Mateus 26

1 Now it happened, when Jesus had finished all these words, that He said to His disciples, 2 "You know that after two days the Passover takes place, and the Son of the Man will be handed over to be crucified."*Jesus knew just how He was going to die. I take it that our Lord’s statement here settles the question of the exact day of the crucifixion. It was late Tuesday afternoon, probably about 6:00 p.m.—adding two days takes us to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, but the proceedings in the upper room began after 6:00 p.m. on that Thursday, which to the Jews was already Friday. Therefore Jesus died on a Friday [not Thursday]. Our Lord’s own statements have given rise to some confusion: referring to the time period between His death and resurrection He said—"on the third day", "after three days" and "three days and three nights". So some have argued that Jesus died on a Thursday, or even a Wednesday. Well, Wednesday won’t work because that would make 3 days and 4 nights; but Thursday gives 3 nights and 2 full days, plus a part of a third day; while Friday gives 2 nights and 1 full day, plus a part of a second day. We take it that "3 days and 3 nights" was an idiomatic expression that could refer to three 24 hour days represented by some part of each, but in sequence—in this case: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (See also Luke 23:54-24:1—Jesus was buried on Friday afternoon; then the women rested during the Sabbath [singular = just one day]; then early the first day of the week they went to the tomb.)

The Sanhedrin conspires—04/03/30

3 Then the chief priests, the scribes and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, the one called Caiaphas,*The real high priest was Annas, but in an effort to diminish the political power of the high priest the Romans obliged the Jews to name a different one every year, and that year it was Caiaphas. 4 and they plotted to seize Jesus by trickery and kill Him. 5 But they said, "Not during the feast, in order not to have an uproar among the people."

Someone anoints Jesus' head

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman approached Him,*This incident must not be confused with the one in John 12:1-11. In John, Mary anoints His feet on Saturday (03/30/30), while in Matthew and Mark an unidentified woman anoints His head on Wednesday (04/03/30). The houses are also different. In the earlier incident only Judas ventured to criticize the hostess, but here a number of them chime in—He had already been anointed once, so why do it again? having an alabaster flask of very expensive perfume, and she began to pour it on His head as He reclined at the table. 8 But upon seeing it His disciples were indignant saying: "Why this waste? 9 For this perfume could have been sold for a good deal and given to the poor." 10 But being aware Jesus said to them: "Why are you bothering the woman? She has done something beautiful to me. 11 You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.*Jesus is referring here to His physical presence (see Matthew 28:20). 12 In putting this perfume on my body she did it with a view to my burial. 13 Assuredly I say to you, wherever this gospel may be proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman did will also be told in her memory."*So it has been, to this day.

Judas offers to betray Jesus

14 Then one of the twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, "What are you willing to give me so that I deliver Him to you?"*Apparently the ‘wasted’ perfume was the last straw for Judas. (If he also finally got the message that Jesus was about to be killed instead of setting up the Kingdom, he may have rebelled.) So they counted out to him thirty silver coins. 16 From then on he kept looking for an opportunity to betray Him.

17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus saying to Him, "Where do you want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?" 18 So He said: "Go into the city to ‘you know who’ and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, "My time is near, I will do the Passover with my disciples at your place." ’ " 19 And the disciples did as Jesus directed them and prepared the Passover.*Clearly the use of the upper room had been arranged beforehand.

The traitor identified

20 When it was evening He was reclining at the table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating He said, "Assuredly I say to you that one of you will betray me." 22 This really upset them and they each*Perhaps 3% of the Greek manuscripts, of inferior quality, have "one after another" (as in NIV, LB, TEV, etc.), as if it were an orderly proceeding, each one politely waiting for his turn. Not really—they were shocked; what Jesus had just said couldn’t be true! As a gut reaction each one started saying, "It cannot be me, can it?", all at once. Apparently none of them suspected Judas. began to say to Him, "It isn’t me, is it, Lord?" 23 In answer He said: "It is the one who dipped his hand in the bowl with me, he will betray me. 24 The Son of the Man is really going just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of the Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man not to have been born."*In John 17:12 the Lord calls him "the son of perdition" and declares him to be "lost". 25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?" He says to him, "You said it!"*Judas phrases his question just like the others, only saying ‘Rabbi’ instead of ‘Lord’. The Lord’s answer confirms that it is Judas. Mark and Luke also record this incident, but the one recorded in John 13:21-30 happened later.

Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper

26 Now as they were eating,*In John 13:1 we read, "before the feast of the Passover", and in 13:2, "supper being ended" [less than 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, have ‘during supper’—as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.]. They ate an ordinary meal before the Passover ritual. In John 13:4-11 Jesus washes their feet because they could not proceed with the ritual while ceremonially unclean. In Matthew 26:21 they were eating the ordinary meal. Here in verse 26 they are now into the ritual (I think)—the foot washing happened between verse 25 and verse 26. after taking the bread and blessing it, Jesus broke it, gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." 27 And taking the cup and giving thanks He gave it to them saying: "Drink of it, all of you; 28 for this is my blood, that of the new covenant,*Here, and in Mark 14:24, perhaps 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit ‘new’ (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). The original reading, as also in Luke 22:20 and 1 Corinthians 11:25, is new covenant. that which is being shed on behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.