Book Review: Messiah in the Passover, by Darrell L. Bock and Mitch Glaser

Darrell L. BOCK and Mitch GLASER, Editors. 

Messiah in the Passover

Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2017. 381 pp. $14.99

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Having lead or participated in the Passover ritual meal (Seder) in my Christian home and abroad for more than twenty years, I was quite pleased to review this work. The editors laid the book out to touch on not only scholarly issues but deeply personal ones as well. The book carries the reader through five parts, including the biblical foundations of Passover, Passover in church history, Jewish tradition and the passover, and then finally the more emotive suggestions on how to communicate the Gospel through the Passover and a how-to celebrate the Passover from a Messianic perspective. 

On the scholarly level, several chapters in the first section discuss the earliest forms of the Haggadah, or Passover meal liturgy, specifically attempting to discern whether or not the Haggadah used today was used in the first century before the destruction of the Temple. The combined conclusion was found to be that it is simply uncertain. While much of the modern Haggadah is found in the Mishnah (part of the Jewish Talmud) as early as A.D. 200, evidence before that period remains elusive, though differing aspects of the modern Haggadah may be seen in the Last Supper as performed by Jesus, including the drinking of at least two of the modern four cups, the breaking of the matzah, dipping, leaning during the meal, and more.

Other aspects of the first section discuss the passover meal found throughout the Old Testament, including the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Psalms, and others. The role of Elijah in the early Seder traditions is discussed in-depth, particularly as Elijah plays such an important role in the modern Jewish Seder, and the role of the Passover in the New Testament is given an equal treatment. 

Three chapters is given to the Passover in the early church, including how the Passover was discussed early on, in theological disagreements, and then how the early church attempted to move beyond Judaism by establishing anti-Judaic laws that ultimately lead to a rise in anti-Semitism that continues to exist even today. 

Part three of the book touches closely on Jewish traditional practices involving the Passover. Tis is broken into two chapters, one discussing the Rabbinic writings and one discussing one rather important aspect of the Seder, the Afikoman. I found the latter to be particularly insightful as it discussed the possibility of Christ using the Afikoman in his original Seder meal.

The final two sections include a number of sermons, a discussion on the Atonement, and how to celebrate the Seder in one’s own home, complete with children’s lessons, recipes, and even an abridged Haggadah that can be used. 

The strengths of this book rest in the wide range of scholarship and practical ministry possibilities. The work appears first to be a cognitive and scholastic explanation of how this Jewish holiday fits into an Evangelical belief about Jesus and the New Testament age, but secondly how this fits on a pragmatic level, guiding the reader in his or her own participation.

Unfortunately, several weaknesses also appear. Foremost is the use of Messianic Jewish terminology, sometimes without explanation. While the average scholar is likely already familiar with these terms, the lay reader may struggle to understand. Not every believer is aware of the use of Yeshua in place of Jesus. Although a glossary of Hebrew terms is given in the appendices, it would had been nice to have seen one up front covering the most used terms, such as Yeshua, Torah, etc. Secondly, the use of CE/BCE instead of A.D./B.C. may be confusing to some, particularly as some believe this to be a battle with secularization. My assumption is that both of these issues are due to the intended audience including non-Christian Jewish people, and therefore these Hebraisms and “secularizations” are acceptable “annoyances.” 

A final weakness stems from my own, personal, annoyance with a modern, Evangelical move to make everything eschatological. While the modern Jewish (non-Christian) Seder is very eschatological, I do not personally see a future-to-us meaning behind many of the traditional Jewish Seder outlooks. For example, I, my family does not leave a full glass of wine (grape juice) for Elijah (a major part of the traditional Seder), because my belief is that one like Elijah has already introduced the Messiah. My family also does not end the Seder with the typical “Next year in Jerusalem.” 

Even with these “issues,” this book would be a wonderful addition to any pastor’s library or a reference book for both Old Testament and New Testament scholars, not to exclude Church History scholars and others. The addition of sermons and lessons for children, along with recipes and a Haggadah, make this book well usable for the lay person already familiar with Messianic terminology.

Justin Singleton

Ph.D. in Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology

God’s Bible School and College