The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 509

at some 200,000) could not ,l1ave been himself now distinctly states the day of sacri □ ced in the time appointed, and that & his ooalh e.nd the person who we.a to betray large proportion 01 the A11imRls were killed him. aud eaten both before 11,nd after the etrict.ly Ver. 2.-Ye know. He speaks of e. fe.ct well known to his hearers-tl,IC day of the legal time. There is no eYidence whatever Passover Feast. And they bad been fore- to support this notion, nor can we imagine warned of his death (seo eh. xx. 17-19). that Christ, who ea.me to fulfil the Law, A!ter two days; ,..ra Ii.Jo .;,f'lpa.s : post would have connived a.t such a manifest biduum. These words a.re ambiguous, as it is not certain bow the time is reokoned- infringement of its provisions. Another wbether the current day is included or not. solution is that the meal of which be par- If, ~s is most probable, they were spoken took with his disciples wns a solemn supper on Wednesday, the phrnse means the next in anticipation of the Feast of the Passover, day but one\, which commenced on tho but without the lamb. He himself wa.s the afternoon of l?r_iday. Jesus, appears to have passed this da.y in peaceful seclusion, either true PnssovP-r, the Lamb of God. and in i11 Bethany or its ncig_l);bourhood. .Is the instituting a.t tha.t time the Holy Eucharist, Fen.st of the l'assover; ,-~ n&uxa. -ylvera.,: he gnve himsC'lf ns the epiritnnl food of his the Passover cometh; Pascha fiet. The followers. This new festival superseded lambs were slain during the first evening the Jewish solemnity, a.nd it ie possible of the 14th of Nisnn, and were eaten within twelve hoUJ'II. The word Pascha is the that, in oral tradition, the two were con- Greek form of the Hebrew Pasach, denoting fused and were counted a.s occurring to- "the passing over" of the destroyin.g angel, gether. This solution seems more probable when he destroyed the Egyptians, but left tban the former, e.nd would doubtless be untouched the houses of the Israelites, on confirmed if we were bdter acqua.inted whose door-posts was sprinkled the blood of with mo.ny details well known in the the ls.mb (Exod. xii.). Etymo1ogically, it has nothing to do with ..-&ox"', and the Latin apostolic ages, now unhappily obscured. patior, passio, etc., though, pious wrilel'S Some of the difficulties will, we hope, be have seen a prov1den\ial arrangement in seen to be reconcilable, e.s we proceed in the apparent similarity of the words(see the our Exposition. How the perplexity con- possible paronomasia in Luke xxii. 15). cerning the enormous number of lambs re- Pascha (Pa,ach) is used in three senses: (1) the trall!!it of the angd; (2) the quired for the teeming population gatbered Paschal le.rob; (3) the. Feast ()f the Pass- together was met, we know not. Doubtless over. It is in this last sigµifice.tion that time and circumsta.nces had mo:lifiGd the it is here employed. And (equivalent to rigorous adherence to the prescribed ritual, when) the Son of ma.n is betrayed (deli~ered and possibly many householders (all being up, Revised Version) to be cruoifted. Christ connects his own death :with the Passover, in this matter priests unto God, Exod. xi.x. not only as indicating the day_.e.ml hour, 6 and Rev. i 6) slew e.nd prepared their but to mark the .typical ,meaning and Passover at their own houses or outside the importance of this solemnity, whei;i be, our mcred precincts on the legal de.y e.nd hour. Passover, should be sacrificed fo'r us. The present tense, "is betrayed," denotes the Ent there ie no tradition of any unauthorized imminence and cert11inty;_of-:the.erent. He alteration of these points in the ordained sees the event as, actuully prel!ent. ceremonial, e.nd we cannot doubt that the Vera. 3-5.-Conspirapy of the Jewisl& Lord would not by bis own pre.ctice endorse ru1.ers. (Mark xiv, 1; Luke uii. 2.) such laxity. Ver. 3.-Then. While Chl'ist we.a an- Vera. I, 2.-Final announcement of the nouncing bis approaching death, the rulers approaching Passion. (Mark xiv. 1; Luke were plotting its accomplishment. He was uii. 1.) certain; they were in doubt and perplexity about it. The ohief priests· (see ·on eh. xvi Ver. 1.-When 1eeue had finDhed all 21 ). The office of high priest•ba.d originally these &e.:,'i.nga; i.e. those comprised in chs. been hE:ld for life ; bnt of, late the civil_ xxii.-x.x:v. This was the close of his public power had often deposed one and appointed leaching. The other discourses which are another, so that there were at· iimes many preserved by St. John (xiii. 31-xvii 26) who Le.d held the post, and' who, as well were e.ddressed to the chosen apostles as their deputies, and the heads of the Henceforward the narrative sets him forth COU1'8011, claimed the .. title., of chief priest. u Priest, Victim, Redeemer; e.nd Christ These were o.11 members of .the Sanhedrin. -011. xxv1. 1-76.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 515