Leviticus 23:4

"These are the set feasts of Jehovah, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, is Jehovah's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Jehovah: seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work."

Sometimes one encounters the proposition that "six feasts are mentioned in this chapter, whereas there are only three in Exodus 34," with the usual reference to "later editors," "redactors," etc., but, as Kellogg pointed out, the three major feasts here: Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and Tabernacles are carefully distinguished and set apart from the others by "the use of the Hebrew word [~haggiym], a word that sets them apart and signifies a special degree of gladness and festivity."[6] The purpose in Exodus was to name only the [~haggiym]; whereas, here, "the appointed seasons" are named (distinguished by the Hebrew word [~haggam]). Since the [~haggam] included also the [~haggiym] given in Exodus 34, they were of necessity included here also.[7]

PASSOVER. This was the great celebration of the night of God's deliverance from Egyptian bondage, an event that followed immediately after the tenth and final visitation of God's wrath upon Egypt in the slaying of the firstborn. It was celebrated on the fourteenth of Nisan (the old name was Abib), the first month of the ecclesiastical year.

FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD. This followed at once upon the celebration of Passover; it lasted seven days; and both the first day (the fifteenth) and the last day (the twenty-first) were also observed as holy convocations (sabbaths, or periods of rest). In this appears the back-to-back sabbaths on the successive dates of Nisan 14,15 which also occurred while our Lord was in the tomb. That is why Matthew wrote, "And after the sabbaths (plural) were past ... came Mary Magdalene ... etc." (Matthew 28:1, see the Greek Text). The recognition of this truth has a significant bearing upon determining what day it was when our Lord was crucified.

"Ye shall do no servile work ..." (Leviticus 23:7). We have already noted that this was a less strict command than the "no manner of work" prohibited on the sabbath. Orlinsky gave the meaning of this phrase as, "You shall not work at your occupation."[8]

Both the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were discussed at length in my commentary on Exodus, and they will appear a third time in Numbers 28.

It should be remembered, however, that both Passover and Unleavened Bread are significant in their implications for Christians. Christ is our Passover. He is the great Antitype of the Passover Lamb. His blood redeems people, not by being sprinkled on a door-post, but by Christ's shedding his blood on Calvary for the sins of the whole world.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is likewise significant. "Bread signifies communion or fellowship with Christ, and the leaven which was purged out signifies sin, or evil."[9] Christians are commanded to "purge out the old leaven" (1 Corinthians 5:7,8; 2 Corinthians 7:1; and Galatians 5:7,9).