Matthew:26:17-30

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rwp @Matthew:26:17 @{To eat the passover } (\phagein to pascha \). There were two feasts rolled into one , the passover feast and the feast of unleavened bread . Either name was employed . Here the passover meal is meant , though in strkjv @John:18:28 | it is probable that the passover feast is referred to as the passover meal (the last supper ) had already been observed . There is a famous controversy on the apparent disagreement between the Synoptic Gospels and the Fourth Gospel on the date of this last passover meal . My view is that the five passages in John (John:13:1f .,27 ; strkjv @18:28 ; strkjv @19:14 ,31 |) rightly interpreted agree with the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew:26:17 ,20 ; strkjv @Mark:14:12 ,17 ; strkjv @Luke:22:7 ,14 |) that Jesus ate the passover meal at the regular time about 6 P .M . beginning of 15 Nisan . The passover lamb was slain on the afternoon of 14 Nisan and the meal eaten at sunset the beginning of 15 Nisan . According to this view Jesus ate the passover meal at the regular time and died on the cross the afternoon of 15 Nisan . See my _Harmony of the Gospels for Students of the Life of Christ_ , pp .279-284 . The question of the disciples here assumes that they are to observe the regular passover meal . Note the deliberative subjunctive (\hetoimas “men \) after \theleis \ with \hina \. For the asyndeton see Robertson , _Grammar_ , p . 935 . rwp @Matthew:26:18 @{To such a man } (\pros ton deina \). The only instance in the N .T . of this old Attic idiom . The papyri show it for "Mr . X " and the modern Greek keeps it . Jesus may have indicated the man 's name . Mark (Mark:14:13 |) and Luke (Luke:22:10 |) describe him as a man bearing a pitcher of water . It may have been the home of Mary the mother of John Mark . {I keep the passover at thy house } (\pros se poi “ to pascha \). Futuristic present indicative . The use of \pros se \ for "at thy house " is neat Greek of the classic period . Evidently there was no surprise in this home at the command of Jesus . It was a gracious privilege to serve him thus . rwp @Matthew:26:20 @{He was sitting at meat } (\anekeito \). He was reclining , lying back on the left side on the couch with the right hand free . Jesus and the Twelve all reclined . The paschal lamb had to be eaten up entirely (Exodus:12:4 ,43 |). rwp @Matthew:26:21 @{One of you } (\heis ex hum “n \). This was a bolt from the blue for all except Judas and he was startled to know that Jesus understood his treacherous bargain . rwp @Matthew:26:22 @{Is it I , Lord ?} (\m ˆti eg “ eimi , Kurie ;\). The negative expects the answer No and was natural for all save Judas . But he had to bluff it out by the same form of question (verse 25 |). The answer of Jesus , {Thou hast said } (\su eipas \), means Yes . rwp @Matthew:26:23 @{He that dipped } (\ho embapsas \). They all dipped their hands , having no knives , forks , or spoons . The aorist participle with the article simply means that the betrayer is the one who dips his hand in the dish (\en t “i trubli “i \) or platter with the broth of nuts and raisins and figs into which the bread was dipped before eating . It is plain that Judas was not recognized by the rest as indicated by what Jesus has said . This language means that one of those who had eaten bread with him had violated the rights of hospitality by betraying him . The Arabs today are punctilious on this point . Eating one 's bread ties your hands and compels friendship . But Judas knew full well as is shown in verse 25 | though the rest apparently did not grasp it . rwp @Matthew:26:24 @{Good were it for that man } (\kalon ˆn aut “i \). Conclusion of second-class condition even though \an \ is not expressed . It is not needed with verbs of obligation and necessity . There are some today who seek to palliate the crime of Judas . But Jesus here pronounces his terrible doom . And Judas heard it and went on with his hellish bargain with the Sanhedrin . Apparently Judas went out at this stage (John:13:31 |). rwp @Matthew:26:26 @{And blessed and brake it } (\eulog ˆsas eklasen \). Special "Grace " in the middle of the passover meal , "as they were eating ," for the institution of the Supper . Jesus broke one of the passover wafers or cakes that each might have a piece , not as a symbol of the breaking of his body as the Textus Receptus has it in strkjv @1Corinthians:11:24 |. The correct text there has only to \huper hum “n \ without \kl “menon \. As a matter of fact the body of Jesus was not "broken " (John:19:33 |) as John expressly states . {This is my body } (\touto estin to s “ma mou \). The bread as a symbol _represents_ the body of Jesus offered for us , "a beautifully simple , pathetic , and poetic symbol of his death " (Bruce ). But some have made it "run into fetish worship " (Bruce ). Jesus , of course , does not mean that the bread actually becomes his body and is to be worshipped . The purpose of the memorial is to remind us of his death for our sins . rwp @Matthew:26:28 @{The Covenant } (\t ˆs diath ˆk ˆs \). The adjective \kain ˆs \ in Textus Receptus is not genuine . The covenant is an agreement or contract between two (\dia , duo , th ˆke \, from \tith ˆmi \). It is used also for will (Latin , _testamentum_ ) which becomes operative at death (Hebrews:9:15-17 |). Hence our _New Testament_ . Either covenant or will makes sense here . Covenant is the idea in strkjv @Hebrews:7:22 ; strkjv @8:8 | and often . In the Hebrew to make a covenant was to cut up the sacrifice and so ratify the agreement (Genesis:15:9-18 |). Lightfoot argues that the word \diath ˆke \ means covenant in the N .T . except in strkjv @Hebrews:9:15-17 |. Jesus here uses the solemn words of strkjv @Exodus:24:8 | "the blood of the covenant " at Sinai . "My blood of the covenant " is in contrast with that . This is the New Covenant of strkjv @Jeremiah:31 ; strkjv @Hebrews:8 |. {Which is shed for many } (\to peri poll “n ekchunnomenon \). A prophetic present passive participle . The act is symbolized by the ordinance . Cf . the purpose of Christ expressed in strkjv @20:28 |. There \anti \ and here \peri \. {Unto remission of sins } (\eis aphesin hamarti “n \). This clause is in Matthew alone but it is not to be restricted for that reason . It is the truth . This passage answers all the modern sentimentalism that finds in the teaching of Jesus only pious ethical remarks or eschatological dreamings . He had the definite conception of his death on the cross as the basis of forgiveness of sin . The purpose of the shedding of his blood of the New Covenant was precisely to remove (forgive ) sins . rwp @Matthew:26:29 @{When I drink it new with you } (\hotan auto pin “ meth ' hum “n kaimon \). This language rather implies that Jesus himself partook of the bread and the wine , though it is not distinctly stated . In the Messianic banquet it is not necessary to suppose that Jesus means the language literally , "the fruit of the vine ." Deissmann ( _Bible Studies_ , pp . 109f .) gives an instance of \gen ˆma \ used of the vine in a papyrus 230 B .C . The language here employed does not make it obligatory to employ wine rather than pure grape juice if one wishes the other . rwp @Matthew:26:30 @{Sang a hymn } (\humn ˆsantes \). The _Hallel_ , part of strkjv @Psalms:115-118 |. But apparently they did not go out at once to the Garden of Gethsemane . Jesus tarried with them in the Upper Room for the wonderful discourse and prayer in strkjv @John:14-17 |. They may have gone out to the street after strkjv @John:14:31 |. It was no longer considered obligatory to remain in the house after the passover meal till morning as at the start (Exodus:12:22 |). Jesus went out to Gethsemane , the garden of the agony , outside of Jerusalem , toward the Mount of Olives .

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