During our recent family Passover/Lord’s Supper meal, someone respectfully asked me, “I can’t figure you out—what religion are you?” I replied, “I’m not a religious person in the traditional sense. I am a believer in our Heavenly Father, Yahuah, and His Son, our eternal High Priest, Yeshua. I study all Scriptures—not just the canon of the Bible.” The questioner then said, “I feel the same except I only study the Bible. So why can’t I understand you and how you think?”
In other words, the person did not understand why, as a confessed believer, I did not consider myself a ‘religious’ person.
This conversation prompted me to reflect on the complexities of religious identity in our time. On the internet, you can find that there are an estimated 10,000 distinct religions worldwide, many of which are regional and have relatively small followings. Moreover, estimates suggest there are about 45,000 Christian denominations globally—some predicting a rise to 49,000 by 2025 and 64,000 by 2050.
I believe that the questioner’s struggle stems partly from his long-standing affiliation with a traditional religious Christian organization—a membership that spanned over thirty years. For him, this was his first Passover/Lord’s Supper meal because he had been taught that honoring ‘Easter’ was paramount. That is why I specifically used the term Passover/Lord’s Supper when inviting the family. I knew that some family members might refrain from joining, as they believe the Law has been done away with, even though the Gospels reference the Passover on multiple occasions. To my knowledge, Easter is not mentioned in any reliable translation of Scripture.
Consider these passages:
- Matthew 26:18 (YLT) – “And he said, ‘Go away into the city, unto such a one, and say to him, The Teacher saith, My time is nigh; near thee I keep the Passover, with my disciples.’”
- Mark 14:14 (YLT) – “And wherever he may go into, say ye to the master of the house—The Teacher saith, Where is the guest-chamber where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”
- Luke 2:41 (ESV) – “Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.”
- Luke 22:13 (ESV) – “And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.”
During our meal, I asked my eldest son to read his favorite account of the Lord’s Supper from the English Standard Version (ESV). The section he read—titled “The Institution of the Lord’s Supper”—reminded us all of the deep connections between our observance of Passover and the sacred practices instituted by Yeshua. For example, in Matthew 26:26-29 (ESV) we read:
“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’”
I hold this passage dear—yet I am troubled by certain translations. For instance, the King James Version (KJV) renders Matthew 26:28 as “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins,” while others insert the term “new covenant.” Such wording can mislead believers into thinking that there is an “old” covenant being replaced by a “new” one. When some reject the immediately following verse (Matthew 26:29), they mistakenly conclude that Yeshua has done away with the Law and replaced Yahuah.
In my own walk of faith, I strive to be a seeker of truth—eager to learn about our Heavenly Father Yahuah and His ways. I follow Yeshua’s example of perfection in my worldly life while working daily toward the eternal fulfillment that lies ahead. I also pray openly, asking for truth and trusting that Yahuah’s perfect will is accomplished in every situation, in Yeshua’s name.
This journey isn’t about conforming to a label or tradition—it’s about pursuing the complete understanding of God’s Word. May we all continue to seek His truth with open hearts, unbound by the confines of tradition, yet ever respectful of the sacred heritage handed down through the ages. Amein.
