Matthew 26:17-2917Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? 18And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. 19And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. 20Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. 21And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 23And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. 25Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. 26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. (Matthew 26:17‑29)
Jesus and His disciples had no homes in Jerusalem, and seem to have spent the nights outside the city. But the Passover supper was to be eaten within the city, at sundown of the certain day, and the disciples asked Jesus where they should prepare it.
Jesus told them to go to a certain man and tell him the Master wished to keep the Passover at his house. It was not unusual for the people of the city to allow those who came from away, to use a room for this purpose. The man may have known Jesus, anyway he was willing for his room to be used, and the disciples made the meal ready.
So Jesus and the disciples ate this supper together. As they were eating, Jesus told them that one of them should betray Him to the priests. To betray a friend to his enemies is a very disgraceful act, and the disciples were sad to hear that one of them would do that.
It had been written in the Psalms long before, that such a deed would be done:
Jesus knew which disciple would do this, and He said,
“Woe unto that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.”
Each of the disciples had asked,
“Lord, is it I?” Judas seems to have been the last to ask; he said,
“Master, is it I?” Yet he had already made the bargain to do it!
Jesus answered Judas, “Thou hast said,” which meant that he was the one, then Jesus told Judas, “That thou doest, do quickly,” and he went away (John 13:2727And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. (John 13:27)). From what happened after, we know Judas went to guide the soldiers to the place to take Jesus.
After the Passover supper was ean, Jesus showed those who loved Him a new “feast” to keep: He took bread, gave thanks to God, broke it in pieces, and gave to the disciples to eat: then He gave thanks for “the cup,” in which was “the fruit of the vine”, grape juice, and told them to drink it together.
In this way Jesus taught them of His death, the broken bread like His body, bruised in death; the drink, as His blood shed. He spoke of this being so sure, as though already done: saying, “This is My blood of the new testent (agreement), which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
Many animals had been sacrificed year after year because of sin, but Christ was the sacrifice, “once for all”, His blood was the new agreement by which God can forever forgive the sinner. Since then, those who believe Christ’s words, do not keep., the old feasts, but the one simple feast of the “bread,” and the “cup”, to remember Him in His death for them. (See also Luke 22:19,2019And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:19‑20); 1 Cor. 11:23-2623For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:23‑26)).
ML 10/31/1943