BibleProject Podcast Summary: "How Are the Passover and Yom Kippur Lambs Connected?"

Release Date: May 5, 2025

The BibleProject Podcast’s episode titled "How Are the Passover and Yom Kippur Lambs Connected?" offers an in-depth exploration of the intricate relationships between two pivotal Jewish festivals and their theological implications within the broader biblical narrative. Hosted by Timothy and John, the episode delves into listener questions, scholarly insights, and rich theological discussions that illuminate the connections between Passover and Yom Kippur lambs, culminating in their significance for understanding Jesus as the New Moses.

1. Introduction and Overview of the Exodus Way

At the outset, Timothy and John reflect on the culmination of their "Exodus Way" series, emphasizing the depth and breadth of listener engagement. They highlight the additional resources accompanying the series, including a recently released video showcasing the Exodus narrative in their signature doodle style (00:40), and the development of comprehensive guide pages by their scholarship team designed to facilitate personal or group study (01:18). These resources are available through the show notes and their online platforms, encouraging listeners to further engage with the material.

2. Listener Questions and In-Depth Discussions

a. Seven Women in Genesis and Exodus

Question by Daniel from Pensacola, Florida (02:25): Daniel observes that both Genesis and Exodus feature seven women who make pivotal moral choices, suggesting a literary pattern that underscores the role of women in the biblical narrative. He asks whether the seven women in Exodus mirror those in Genesis and if this pattern holds deeper thematic significance.

Discussion: Timothy and John acknowledge Daniel's astute observation, noting that a detailed exploration of the seven women in Exodus was pending their discussion with scholar Tamara (03:26). They explore the moral complexities these women navigate, such as the midwives Shiphrah and Puah who deceive Pharaoh to save lives (04:30). John emphasizes the importance of creative, nonviolent subversion in these narratives, aligning with the broader themes of divine deliverance without rebellion (05:34).

Timothy extends the conversation to the seven women in Genesis—Eve, Sarah, Hagar, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, and Tamar—highlighting their significant agency and morally complex decisions. This parallel underscores a recurring biblical motif where women play crucial roles in the unfolding of God’s redemptive plans (07:30). The discussion underscores how these narratives build towards an ideal partnership of men and women, reflecting back to the Eden story's themes of redemption and creation (11:27).

b. Birth Imagery and the Exodus Story

Question by Queena from Greenwood, Delaware (11:43): Queena draws parallels between the Exodus narrative and the imagery of childbirth, likening the Israelites' suffering and deliverance to the pains of labor and birth. She inquires whether additional birth images can be extracted from the Exodus story and how these might relate to Jesus' role or Mary’s.

Discussion: Timothy and John explore the metaphor of suffering as an incubator for new life, connecting the groaning of the Israelites in bondage to the pains of childbirth (17:29). Timothy references Genesis' creation narrative, where life emerges from potentiality, akin to a womb (15:05). The conversation delves into how biblical authors intertwine themes of life, death, and rebirth, positioning Exodus as a period of suffering that generates new life, much like childbirth (17:59).

John introduces the complexity of Paul's writings on salvation through childbirth (18:00), highlighting the nuanced interpretations of biblical texts regarding salvation and birth imagery. Timothy connects this to broader themes in the New Testament, where Jesus' death and resurrection are framed as acts of purification and rebirth, reinforcing the symbolic linkage between Exodus and the birth narratives (24:21).

c. Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart and God’s Relationship to Evil

Question by Matt from San Francisco, California (24:28): Matt probes the theological tension in Exodus where Pharaoh's heart is sometimes described as being hardened by God versus Pharaoh hardening his own heart. He questions whether this indicates a broader pattern in God's interaction with oppressors or His stance on evil.

Discussion: Timothy addresses the narrative complexity by explaining that Pharaoh’s heart begins to be hardened by God only after multiple opportunities for repentance (25:07). This theological tension illustrates the balance between divine sovereignty and human agency. John and Timothy discuss how later biblical narratives reflect this pattern, using hardened hearts to depict oppressors in a similar vein to Pharaoh, thereby reinforcing the thematic continuity (28:24).

They explore the idea that God allows oppressors to make choices that lead to their downfall, aligning with the concept that human actions have consequences within the divine redemptive plan (32:48). This discussion underscores the biblical portrayal of God as both sovereign and responsive to human actions, maintaining the moral and psychological complexity of divine-human interactions (34:16).

d. Moses’ Rescue and Zipporah’s Role

Question by Zach from Oswego, Illinois (34:28): Zach questions the omission of Moses being delivered from death in Exodus, especially regarding Zipporah’s role in safeguarding Moses through circumcision blood. He seeks to understand how Zipporah’s actions connect to the larger redemption narrative.

Discussion: Timothy affirms Zach’s connection, explaining that Zipporah’s act of circumcision serves as a prelude to Passover’s redemption themes (35:44). The circumcision blood symbolizes protection and covenant, paralleling the blood of the Passover lamb that marks the Israelites’ houses for salvation (36:24). This linkage reinforces the theme of blood as a means of protection and purification, integral to both Moses’ rescue and the broader Exodus narrative (38:43).

e. Passover vs Yom Kippur Lambs and Good Friday

Question by Christian from Portland, Oregon (39:18): Christian seeks clarity on how Jesus' death relates to Passover and Yom Kippur lambs. He notes that while Christian tradition often emphasizes Yom Kippur's atonement imagery, Jesus was crucified during Passover, not Yom Kippur, and wonders how these two sacrificial images interact in understanding Good Friday and Easter.

Discussion: Timothy and John dissect the distinct roles of Passover and Yom Kippur within the sacrificial system. They reference Andrew Rilera’s work, explaining that Passover lambs are meant for consumption and symbolize union with God through shared meals (42:39). In contrast, Yom Kippur’s sacrifices focus on purification and do not serve an atoning function like Passover does (43:46).

The hosts argue that Passover more directly aligns with the New Testament portrayal of Jesus as the sacrificial lamb who delivers from death, whereas Yom Kippur’s role is more about ritual purification (47:47). They conclude that while both festivals are interconnected, Passover's themes of sacrifice and deliverance are more prominently reflected in the New Testament narratives surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection (51:15).

f. God's Spirit as Dove: Noah and Jesus’ Baptism

Question by Ruth from Ireland (58:58): Ruth connects the dove representing God's spirit in Jesus’ baptism to the dove Noah sent forth from the ark, questioning any underlying symbolism linking these two instances.

Discussion: Timothy elucidates the symbolic continuity by drawing parallels between the Spirit’s appearance as a dove and the dove Noah released to signify the receding floodwaters (61:14). He discusses how both instances use bird imagery to represent purification and the restoration of life, framing Jesus’ baptism within the broader context of biblical creation and renewal narratives (62:05).

John adds that the dove, as a messenger of peace and renewal, reinforces Jesus’ role in bringing new life and divine presence, echoing the motifs of Noah’s dove and the Spirit hovering over the waters in Genesis (62:17). This connection underscores a thematic thread of divine involvement in moments of renewal and salvation throughout the Scriptures (65:39).

3. Scholarly Insights and Theological Implications

Throughout the episode, Timothy and John reference various scholars to deepen the discussion:

• Tamara Knudsen: Explores the role of courageous women in pivotal biblical moments, linking back to the seven women discussed by Daniel and Queena.

• Andrew Rilera: Provides a nuanced understanding of Jewish sacrificial practices, distinguishing between Passover and Yom Kippur lambs and their respective theological meanings (42:39).

• Susan Eastman: Her work on mother tongue metaphors in Paul’s letters reveals how Paul's imagery intertwines with themes of birth and renewal.

• Richard White Kettle: Examines the symbolism of blood and purification in Leviticus, connecting ritual practices to foundational biblical narratives.

These scholarly contributions enrich the conversation, highlighting the depth and interconnectedness of biblical themes related to sacrifice, purification, and redemption.

4. Theological Implications for Understanding Jesus as the New Moses

The podcast ties the discussions back to the central theme of Jesus as the New Moses, emphasizing how sacrificial imagery from Passover and Yom Kippur informs this typology. By focusing primarily on Passover, the hosts argue that Jesus embodies the ultimate sacrificial lamb who not only delivers from death but also establishes a new covenant of life and union with God (53:15).

The comparison of baptism to Noah’s ark and the use of the dove as a symbol of the Spirit reinforce Jesus’ role in initiating a new creation, paralleling the flood narrative and creation story’s themes of purification and renewal (62:43).

5. Conclusion and Continuing Engagement

As the conversation wraps up, Timothy and John encourage listeners to engage with the provided resources to further explore the Exodus Way and its profound theological connections. They emphasize the communal aspect of biblical study, inviting listeners to continue the dialogue within their own communities (66:01).

John reiterates the purpose of BibleProject as a crowdfunded nonprofit dedicated to presenting the Bible as a unified story leading to Jesus, underscoring the accessibility of their resources thanks to listener support (66:29).

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• [02:22] Timothy: "It's unbelievable to me every time I read through the many, many dozens now, like hundreds of questions that people send in."

• [04:30] John: "Can you lie to save human life?"

• [05:34] John: "They don't launch a revolution, but they do use the means at their disposal and a lot of cleverness and deception to save life."

• [15:05] Timothy: "The ground is viewed as like a womb. What the humans are producing fruit of the womb is set on analogy to the ground making fruit."

• [28:27] Timothy: "But biblical authors are constantly putting Adam and Eve type figures in front of us, that the redemption of creation is going to happen through an ideal partnership of men and women together."

• [51:15] John: "And when you talk about Jesus as atoning sacrifice, you should really be focused on Passover."

• [65:39] John: "So it's a way to go."

Final Thoughts

This episode of the BibleProject Podcast masterfully weaves together listener inquiries, scholarly discourse, and theological reflections to unpack the connections between Passover and Yom Kippur lambs. By examining these sacrificial traditions through the lens of biblical narratives and their fulfillment in Jesus, Timothy and John offer listeners a profound understanding of how ancient rituals inform contemporary faith and theological perspectives.

For those eager to delve deeper, the episode’s comprehensive resources are available in the show notes, providing further avenues for exploration and study.