There are many traditions of the Passover Seder, but the most mysterious is the Afikoman. Why is a piece of matzah broken in two, with one half hidden, returned, and then eaten in small pieces ceremoniously after the meal?
Some speculate that the Messianic Jewish community added the tradition of the breaking of the middle matzah and the Afikoman. This customs does seem to relate to the person of the Messiah who was sent forth from G-d to be broken by and for us, as well as the eating of a small piece of matzah in remembrance of Messiah’s death after the meal. Yes, the body of the Messiah was wrapped in a burial cloth and hidden away. Yes, Yeshua’s followers went to anoint His body and found it missing. And yes, Messiah Yeshua rose from the dead on the third day after his burial and appeared to his talmidim. It’s true that there is no evidence that Messiah Yeshua’s seder included three matzot, with the middle matzah removed, broken and wrapped in a cloth. The 3rd Century Jewish book, the Mishnah,tells us there was no Afikoman; it was prohibited in the days of the Temple. Instead a small piece of the Passover lamb was eaten ritually after the meal in rememberance of the first Passover lamb from Egypt, after which no other solid food was to be eaten! It is probable that after the eating of this small piece of lamb, Messiah Yeshua might have used broken matzah as a way to ritualize remembrance of his death as providing freedom from slavery to sin. We just don’t know for sure because there isn’t enough textual evidence.
At Passover, Jewish people will take a final piece of matzah after the meal in remembrance of a lamb. As Messianic Jews, we take this piece of matzah in remembrance not just of the Passover Lamb from Egypt, but more importantly in remembrance of our ultimate Passover Lamb, Messiah Yeshua, who died as our sacrifice so we could be forgiven our sins and have a relationship with G-d.
Forward for Messiah,
Kirk
Gliebe
Rabbi & Director
