Sermon: Jesus Celebrates the Last Passover with His Disciples Matthew 26:17-30
Matthew 26:17-30
Truth Taught- Jesus establishes the Lord’s Supper to be taken by His followers and finished at His second coming
Introduction
The Passover Meal is the highlight of the holy week in Israel. Passover commemorates the events in Exodus 12. The original Passover was when the Passover lamb was sacrificed on the 14th day of Nissan, which as we learned in Exodus is now Israel’s first month of their year.
There are differing views as to the timeline of this last Passover meal Jesus would share with His disciples. There are many different opinions as to exactly when Jesus and the twelve ate their Passover Meal together.
The timeline is probably something like this…
Exodus tells us that the lambs would be killed on the 14th day of the month at twilight. Jews in Jesus’ day took their lambs to the priest who killed them and sprinkled blood of the lamb on the alter and this was traditionally done between 3pm and 5pm on 14th of Nissan. This is also why in Jesus’ day; the sacrifice and the meal took place in greater Jerusalem which gave them access to the temple and to the alter. With the sacrifice of the lamb on the 14th of Nissan between 3-5pm, the actual Passover meal would be celebrated the next day which is that evening of Nissan 15 which by Jewish reckoning is just a few hours later because, remember, their days begin in the evening at 6pm.
So, Jesus and His disciples eat their Passover Meal the day before in the evening which began the 14th Nissan…the first day of Unleavened Bread as Matthew reports. The reason for this is because Jesus knew He would not be available on the actual Passover day. He would be on the cross dying as God’s Passover Lamb.
The truth remains we simply do not know for sure of the exact timeline. There are so many factors that come into play and not all of them are able to be proven. There is the fact that Unleavened Bread celebration and the Passover Celebration are technically two separate Jewish festivals and by the time of Jesus they had merged into one. Sometimes this is called Unleavened Bread and sometimes Passover and the days are often confusing. We also have the difference between western calendar and the Jewish calendar. Then there were also potentially eight different variations of the Jewish calendar in those days, Sanhedrin, Pharisee, Qumran, Jerusalem, etc all had differing opinions of the days of the calendar.
John tells us the meal took place at some point before Passover.
John 13:1–3 (ESV)
13 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,
Most scholars take John’s meaning here to be the day before the actual Passover was when Jesus and His disciples celebrated their Passover Meal together. That seems to be the most natural reading.
Matthew 26:17–29 (ESV)
17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ ” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
1. Where Will We Eat the Passover Meal?
17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ ” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
It was traditional for families or groups to eat together in a single room. The tradition at the time of Jesus was that groups of twelve or so would work for one lamb. So, Jesus desires to eat the meal with His disciples. Where would they meet to partake of the meal?
We must remember, that Judas was ready to betray Jesus and all he needed was a place and time. If Jesus would have answered their question with an address or so and so’s house then Judas would have had the perfect opportunity to alert the Pharisees and they would have met Jesus there and arrested Him before He could eat the meal with His disciples. This meal was very important to Jesus…
Luke 22:14–16 (ESV)
14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
The certain man in Matthew is to be identified because he will be carrying a jar of water
Mark 14:13–16 (ESV)
13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
This certain man was probably a believer who knew Jesus and at some point, our Lord had set this up. Tradition tells us this man was actually John Mark’s father. However, we do not know for sure of his identity.
Judas was kept in the dark and the Passover Meal was prepared as Jesus requested.
The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ ”
Jesus knows that His time has come. He is referring to His death on the cross. His time was the divinely appointed time. It was a time that had been fixed by the Father. This Passover meal would be the last meal Jesus ate with His disciples before the cross.
2. One of You Will Betray Me
20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
Eating a meal together was a sign of true fellowship and friendship. It was almost beyond comprehension that a person could eat with another and then betray them.
The word translated betray is the word paradidomai which literally means to deliver over. This was often used when a prisoner was delivered over to the prison.
The mark of friendship was the shared meal. Could it be possible that a close friend would betray or hand over Jesus? As one teacher writes, this would compound the treachery.
Surprisingly, rather than going around the room pointing fingers at others, they wondered and asked Jesus if it could possibly them?
22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?”
Jesus reassured them that it was only one who would betray Him…
John 13:18–19 (ESV)
18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.
Here Jesus quotes the OT Psalm 41:18ff to identify Judas as His betrayer.
Jesus then tells His disciples that even this betrayal would work to fulfill God’s sovereign plan. Judas became an instrument of God. Even Judas’ evil scheme is serving God’s ordained purposes. Yet, as Jesus tells His followers the one betraying Him will be held accountable for his actions.
24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
Here’s the Apostle Peter’s version…
Acts 2:23 (ESV)
23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
So Judas of his own volition took matters into his own hands and his sin dictated his choices. He loved money more than Jesus so he followed his affections and betrayed the sinless Son of God exactly as God wanted. As this fulfilled God’s plan perfectly, Judas was still accountable for his actions.
John 6:70–71 (ESV)
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
Judas’ ultimate destiny would be hell itself. Jesus declared woe to him.
Judas’ evil action was careful and calculated. He even chimed in with the rest when in astonishment they ask is it I Lord…
“Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
Even calling Jesus Rabbi or teacher seeking to hide his guilt by blending in with the others. Here Jesus lets Judas know that He knows his plans…as if to give Judas one more opportunity to repent and turn from his plans. Judas did not turn away but went headlong into his eternal destiny.
The Apostle John reports some additional information about the exchange between Jesus and Judas…
John 13:21–27 (ESV)
21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
3. The New Covenant Symbolized in a New Feast
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Jesus and His disciples eat the last God-sanctioned Passover meal. Jesus has done away with the Passover for all eternity. He transformed the Old Covenant meal to a New Covenant Celebration. As one NT scholar writes, OT Passover meal has now become a meaningless remnant of an extinct dispensation of an expired covenant. It’s observance since that day has been no more than a religious relic that serves no divinely acknowledged purpose and has no divinely blessed significance. He goes on, to celebrate the Passover is to celebrate the shadow, after the reality has already come. Celebrating deliverance from Egypt is a weak substitute for celebrating deliverance from sin.
All who eat of the Passover Meal today are simply eating lamb and herbs. It has no meaning whatsoever because Jesus has done away with it. He has transformed it to picture the true Passover Lamb who was about to shed His blood for the forgiveness of sin.
No more would sins of God’s people simply be covered but for all who believe, they are eternally removed.
Jesus gives the meal new meaning…
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
The wine which showed the symbolism of God’s four promises that He would take care of them as they left Egypt, now runs freely symbolizing the shed blood of Jesus, God’s Passover Lamb. When Jesus raised His cup, it was the third cup, the cup of blessing. When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper and drink the cup we too drink the cup of blessing. Then Jesus stopped. He did not drink the fourth cup…the cup signifying the Lord’s return.
29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
He left the Passover meal unfinished. One day we will finish it with Jesus at the banquet feast as we lift our cups together to celebrate the King and His Kingdom finaly and fully realized.
The bread that symbolized the unleavened bread they ate on the first Passover, now has new meaning…the body of Christ. New meaning and new significance. No more shadow but crystal-clear reality. Jesus cares for His people, Jesus sheds His blood, Jesus gives Himself to be tortured to save His people. No more shadow but reality.
For the Jews still celebrating Passover is a meal that shows that, in fact, they are not God’s people because God’s people celebrate Jesus, the true Passover Lamb not the OT Passover.
It would be like one day when we celebrate the wedding feast of Lamb in heaven instead of being seated at the great banquet table in the physical presence of Jesus Himself, we would rather take the Lord’s Supper.
29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Conclusion
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