All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. The passover, and the feast of unleavened bread only; for a Gentile was first to be circumcised, and be joined to the congregation, and then partake of it, and not before. read more
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, Who by so doing became a proselyte of the gate, he observing the commands of the sons of Noah: and will keep the passover of the Lord ; is desirous of being admitted to that ordinance: let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near, and keep it : first himself, and then all his male children and male servants, and then, and not till then, he might approach to this ordinance, and observe it; for by this means he would become a... read more
One law shall be to him that is homeborn ,.... A proper Israelite, one that is so by descent: and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you ; that becomes a proselyte to the true religion; these were both bound by the same law, and obliged to observe the same rites and ceremonies, and partook of the same ordinances, benefits, and privileges; this was a dawn of grace to the poor Gentiles, and presignified what would be in Gospel times, when they should be fellow citizens with the... read more
And when a stranger - will keep the passover, etc. - Let all who sojourn among you, and who desire to partake of this sacred ordinance, not only be circumcised themselves, but all the males of their families likewise, that they may all have an equal right to the blessings of the covenant. read more
One law shall be to him that is home-born, etc. - As this is the first place that the term תורה torah or Law occurs, a term of the greatest importance in Divine revelation, and on the proper understanding of which much depends, I judge it best to give its genuine explanation once for all. The word תורה torah comes from the root ירה yarah , which signifies to aim at, teach, point out, direct, lead, guide, make straight, or even; and from these significations of the word (and in... read more
Passover precepts realised in Christian practice. The precepts were:— I. THAT NO UNCIRCUMCISED STRANGER , NOT EVEN THOUGH A HIRED SERVANT IN A HEBREW FAMILY , SHOULD EAT OF IT . Formally, baptism corresponds to circumcision, both of them admitting into covenant with God; and thus the rule of Christian communities generally, that the reception of baptism must precede that of the Lord's Supper, is a carrying out of this precept. But it is also carried... read more
1 . The absolute exclusion of all uncircumcised persons from participation in the passover rite; 2 . The extension of the rite (implied in Exodus 23:19 ) to all full proselytes; and, 3 . The injunction that not a bone of the lamb should be broken. (This last is repeated in Numbers 9:12 ) read more
The spirit of the Passover ordinance. The features to be specified reappear in the Lord's Supper. The ordinance was— I. EXCLUSIVE . ( Exodus 12:43 , Exodus 12:45 , Exodus 12:48 .) A stranger, an uncircumcised person, and a hired servant, were not to be permitted to oat of it. Their relation to Israel was wholly external. In like manner, the Lord's Supper is exclusive. It excludes the stranger to the death of Christ, the uncircumcised in heart, and those who sustain a merely... read more
The Law of the Passover. I. WHAT GOD REQUIRES IN ITS OBSERVANCE . 1 . God demands purity of communion. No stranger is to cat of it. 2 . It is not to be carried out from the midst of the household of faith. The peace and fellowship of the Gospel are only for the circumcised in heart. 3 . Communion with Christ to be characterised by reverence and holy awe: not a bone of him is to be broken. 4 . Every wall of partition is removed. All who believe have a right to... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 12:43-51
Some further precepts are here given concerning the passover, as it should be observed in times to come. I. All the congregation of Israel must keep it, Exod. 12:47. All that share in God's mercies should join in thankful praises for them. Though it was observed in families apart, yet it is looked upon as the act of the whole congregation; for the smaller communities constituted the greater. The New-Testament passover, the Lord's supper, ought not to be neglected by any who are capable of... read more