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在教會長大的基督徒，就算對聖經不熟悉，一定都聽過逾越節的故事。3300年前，上帝透過摩西，將以色列人從埃及長期的艱苦奴役生活中帶領出來。摩西去請求埃及法老王放人，但法老王倔強堅毅，不肯讓以色列人走。上帝只好大施壓力給法老王，在埃及降下可怕的十災 ：血災、蛙災、虱災、蠅災、畜疫之災、瘡災、雹災、蝗災、黑暗之災、最後，殺長子之災（出埃及記7-11章）。
殺長子之災是這整個故事的高潮，也是法老王最終決定讓以色列人離開的關鍵點。上帝指示以色列人將羔羊的血塗抹在每家的門框上。那一夜耶和華「要走遍埃及地，把埃及地所有頭生的，無論是人或是牲畜，都要殺掉」（出埃及記12： 12）；但如果門上血記號的，就越過，災禍就不臨到他們身上。聖經說：「這一日必作你們的記念日；你們要守這日為耶和華的節；你們要世世代代守這節日作永遠的定例。」（出埃及記12： 14）“逾越”這兩個字就是“越過門檻”故事的緣由。
這是主日學的小朋友耳熟能響的好聽故事，精彩又神奇。雖然這是猶太人的故事，但因為在新約聖經約翰福音1：29，施洗約翰指著耶穌說：「看哪，神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。」近乎過去2000年，基督教信徒就一直堅信著耶穌就是逾越節所預表的羔羊，為了贖世人的罪孽流血而死（哥林多前書 15:3；約翰一書 2:2）。教會把這樣子的信息傳講得理所當然，聽的人更是習以為常，認為逾越節的羔羊，非耶穌莫屬。逾越節對基督徒的意義就是，當耶穌的寶血遮蓋了我們的罪（參部落格：若不流血，罪就不能得赦免嗎？）死亡跟審判就不會臨到我們身上，就如當年在門框上塗抹羊血的以色列人一樣，我們也可以逃過被擊殺之殃。
但是如果你聽猶太人解說逾越節的意義，你會非常訝異他們的解釋竟然和基督教的說法有如此的霄壤之別、大相逕庭。逾越節是猶太人的歷史，是他們世代相傳、刻骨銘心、意義重大的節日。讓我們來聆聽猶太人的說法：
在出埃及前四天，上帝指示以色列將一隻羊羔先準備好，以便他們在離開埃及前一天晚上吃（出埃及記 12:3-6）。其實當時吃羊肉是一個非常冒險的反抗行為，為什麼呢？
動物對於古埃及人的生活及信仰具非常深重的意義。他們供奉的許多神都是以動物的頭、人身的形象出現。有一些動物甚至被古埃及人神聖化，而山羊和綿羊就是這些被神聖化而受崇拜的對象之一。古埃及人認為羊象徵靈魂生育，所以除了膜拜羊、不殺羊之外，連羊毛衣服都禁止穿著。公羊是權力和威嚴的象徵，因此法老王冠上都有公羊角的圖案。
在出埃及記8章記載了一則關於法老王召了摩西和亞倫的事。法老叫他們不要去曠野獻祭給上帝 (參部落格：獻祭的意義），他說：「你們在這地祭祀你們的神吧！」摩西回答說：「這樣行本不相宜，因為我們要把埃及人所厭惡的祭祀耶和華—我們的神；若把埃及人所厭惡的在他們眼前獻為祭，他們豈不拿石頭打死我們嗎？」摩西在這裡指 “所厭惡的” 就是埃及崇拜的這些動物神像。以色列人向耶和華的獻祭是用牛或用羊，這絕對會惹怒埃及人、與埃及人起衝突，甚至會被他們打死。
所以可想而知，如果以色列人不只是屠宰羊，甚至吃了羊肉，簡直就是破天荒的大逆不道。對法老王、對整個埃及的文化習俗和信仰都是一大侮辱，等於是一種褻瀆埃及神的反叛行為。以色列人選擇如此膽大包天的做這件會冒犯埃及人的行為，是一種公開棄絕埃及神的表徵。耶和華看到羊血會越過他們的門檻，因為當這些以色列人勇於把血塗在門上時，他們等於在宣告“我們看重我們的耶和華，勝過看重埃及的神；我們敬畏我們的神，勝過我們恐懼被埃及人處死”。這種公眾不同苟於埃及人之強烈行為，需要極大的勇氣和對神信心。請注意，這個宰殺羊的行為和“贖罪”毫無關聯。在這一整段出埃及記得逾越節故事，對“贖罪”這兩個字隻字未提。
如果基督徒真的想要把耶穌比喻成贖罪祭的羔羊，有另外一個節日比逾越節來得合適多了，那就是猶太人一年一度的贖罪日(Yom Kippur)。在這一天，全國上下會獻上一隻特別的山羊來為國家、為個人贖罪（利未記16章），至少這個節日的意義跟贖罪有直接的關係。期望基督徒能夠尊重猶太人對他們這個特別的節日持守的信念，不要隨便將逾越節翻版，改成自己想要聽的故事。
Passover
As a Christian who grew up in the church, even if not familiar with the Bible, you must have heard the story of Passover. 3,300 years ago, God, through Moses, led the Israelites out of their long and harsh enslavement in Egypt. Moses went to request Pharaoh of Egypt to let the people go, but Pharaoh was stubborn and refused to release the Israelites. God had to exert great pressure on Pharaoh, bringing down terrifying ten plagues upon Egypt: the plague of blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and finally, the plague of the firstborn (Exodus 7-11).
The plague of the firstborn is the climax of this entire story and the crucial point at which Pharaoh ultimately decides to let the Israelites leave. God instructed the Israelites to smear the blood of a lamb on the doorposts of their homes. That night, the Lord said, "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord." (Exodus 12:12). However, those with the blood sign on their doors would be passed over, and the disaster would not touch them. The Bible says, "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance." (Exodus 12:14). The word "Passover" derives from the idea of "passing over the threshold," which is the origin of the story.
Indeed, the story of Passover is not only well-known but also significant for Sunday school children and Christians alike. While it originates from Jewish tradition, Christians have believed for nearly 2000 years that Jesus is the Lamb foreshadowed by Passover, who shed His blood to atone for the sins of humanity (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 John 2:2). The church has consistently preached this message, and many have come to accept that Jesus is the Passover Lamb. For Christians, the significance of Passover lies in the idea that when Jesus' precious blood covers our sins, we are spared from death and judgment （Please refer to my blog post: Is there No Forgiveness Without the Shedding of Blood?), much like the Israelites who marked their doorposts with lamb's blood and were spared from the plague.
However, if you were to listen to the Jewish interpretation of the Passover, you would be greatly surprised to find that their explanation is vastly different and divergent from the Christian perspective. Passover is a part of Jewish history, a significant and deeply meaningful holiday passed down through generations. Let's listen to the Jewish perspective:
Four days before leaving Egypt, God instructed the Israelites to prepare a lamb so that they could eat it on the evening before their departure (Exodus 12:3-6). In fact, consuming lamb at that time was a highly daring act of defiance. Why?
Animals held profound significance in the lives and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. Many of the gods they worshiped were depicted with the heads of animals and human bodies. Some animals were even considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians, and among these objects of worship were goats and sheep. The ancient Egyptians believed that sheep symbolizes fertility of the soul, which led to their prohibition against killing or even wearing woolen garments made from sheep. Rams, in particular, were associated with power and authority, as evidenced by the ram's horn patterns on the crowns of the pharaohs. Eating the very animal that was revered by the Egyptians was indeed a bold and symbolic act of liberation for the Israelites, signifying their freedom from Egyptian oppression as commanded by God.
In Exodus chapter 8, there's an account where Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. Pharaoh told them not to go into the wilderness to sacrifice to their God and said, "Sacrifice to your God in this land!" (Pease refer to my blog post: The Meaning of Sacrifice) Moses replied, "It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God are an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?" (Exodus 8:26) Here, Moses is referring to the "abominable offerings" as the animal gods and idols worshiped in Egypt. The Israelites' sacrifices to the Lord involved using cattle or sheep, which would undoubtedly anger the Egyptians, potentially leading to conflict or even being stoned by them.
Indeed, if the Israelites had not only slaughtered but also eaten the lamb, it would have been a highly audacious act of defiance, breaking with centuries of Egyptian cultural customs and beliefs. Such an act would have been an immense insult to Pharaoh, the entire Egyptian culture, and their religious practices, essentially a blasphemous rebellion against Egyptian gods. By choosing to boldly engage in this potentially offensive act, the Israelites were openly renouncing the gods of Egypt and declaring their allegiance to their own God, the Lord. When they painted the blood on their doorposts, they were essentially proclaiming, "We value our Lord more than we value the gods of Egypt; we fear our God more than we fear being put to death by the Egyptians." This public and starkly different behavior required tremendous courage and faith in God. It's important to note that the concept of "atonement" is not mentioned at all in this entire Passover story.
If Christians truly wish to draw parallels between Jesus as the sacrificial lamb and a Jewish holiday, a much more appropriate analogy would be Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. On this day, a special goat is offered for the atonement of the nation and individuals (Leviticus 16), and the meaning of this holiday is directly related to atonement. It's essential for Christians to respect the beliefs of Jews who observe this special holiday and not reinterpret Passover to fit their own narrative.
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