Leviticus is the third book of the Bible and is part of the Torah, also known as the Pentateuch.

• It primarily focuses on the laws and regulations given by God to the Israelites through Moses.
• These laws were intended to guide the Israelites in their worship and daily living, setting them apart as God's holy people.

Sacrificial System:

• Leviticus begins with detailed instructions on various offerings and sacrifices, including burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings (Leviticus 1-7).
• These sacrifices were a way for the Israelites to maintain their relationship with God and atone for their sins.

LEVITICUS 1:1-9
1 Then the Lord summoned Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any of you brings an offering to the Lord from the livestock, you may bring your offering from the herd or the flock.
3 “If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to bring an unblemished male. He will bring it to the entrance to the tent of meeting so that he may be accepted by the Lord. 4 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.

• Substitute Sacrifice
• God accepts a substitute sacrifice on behalf of the one He loves.
• The precedent has been set.

5 He is to slaughter the bull before the Lord; Aaron’s sons the priests are to present the blood and splatter it on all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 6 Then he is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. 7 The sons of Aaron the priest will prepare a fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 Aaron’s sons the priests are to arrange the pieces, the head, and the fat on top of the burning wood on the altar. 9 The offerer is to wash its entrails and legs with water. Then the priest will burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.[1]
 
Priestly Duties:

• The book outlines the roles and responsibilities of the priests, particularly those from the tribe of Levi.
• It includes the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests and the regulations they must follow in their service (Leviticus 8-10).

 
Purity Laws:

• Leviticus contains laws concerning ritual purity, including dietary restrictions, laws about clean and unclean animals, and regulations for dealing with skin diseases and bodily discharges (Leviticus 11-15).
• These laws were meant to teach the Israelites about holiness and separation from impurity.

LEVITICUS 11:1-8
1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 2 “Tell the Israelites: You may eat all these kinds of land animals. 3 You may eat any animal with divided hooves and that chews the cud. 4 But among the ones that chew the cud or have divided hooves you are not to eat these:
camels, though they chew the cud,
do not have divided hooves—they are unclean for you;
5 hyraxes, though they chew the cud,
do not have hooves—they are unclean for you;
6 hares, though they chew the cud,
do not have hooves—they are unclean for you;
7 pigs, though they have divided hooves,
do not chew the cud—they are unclean for you.
8 Do not eat any of their meat or touch their carcasses—they are unclean for you.[2]
Day of Atonement:

• One of the central events in Leviticus is the Day of Atonement, a yearly observance where the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16).
• This foreshadows the ultimate atonement made by Jesus Christ.

LEVITICUS 16:17-19
17 No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the most holy place until he leaves after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel. 18 Then he will go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on the horns on all sides of the altar. 19 He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse and set it apart from the Israelites’ impurities. [3]
 
Moral and Ethical Laws:

• The book includes various moral and ethical laws, such as those concerning sexual conduct, social justice, and interpersonal relationships (Leviticus 17-20).
• These laws emphasize the importance of living a life that reflects God's holiness.

LEVITICUS 17:10-12
10 “Anyone from the house of Israel or from the aliens who reside among them who eats any blood, I will turn against that person who eats blood and cut him off from his people. 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement. 12 Therefore I say to the Israelites: None of you and no alien who resides among you may eat blood.[4]
 
Festivals and Sabbaths:

• Leviticus outlines the religious festivals and Sabbaths that the Israelites were to observe, including Passover, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23-25).

LEVITICUS 23:1-3
23 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: These are my appointed times, the times of the Lord that you will proclaim as sacred assemblies.
3 “Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day there is to be a Sabbath of complete rest, a sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; it is a Sabbath to the Lord wherever you live. [5]
 
Blessings and Curses:
The book concludes with a section on the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience, highlighting the covenant relationship between God and His people (Leviticus 26).
LEVITICUS 27:34
34 These are the commands the Lord gave Moses for the Israelites on Mount Sinai. [6]
Leviticus, while often seen as a book of laws, ultimately points to the holiness of God and the need for atonement and reconciliation.

• Themes that are fulfilled in the New Testament through Jesus Christ.

 
There is often confusion about the role of the Old Testament Law and how it relates to Christians today.

• I believe the Levitical laws were just for the Jewish people.
• Others say they apply to everyone who would worship God.

 
First, let’s clarify some terms.

• The Levites were the descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s twelve sons.
• Moses was of the tribe of Levi, and when God delivered the Law to him on Mount Sinai, He marked the Levites as the tribe responsible for the primary religious duties in the nation.
• They were made priests, singers, and caretakers in the worship of God.
• In calling it the Levitical Law, we acknowledge that God revealed the Law through Moses, a Levite, and that God appointed the Levites as the religious leaders of Israel.
• The same Law is sometimes called “Mosaic” because it was given through Moses, and it is also referred to as the “Old Covenant,” because it is part of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants.

To discover God’s purpose in the Law, we must first look at its inception, and the things God said to Moses about it.

• When Moses and the people arrived at Mount Sinai, God said,

EXODUS 19:5-6
5 Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, 6 and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.” [7]

• The first mention of the Law to the nation was as a covenant—a legal agreement between God and the people He chose.
• The Israelites were required to obey it fully if they were to receive its benefits.

 
God began His introduction to the Law with the Ten Commandments, but the entire Law encompasses 613 commandments, as detailed in the rest of the books of Moses.

• Jesus summarized the Law as having two emphases: love for God and love for neighbors (Matthew 22:37–39).
• These emphases can be easily seen in the Ten Commandments: the first four commands focus on our relation to God, and the remainder focus on interpersonal relations.
• If we think that is the whole purpose of the Law, though, we miss an important element. Many of the individual commands give detailed instruction on how God was to be worshiped and how the people were to live their lives.
• It is in those fine details that love was either shown or withheld.

 
For hundreds of years, the Israelites lived under the Levitical Law, sometimes obeying it but more often failing to follow God’s commands.

• Much of Old Testament history deals with the punishments Israel received for their disobedience.
• When Jesus Christ came, He said that He did not “come to abolish the Law or the Prophets . . . but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).
• In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus took the Law to a higher level, applying it to the thoughts and intents of the heart.
• This perspective significantly diminishes our ability to keep the Law.

 
The apostle Paul gives us insight into God’s purpose for the Law in his letter to the Galatians.

• In Galatians 3:10 he says, “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’”
• The fine details show up again—if we don’t keep every command perfectly, we are condemned (see James 2:10).

GALATIANS 3:19-26
19 Why, then, was the law given? It was added for the sake of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not just for one person alone, but God is one. 21 Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if the law had been granted with the ability to give life, then righteousness would certainly be on the basis of the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin’s power,, so that the promise might be given on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe. 23 Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. 24 The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. 25 But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus.[8]

• The Law pointed out our sinfulness, proved our inability to keep our end of the covenant, made us prisoners in our guilt, and showed our need of a Savior.
• The purpose of the Law is also revealed:

ROMANS 3:20
20 For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.[9]

The Levitical Law did its job well, pointing out the sinfulness of mankind and condemning us for it.
HEBREWS 7:18-19
18 So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable 19 (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.[10]

• (for the law made nothing perfect).”
• The Law had no way of changing our sinful nature.
• We needed something better to accomplish that.

HEBREWS 10:1-4
1 Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the reality itself of those things, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year. 2 Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers, purified once and for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in the sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. [11]
 
God’s desire has always been to have fellowship with mankind, but our sin prevented that.

• He gave the Law to set a standard of holiness—and, at the same time, to show that we could never meet that standard on our own.
• That’s why Jesus Christ had to come—to fulfill all the righteous requirements of the Law on our behalf, and then to take the punishment of our violating that same Law.

HEBREWS10:11-14
11 Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. 12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God., 13 He is now waiting until his enemies are made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.[12]

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 1:1–9.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 11:1–8.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 16:17–19.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 17:10–12.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 23:1–3.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Le 27:34.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ex 19:4–6.
[8] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ga 3:19–26.
[9] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ro 3:20.
[10] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Heb 7:18–19.
[11] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Heb 10:1–4.
[12] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Heb 10:11–14.

• The house was supposed to be rid of leaven before Noon on Thursday – 14th of Nisan
• Peter & John killed the Passover Lamb on Thursday afternoon – 14th of Nisan
• Passover Meals was eaten after Sundown on the 14th of Nisan which was the beginning of the Jewish Friday.
• Gethsemane, Caiaphas, Pilate on Friday Evening
• Jesus was crucified at 9 AM on Friday, the 15th of Nisan
• Jesus died at 3 PM on Friday, the 15th of Nisan
• Jesus was buried before sundown on Friday.
• Jesus was in the grave on Friday before sundown – 1 day
• Jesus was in the grave all day on Saturday (Sabbath) beginning at sundown on the 15th of Nisan. – 2 days
• Jesus was in the grave on Sunday, after sundown on the 15th of Nisan. - 3 days
• Jesus was resurrected on Sunday before sunrise on the 16th of Nisan.
• Jesus was in the grave 3 Jewish days.
• Jesus fulfilled the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of First Fruits.

 
Leviticus 23:4-11 - 4 “These are the Lord’s appointed times, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times. 5 The Passover to the Lord comes in the first month, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the month. 6 The Festival of Unleavened Bread to the Lord is on the fifteenth day of the same month. For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 7 On the first day you are to hold a sacred assembly; you are not to do any daily work. 8 You are to present a fire offering to the Lord for seven days. On the seventh day there will be a sacred assembly; do not do any daily work.”
9 The Lord spoke to Moses: 10 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you enter the land I am giving you and reap its harvest, you are to bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest. 11 He will present the sheaf before the Lord so that you may be accepted; the priest is to present it on the day after the Sabbath.[1]

• For the Jews: the Passover was significant
• For the Christians: the timing of the sacrifice was important.

Current Seder Plate was recognized until 600 AD.
This "order" is known as the “seder,”

• seder meaning "order.”
• Picture of Seder Plate
• Picture of Seder Meal
• All Jews use the same type of seder plate.
• A cup of salt water is positioned in the center of the plate.
• Reclining – Slaves had to stand or sit up straight to eat meals. So now they recline in freedom.

 
Things changed after the destruction of the temple in AD 70, for no longer could a lamb be slain for the Passover meal.

• The shank bone of a lamb is placed on the Seder plate as a memorial. The shank bone serving as a symbol of the lamb that can no longer be offered for the Passover meal.
• Roasted chicken is usually eaten today in place of the lamb during the main meal.

 

1. The Kaddeish: The first cup of wine:

The Cup of Blessing, or, The Cup of Sanctification
Current practice: Kaddeish means "sanctification,"

• Lighting of two candles soon after nightfall
• Special blessing is pronounced over the feast day
• blessing over the first cup of wine
• No wine allowed between the first & second cups.
• Occurs soon after nightfall, while the children are still alert – well before they become drowsy enough to fall asleep.

Luke 22:17 - Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine (Passover wine…alcoholic) until the kingdom of God comes.”[2]

1. The Urchatz: The washing of the hands

Current practice: urchatz means "and wash,"

• Fingers dipped into water

John 13:1-20 - Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father.  Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2 Now by the time of supper, the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Him. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God,  and that He was going back to God. 4 So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. 5 Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t understand now, but afterward you will know.”
8 “You will never wash my feet—ever!” Peter said.
Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him. This is why He said, “You are not all clean.”
 
The Meaning of Footwashing
12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  15 For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you.
16 “I assure you: A slave is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18 I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled:  The one who eats My bread has raised his heel against Me.
19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He.  20 I assure you: Whoever receives anyone I send receives Me, and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

1. Carpas: The eating of the green vegetable

Current practice:

• Parsley is similar to hyssop
• Hyssop being used to apply blood over doorpost.
• Dipped in salt water – tears drip off
• God parted salt waters of Red Sea

Matthew 26:21-25 - While they were eating, He said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me.”
22 Deeply distressed, each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”
23 He replied, “The one who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl—he will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, His betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”
“You have said it,” He told him. [3]

1. Yachatz: The breaking of the middle Matzah

Current practice: Yachatz means “to divide”

• Plate holding 3 loaves of unleavened bread
• Loaves are wrapped together
• Middle loaf is removed and broken in half
• One half is returned
• The other half, “Afikoman”, is wrapped in linen and hidden for later (for use with the 3rd cup)
• Yachatz is not addressed in Gospels

 

1. Maggid: The Passover Story

Current practice: Maggid means “telling the story”

• The actual Passover story is told (Mishnah)
• From Abraham to Jacob
• From the enslavement in Egypt to the liberation of the Jews
• Important for the children to hear the story.
• 2nd cup is poured out (10 drops=10 plagues)

1) Water to blood
2) Frogs
3) Gnats or lice
4) Flies
5) Sick Cattle
6) Boils
7) Hail
8) Locusts
9) Darkness
10) Death of first born

• Hallel is read (Psalm 113 & 114)

 

1. Rachtzah: Washing of the hands

Current practice: Rachtzah means “washing”

• Dipping of fingers into water

 

1. Motzi: The blessing of He who brings forth bread from the earth

Current practice: Motzi means “the bringing forth”

• Blessing on the bread eaten before the main meal
• “Blessed are You, O Lord our god, ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”

 

1. Matzah: The eating of a small piece of the middle matzah and the upper matzah

Current practice:

• Each participant eats a small piece of the middle and upper matzahs.
• They all recite “Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who commanded us concerning the eating of the Matzah.”
• Points to the swiftness with which the Jews departed from Egypt.

 

1. Maror: Bitter herbs

Current practice: Maror means “bitter herbs”

• Blessing over a bitter herb
• Bitter herb is dipped in charoset
• Brings tears to the eyes in remembrance of tears shed in Egypt and loss of sons in Nile.
• Eaten with matzah (hurriedness & bitterness)

 

1. Coreich: The sandwich

Current practice: Coreich means “combining”

• 2 pieces from bottom matzah with charoset on one piece and maror on the other
• Eaten as a sandwich
• Charoset & maror replaced the lamb
• Eaten with no blessing

John 13:21-30 - When Jesus had said this, He was troubled in His spirit and testified, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me!”
22 The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one He was speaking about. 23 One of His disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close beside Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was He was talking about. 25 So he leaned back against Jesus and asked Him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.”  When He had dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.  27 After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Therefore Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”
28 None of those reclining at the table knew why He told him this. 29 Since Judas kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 After receiving the piece of bread, he went out immediately. And it was night.

1. Shulchan: The eating of the main meal

Current practice:

• Main meal is eaten (no specific menu)
• In Moses’ day, roasted lamb was required
• A different roasted egg was eaten to begin the meal
• The roasted egg was known as the Chagigah and was offered at 9 AM on Passover day
• Since there is no temple the egg was offered in replacement of the lamb
• It is dipped in salt as the sacrifices were salted
• One should not eat or drink too much so they can enjoy the afikoman last.

Luke 22:20 - In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said,… [4]
 
 

1. Tzafun: The eating of the afikoman; Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper or Communion

Current practice: Tzafun means “the hidden”

• After the meal, the afikoman is returned and eaten as “desert”
• Each person receives the size of an olive
• Judas was not present at this point

Luke 22:19 - And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”[5]

• Three compartment bag – Trinity
• Afikoman hidden (burial) and returned (resurrection)
• In conjunction with 3rd cup – Jesus rose on the 3rd day

 

1. Bareich: The grace said over the third cup

Current practice: Bareich is the “cup of redemption”

• To the unredeemed Jew the cup points to the future redemption and freedom of the Jews

Luke 22:20 - In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you.”[6]

• Judas was not present

Luke 22:24-30 - Then a dispute also arose among them about who should be considered the greatest. 25 But He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles dominate them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’  26 But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and whoever leads, like the one serving. 27 For who is greater, the one at the table or the one serving? Isn’t it the one at the table? But I am among you as the One who serves. 28 You are the ones who stood by Me in My trials. 29 I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one on Me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom. And you will sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.”[7]
 
John 13:31-35 - When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.  32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself and will glorify Him at once.
33 “Children, I am with you a little while longer.  You will look for Me, and just as I told the Jews, ‘Where I am going you cannot come,’ so now I tell you.
34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

• This is based upon the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) that already resides in us.

 
Matthew 26:31-35 - Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will run away because of Me, for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.
32 But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
33 Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away!”
34 “I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times!”
35 “Even if I have to die with You,” Peter told Him, “I will never deny You!” And all the disciples said the same thing.
 
Luke 22:35-36 - He also said to them, “When I sent you out without money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?”
“Not a thing,” they said.
36 Then He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money-bag should take it, and also a traveling bag. And whoever doesn’t have a sword should sell his robe and buy one. 37 For I tell you, what is written must be fulfilled in Me: And He was counted among the outlaws.  Yes, what is written about Me is coming to its fulfillment.”
38 “Lord,” they said, “look, here are two swords.”
“Enough of that!”  He told them. [8]

• A sword to defend yourself but not during persecution.

 
John 14 - “Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.  4 You know the way to where I am going.”  5 “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where You’re going. How can we know the way?”
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
        -We, the Church, is His one chosen bride
 
Jesus Reveals the Father
7 “If you know Me, you will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”
8 “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father.  How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?  The words I speak to you I do not speak on My own. The Father who lives in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.
 
Praying in Jesus’ Name
12 “I assure you: The one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.  13 Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
 
Another Counselor Promised
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commands.  16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth.  The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.
 
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
19 “In a little while the world will see Me no longer, but you will see Me.  Because I live, you will live too. 20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, you are in Me, and I am in you. 21 The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me.  And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father.  I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it You’re going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.  24 The one who doesn’t love Me will not keep My words. The word that you hear is not Mine but is from the Father who sent Me.
25 “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit —the Father will send  Him in My name—will teach you all things  and remind you of everything I have told you.
 
Jesus’ Gift of Peace
27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.  28 You have heard Me tell you, ‘I am going away and I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.  29 I have told you now before it happens so that when it does happen you may believe. 30 I will not talk with you much longer, because the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over Me. 31 On the contrary, I am going away so that the world may know that I love the Father. Just as the Father commanded Me, so I do.
“Get up; let’s leave this place.[9]

1. Hallel: The singing of the Psalms 113-118

Current practice:

• These Psalms sung over the 4th cup (cup of praise)

 

1. Nirtzah:

Current practice: Nirtzah means “accepted”

• Modern day addition
• Someone states that God is pleased with how the Seder was performed

 
Since 600 AD, scholarly Jews have debated whether there were 4 or 5 cups.

• A 5th cup was poured but never consumed
• They agreed to leave it that way until Elijah comes and settles the dispute.
• It is now named the Elijah cup.

The door is opened to accommodate his return

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Le 23:4–11). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Lk 22:17–19). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Mt 26:21–25). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Lk 22:20). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Lk 22:19). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Lk 22:20). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Lk 22:24–30). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Lk 22:35–38). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] The Holy Bible : Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Jn 13:1–14:31). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.