CHAP. IV.
Of their Passover, and their Feasts of Unleavened Bread.
Some of the Fathers have derived[296] the word Paschal, from a Greek Verb, signifying to suffer, because the sufferings and Passion of our Saviour; are celebrated about that time. This Opinion Augustine justly confuteth,[297] for the word is originally an Hebrew word, signifying to pass by, to leap, or pass over. The Etymology is God’s own. It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, which passed over, &c. Exod. 12. 27.
[296] Tertul. advers. Judaic. c. 10 It. Ambros. lib. de Myster. Pasch. cap. 1.
[297] Aug. in titul. Psal. 68.
The word Passover in Scripture hath three acceptions. First, it is taken for that yearly solemnity which was celebrated upon the fourteenth day of Nisan,[298] otherwise called Abib; you may call it the Passover of the Lamb, because on that day toward the evening, the Israelites were commanded according to their Families to roast a Lamb, and eat it in their private houses. Secondly, it signifieth that yearly Festivity which was celebrated on the fifteenth of Nisan: it may be called the Passover of sheep and Bullocks, Deut. 16. 2. Otherwise we may call it the Feast of the Passover; as the fourteenth of Nisan was called simply the Passover. In the fourteenth day of the first moneth, is the Passover of the Lord, and in the fifteenth day of this moneth is the Feast, Num. 28. 16, 17. Toward this Feast we are to understand that Josiah gave unto the people such a multitude of Sheep, Lambs, Kids, and Bullocks. Thirdly, it is taken for the whole solemnity, beginning the Fourteenth of Nisan, and ending the one and twentieth of the same moneth. Now the Feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover, Luk. 22. 1. So that in this acception is contained the Feast of unleavened bread also, notwithstanding, in proper speaking, the Feast of unleavened bread was a distinct Feast from the Passover.
[298] E Theologia non pauci omnia quæ ad 14. noctem pertinent 15. attribuunt quem errorem hauserunt ex turbidis Rabbinorum lacunis qui hodie eundem errorem errant, teste Scaliger. de emend. Temp. l. 6 p. 270.
First, the Passover was to be kept on the fourteenth day of the first month, at even. This was their second Sacrament, in which although they were enjoyned to eat unleavened bread with the Lamb, yet the Feast of the unleavened bread began not till the morrow following, being the fifteenth day of the same moneth, and lasted seven daies of which only the first and last were holy Convocations, wherein they might do no servile work, Levit. 23. 5, 6, 7, 8.
Secondly, the Passover, in the age following its first institution, might not be killed and eaten in any other place, save only where the Lord did choose to place his name, which afterward was at Jerusalem: but the feast of unleavened bread, the Hebrews thought themselves bound to keep in every place wheresoever they dwelt, if they could not be at Jerusalem: and eating of it, they say,[299] depended not upon the eating of the Passover, but it was a commandment by it self.
[299] לא תלה אבי לת זר בקרבן הפסח אלא זו מצות עצמה Maimon. de fermento & Azymo c. 6. sect. 1.