Exodus 12:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This conveys the deeper significance of the directive not to leave any sacrificial meat until morning. In the future, we too shall experience life, with our current state of death passing away; while we are presently saved solely through death, we shall ultimately find salvation through life. "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory" (Col. 2:2-4). Therefore, if any of the sacrificial meat remains, it is to be incinerated, reinforcing that in this present age, Christ once died for sin, and death no longer reigns over Him; it has been vanquished by the power of the Spirit, as if consumed by fire, when life overcame the sign of death. "Her bones shall not be broken" (Ex. 12:46). Blessed John interpreted this as referring to Christ's body, which was preserved because His legs were not shattered; this also carries a spiritual meaning since His strength remained invulnerable, thereby rendering His body untouched by decay, built on a solid and indestructible foundation, arranged divinely rather than corporeally, having a divine origin, impervious to human decay. "His flesh hath not seen corruption" (Acts 2:31). Having explored the redemptive significance of sacred nourishment, we shall now conclude our discourse, pausing on other matters for another time, and beseech the Lord as David did—"open my eyes that I may see the wonders of Your law" (Ps. 118:18)—so that our understanding of the law may transcend mere forms as the Jews did, allowing us to contemplate divine symbols with divine insight, leading us to the most sacred truth in Christ Jesus our Lord. To Him, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory forever. Amen.

The bones of the lamb were not to be broken, as the law stipulates, foreshadowing Christ, for as the Gospel shows, no one shattered the holy legs of the Lord, "that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘Let not His bone be broken’" (John 19:36). The lamb's meat is consumed at night and not reserved for the day, reflecting on the death of Christ in this present age, while life awaits in the future.

The lamb’s meat is eaten at night, not saved for the day, as a remembrance of Christ's suffering amid the world’s darkness, after which the day will break, revealing the life of Christ, as it is written: "the day is at hand" (Rom. 13:12). The bones of the lamb are not broken; likewise, the soldiers did not break the legs of Christ, unlike those of the others who were crucified alongside Him, as noted by the Evangelist (John 19:33).

"Her bones shall not be broken" (Ex. 12:46)—this affirms the resurrection of the body. "Put," He says, "your finger into the wounds of the nails" (John 20:27, 25), to understand "for a spirit does not have flesh and bones" (Luke 24:39).

When that individual finally approaches the end of their journey, they may find sanctification; however, they present their Lord with an unproductive offering instead of diligently investing in their faith. Moreover, it is written that ‘bones shall not be broken from him’ (Exodus 12:46). Bones are not typically suitable for our consumption. Similarly, in a sense, the Word, which is pure and, so to speak, concealed in its divine essence, remains inaccessible to human comprehension. We firmly believe that the Son is God by His very nature and that He is begotten of the Father, and we rightly grasp this truth, yet we do not scrutinize it deeply, following the counsel of the holy man. For who can articulate the nature of His birth? Is not the prophet accurate when he proclaims: ‘Who shall explain His generation? For He is cut off from the land of the living?’ (Isaiah 53:8). In this context, He refers to bones as the strength of doctrines that transcend human understanding. The lawgiver forbids us from breaking them; however, the heretics, who deviate from the truth, do act thus within themselves. They attempt to explore the Divine and ineffable nature of the Son’s birth, suffering from unparalleled folly and overlooking what is recorded: ‘Who measured...? the heavens a fifth?’ (Isaiah 40:12). Therefore, it is just that we refrain from breaking the bones of the lamb, wisely pausing at this point and instead accepting by faith what is beyond our grasp. We must also recognize that the written word can indeed be read in a historical context regarding our Savior, as Pilate's soldiers refrained from breaking ‘His shins’ (John 19:33). What was left of the lamb ‘until the morning’ is to be burned, which symbolizes the enlightenment that awaits us in the age to come, when we shall behold our King and God ‘face to face,’ and not as now, ‘in divination’ and mirrors, viewing only a reflection ‘of a part,’ as Paul observes (1 Cor. 13:12). Therefore, to indicate that the limited understanding we have now may ultimately be surpassed by clearer knowledge, He metaphorically suggests that what remains of the lamb should be burned with fire before morning.

Yet, let us take care not to ‘break’ the ‘bones’—that is, the aspects that are beyond our understanding—through poor interpretation. I will remind you that the bones of Jesus were not broken (Jn. 19:36) in a historical sense, even though those who crucified sought to hasten the death because of the Sabbath. Let us avoid allowing these sacred things to be 'cast before dogs', the wicked tormentors of the Word, or to throw to swine that which is precious, like gems found in the Scripture. Rather, let them be consumed by the divine fire, which burns like their torment, so that all offerings—refined by the guiding Spirit—are preserved rather than lost and scattered upon the waters, as was done by Moses with the head of the bullock, as a testament to the Israelites’ hardness of heart.

Yet, as understanding every divine word and sacrament proves to be a formidable challenge, it is wisely noted that "what remains of him shall be burnt with fire until morning." We offer the remnants of the Lamb when we graciously surrender what we cannot grasp in the mystery of His Incarnation to the Holy Spirit's influence, ensuring that none in their arrogance become inclined to scorn or disregard what they do not comprehend, but rather yield it to the purifying fire, submitting it to the Holy Spirit.

Why was it decreed that the bones of the lamb should not be broken, even if the body itself was subject to injury? Likely it was to maintain the holistic nature of the sacrifice as intended, which also carries profound implications concerning Christ's death. The Gospel writer John notes that the soldiers did not break the bones of the crucified Lord, stating, "this happened, that the Scripture may be fulfilled, that His bone may not be broken" (John 19:36).