Jesus: Lamb or Bull?

[steveb1]

What is the significance of Jesus’ sacrificial atonement being symbolized in Paschal Lamb imagery? In normative Judaism, the lamb was simply an element of the Seder, along with the matzo, the bitter herbs, etc.

Traditionally, the lamb’s only function beyond nourishment was to have its blood smeared on Hebrew doorposts, in order for YHVH’s avenging angel to see it and “pass over” houses so marked. But the Passover lamb, as far as I know, never symbolized the redemption of Israel, and was never thought to be a sin-expiation or a religious sacrifice - so its application to Jesus strikes one as rather odd.

If memory serves, the “atoning animal sacrifices” made in the Temple by the Jewish priests were never Passover lambs, but rather other animals like bulls or goats. The Paschal lamb was butchered in the home, then privately served with Seder dinner. So the two animals - one, the lamb; the other, the priestly altar animals, seem to serve two entirely different functions. The lamb is for a private commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt; the bull is for a public altar sacrifice.

Therefore, why and how did Jesus’ bloody sacrifice on the cross come to be associated with a purely private, NON-SACRIFICIAL consumption of a lamb? One would expect that if Jesus’ atonement was going to be associated with an animal, that animal would have been a truly sacrificial animal, such as the bulls that were indeed used in Temple atonement sacrifice.

 

[Ben_F]

Maybe because John the Baptist told his followers that Jesus was the Lamb of God. God bless:thumbsup:

 

[PAboy57]

for me the lamb shows more accurately how the most decent man was slaughtered with no fight. he allowed is persecutors to do as they wished much like a lamb.

 

[The_Wanderer]

The angel of death saw the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of the Israelites and passed them by, sparing them the horrors to be inflicted on the Egyptians. Likewise, the blood of Jesus causes the angel of death to pass his believers over, sparing them the horrors of judgment.

 

[phoooiee]

I wish I remembered what lecture I heard this on but it is available on CD. I borrowed it from my dad so I no longer have it. I think it was called something like “Jewish roots of the Eucharist?”

According to this lecture, Jesus intended to restore the Melchisedechian priesthood, in which each man was considered a priest of his own household, rather than the Levitical priesthood in which priests could only be members of certain tribes.

I might not have all that exactly correct, but that was the gist of it.

 

[The_Wanderer]

Melchisedechian priesthood, in which each man was considered a priest of his own household.

Something like this?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priesthood_of_all_believers

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

Traditionally, the lamb’s only function beyond nourishment was to have its blood smeared on Hebrew doorposts, in order for YHVH’s avenging angel to see it and “pass over” houses so marked. But the Passover lamb, as far as I know, never symbolized the redemption of Israel, and was never thought to be a sin-expiation or a religious sacrifice - so its application to Jesus strikes one as rather odd.

You answered your own question.

The angel of death passed over those whose doorposts were marked with the blood of a lamb. In the same way, death passes over those who are marked with the blood of the Lamb (that is, Jesus).

It is also important to note that the lamb was consumed after its blood was used to claim following of the Hebrew God (Yaweh) in the same way that we eat the flesh of Christ at eucharist.

The fact that Jesus is indeed the lamb of God (as referenced in NT writings) really does show the emphasis that Jesus’ blood causes death to pass over us, and it is only by his grace we can stand.

As to why he is not a sacrificial bull or other animal used, I think it all comes back to the idea that Jesus really did turn common hebrew understandings upside down. He wasn’t a warrior-king, he didn’t return the nation of Israel to it former state and rebuild the temple in a physical way…I think the fact that he is the passover lamb, rather than a bull, is more to add to that plate.

 

[DPMartin]

What is the significance of Jesus’ sacrificial atonement being symbolized in Paschal Lamb imagery? In normative Judaism, the lamb was simply an element of the Seder, along with the matzo, the bitter herbs, etc.

Traditionally, the lamb’s only function beyond nourishment was to have its blood smeared on Hebrew doorposts, in order for YHVH’s avenging angel to see it and “pass over” houses so marked. But the Passover lamb, as far as I know, never symbolized the redemption of Israel, and was never thought to be a sin-expiation or a religious sacrifice - so its application to Jesus strikes one as rather odd.

If memory serves, the “atoning animal sacrifices” made in the Temple by the Jewish priests were never Passover lambs, but rather other animals like bulls or goats. The Paschal lamb was butchered in the home, then privately served with Seder dinner. So the two animals - one, the lamb; the other, the priestly altar animals, seem to serve two entirely different functions. The lamb is for a private commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt; the bull is for a public altar sacrifice.

Therefore, why and how did Jesus’ bloody sacrifice on the cross come to be associated with a purely private, NON-SACRIFICIAL consumption of a lamb? One would expect that if Jesus’ atonement was going to be associated with an animal, that animal would have been a truly sacrificial animal, such as the bulls that were indeed used in Temple atonement sacrifice.

Steveb1

good question

The significance of Jesus understood as “the Lamb of God” (note of God) in Jewish terms is that He is of God the sacrifice provided of God in the Son of man. When Abraham was to sacrifice his beloved son, and his son asked, where is the sacrifice to be offered. Abraham told him, the Lord would provide. And the ram in the bush was provided. It is not the sacrifice that is of man that is sufficient it that which is of God that is sufficient for Salvation.

The tradition, if you will, is not something that started with the Hebrews. The first of mankind to experience the life leaving the body, for the blood is the life of the body, is Abel. Who’s offering was respect of the Lord God. And the Lord God made it known to Cain and all the world (human existence) that He heard the blood (life of the body) cry out to Him from the ground. Therefore the Hope to all mankind that it ain’t over, until God says so. Since God can hear life that has left the body then there is life after the life leaves the body. Lazarus heard the Word of the Lord after the life of his body left the body and lived, his life restored to the body. Not only is it important that God hear our cry, but that we hear Him and live.

Hence the death to fear, as Jesus says “the second death”. And that Jesus shall judge the living and the dead. And that He has the keys to gates of hell in His hand, hence He has the keys to the gates of His enemies. It ain’t over, until God says so.

The Bull or bullock is the atonement for the worshiping of other gods of man’s imaginations. Or better yet that man think, or believe his own life in the body is more important then that which gives life, the Word of God. It is understood (By commentary in the Torah) that Aaron’s making of the golden calf was atoned for in this part of the sacrifice. Hence the repentance of those who would guide others to other god’s, in the recognition there of, before God. A lot of times what is to be confessed or admitted before God is illustrated in these sacrifices, that one would recognize in respect of His Mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of God’s Will for mankind, to God the Father’s satisfaction, for the sake of such sinners sins. to know that it is forgiven when it is repented and confessed before Him. To what good is repentance if one doesn’t understand what he is repenting from, and for?

Such other teachings of the Lord God to mankind through that which He told the Israelites to do, are teachings of the result of “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Hence you may: “repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand”.

 

[Barbkw]

During the year, two lambs were sacrificed each day at the Temple mount. One in the morning and one in the evening.

At Yom Kippur, bull’s blood was offered within the Holy of Holies for the sin offering of the priest celebrating and for his immediate family.

One goat’s blood was offered for the sins of the priests collectively.

The sins of the Jewish people were confessed by the priest upon the back of a second “escape goat”.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur

-**Bull as Personal Sin-Offering **The Kohen Gadol leaned (performed Semikha) and made a confession over the bull on behalf of himself and his household, pronouncing the Tetragrammaton. The people prostrated themselves when they heard. He then slaughtered the bull as a chatat (sin-offering) and received its blood in a bowl.

-Lottery of the goats At the Eastern (Nikanor) gate, the Kohen Gadol drew lots from a lottery box over two goats. One was selected “for the Lord,” and one “for Azazel.” The Kohen Gadol tied a red band around the horns of the goat “for Azazel.”

-Incense Preparation The Kohen Gadol ascended the mizbeach (altar) and took a shovel full of embers with a special shovel. He was brought incense. He filled his hands and placed it in a vessel. (The Talmud considered this the most physically difficult part of the service, as the Kohen Gadol had to keep the shovelful of glowing coals balanced and prevent its contents from dropping, using his armpit or teeth, while filling his hands with the incense).

-Incense Offering Holding the shovel and the vessel, he entered the Kadosh Hakadashim, the Temple’s Holy of Holies. In the days of the First Temple, he placed the shovel between the poles of the Ark of the Covenant. In the days of the Second Temple, he put the shovel where the Ark would have been. He waited until the chamber filled with smoke and left.

-Sprinkling of Bull’s Blood in the Holy of Holies The Kohen Gadol took the bowl with the bull’s blood and entered the Most Holy Place again. He sprinkled the bull’s blood with his finger eight times, before the Ark in the days of the First Temple, where it would have been in the days of the Second. The Kohen Gadol then left the Holy of Holies, putting the bowl on a stand in front of the Parochet (curtain separating the Holy from the Holy of Holies).

-**Goat for the Lord as Sin-Offering **for Kohanim The Kohen Gadol went to the eastern end of the Israelite courtyard near the Nikanor Gate, laid his hands (semikha) on the goat “for the Lord,” and pronounced **confession on behalf of the Kohanim (priests). **The people prostrated themselves when he pronounced the Tetragrammaton. He then slaughtered the goat, and received its blood in another bowl.

 

[Barbkw]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur

-Sprinkling of Goat’s Blood in the Holy of Holies The Kohen Gadol took the bowl with the goat’s blood and entered the Kadosh Hakadashim, the Temple’s Holy of Holies again. He sprinkled the goat’s blood with his finger eight times the same way he had sprinkled the bull’s blood. The blood was sprinkled before the Ark in the days of the First Temple, where it would have been in the days of the Second Temple. The Kohen Gadol then left the Kadosh Hakadashim, putting the bowl on a stand in front of the Parochet (curtain separating the Holy from the Holy of Holies).

-Sprinkling of blood in the Holy Standing in the Hekhal (Holy), on the other side of the Parochet from the Holy of Holies, the Kohen Gadol took the bull’s blood from the stand and sprinkled it with his finger eight times in the direction of the Parochet. He then took the bowl with the goat’s blood and sprinkled it eight times in the same manner, putting it back on the stand.

-Smearing of blood on the Golden (Incense) Altar The Kohen Gadol removed the goat’s blood from the stand and mixed it with the bull’s blood. Starting at the northeast corner, he then smeared the mixture of blood on each of the four corners of the Golden (Incense) altar in the Haichal. He then sprinkled the blood eight times on the altar.

-**Goat for Azazel **The Kohen Gadol left the Haichal and walked to the east side of the Azarah (Israelite courtyard). Near the Nikanor Gate, he leaned his hands (Semikha) on the goat “for Azazel” and confessed the sins of the entire people of Israel. The people prostrated themselves when he pronounced the Tetragrammaton. While he made a general confession, individuals in the crowd at the Temple would confess privately. The Kohen Gadol **then sent the goat off “to the wilderness.” **In practice, to prevent its return to human habitation, the goat was led to a cliff outside Jerusalem and pushed off its edge.

Preparation of sacrificial animals While the goat “for Azazel” was being led to the cliff, the Kohen Gadol removed the insides of the bull, and intertwined the bodies of the bull and goat. Other people took the bodies to the Beit HaDeshen (place of the ashes). They were burned there after it was confirmed that the goat “for Azazel” had reached the wilderness.

-Reading the Torah After it was confirmed that the goat “for Azazel” had been pushed off the cliff, the Kohen Gadol passed through the Nikanor Gate into the Ezrat Nashim (Women’s Courtyard) and read sections of the Torah describing Yom Kippur and its sacrifices.

Garment change 2 The Kohen Gadol removed his linen garments, immersed in the mikvah in the Temple courtyard, and changed into a second set of special golden garments. He washed his hands and feet both before removing the linen garments and after putting on the golden ones.

-Offering of Rams The Kohen Gadol offered two rams as an olah offering, slaughtering them on the north side of the mizbeach (outer altar), receiving their blood in a bowl, carrying the bowl to the outer altar, and dashing the blood on the northeast and southwest corners of the Outer Altar. He dismembered the rams and burned the parts entirely on the outer altar. He then offered the accompanying mincha (grain) offerings and nesachim (wine-libations).

-Musaf Offering The Kohen Gadol then offered the Musaf offering.

-Burning of Innards The Kohen Gadol placed the insides of the bull and goat on the outer altar and burned them entirely.

-*Garment change 3 The Kohen Gadol removed his golden garments, immersed in the mikvah, and changed to a new set of linen garments, again washing his hands and feet twice.

-Removal of Incense from the Holy of Holies The Kohen Gadol returned to the Holy of Holies and removed the bowl of incense and the shovel.

-Garment Change 4 The Kohen Gadol removed his linen garments, immersed in the mikvah, and changed into a third set of golden garments, again washing his hands and feet twice.

-Evening (Tamid) Offering The Kohen Gadol completed the afternoon portion of the regular (tamid) daily offering in the special golden garments. He washed his hands and feet a tenth time.

-The Kohen Gadol wore five sets of garments (three golden and two white linen), immersed in the mikvah five times, and washed his hands and feet ten times. **Sacrifices included two (daily) lambs, one bull, two goats, and two rams, with accompanying mincha (meal) offerings, wine libations, and three incense offerings (the regular two daily and an additional one for Yom Kippur). **

-The Kohen Gadol entered the Holy of Holies three times. The Tetragrammaton was pronounced three times, once for each confession.[13]

 

[Barbkw]

As Jesus had foretold, Judaism’s sacrifical system of atonement, would be brought to an end. In 70AD the Romans under the Emperor Titus, leveled the Temple Mount.

“The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Luke 19:43-44)

 

[Barbkw]

templemount.co.il/shonebarger.pdf

On the day of preparation for Passover, Jesus was sacrificed a Passover lamb.

Jesus endured the punishment that every person deserves, so that God’s eternal punishment would “pass-over” his people.

(Matthew 26:26-28; 26:57-68;

Leviticus 24:16;

John 19:7, 31;

Exodus 12:21;

Isaiah 53:7;

1 Corinthians 5:7)

 

[steveb1]

Just a brief note of thanks to all who have, and are, replying to my question. Lots of interesting ideas here

 

[Ora_et_Labora_1]

Jesus endured the punishment that every person deserves, so that God’s eternal punishment would “pass-over” his people.

Sorry, but that is simply not correct. That is in fact a Protestant belief (which, strangely, more and more Catholics seem to be subscriping to) which stems from a misunderstanding of St. Anlsem’s explanation of the Atonement.

 

[peeteyg]

I would go to www.the4thcup.com and watch the video. Pitre also has a Jewish roots of the Eucharist video on this site also. It cover this issue nicely.

 

[Mintaka]

Re: Passover lambs –

What do you mean, not a sacrifice? What do you mean, private?

If you were a Jew and able to get to Jerusalem for Passover, you did. Why? So you could have your Passover lamb sacrificed and slaughtered at the Temple. There were hundreds of thousands of lambs sacrificed for Passover. Once the priests were done, they gave you the meat to take back to wherever you were staying.

So far from being totally private, every lamb had to be shared by at least X many people. If you were there by yourself, you would have to find somebody else to share Passover and a lamb with.

If you couldn’t get to Jerusalem, then sure, you could sacrifice the lamb at home. But again, you had to share it with at least X many other people, related or not.

Nowadays, Passover lamb is a food dish, because Jews don’t sacrifice animals since the destruction of the Temple et al. But that’s only nowadays.