Greetings members and friends and welcome to another commentary and preview to this Sunday’s study of the Word. This Sunday’s study text is entitled “The Passover With The Disciples” and it is based on Matthew 26:17-30.
Jesus had been with His disciples now for three years. They were in Jerusalem where Jesus would meet the fate that was preordained of Him before He came into the world. He was there to be the Passover Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.
In a final act before His sacrifice of Himself, He would observe the Jewish Passover with His disciples one final time. Jerusalem was crowded with many people coming to the city for the observance of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Both of these events were instituted by God through Moses to commemorate the exodus from Egyptian bondage.
Today’s study passage begins with Jesus’s disciples asking Him where were take going to observe the Passover. It appears Jesus had already made arrangements and told His disciples what to do in response to their question.
As they met to eat this last sacred meal, Jesus knew it would be the last time He would be able to speak to them before He suffered. The Gospel of John records some to the final dialog Jesus had with them. It is very profound, moving and revealing.
Also at the supper, Jesus reveals that one of His disciples will betray Him. That disciple turned out to be Judas. But it is still amazing that each one of them asked Jesus if it would be them that betrayed Him. It is difficult for me to understand why they would ask Him that as if they didn’t know themselves and what they were capable or not capable of doing.
During this Passover meal, Jesus instituted a new meal for a New Covenant. The current Passover represented delivery from bondage and death that touched the firstborn of all who were in Egypt that night God delivered the decisive plague that forced Pharoah to let Israel go. In was instituted with the blood of a lamb and placed of the door of all the houses of the children of Israel to save them from death that came that night.
There are two parts in the new covenant meal Jesus instituted to be an everlasting covenant between Him and all He was about to die for. The bread He said was His body that is given for them. The second was the cup which He said was His blood which was being shed for them. Just like the Passover, the bread and cup was to be observed perpetually until He returned to redeem His church.
The Lord’s Supper is an update to the Jewish Passover. It indicates a new revelation of God’s Law and Will for humanity from the Jewish Law that was instituted under Moses. It indicated that Jesus supersedes what has been done and written before His arrival.
It was fitting that at the Passover meal the new Passover would be instituted with Jesus Himself becoming the Passover Lamb. This is why we should never take the Lord’s Supper lightly or for granted. It represents our union with God and all it took to secure our salvation. We should count it a privilege to be able to partake of such a solemn and sacred occasion.
Well, be sure to look over the study again and come prepared to offer your comments, questions and perspective on the meaning of the study. If you can’t attend your own Sunday School class this Sunday, you can join us live and online at 9:00 am at www.fbmbc.org and clicking the online services link.
You can also join us live by dialing 508 924-2890. If you have any comments or questions, be sure to place them in the comment section or you can share them on Sunday. So, let’s all have a great lesson and discussion this Sunday and remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
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