Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/185

 The meaning  of  the  Paschal  Feast  in  the  Old  Law  and  the  New Law. The Jewish  Pasch  was  instituted  by  God  through  Moses,  in thankful  commemoration  of  the  deliverance  of  the  Israelites  from  their slavery in  Egypt,  and  also  as  a type  of  their  future  deliverance  from sin and  hell. The Christian  Paschal  Feast  was  instituted  by  God through His  Church,  in  thankful  commemoration  of  the  redemption  of all  mankind  from  sin  and  hell  by  Jesus  Christ,  of  our  deliverance  by Him  from  the  bondage  of  Satan,  and  of  His  overcoming  the  death of the  body  by  His  glorious  resurrection. The former  was  a reminder of the  promise  of  redemption,  the  latter  a reminder  of  its  fulfilment, of our  real  redemption  by  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the sins of  the  world.

The importance  of  the  Paschal  Feast, as  a type  of  our  redemption, is shown  by  the  command  of  God  to  make  it  from  thenceforth  the beginning of  a new  year.

The Paschal  Lamb, a type  of  Holy  Communion. The  paschal  lamb was not  only  a sacrifice;  it  was  also  a food  which  had  to  be  partaken of. In Holy  Communion  our  Lord,  the  true  Paschal  Lamb,  gives Himself to  us  to  be  the  Food  of  our  souls. This priceless  Food,  if  It is  to  nourish  us,  must  be  partaken  of,  mingled  with  the  “bitter  herb*’ of penance  and  a sincere  confession  of  our  sins. If we  receive  It worthily,  It  strengthens  us  for  our  journey  through  the  wilderness  of this  life,  and  will  enable  us  to  reach  the  Promised  Land  of  everlasting happiness. “He that  eateth  this  bread”,  said  our  Lord,  “shall  live  for ever” (John  6,  59).

The connection  between  type  and  fulfilment. It  could  not  be  said that the  bones  of  our  Lord  were  not  broken,  because  the  bones  of  the paschal lamb,  which  was  a type  of  Him,  were  not  broken. The case must be  reversed; for  a type  points  to  the  person  typified,  and  not  the person to  the  type. Because, therefore,  God  in  His  omniscience  knew that no  bone  of  the  crucified  Redeemer  would  be  broken,  He  commanded that  no  bone  should  be  broken  of  the  paschal  lamb,  which was intended  to  be  a type  of  that  Redeemer. It is  the  same  with  all types. The omniscient  God  has  so  disposed  them  that  they  point  to the  Redeemer,  to  His  work  and  His  kingdom.

Persons and  things  as  types.  The  types  about  which  you  have  till now learnt  (Adam,  Abel,  Noe,  Melchisedecb,  Isaac,  Joseph  and  Job), were men. But the  paschal  lamb  and  the  slaying  of  the  first-born  were things. You will  come  across  many  other  things  which  were  types  of our  Lord,  such  as  the  manna,  the  brazen  serpent  &amp;c. &amp;c.

How the  Israelites  must  have  thanked  God, when their  first-born  sons  were  spared,  and  when  they  were  delivered from  the  cruel  slavery  of  Egypt! Thank God  daily  that