Exodus 12:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Through His sacrificial offering, Christ, the Father of the future age, elevates our past existence beyond the confines of time, granting us through baptism a new life reflective of His death and resurrection. Thus, each individual should recognize that the start of their life is marked by the moment when Christ sacrificed Himself for sins. He becomes our sacrificial Lamb once we acknowledge grace and comprehend the new life initiated by that sacrifice. With this understanding, one should aspire to embrace a fresh beginning, leaving behind the former existence that has come to an end. “We are dead to sin; how shall we live in it?” (Rom. 6:2). This encapsulates the profound symbolic nature of the year's commencement.

The Jews mark the beginning of months with the slaughter of the lamb and the exodus from Egypt; for us, the inception of life is found in the suffering of Christ and our liberation with Him from this world—truly, we live when we die to worldly matters, being reborn to God as we depart from our earthly origins.

While the Jews observe shadows of truth, we possess truth itself, as it is written, “the law having a shadow of future benefits” (Heb. 10:1), and “the law was given through Moses; but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). What the Jewish people received was not disconnected from Christ but was rather a foreshadowing of Him; the full realization and clear understanding of these matters awaited His arrival when they beheld Him directly as King. Consider the artist who first sketches a design in shadow before filling it in with color; the shadow resembles something distinct, yet the underlying form remains consistent beneath the hues. With this in mind, let us contemplate the truth indicated by these shadows, ascending from the lesser to the greater, and not be solely earthbound in our reflections, remembering the deliverance of a single nation from oppression, the temporary salvations of young men, and migrations from one place to another. The festivities of the Greeks were similarly transient, commemorating freedom from ailments, liberation from tyrannies, relocations, or victories, dedicating their celebrations to earthly and fleeting matters. Yet now we must focus on the eternal and divine gifts bestowed by God—reflecting on those who participate in the everlasting feast, liberation from warring demons, and the distractions from God's kingdom that endure not briefly but eternally, transitioning from earth to heaven in this life and into an eternal inheritance after the resurrection.

The Egyptians oppressed the Jews, who were descendants of freedom, imposing slavery through brick-making and city construction. This serves as a metaphor for the world's torment, which burdens humanity estranged from divine joy and liberty, laboring in the pursuit of transient concerns and fashioning decaying abodes. As there is nothing lasting in human endeavors—all human work perishes under the hand of time—God desires to liberate His creatures, sympathizing with those weary from toil, much like He once observed the plight of the Israelites and guided them toward exodus. Those who wish to turn to God must submit willingly, while those who have distanced themselves must likewise return. God's servants of the law are sent forth to advocate for justice, guiding others to Him, employing yet mild measures against adversarial forces—not eradicating them completely but addressing them partially, delaying the complete elimination of wickedness from their midst. This pattern prevailed prior to the coming of the Lord, who afterwards appeared alongside His servants, who were precursors and symbols of Him. Moses, accompanied by his brother Aaron, was sent to call the people to serve God while striking the Egyptians with plagues on behalf of the downtrodden. During this time, Israel was still under Egyptian rule, and the king could still defy God. Nine plagues transpired, yet the resolution was not yet apparent; the final blow—the death of the firstborn—was necessary for their liberation. Following this decree, the lamb was sacrificed and its blood marked the doors to spare the firstborn from death. The Israelites consumed the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They departed from Egypt, pursued by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, until they approached the Red Sea, which miraculously parted due to Moses’ staff while engulfing the pursuing Egyptian forces. The Lamb, who is Christ, guides you out of this world, transporting you to heaven and reviving you to eternal life. Removing the descendant of David entails also leading those who follow Him faithfully, freeing them from fear of Pharaoh and the shackles of earthly woes. The fleeting pleasures they once knew, akin to the Israelites’ enjoyment of meat mingled with onions and garlic in Egypt, pale in comparison to the true fulfillment found in Christ. When one emerges from worldly existence, they encounter the true beginning of life, as with the Passover representing the start of the months. Now marks the commencement of life as one departs from worldly existence; true spiritual life awaits.

Let us reflect on the meanings intertwined within these particulars, which we will endeavor to clarify as best we can. The truth resides with the Word of God, who established the holy Passover out of His sovereign purpose. We ask for graciousness if our understanding falters. Revisiting the narrative, we consider the declaration that this month is the beginning of months. Why is the Passover month esteemed as the first of the year? According to sacred Jewish tradition, this period signifies the moment when the Creator God fashioned all that is. It encapsulates the beauty of the world, when the Creator envisioned the splendid tapestry in harmonious order, adorned with a celestial arrangement, favorable timings, the sun's rightful motion, the illuminating dawn, and the flourishing of fruitful generations. As the soil yields to the farmer's labor, the earth flourishes, laden with the promise of life. In such a moment of universal beauty, referred to as the first beginning, it stands to reason that the month of Easter should be deemed the head and origin of all time—just as the Lord, the firstborn of creation, is honored, so too does this month, because of its sacred significance, become the first month of the year and the commencement of all time. This is the same year of which Scripture speaks: “preach the favorable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:19).

To the children of Israel, who were still in bondage under their oppressors in Egypt, this directive was given so that it might symbolically reveal that the human soul could only achieve liberation from sin, escape the clutches of the adversary, and rise to the heavenly city through union with Christ and in accordance with His humanity. This aligns with what He expressed to the wicked Jews: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is a slave of sin. But the slave does not abide in the house forever; the son abides forever. Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:34-36). Furthermore, He affirmed, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you" (Jn. 6:53). The essence of this life can be vividly represented by the promised land, toward which they longed to journey from Egypt.

For Christians, it is the foremost month of Xanax, a period of resurrection during which their bodies will be glorified by the ineffable light that lies hidden within them, bestowed by the Spirit who will then serve as their garment, sustenance, joy, gladness, peace, raiment, and eternal life. All the brilliance and beauty of heaven will then transform into the Spirit of the Godhead, which they have been granted the opportunity to receive within themselves.

When the day and the moon coincide—specifically, when the fourteenth moon aligns with Sunday—Easter should be observed. However, as the fourteenth moon and Sunday often do not coincide, the decision was made to extend the lunar cycle by seven days to ensure that the celebration of Easter Sunday occurs in joy. Therefore, if that day falls before the twenty-first moon, we may delay Easter to maintain the observance of Sunday, ensuring it is not celebrated before March 22 or after April 21. Thus, it was resolved that the interplay of the month, day, and moon should be integral to the celebration of Easter.

Subsequently, the Lord inflicted Egypt with ten miraculous plagues through Moses. It was only the last plague that truly awakened Pharaoh and the Egyptians, as it involved the destruction of their firstborn, both human and animal, by the angel of death. The Lord understood that this final affliction would compel Pharaoh to relent and release the Hebrews. Thus, a few days beforehand, He instructed Moses and Aaron to ready the Hebrews for their exodus from Egypt. This preparation included establishing a new sacred calendar and organizing the Passover sacrifice to be observed on the night the Egyptian firstborn were slain. The Lord communicated to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, saying, "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you." Previously, the Hebrews marked the year from the autumn month of ‘Tishri,’ aligning with the latter part of September and the early part of October, believing that creation took place during this time (Ex. 23:16; Ex. 34:22; Lev. 25:3). Now, the Lord instituted a new ecclesiastical year, proclaiming the first month to be that of their deliverance from Egypt—specifically the first month of spring, known as ‘Abib,’ meaning the month of ripening ears (Ex. 23:16; Ex. 34:22; Lev. 25:3). Barley matured during this period, and following the Babylonian exile, it came to be referred to as ‘Nisan’ (Nehemiah 2:1; Esther 3:7). It delighted the Lord that the season of spring’s renewal would coincide with the renewal of His mercy toward His chosen people, serving as a lasting reminder to all future generations of the new life bestowed upon the Hebrews through their liberation from Egyptian oppression.

The Hebrew months were based on an Egyptian calendar, consisting of thirty days each, with an added five days in the month of Elul to create a solar year, even though religious observances were sometimes aligned with the lunar phases. After a period of 120 years, an extra month was introduced, adjusting the calendar by an additional thirty days.