出埃及記13:1-16

13:1 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
13:2 「以色列中凡頭生的，無論是人是牲畜，都是我的，要分別為聖歸我。」
13:3 摩西對百姓說：「你們要記念從埃及為奴之家出來的這日，因為耶和華用大能的手將你們從這地方領出來。有酵的餅都不可吃。
13:4 亞筆月間的這日是你們出來的日子。
13:5 將來耶和華領你進迦南人、赫人、亞摩利人、希未人、耶布斯人之地，就是他向你的祖宗起誓應許給你那流奶與蜜之地，那時你要在這月間守這禮。
13:6 你要吃無酵餅七日，到第七日要向耶和華守節。
13:7 這七日之久，要吃無酵餅；在你四境之內不可見有酵的餅，也不可見發酵的物。
13:8 當那日，你要告訴你的兒子說：『這是因耶和華在我出埃及的時候為我所行的事。
13:9 這要在你手上作記號，在你額上作紀念，使耶和華的律法常在你口中，因為耶和華曾用大能的手將你從埃及領出來。
13:10 所以你每年要按著日期守這例。』」
13:11 「將來，耶和華照他向你和你祖宗所起的誓將你領進迦南人之地，把這地賜給你，
13:12 那時你要將一切頭生的，並牲畜中頭生的，歸給耶和華；公的都要屬耶和華。
13:13 凡頭生的驢，你要用羊羔代贖；若不代贖，就要打折牠的頸項。凡你兒子中頭生的都要贖出來。
13:14 日後，你的兒子問你說：『這是甚麼意思？』你就說：『耶和華用大能的手將我們從埃及為奴之家領出來。
13:15 那時法老幾乎不容我們去，耶和華就把埃及地所有頭生的，無論是人是牲畜，都殺了。因此，我把一切頭生的公牲畜獻給耶和華為祭，但將頭生的兒子都贖出來。
13:16 這要在你手上作記號，在你額上作經文，因為耶和華用大能的手將我們從埃及領出來。』」

The Lord said to Moses, ² “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.”

³ Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast. ⁴ Today, in the month of Aviv, you are leaving. ⁵ When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites—the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to observe this ceremony in this month: ⁶ For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival to the Lord. ⁷ Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. ⁸ On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ ⁹ This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. ¹⁰ You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.
¹¹ “After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your ancestors, ¹² you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord. ¹³ Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons.
¹⁴ “In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ¹⁵ When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’ ¹⁶ And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.”

*******************

    上帝要以色列人永遠記得，是上帝領他們脫離埃及為奴之地，就設立除酵節和各樣獻頭生的做為，好讓後代子孫也感受的上帝拯救的大能做為！也就是說信仰必須有記憶，記住上帝的所做所為，並且要一代傳一代，透過這些「禮儀」來回想上帝得拯救！

    這也是為什麼主耶穌要設立聖餐的原因，讓每一位基督徒，透過看的見的禮儀行動，一次再一次來喚醒心中感受到主耶穌所成就得救恩，進而參與道主耶穌拯救的見證行動之中！

    因此，教會的禮儀和傳統是重要的，是邀讓大家一同在基督救恩之中受到感動，感受到基督的同在，進而使信心更堅定，生命得以堅固在基督裡，以致於認同上帝所賜新的身分！