the JPS Tanakh at sefaria.org. Jewish interpretive positions (Rashi, Maimonides) are summarized from recognized Jewish sources. Every reference on this page was checked against its primary source.

Frequently asked questions

What is Passover?

Passover (Pesach) is the Jewish festival remembering God's deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12), when the blood of a lamb spared the people from death. It is celebrated each year at the Seder meal.

Why do Christians connect Jesus with Passover?

Because Jesus was crucified at Passover and his last meal was a Passover meal, Christians read his death through the festival, calling him 'the Lamb of God' whose blood delivers from death. This is a Christian interpretation of the shared story.