MPV Commentary

The Passover Instituted.

1. The Lord had spoken to Moses and Aaron previously about this matter, which is evident from the timing of the communication. It must have been given on or before the tenth day of the month.

2. This month would be the beginning of months for Israel - not just in order but also in estimation. Previously, it was the seventh month according to the civil calendar, which began in September and remained unchanged. However, from now on, it would take precedence as the first month in the national religious year, which started in March or April.

3. Moses instructed all the Israelite congregation to listen carefully to this important announcement. The recent events had prepared the people for a critical moment, and they seemed to have yielded complete obedience to Moses at this time. Amidst the chaos of their departure, they were to focus on a solemn act of worship.

4. Each household was required to select a lamb or kid without blemish, which would serve as a domestic offering for the deliverance from the evil threatened against every house in Egypt. If a household was too small to consume the entire lamb, they could share it with their neighbors, ensuring everyone had enough to eat.

5. The selected animal must be a male of the first year, without any blemish or defect. This requirement pointed forward to Christ's sinless nature (Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 1:19).

6. The lamb was to be kept separate from the rest of the flock for four days before being sacrificed on the fourteenth day of the month, at the evening hour - roughly three o'clock in the afternoon. This period of separation mirrored Christ's time under examination and public declaration of His innocence.

7. After killing the lamb, the Israelites were to take some of its blood and apply it to the two side-posts and upper doorposts of their homes. This sign of safety would protect those within from the impending judgment. Although the Israelites were sinners like the Egyptians, God accepted the substitution of a lamb, whose blood on the doorposts secured mercy for them (Hebrews 12:24; 10:29).

8. The paschal lamb was to be roasted over an open fire for expediency, distinguishing it from other offerings. Unleavened bread and bitter herbs were also part of this meal, serving as a reminder of the Israelites' affliction in Egypt and their ongoing struggles with sin.

9. The meat must not be consumed raw or with any blood remaining, as this would have been akin to idolatrous practices. Instead, it was to be roasted whole, without breaking any bones - a foreshadowing of Christ's crucifixion (John 19:36).

10. Nothing from the paschal meal was to remain until morning, lest it be used in superstitious or unbecoming ways, such as allowing it to putrefy in the hot climate.