UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: Passover festival, Passover

Semantic entry: 51.6

Semantic domains: Festivals

Definition: the Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance of Jews from Egypt

Notes: In some languages the term πάσχα has been borrowed in one form or another, but frequently it is necessary to have some qualifying statement to identify this festival, for example, ‘a festival to celebrate the passing over of the angel’ or ‘a festival to celebrate deliverance from Egypt.’

Sense 2: Passover meal

Semantic entry: 51.7

Semantic domains: Festivals

Definition: a Passover meal eaten in connection with the Passover festival (see 51.6: πάσχα)

Sense 3: Passover lamb

Semantic entry: 4.27

Semantic domains: Animals

Subdomains: Animals

Definition: a specially selected lamb (or a collective for all such lambs) killed and eaten during the festival commemorating the departure of Israel from Egypt

Notes: The term πάσχα (a borrowing from Hebrew) has three different meanings which refer to three different aspects of the Passover. In a context which speaks of ‘the Passover taking place’ (RV MAT 26:2 · LV MAT 26:2 · Read together MAT 26:2), the meaning is the festival (51.6: πάσχα). With a term such as ἑτοιμάζειν ‘to prepare’ (RV MAT 26:19 · LV MAT 26:19 · Read together MAT 26:19), the term πάσχα means ‘the Passover meal,’ that is to say, ‘to prepare the Passover meal’ (51.7: πάσχα). But with a term meaning ‘to kill’ or ‘to sacrifice’ (RV LUK 22:7 · LV LUK 22:7 · Read together LUK 22:7), the meaning is ‘the Passover lamb.’ These different meanings in Greek reflect similar uses in Hebrew.|It is often impossible, however, to use a phrase such as ‘Passover lamb,’ since a literal rendering may suggest ‘a lamb that passes over’ or ‘a lamb that someone has passed over,’ either in the sense of ‘ridden over’ or ‘neglected.’ It is therefore necessary in many languages to expand the phrase ‘the Passover lamb’ to read ‘the lamb that is eaten at the Passover Festival’ or ‘the lamb associated with the Festival that celebrates the passing over.’ It may even be necessary to expand the phrase ‘passing over’ to refer specifically to the passing over of the angel of death, and in certain instances one cannot even employ a literal rendering such as ‘passing over,’ since this might mean merely ‘flying above.’ Therefore, it may be necessary to use an expression roughly equivalent to ‘passing by.’ It may, however, be better to use a short, though somewhat obscure, expression in the text and provide a full explanation in a marginal note or glossary.

Further resources: fauna:2.31