Maundy Thursday, the Thursday of Holy Week, has been celebrated by Christians as a vivid reminder of the institution of the Lord's supper and the washing of feet in remembrance of Christ. While the Lord's supper dramatically illustrates the symbolic remembrance of the bread as the body and the wine as the blood of Christ, the washing of feet symbolizes Christ's humanity and his humility. These symbols of remembrance would mean little without understanding the meaning of the Passover in the lives of the people of Israel.

For the Israelites the Passover was more than just an annual rite. It served as a reminder of how God delivered the people of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt and saved them from death. The symbols of our text are rich with meaning. Symbols serve as reminders to older ge…