πάσχα

the feast of Passover, the Passover lamb

Definition

The Greek word πάσχα (pascha) primarily refers to the Jewish festival of Passover, commemorating God's deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12). In the New Testament, it can denote the festival itself (Luke 2:41), the Passover meal (Matthew 26:18-19), or the sacrificial lamb eaten during the meal (Mark 14:12). Most significantly, it is applied typologically to Jesus Christ as the ultimate Passover Lamb whose sacrifice brings deliverance from sin (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Biblical Usage

Used 27 times in the New Testament, primarily in the Gospels' passion narratives to set the chronological and theological context for Jesus' death (e.g., Matthew 26:2, Mark 14:1). It appears in narratives about preparing for the feast (Mark 14:12) and during the Last Supper (Luke 22:15). The Apostle Paul provides its most direct theological application in 1 Corinthians 5:7, explicitly calling Christ 'our Passover lamb.' The usage consistently links Jesus' crucifixion with the timing and symbolism of the Passover festival.

Etymology

The word πάσχα (pascha) is a direct transliteration of the Aramaic פַּסְחָא (pascha), which itself derives from the Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesach), meaning 'to pass over.' This refers to the angel of death 'passing over' the Israelite houses marked with lamb's blood in Exodus 12. The Greek term thus carries the full semantic weight of the Hebrew original, encompassing the event, the festival, and the sacrificial victim.

Semantic Range

This word is central to understanding the New Testament's presentation of Jesus' atoning work. The Passover lamb in Exodus was a substitute whose blood brought deliverance from death; Jesus is presented as the ultimate fulfillment of this pattern (John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7). Understanding πάσχα enriches reading by highlighting the deliberate timing of the crucifixion during Passover and the theological claim that Christ's sacrifice establishes a new covenant deliverance, replacing the need for the repeated animal sacrifices of the old covenant (Hebrews 10:1-18).

In the first-century Jewish world, Passover was the major pilgrimage festival, drawing Jews to Jerusalem. It was not just a historical remembrance but a celebration of national identity and hope for future redemption. The Passover meal followed a specific ritual (the Seder) involving unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and the lamb. When Jesus and the disciples gathered for the 'Passover' (Matthew 26:17-19), they were participating in this deeply symbolic national and religious observance, which Jesus then reinterpreted around himself and his coming death.

ἀμνός (amnos, G286) — A more general term for 'lamb,' used in John 1:29, 36 to identify Jesus as the 'Lamb of God,' connecting to sacrificial imagery beyond just the Passover. θυσία (thusia, G2378) — A broad term for 'sacrifice' or 'offering,' of which the Passover lamb was one specific type.

Word Details

Scripture References