The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 273

Vers. 1-29.-.The Passover. God's last and overwhelming blow was about to be struck at Egypt. In anticipation of that blow, and in immediate connection with the exodus, God gave directions for the observance of a. Passover. L THE PASSOVER m ITS ooNNECTION WITH THE HmTOBY, For details of the ritual, see the verses of the chapter. 1. The design of the Passover was to make plain to Israel the ground on which its salvation was bestowed-the ground, viz., of Atone- ment. " The more recent plagues had fallen on Egypt alone. The children of Israel were saved from them. But·though the salvation was obvious, the way of salvation had not yet been indicated. But now that the last and heaviest plague ie about to fall, not only will Israel be saved from it, but the ground on which (the whole) salvation is bestowed will be made plain." 2. The connection of the Passover with the e:rodm. In this relation it ie to be viewed more especially as a purificatory sacrifice. Such a sacrifice was peculiarly appropriat.e on the night of leaving Egypt, and one would probably have been appointed, even had no such special reason existed for it as the judgment on the first-born. 3. The connection of the Passover with the ;"udgrrumt on the first-b(J'f"Tj. Israel was God's Son, Hie firstborn (eh. x. 22), and is in turn represented by his first-born ; and so with Egypt. Because Pbaraoh would not let Israel (God's first-born) go, God had declared his purpose of smiting" all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast" (ver. 12); the punishment in this case, as frequently in God's Providence (cf. Is. m. 16), ta.king a fo~ analogo~ to the sin it is designed to chastise. "The first-born represented the family, so that Judgment of the first-born stood for judgment upon all, and redemption of the first-born stood for the redemption of all" (Dr. Gibson). Accordingly, not the firstborn merely, but the entire household, as represented in him, was redeemed by the blood of the Pass?ver, and joined in the subsequent feast upon the lamb (ver. 8). Note, thare was a pecul11J.rfitnes11 in the Passover being instituted at this particular crisis. (1) The death of the first- born was a jud.gment pure and simple; not, like the hail, locusts, etc., an admonitory plague. (2) It gave a height.ened and impressive chara.ct.er to the salvation that redemption by blood, redemption by power, and the emergence o~ the peol?le from slavery into distinct exist.ence as a people of God, were thus seen going hand 1n hand. The analogy with the Christian redemption is obvious. 4. The teaching of the Pass- over. It taught the people (1) that naturally they were as justly e:r;posed to wrath a, tl,e peopk of Egypt. " Whether viewed in their individual or in their collective on, xu. 1-29.] THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 267