Restoration Torah Conference 2026

The RTC theme this year is: The Spring Feasts

It is a common error to believe that Passover is a Jewish holiday. However, while this is an error, it is believed for good reason. This is because the Jews are the only people who have continued to keep this commandment alive after the Great Apostasy. Indeed, one of the first items of business attended to at the original Council of Nicaea (325 AD), besides formulating the Nicene Creed, was to legislate a prohibition on Christians observing Passover. Those early Apostates hated Passover, and everything Israelite. In fact, part and parcel of the Great Apostacy was the belief (or creed) that the Church had Superceeded Israel, that Israel were no longer God's people, and that the covenants God made with them had all been done away.

People were excommunicated and even put to death for continuing to keep the commandment God had given for all Israel to observe the Passover forever.
When the commandment to observe Passover was originally given (see Exodus 12) it was not given to the “Jews” (for there were none at the time); but rather, to all Israel, of which the Latter Day Saints claim to be a part! The Jews did not arise as a separate people from the rest of Israel until the kingdom split into Ephraim (or “Israel”, The Northern Kingdom) and Judah (or “Jews”, The Southern Kingdom) after the death of King Solomon. Even beyond being an Israelite holiday, the Lord calls Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Matzah) his Holy Days (see Leviticus 23:4).

Jesus, whose Hebrew name was Yeshua, told his disciples at the Last Supper, that he desired (but would not be able) to eat the Passover ("the Passover" is the name of the lamb, not the day) with them again until he returned. He would not eat the Passover because he was to fulfill this final Passover not by eating, but by being the lamb. His words are found in the Gospel of Luke:

“And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." – Luke 22:15-16

Yeshua says, “until it is fulfilled” meaning that he will eat the Passover again when he returns. While these words are reasonably clear in the KJV, they are strengthened and clarified considerably by Joseph Smith in his translation of the Bible:

“And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled which is written in the prophets concerning me. Then I will partake with you in the kingdom of God." – Luke 22:15-16 (JST)

By this we see that Yeshua does not consider the commandment to observe Passover obsolete, outdated, nor done away in the least! As Latter Day Saints we expect to be with our family “forever”. When Yehovah commanded all Israel to observe these days “forever” it was that same “forever”. The same sort of things can be said about all of the Spring and Fall Festivals!

“And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.”
– Exodus 12:14

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