Book Review: Christ in the Passover

Christ in the Passover by Ceil Rosen, Moishe Rosen Trade Paperback: 112 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers First Released: 1978

Source: Borrowed from my church library.

Back Cover Description (highly modified):
Christ in the Passover gives you the knowledge that an Orthodox Jew has about the Passover so you can relate to the references to it in the Bible. The information can also help you see the Messiah as the Passover Lamb.


Review:
Christ in the Passover is a Christ-focused, Biblical view of the Passover celebration. Using the Bible as their main source, the authors explained why Israel was chosen by God, the history leading up to the Passover, and the original commands from God on how to celebrate the Passover. They pointed out the parts of this celebration that we now know symbolize the death of Jesus the Messiah for our sins.

Then they commented on how the Passover was celebrated up until Jesus' time, the sights and sounds of Jerusalem during the Passover in Jesus time, what the Passover meal was like during Jesus' time, and what the modern Passover is like and why it's different. In all these cases, they pointed out the parts of the Passover meal that point to Christ. They also described when during the "Last Supper" Passover meal that he added the parts that have become the Christian communion celebration.

While I've heard much of this information before, this book had some new (to me) details, like the description of the larger scene of the celebration and several bits of the symbolism in the Passover meal.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to people who want a thorough, in-depth look at the Passover and how it points to Christ.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter 5
At Passover, a constant stream of humanity ribboned the highways leading into first-century Jerusalem. Devout Jews poured in from distant corners of the world to worship Jehovah on the mountain of His holiness. If at all possible, those Jews who lived within a few days' journey came up to Jerusalem three times a year: at Passover, at Pentecost, and at the Feast of Booths. But for many who lived very far from Jerusalem, the lengthy pilgrimage at Passover was the fulfillment of a once-in-a-lifetime dream.

Weeks before the holiday, the trickles began--from Asia Minor, from Egypt, from Africa, from Italy, from Greece, from Mesopotamia--and soon the stream became a river. The current of this river flowed upward. Whether the first part of the journey was by boat or by land, no one ever went down to Jerusalem. The holy city sat like a crown 2,610 feet above sea level, and the Temple was its brightest, most prominent jewel. In order to reach this destination, all travelers first had to go through the surrounding valleys. The contrasting loftiness of that final ascent built a sense of holiness and awe within the pilgrims as they climbed ever upward.