### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word πάσχα (páscha, `{{G3957}}`) is a direct transliteration of the Aramaic form of the Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesach, `{{H6453}}`). Its core meaning is "Passover," referring to the central Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The semantic range of páscha is broad, encompassing several facets of this observance:
* **The Passover Lamb:** Refers to the sacrificial lamb slain on the 14th of Nisan, whose blood protected the Israelites from the final plague in Egypt ([[Exodus 12:1-13]]).
* **The Passover Meal:** The ritual meal eaten on the night of the 14th of Nisan, including the roasted lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs ([[Exodus 12:8]]).
* **The Passover Day:** The specific day of the festival (Nisan 14), often extended to include the entire week of Unleavened Bread.
* **The Passover Festival:** The broader seven-day festival of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed the Passover day and was often referred to collectively as "Passover" ([[Luke 22:1]]).
In the New Testament, while retaining its original Jewish context, páscha takes on profound Christian theological significance, particularly in its typological application to Jesus Christ.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term páscha occurs 29 times in the New Testament, primarily in the Gospels and Acts, with one crucial theological use in a Pauline Epistle.
* **Gospels (Synoptics):** In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, páscha consistently refers to the Jewish festival and the preparations surrounding it, serving as the backdrop for Jesus' final week of ministry. The Last Supper is presented within the context of the Passover meal or as a meal leading up to it ([[Matthew 26:2]], [[Matthew 26:17-19]]; [[Mark 14:1]], [[Mark 14:12-16]]; [[Luke 22:1]], [[Luke 22:7-15]]). The disciples prepare for the Passover, and Jesus expresses His desire to eat this Passover with them before His suffering.
* **Gospel of John:** John's Gospel highlights multiple Passovers during Jesus' public ministry ([[John 2:13]], [[John 6:4]], [[John 11:55]]), structuring the narrative around these festivals and emphasizing Jesus' fulfillment of various Old Testament types. John's chronology places Jesus' crucifixion at the very hour the Passover lambs were being sacrificed in the Temple, underscoring His identity as the ultimate Passover Lamb ([[John 19:14]], [[John 19:31]]).
* **Acts:** In Acts, páscha continues to denote the Jewish festival, often providing the temporal setting for events, such as Peter's imprisonment under Herod Agrippa I ([[Acts 12:3-4]]).
* **Pauline Epistles:** The most significant theological development of páscha occurs in [[1 Corinthians 5:7]]: "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." Here, Paul moves beyond simply identifying the historical context to declaring Jesus Himself as the fulfillment of the Passover sacrifice. This statement transforms the historical Jewish observance into a central theological truth for Christians, linking Christ's atoning death directly to the Passover lamb. The subsequent verse ([[1 Corinthians 5:8]]) exhorts believers to live lives of purity, echoing the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed Passover and symbolized the removal of sin ("leaven").
### Related Words & Concepts
The understanding of páscha is enriched by its connection to several other biblical words and theological concepts:
* **פֶּסַח (pesach, `{{H6453}}`):** The direct Hebrew cognate, from which páscha derives. Its root meaning "to pass over" or "to spare" is central to the Exodus narrative.
* **ἄζυμος (azymos, `{{G106}}`):** "Unleavened," referring to the bread eaten during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which was inextricably linked to Passover. The removal of leaven symbolized purity and the purging of sin.
* **ἀμνός (amnos, `{{G28}}`):** "Lamb." Jesus is frequently referred to as the "Lamb of God" ([[John 1:29]], [[John 1:36]]), directly connecting Him to the sacrificial Passover lamb.
* **αἷμα (haima, `{{G129}}`):** "Blood." The blood of the Passover lamb applied to the doorposts in Egypt prefigures the atoning blood of Christ, which brings redemption and protection from spiritual death.
* **θυσία (thysia, `{{G2378}}`):** "Sacrifice." The Passover lamb was a sacrificial offering, foreshadowing Christ's ultimate self-sacrifice.
* **Redemption/Deliverance:** The core theme of the original Passover, liberation from bondage, is fulfilled spiritually in Christ's work, delivering humanity from sin and death.
* **New Covenant:** The Last Supper, held in the context of páscha, marks the institution of the New Covenant in Christ's blood, transforming the old Passover meal into the Christian Eucharist.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of páscha is profound and multifaceted, serving as a critical bridge between the Old and New Covenants:
* **Fulfillment in Christ:** The most central theological truth is that Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover. As "our Passover lamb" ([[1 Corinthians 5:7]]), His sacrifice on the cross provides the true and final atonement for sin, accomplishing what the annual animal sacrifices could only foreshadow. Just as the blood of the lamb protected Israel from the angel of death, Christ's blood protects believers from spiritual death and God's judgment.
* **Atonement and Redemption:** The Passover narrative is fundamentally about redemption. Christ's death as the páscha lamb signifies the ultimate act of redemption, freeing humanity from the bondage of sin and its consequences. This is a "New Exodus," leading believers from slavery to sin into the freedom of God's kingdom.
* **Institution of the Lord's Supper:** The Last Supper, which occurred during the Passover festival, becomes the foundational event for the Christian sacrament of the Eucharist (Lord's Supper). Jesus transformed the traditional Passover elements (bread and wine) into symbols of His body and blood, establishing a new covenant in His sacrifice ([[Luke 22:19-20]]). This new meal commemorates not just a historical deliverance, but an ongoing participation in Christ's redemptive work.
* **Call to Purity:** The association of Passover with the Feast of Unleavened Bread (symbolizing the removal of leaven, or sin) carries over into Christian theology. Paul's exhortation to "clear out the old leaven" ([[1 Corinthians 5:7]]) underscores the call for believers to live lives of holiness and purity, free from the "leaven of malice and evil."
* **Victory over Death:** The original Passover involved God "passing over" the houses marked with the lamb's blood, sparing the firstborn. In Christ, the true páscha, believers are spared from eternal death, gaining victory over sin and death through His resurrection.
### Summary
The Greek word πάσχα (páscha, `{{G3957}}`), derived from the Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesach, `{{H6453}}`), refers to the Jewish festival of Passover, encompassing the sacrificial lamb, the ritual meal, and the entire seven-day observance. In the New Testament, páscha provides the crucial historical and cultural backdrop for Jesus' final ministry, crucifixion, and the institution of the Lord's Supper. Its profound theological significance culminates in the Apostle Paul's declaration that "Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed" ([[1 Corinthians 5:7]]). This statement identifies Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover, whose atoning death delivers believers from the bondage of sin and death, establishing a new covenant of redemption. Thus, páscha serves as a powerful symbol of God's continuous redemptive plan, finding its ultimate expression and completion in the saving work of Jesus Christ.
TRV