Matthew Lessons 14-28 Matthew Lesson 1 - 16:13-20 Matthew Lesson 2 - 17:1-9 Matthew Lesson 3 - 20:1-16 Matthew Lesson 4 - 21:1-11 Matthew Lesson 5 - 21:33-45 Matthew Lesson 6 - 22:1-14 Matthew Lesson 7 - 24:36-51 Matthew Lesson 8 - 26:17-30 Matthew Lesson 9 - 26:36-46 Matthew Lesson 10 - 26:63-75 Matthew Lesson 11 - 27:41-52 Matthew Lesson 12 - 28:1-15 Matthew Lesson 13 - 28:16-20 Extra - Transfiguration Extra - Matthew 2:1-2, 11

Matthew Lesson 8 - 26:17-30

Lesson 8 - Matthew 26:17-30 - How Do We Remember?

LAST WEEK: We covered the second part of Jesus' Olivet Discourse to His disciples on the end times when He responded to their question, "When will these things be?" On the character of His return, Jesus said it would be as in the days of Noah, a time of great evil and corruption, and like the people of that time, when he brought judgment to the world, it would be sudden and unexpected. On the timing of His return, He said, "no ones know...but the Father (v.36). He went on to say that since we don't know the day, we must "stay awake" (v.42). APPLICATION:

The timing of Jesus' return is unknowable. But Jesus makes it abundantly clear that rather than worry about the exact day and time of His coming, we should instead trust His perfect timing of events. It will happen at exactly the right time.
Although we don't' know the day and time Jesus' return, He commands us to "stay awake," that is, to be fully prepared as if He were returning in the next moment. Ask yourself this question: If you knew for a certainty that Jesus were returning tomorrow, would you still be doing the same things you're doing now and living your life the same way? If not, what would you change? Think about it.

THIS WEEK: The lesson describes Jesus' establishment of what we call the Lord's Supper. At the time, in Jerusalem, people were preparing for the celebration of Passover when the population of the city grew to about 2 million, about 10 times its normal size. Later, as they celebrated the Passover meal together, Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and the wine. He said the bread represented His body and the wine, His blood, and that they both represented the atoning sacrifice he would make for our sins.

Background 26:1-16 (skipped): The chapter begins with Jesus telling His disciples that He would be handed over to be crucified on the Passover in two days' time (vv.1-2). At the same time, the chief priests and the elders of the people planned among themselves have Jesus arrested and put to death, but they decided not to do it during the feast because they feared opposition from the crowds. (vv.3-5) Meanwhile, as Jesus and the disciples were preparing for the Passover, a women came to the table where they were seated and anointed Jesus' head with a very expensive oil. The disciples protested at this, saying it should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus rebuked them, saying to them. "you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me," and that the woman's honoring Him in this way will be remembered (vv.6-13). Next, Judas Iscariot left them and went to find the chief priests. When he bargained with them for what they would pay him to betray Jesus, he agreed to accept 30 pieces of silver-about 4 months' wages ($7500 today), this meager sum represented the low esteem both Judas and the chief priest had for Jesus and confirms that Judas was not a true believer (vv. 14-18).

Read Matthew 26:17-19 - The Preparation

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.

"first day of Unleavened bread" (v.17a) - Passover commemorates the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the central act of redemption in the OT. Jesus was preparing to provide an entirely new act of redemption-spiritual redemption-that would be remembered by a new ceremonial meal.
"to eat the Passover (v.17b) - As Jn. 13:1 indicates, the meal actually took place on the eve of Passover, not the day itself, and Jn. 18:28 reflects that Jesus was crucified on the day of Passover-making Himself, in effect, the Passover lamb.
"go to a certain man and say" (v.18a) - The text doesn't explain how Jesus knew this-whether
He had made prior arrangements with friends to avoid conflict with the Jewish authorities or a miraculous work of God. It happened.
"My time is at hand" (v.18b) - Jesus was referring to His impending death. The Greek word used here for "time," kairos (as opp. to chronos), implies a significant event in a person's life.
"disciples did as Jesus had directed...prepared (v.19) - According to Mk. 14:15, the place where Jesus and the disciples went was a large, furnished upstairs room near the Temple grounds. Peter and John proceeded to make the food preparations. All these events clearly indicate that Jesus was in complete control of the situation.

Read Matthew 26:20-25 - The Betrayal

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."

"evening" (v.20a) - Since the Jewish day technically begins at sundown, Jesus ate the Last Supper Passover meal and was crucified the same day according to the Jewish calendar.
"reclined at the table with the twelve" (v.20b) - "reclined" referred to a posture seated on a cushion or low bench with heads toward the table with their feet extending outward-awkward, and the "twelve" indicates that Judas had returned from his infamous mission.
"one of you will betray me' (v.21) - Jesus made a truly shocking pronouncement that one of the 12, who had lived, heard, saw, and learned from Jesus for three years, would turn against him.
"Is it I, Lord?" (v.22) - The disciples were quite frankly taken aback and deeply distressed by this statement. Their question, each one-by-one, to him could be rephrased, "You can't possibly mean me, can You?" And each addressed Him as "Lord" to assure of their unconditional loyalty.
"Dipped his hand in the dish" (v.23) - This was a common dish containing a sauce in which all of them had dipped their food. Jesus didn't say this to accuse a specific disciple but to identify the betrayer as a friend who shared the same table with Him.
"as it is written...woe to that man" (v.24) - Jesus is alluding to Ps. 41:9 "...one who had eaten my bread, raised his heel against me" and "woe" is a biblical term for a harsh judgment to come.
"Judas... 'Is it I, Rabbi?'" (v.25a) - This was a hypocritical question, for Judas knew the answer, and notice he called Him "Rabbi," not Lord, which itself signifies an absence of true faith. In fact, there is no record in the Gospels of Judas ever addressing Jesus as "Lord."
"you have said so." (v.25b) - Jesus answers with a Greek expression which could be rephrased as "Well, what do you think, Judas?" Saying this, Jesus is not condemning Judas but offering him a chance to repent. Do you see that? Jesus showed that he loved Judas despite his treachery.

Read Matthew 26:26-30 - Institution of the Last Supper

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." 30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

"As they were eating" (v.26a) - According to Jn. 13:30, sometime during or after the dinner, Jesus washed the disciples' feet, followed by an extended discourse and prayer. It isn't clear whether Judas was present for the Lord's Supper.
"took bread...Take eat; this is My body" (v.26b) - At a traditional Jewish Passover, the bread was termed the "bread of affliction" which symbolized that eaten by the OT fathers while enslaved in the land of Egypt, and each other item consumed at the Passover had a symbolic meaning. But Jesus' statement didn't fit the old tradition; He interpreted the bread as representing Himself and the sin-bearing agony He would suffer on our behalf. His body would be the once-and-for-all fulfillment of the ceremony surrounding the Passover lamb. The Greek word lambanō, for "take," means it's not forced on you but offered as a free gift, a gift of grace, for none are deserving of it.
"took a cup...given thanks" (v.27) - Most likely the third of the four cups of Passover-the cup of redemption, corresponding to God's promise in Ex. 6:6: "I will redeem you with outstretched arm..." The Greek word for "thanks" is eucharisti, so that the Lord's Supper is called the Eucharist is some churches.
"this is my blood of the covenant" (v.28a) - The wine symbolized Jesus' shed blood as His life was poured out for us on Calvary. Remarkably, Jesus announced the institution of a new covenant. No mere man could establish a "new covenant" between God and man, but Jesus is both God and man. Only He had the authority to bring about a new covenant, sealed with His blood for the once-and-for-all forgiveness of sin, as contrasted to the old covenant having to be sealed with the blood of sacrifices over and over again.
"poured out for the many for the forgiveness of sins" (v.28b) - The "many" is a very large, all-inclusive word. Christ's blood was not just shed for a handful of apostles, but for all people everywhere who accept Him as Lord and Savior. "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise..., not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." 2 Pet. 3:9.
"not drink again...until that day" (v.29) - Here, Jesus looks forward to a future celebration of Passover in heaven, one that He has not yet celebrated with His people. He is waiting for all of His people to be gathered there with Him and then there will be a great feast - the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9), which is the fulfillment of "My Father's Kingdom."
"had sung a hymn...went out to the Mount of Olives" (v.30) - It's wonderful that Jesus sang, but what did he sing? A traditional Passover meal always ended with the singing of three Pslams known as the Hallel, Ps. 116-118, e.g., "For you have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the LORD in the land of living" Ps. 116:8-9. Think of how the words of these Psalms who have ministered to Jesus as He sang them on the night before His crucifixion.

APPLICATION:

The Lord's Supper is how we remember what Jesus did for us. As we eat the bread, we should remember how Jesus was broken, pierced, and beaten with stripes for our redemption; and as we drink the cup, we should remember that His blood was poured-out on Calvary for us.
This is also a fellowship and sharing with Jesus. Because of the fact that His redemption has reconciled us to God, we can now sit down to a meal with Jesus and enjoy each other's company.
The first Passover created a new nation, redeeming God's people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt; with the Last Supper, Christ introduced a new Passover that created a new people-a people united by redemption in Christ who remember and trust the sacrifice He made for us.
The Baptist Faith and Message (SBC), at page 14, states: "The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming."