This Friday, 3 April, is the first night of Passover as well as Good Friday, 
and Sunday we will celebrate Resurrection Sunday.

Over the years, we have celebrated and taught the biblical Last Supper and combined it with the modern Passover traditions with thousands of friends, both in Jerusalem and abroad. This special evening was a full dinner with a traditional Passover dinner set in a biblical times.

Ron Cantrell teaching during the Passover celebration in Mount Vernon, Washington

Yeshua and the disciples are reclining around the triclinium table

We always had the disciples and Yeshua dressed in biblical costumes seated around a triclinium table.

Yeshua with the disciples around the table

The purpose of such an evening was to give people a visual and sensory experience of what it might have been like in biblical times. We do this with traditional holiday foods, colourful decorations, interactive teaching and responsive readings, as well traditional and celebrative songs of thanksgiving in Hebrew. You feel like you are stepping back into biblical times.

The disciples celebrating a song of thanksgiving at the Last Supper

Celebrating Redemption

The Last Supper that Yeshua celebrated with His beloved disciples was, indeed, a Passover. To understand the historical and religious context of the biblical period Passover brings a rich understanding to this ancient celebration as well as our celebration of communion. Passover was always meant to be a celebration of victory over the enemy’s intentions toward God’s people. Yeshua is our Victor and we worship and celebrate Him.

Carol leading worship during communion

The gospel accounts of the Last Supper show that disciples and Yeshua indeed celebrated. Even today’s modern Passovers are celebrated with exuberance and singing long into the night. Because of the sacrificial blood of  the Lamb of God, we have much to celebrate. Passover is meant to be a night full of joy…a full week of joy, in fact.

Ancient Samaritan Passover Celebrations

While living in Israel, we had a chance to visit ancient Samaria during Passover. The Samaritans continue to celebrate Passover as they have done for thousands of years. Their celebration gives clues to how the ancient Israelis would have also celebrated Passover. Below are two videos made by Ron Cantrell during Passover in Samaria.

Ancient Samaritan Passover Video (Part I)

Ancient Samaritan Passover Video (Part II)

Happy Passover

This Friday, 3 April, is the first night of Passover and it will be celebrated for 7 days. Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday happens to fall exactly during Passover this year. If you would like to learn more about the historical and modern traditions and teaching about Passover and other biblical feasts of the Lord, we recommend The Feasts of the Lord, now available in digital version on Amazon.com (click the link below).

The Feasts of the Lord: The Fasts, Feasts, & Festivals of the Bible

If you have an opportunity to celebrate Passover this year, we believe you will find it an enriching experience.

Hag Pesach sameach (Happy Passover) to all of our Jewish and Israeli friends around the world!