17 Now 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? 18 And 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. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. 20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. 21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The 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. 25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. (Matthew 26:17-25 KJV)
The Passover with the Disciples
We have here an account of Christ’s keeping the Passover. Being born under the law, he submitted to all its ordinances, including this one. It was kept in remembrance of Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt—the birthday of that people. It was a tradition of the Jews that in the days of the Messiah they would be redeemed on the very day of their coming out of Egypt. This was exactly fulfilled, for Christ died the day after the Passover, the same day they began their march.
The time when Christ ate the Passover was the usual time appointed by God and observed by the Jews (Matthew 26:17)—the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which that year fell on Thursday. Some have suggested that Jesus celebrated the Passover earlier than others, but Dr. Whitby has disproved that idea.
The place was chosen by Christ himself and revealed to the disciples upon their inquiry (Matthew 26:17). They asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover?” Perhaps Judas asked this to better lay his trap, but the rest asked sincerely, wanting to do their duty.
- They assumed that their Master would eat the Passover, even though he was being persecuted and his life was in danger. He would not be deterred from doing what was right. Those who avoid the Lord’s Supper—the gospel Passover—because of troubles or fears miss the point. In such times, we especially need this ordinance to strengthen us.
- They knew preparation was necessary and saw it as their responsibility. “Where do you want us to prepare?” reminds us that solemn preparation is required before holy observances.
- They knew Jesus had no house of his own to eat the Passover. In this, he became poor for our sake. Among all Zion’s palaces, there was none for Zion’s King (John 1:11).
- They waited for his direction, and he gave it, sending them to a certain man (Matthew 26:18), likely a follower of his, and invited himself to the man’s house.
“Tell him, ‘My time is at hand,’” meaning the time of his death—his “hour” (John 8:20; 13:1). Though we don’t know our time (Ecclesiastes 9:12), we must always be watchful and ready (John 7:6). Knowing his time was near, Jesus wanted to keep the Passover. The nearness of death should move us to make the most of our spiritual opportunities. Christ told this man his time was near, showing that he shares his secrets with those who welcome him (John 14:21; Revelation 3:20).
“Tell him, ‘I will keep the Passover at your house.’” This shows his authority. He didn’t request but commanded the use of the house. When Christ enters the heart by his Spirit, he comes with authority and power. If he says, “I will keep a feast in this soul,” he will do it. His people are willing because he makes them willing. “I will keep the Passover with my disciples.” Wherever Christ is welcome, his disciples should be too. When we accept God as our God, we also accept his people.
The disciples prepared the Passover (Matthew 26:19). They followed Jesus’ instructions exactly. Those who want Christ to be present at the gospel Passover must do as he directs. They prepared the lamb, bitter herbs, bread, wine, and everything needed for this sacred feast.
They ate the Passover according to the law (Matthew 26:20). He sat down in the usual way—not lying on one side, but sitting upright, though likely low to the ground. This posture was common at meals (Matthew 9:10; 26:7; Luke 7:37). His sitting showed a calm and composed mind as he entered into this solemn moment. He sat down with the twelve, including Judas. According to the law, they were to take a lamb for a household (Exodus 12:3-4), no fewer than ten and no more than twenty. Christ’s disciples were his household. Those who lead families must bring them along in serving the Lord.
Christ spoke with his disciples during the supper. The usual subject was the deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12:26-27), but now the true Passover was about to be offered. This overshadowed all else (Jeremiah 16:14-15).
He gave a general warning: “One of you will betray me” (Matthew 26:21). Christ knew this. We don’t know what troubles await us or where they’ll come from, but he knew all of his and still went forward. He foresaw the betrayal of a disciple but still did the work of redemption, though he knew his blood would be treated as unholy by some. When necessary, he let others know what was coming—not just to prepare them, but to strengthen their faith (John 13:19; John 14:29).
The disciples’ reaction (Matthew 26:22) was sorrowful. They were deeply troubled to hear that their Master would be betrayed, and even more so to hear that it would be one of them. It was a reproach to the group. Godly people grieve for the sins of others, especially those who have professed faith. They were also troubled by the uncertainty—each wondered if he might be the one. Like Hazael (2 Kings 8:13), each feared he might be capable of such a thing. Those who understand their own weakness and the power of temptation are rightly cautious. Jesus asked this just before instituting the Lord’s Supper, showing that self-examination is necessary before we partake (1 Corinthians 11:28).
Each asked, “Lord, is it I?” They did not suspect Judas. Though he was a thief, he had acted convincingly. No one looked at him or asked, “Is it Judas?” Hypocrites can go through life unnoticed, like counterfeit money that fools everyone.
They suspected themselves. Though unaware of any betrayal in their hearts, they feared the worst and turned to Christ, who knows us better than we know ourselves. It is wise to be self-aware and cautious, especially in spiritually trying times. We do not know how strong temptation will be or how far God may leave us to ourselves. Let us not be overconfident but humble.
Jesus gave more detail (Matthew 26:23-24). The betrayer was a close friend: “He who dipped his hand with me in the dish.” This made the betrayal especially wicked. Close communion with Christ makes betrayal even worse. It is base ingratitude to share a dish with Christ and still betray him. Yet, this fulfilled Scripture (Psalm 41:9). Seeing how prophecy is fulfilled can help us endure trials. Christ also warned of the betrayer’s fate: “Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would have been better for him if he had not been born.” This was not only to convict Judas and call him to repentance, but also to warn others. Though God uses sin to accomplish his purposes, the sinner’s fate remains tragic.
Judas asked, “Is it I?” (Matthew 26:25). He spoke up to avoid suspicion. Though he knew it was him, he pretended ignorance. Many whose consciences condemn them work hard to appear innocent. He may have thought Christ didn’t know, or trusted in his continued silence. But Christ replied, “You have said it,” confirming it was him. Though less direct than Nathan’s “You are the man,” it was enough to convict him. If his heart hadn’t been hardened, this should have broken his plot. Those plotting to betray Christ often expose themselves eventually—their own words give them away.