Hello. Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Ruby Jones

 

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　　And I’m Marina Santee. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

 

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　　Easter Greetings! Easter is an important event for Christians all over the world. In many languages, the holiday’s name comes from the word ‘Pesach.’ This is the Hebrew name for ‘Passover.’ The Passover connects closely to Easter. The origins of ‘Passover’ come from ancient Jewish history.

 

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　　Ancient writings tell how the ancient Israelites lived far from home, as slaves. They could not leave. But God saw their suffering. He promised to free them. God sent a series of ten plagues against their masters. These plagues were events that caused great suffering. But the last plague was the most serious. It involved the angel of death. It involved the killing of the first born in each house.

 

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　　God told the slave families how to protect themselves from the plague. Each slave family had to sacrifice a lamb. The lamb’s death would be instead of the son’s death. They spread the blood of the lamb on the door of their houses. The lamb’s blood was a sign to the angel of death to pass over their houses.

 

　　After this last plague, the masters freed the slaves. They were frightened by God’s power. And this is where the name “Passover” originated - because the angel of death passed over the Israelite houses.

 

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　　Passover became an important Jewish celebration. People would kill a sacrificial lamb. This was part of their tradition. The sacrifice was a payment to God for their sins, their wrong doings. But the animal had to be perfect, for God to accept it and forgive them. Families and friends gathered together. They celebrated freedom. They remembered their history. They remembered when God freed their ancestors from slavery. The meal represented this. Everything had a special meaning. For example, they prepared special bread, matzah. Matzah does not contain yeast. So the bread does not rise. It is thin and flat. People remembered how their ancestors had to flee slavery in a hurry. They needed to prepare food quickly to take with them. They did not have time for the bread to rise, so the bread was flat.

 

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　　Jewish people still celebrate the Passover today. Some traditions have changed - for example, today people do not sacrifice a lamb. But they still remember their ancestors’ freedom from slavery. And the Passover has an important meaning for Christians too. For them, it represents Jesus’ last meal on earth - the last supper. Marina takes us back to Jerusalem, over two thousand years ago.

 

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　　The streets of Jerusalem are lively. Passover is always a busy time. And the people have worked very hard to prepare for it. Now, it is time to sit down and enjoy the matzah, vegetables, wine and lamb. Families and friends gather happily together.

 

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　　But there are mixed emotions in one house. Thirteen men sit around a table. They are friends. They have spent much time together travelling over the past few years. Together, they have shared many good and bad times. Together they have laughed and cried. They have left families and homes to travel together. One man connects them - their leader. He is Jesus of Nazareth. They have learned much from this man. But tonight, his words bring great sadness.

 

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　　‘What I am about to tell you is true. One of you will give me to my enemies.’

 

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　　What? Is it I?

 

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　　It cannot be me?

 

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　　It cannot be me?

 

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　　Yes it is you.

 

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　　The room becomes quiet and still. No one speaks. The men look at the man Jesus spoke to - Judas Iscariot. What was Jesus saying? Was Judas going to betray him? Was Jesus going to die?

 

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　　Quietly, the friends continue their meal. Then Jesus takes the bread and wine. He says a prayer of thanks. He breaks the bread. And then, he speaks again. His words are strange. But the men know they have a deep meaning.

 

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　　‘Take this and eat it. This is my body.’

 

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　　Then Jesus took the wine.

 

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　　‘Take this and drink it. This is my blood.’

 

　　‘It is poured out to forgive the sins of many. I will not drink with you again, until the day we meet in heaven.’

 

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　　The men’s hearts feel heavy and sad. What was Jesus saying? Was he going to die? How was the bread like his body? How was the wine like his blood? What did he mean - his blood would be poured out? It sounded like some kind of sacrifice - was Jesus saying he was going to be a human sacrifice? They would not understand these words until later.

 

　　The Passover meal was Jesus’ last meal on earth. The following night, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. And his enemies killed him.

 

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　　Sacrifice. Death. Life. These lie at the centre of the Easter message. Today, Christians remember Jesus’ life, death and sacrifice. They share the same meal of bread and wine - and they remember. Christians believe that because Jesus was innocent, his life could become the last sacrifice. He was like the Passover lamb. In the past, people sacrificed perfect animals - to gain God’s forgiveness. They believed this payment saved them from the punishment of death. But the life of a human was far greater than any animal. And the life of a perfect human was greater still. But even greater would be the life of a son ... And this is who Christians say Jesus was - and is - God’s son.

 

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　　But Easter is a celebration of life, not death. In churches, you hear priests saying, ‘Christ is risen!’ This is because Christians believe that Jesus did not remain dead. He came back to life. His perfect sacrifice offers God’s forgiveness. Now anyone can receive forgiveness. And it offers a promise of a life after this world. So Passover celebrated freedom from slavery. Easter celebrates freedom from slavery to sin. This is a cause of great happiness for Christians around the world. Together they celebrate Jesus victory over death and the life he came to give.

 

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　　The writer of today’s programme was Marina Santee. You can find links to the Easter story on our website at http://www.radio.english.net This .programme is called, ‘The Last Passover.’ Thank you for joining us today. Goodbye.