Friday, August 22, 2013
I’ve used that
plate for communion countless times since my daughter gave it to me. I was aware it is a Seder dish, used in
Jewish worship for centuries. My Hebrew
skills are somewhat lacking (and where not lacking, they’re covered in dust)! I made the mistake of using the dish to
conduct communion with a group of my preacher friends. This group won’t let anything pass without
checking it out! My friend, Bill, took a
picture of the dish with his phone-camera and later went to work on translating
the Hebrew inscriptions. He sent me an
email with the following explanation of the three large letters in the center of
the dish:
Hebrew: reading backwards – from right to left Mem
Tsade Hey. My Hebrew Bible dictionary –short definition: squeeze out,
drain; be drained out. The longer definition from the OT is from Ezek
23:34 you will drink it and drain it dry (down to the very
dregs). This is in relation to the cup of wrath and the judgment of
God! In other words, the ire of Yahweh must be fully experienced and sin
completely dealt with. This is a great message for Holy Communion.
Sin must be completely dealt with – only the body and blood of
Jesus!
What an
exquisite reminder – when we take the bread from the dish – Mem
Tsade Hey, what is revealed is the cup of God’s wrath being drained, down
to the very dregs; the body of Christ absorbing my penalty for sin. The prophet Isaiah (53:5) tells us
this:
He was wounded
for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed.
I’ve had that
dish for quite a few years now. It has
always been nearby in my study, and whenever I see it I remember my daughter’s
gift. I see the Hebrew writings and
recall that I am connected to my Jewish brothers and sisters as we worship
Jehovah, Almighty God. But not knowing
the meaning of the writings caused me to miss an even greater picture of the
suffering of Jesus for me. Predicted by
the prophets, worked out in the passion of Christ and effective today for my
salvation; it was all under my very nose and I thought it was a dish!
How like us –
to have Christ so very present in the common moments, yet hidden by our
nearsightedness.
Today
As you’re going
about what you’re going about today, why not keep your spiritual eyes open for
sightings of Mem Tsade Hey? He’s all
around you!
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