4^th digression Afikomen is hidden

"he which comes after"

or,

"He Came."

"Afikomen" is the only Greek word in a traditional Hebrew Seder. 

The Rabbinical view seems to be that the English word afikomen is a transliteration of the Hebrew word אפיקומן, which in turn is a (recent) transliteration of either of these compound Greek words:

1.  ἐπίκωμον epikomon, with the meaning "that which comes after" (which can be read "he which comes after") or "a call for the after-dinner pastime", or " an after-meal dessert or pastime"

 2.  ἐπικώμιον epikomion, with the meaning "festal song" "after-dinner revelry" or "entertainment".

However, it has been argued that the Talmudic interpretations intend to be misleading, and that Afikoman is from the Greek word aphikomenos, which is variously translated as "he is coming" or "he has come". 

Certainly, He came, and certainly, He comes.

Truly the Truth of his coming was and is hidden at the Jewish Seder:

Romans 11:8 Even-as it-has-been-and-is-still-written: The God gave to-them (a) spirit of-compunction, eyes not to-be-looking and ears not to-be-hearing, till of-the today day.
 v9 And David is-saying: Let their table become into (a) snare and into (a) hunting and into (an) entrapment and into (a) repayment for-them,
 v10 Let their eyes be-made-dark (so as) not to-be-looking, and you-bend-completely their back through every-(thing).

Related article: The Significance of the Afikomen:

http://www.jewishawareness.org/the-significance-of-the-afikomen/

We understand the hope of Israel seen in Romans ch11, although at this time, many Jews do not see the rent veil.

2 Corinthians 3:14 BUT their thoughts were-petrified. For until the today day the same covering is-remaining on the reading of-the old covenant, (it) not being-discovered that in Messiah it-is-being-rendered-inactive.

v15 BUT till today at-which-time Moses is-being-read (a) covering is-lying on their heart;

Thus the Rabbis have a difficult time trying to explain why the middle matzah has to be broken.  If they are saying the three matzah represent  Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, or the priests, the Israelites and the Levites, then why does one out of these groups need to be broken?  They don't have a biblical answer.

What reason does Judaism give for hiding the Afikomen? 

From Wikipedia:

Custom of "stealing"-  The custom of hiding the afikoman so that the children at the Seder will "steal" it and demand a reward for it is based on the following Gemara: Rabbi Eliezer says that one should "grab the matzos" so that the children won't fall asleep. According to Rambam, Rabbi Eliezer is referring to the practice of stealing the afikoman so that the children should stay awake until the end of the meal.

The Haggadah Otzar Divrei HaMeforshim cites several other reasons for the custom of stealing the afikoman. According to Mekor Chaim - Chavos Yair, this custom demonstrates our love for the mitzvah of afikoman. Rabbi Menashe Klein, the Ungvar Rebbe, says that this custom is a re-enactment of the biblical account of Jacob stealing the blessings that were supposed to go to his brother Esau. Midrash Pliah says that Isaac told Esau, "Your brother came with trickery" (Genesis 27:35), adding, "and he took out the afikoman." According to the Midrash, this account took place on Passover. Therefore, the children steal the afikoman to get the blessings, which are the present that they ask their fathers to buy for them.

Apparently, the practice of hiding & "ransoming" the Afikomen began during the middle ages.

Fascinatingly, the Mishnah  (Halakha, that is Jewish Law, Rabbinical Judaism) for Pesahim 119a dictates that the Afikomen represents the Korban Pesach, the Passover offering....the Passover Lamb! 

This special piece of matzah is broken and placed in a linen cloth and wrapped in the manner one wraps a body for burial and hidden away. Yet there still remains a unity with the three matzah, just as there is unity with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The concept of a Trinity is an ancient Jewish teaching:

From the Soncino Zohar, vol III pp134 43b:

"Hear, 0 Israel, YHVH  Eloheinu YHVH is one.  These three are one. How can the three Names be one? Only through the perception of faith: in the vision of the Holy Spirit, in the beholding of the hidden eye alone! The mystery of the audible voice is similar to this, for though it is one yet it consists of three elements-fire, air and water, which have, however, become one in the mystery of the voice. Even so it is with the mystery of the threefold Divine manifestations designated by YHVH Eloheinu YHVH - three modes which yet form one unity. This is the significance of the voice which man produces in the act of unification, when his intent is to unify all, from the Infinite (Ein Sof) to the end of creation. This is the daily unification, the secret of which has been revealed in the holy spirit" 

Note that Jesus taught the "Shema" of Deuteronomy 6:4 as The Law of Messiah:

Mark 12:29 But the Jesus answered him, That first-of-all of-the commandments, (is) you-be-hearing, Israel, Jehovah our God Jehovah is one.

v30 And you-will-cherish Jehovah your God out-of your total heart and out-of your total soul and out-of your total intellect and out-of your total strength.  This (is the) first commandment.

v31 And (the) like second (is) this:  You-will-cherish your neighbor as yourself.  Another commandment greater of-these is not. 

Certainly Jesus understood the unity within the Shema,  as when He, as the Word of YHVH, spoke:

Isaiah 48:16  "Come ye near unto me hear ye this; from the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord Jehovah hath sent me, and his Spirit."

"me", "I" = YHVH - God the Son, the Word

"Lord Jehovah =   אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה   Adonai YHVH - God the Father

"his Spirit - God the Holy Spirit

It is interesting that the Jews, that don't believe in Jesus, at every Passover pronounce with the Afikomen "He Came".   There are many things they just don't see, and this is prophecy being fulfilled before our eyes.  Even this "blindness" is used to prove scripture is true to Gentiles:

Rom 11:25  For I-am not willing (for) YOU to-be-being-ignorant brothers, (of) this mystery, in-order that YOU-might not be prudent in yourselves, that petrifaction has-come-to-pass-and-still-is from part to-the Israeli, until of-which (time) the fullness of-the Gentiles might-come-in,

In turn, we witness to the truth of God's word in recognizing this "temporary" blindness God has placed over them. 

We may see in the Afikomen the connection between the Gospel in the stars, the Gospel in the Garden, the Gospel in the Old Testament, and the Gospel in the New Testament.

Matzah is both striped and pierced. Jesus Christ was both striped and pierced.

The Gospel in the Stars: In the constellation Orion, which means "coming forth as light", Al Nitak, a star in his belt means the wounded ; Saiph, in the foot (leg) means Bruised.

The Gospel in the Old Testament: Isaiah 53:5 But 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.

The Gospel in the Garden: Gen 3:15 and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The promise of the coming "seed of the woman" is - Yeshua - who vanquishes the serpent - satan.  Note that before God judged Adam & Eve he blessed them with this promise of a coming redeemer, and then he judged them, and then made coats from the skin of a sacrifice - The Lamb slain from the casting-down of a world, to "cover" them in a type of Yeshua's sacrifice until the Cross.

Again note, Eve, having received this prophecy believed it, but being deluded by satan (2Cor.11:3), thought Cain was this promised messiah.  Eve said "I have gotten a man YHVH". 

The New Testament affirms this:

1 John 3:8 The (one) doing the sin is out-of the Devil, because the Devil is-sinning from (the) beginning. With-reference-to this the son of-the God was-manifested in-order-that he-might-loose the works of-the Devil.

Therein again showing the Gospel from the beginning - - "God is manifested"  in John 1:1, 1:14, and JOHN 1:29:  "On-the next-day the John is-looking-at the Jesus coming toward him, and he-is-saying, Note the lamb-sacrifice of-the God, the (one) removing the sin of-the world."   -This Gospel was preached to Abraham (Gal.3:8)

continuing;

1 John 3:11 Because this is the message which YOU-heard from (the) beginning, in-order-that we-might-be-cherishing one-another;
v12 Not according-as Cain was out-of the evil (one) and he-slew his brother; and for-sake-of what slew-he him? Because his works (were) evil, but the (ones) of-his brother just.
 

The Gospel in the New Testament :

John 6:35  But the Jesus said to-them, I myself-am the bread of-the life:  the (one) coming to me by-no-means might-he-be-hungry, and the (one) trusting with-reference-to me by-no-means might-he-thirst at-any-time.

John 1:29 On-the next-day the John is-looking-at the Jesus coming toward him, and he-is-saying, Note the lamb-sacrifice of-the God, the (one) removing the sin of-the world.

The Gospel in the Garden is the Gospel in the New Testament:

Rev.13:8 And all the (ones) residing on the earth will-worship him, of-whom his name has not been-and-is-still-written in the little-book of-the life of-the lamb, namely-of-the (one) having-been-and-still-slain from casting-down of-(a)-world.
v9 If someone is-having (an) ear let-him-hear.

Verse 9 confirms - from the beginning till the end these things are in a parable "from casting-down of a world".  The lamb in Rev.13:8 is a type of the Lamb sacrifice of the God (John 1:29).  Lamb in Rev. 13:8 is from  ἀρνίου arniou :  Lamb in Jn.1:29 is from ἀμνός amnos.

[see Apologeticsw 45, Passover, the 4-Cups, A Haggadah, by R.H. Mount pp2-5]

Thankfully Gentiles also may understand, or "see" the Gospel:

Galatians 3:8 But the scripture having-seen-before that the God is-justifying the Gentiles out-of trust, it-brought-good-news-before to-the Abraham that all the Gentiles will-be-blessed-within in you. "will" future to Abraham's day - but now in our day, today.

Romans 9:24 Whom (has) he-called, even us, not only out-of Jews BUT also out-of nations?
v25 As even in the Hosea he-is-saying: I-shall-call the people not mine, my people, and the (woman?) not having-been-cherished-and-still-(not)-cherished, having-been-cherished-and-still-cherished; (c.f. Hosea 2:23)
 

YHVH's lovingkindness endures forever.

May His great name be exalted forever.

We will look on the Afikomen again a little later... 

(a) Passover Haggadah (for Christians)

http://www.cotopaxi-colorado.com/Passover-Haggadah-for Christians-Homepage.htm

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