(17) "Now on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where wilt Thou that we make ready for Thee to eat the passover? (18) And He said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Teacher saith, My time is at hand; I keep the passover at thy house with My disciples. (19) And the disciples did as Jesus appointed them; and they made ready the passover.
(20) "Now when even was come, He was sitting at meat with the twelve disciples; (21) and as they were eating, He said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray Me. (22) And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began to say unto Him every one, Is it I, Lord? (23) And He answered and said, He that dipped his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me. (24) The Son of Man goeth, even as it is written of him; but woe unto that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born. (25) And Judas, who betrayed Him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He saith unto him, Thou hast said.
(26) "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and He gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body. (27) And He took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; (28) for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins. (29) But I say unto you, I shall not drink henceforth 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 into the Mount of Olives."
Golden Text.—"For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." 1 Cor. 5:7.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) What Jewish festival is under consideration in this lesson? What question did the disciples of Jesus ask on the first day of the feast? Verse 17. Note 1. (2) In reply to this question, what directions did Jesus give? Verse 18. Note 2. (3) What then did the disciples do? Verse 19. (4) What occurred when evening was come? Verse 20. Note 3. (5) As they were eating, what startling announcement did Jesus make? Verse 21. (6) How did this announcement affect the disciples? What did they begin to say? Verse 22. (7) How did Jesus answer this query? Verse 23. (8) What further statement did He make as to what should be done to Him? What comment did He make concerning His betrayer? Verse 24. (9) What then did Judas say? How did Jesus reply to this question? Verse 25. Note 4. (10) Then what new ceremonial was introduced? What did this bread represent? Verse 26. Note 5. (11) What was added to complete this ordinance? Verse 27. Note 6. (12) What explanation did Jesus make of the "cup"? Verse 28. Note 7. (13) What did Jesus say of His own participation in this memorial? Verse 29. (14) How did they close the exercises? Then where did they go? Verse 30. Note 8.
NOTES.
1. "The first day of unleavened bread" was the first day of the Passover festival, during which only unleavened bread was eaten. The first day of the Passover week began at sunset on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month. Ex. 12:18. It was necessary to procure a room furnished with the necessary table, couches, and other fixtures. There must also be the unleavened bread, bitter herbs, wine, and a paschal lamb. The lamb had to be slain in the temple court between 3 and 5 o'clock, and cooked in a private house.
2. Mark 14:12-16 and Luke 22:7-13 give more detail of the directions to the disciples. There we are told how the disciples were to recognize the man of the house where they were to prepare for the feast. They were to see a man bearing a pitcher of water, and he would show them the place. For some reason Jesus did not want all the disciples to know the place beforehand. Judas had already agreed with the chief priests to betray Him, and sought opportunity to do so. Luke 22:3-6. Had he known the place where they would eat the supper, he might have given notice to the enemies of the Master, and the supper, with all the sacred associations and instruction, could have been disturbed. Luke says that Peter and John were the disciples sent to prepare for the occasion. Verse 8.
3. The strife as to which of them should be greatest, mentioned in Luke 22:24, would naturally be manifested while being seated at the table. The position at table was and is a matter of much importance among Orientals. As Jesus said of the scribes (Matt. 23:6), they loved the chief place at feasts, and an instructive parable was spoken on the same characteristic of the people. Luke 14:7-11. This spirit of jealousy had been manifested by the disciples before, and had been rebuked by the Master. Mark 9:33-37; 10:35-45. A position by the side of the host was deemed the post of honor, and it was, no doubt, their anxiety to be thus seated—manifested in some way—that was the direct cause of His rising from the table to wash their feet, and to permanently establish the ordinance. See John 13:2-20.
4. Judas seems to have been compelled to ask the question, "Is it I?" lest his silence would emphasize his exposure. According to John's account, Jesus answered the other disciples, "He it is, for whom I shall dip the sop, and give it him. So when He had dipped the sop, He taketh and giveth it to Judas." John 13:26. The reply, "Thou hast said," is a direct affirmative answer. Judas then knew that his purpose was known to the Master. The Lord had done everything possible to convince the traitorous disciple of the error of his covetous design, and now all ties between them were severed. Judas had fully quenched the Spirit that had been so long striving with him. And this is the danger that confronts every one who defers a full surrender.
5. The Lord's Supper was instituted just at the close of the Passover supper. Therefore, the bread used was "unleavened." Nothing leavened was permitted to be in any Jewish house during the Passover week. "This is My body."-It was not His literal body, but represented it, just as the paschal lamb represented His body. No one would claim that the lamb was literally Christ, or could be so transmogrified.
6. "Drink ye all."-They were all to partake of it, not any one for all the rest. The infinite sacrifice which is here commemorated is for every individual, and each is to partake of the emblems in recognition of this fact. The communion is an occasion of individual as well as collective thanksgiving.
7. "This is My blood."-The "cup," or wine, represents Christ's blood; that is, His life (Lev. 17:14), which was poured out "for many." For the same reason that unleavened bread was used, unfermented wine was used as an emblem at the communion. No ingredient that is the result of decay, or that would produce intoxication, could fittingly represent the pure and holy life of Christ. "Blood of the covenant."-By the blood of Christ the new, or everlasting, covenant was confirmed, as the old covenant was dedicated by the blood of typical animals. Compare Heb. 9:16-22.
8. The usual Passover song was Psalm 118. They went out to the Garden of Gethsemane, which was at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Between the institution of the Lord's Supper and the arrival at Gethsemane, the instruction in John 14 to 16 was given, followed by the prayer recorded in chapter 17.
