Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Book Review: What Every Christian Needs To Know About Passover

What Every Christian Needs to Know About Passover: What It Means and Why It Matters. Rabbi Evan Moffic. 2015. Abingdon Press. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I found What Every Christian Needs to Know About Passover informative and interesting. It is written primarily for a Christian audience, a Christian audience with an interest in Judaism. The author assumes that his readers are curious and seeking. (I imagine he's right about that for the most part!)

Not every Christian will find the subject fascinating. I believe that there is one book and only one book that EVERY Christian needs to read: the Bible. There are few books, in my opinion, that "every" Christian "needs" to read.

That being said, most of my life I've been curious about Judaism: Jewish culture and traditions and beliefs. So this book definitely filled a need for me. It is a reader-friendly book on the subject of Passover.

The first three chapters serve as an introduction. The first chapter focuses on the first Passover. The second chapter focuses on how/why Passover was celebrated throughout the centuries up until the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70. The third chapter focuses on the celebration of Passover since the destruction of the Temple. In other words, how Passover has changed throughout the centuries, and more on how it is currently being celebrated, and why it still matters.

The next five chapters focus on the preparation for Passover and the meal itself. These chapters are rich in detail. In some ways, I feel these chapters are the most substantive.

The next two chapters focus on contemporary meanings of the Passover story. It's all about the freedom themes of Passover, and the universal quest for freedom.

The final chapter is a script of sorts. A Passover seder that strives to be authentically Jewish yet be primarily (exclusively) for Christian participants.

Christians interested in the subject should find it worth their time. It is informative, and rich in detail. But don't expect it to be gospel-focused. Expect facts and details about Passover, some reflection on what it has meant, and continues to mean to various Jewish communities.

The book is not about how Christ is the fulfillment of the prophecies, the ultimate sacrifice, the Lamb of God. I can't help but feel that Charles Spurgeon would be disappointed with this one! The focus is on the Passover meal itself, and, not on Jesus Christ.


Quotes:
This meal can draw you closer to God, and can help you find God's liberation from the places of scarcity, of imprisonment, that lurk in your life. 
The Passover story can speak to us wherever we are on the journey of our lives. My goal in this book is to help you discover what message this sacred story holds for you.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

1 comment:

EBM said...

Dear Becky, Thank you for the review and for your kind words. I'm glad it was informative and I appreciate your insights and concerns. All the best, Evan