In the Jewish tradition, eating of the Paschal lamb was considered essential in the celebration of the Jewish Passover, to mark their deliverance from Egyptian slavery. Accordingly, a lamb was slain by the Levites and the blood manipulated by the priests, after which there was a Passover meal where the roasted lamb was eaten along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The shedding of blood was necessary for the remission of sins.
In the New Testament, however, the memorial takes on a new meaning in the Eucharist which Christ instituted on Maundy Thursday when Christ took bread, broke it and gave it to his 12 Apostles with the words “Take and eat, for this is my body which will be given up for you”. This was to symbolise the breaking of his body for the redemption of sins. Jesus then took the cup of wine, and said “Drink from it, all of you, for this is the cup of my blood of the New Covenant which will be shed for you and many for the remission of sins. Do this in memory of me”. We do this every time we celebrate the Eucharist, which is not just a memorial meal, but a memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that rendered all further shedding of blood unnecessary. Christ is the sacrificial “lamb of God”, obviating the need for further animal sacrifices, for the remission of sins.
