The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 514

Vora. 17~10.-ProparatilYTI/M thsPaBchal householder who hr1d nccommodathn. Dr. Bupper. (Mork xiv. 12-16; Luke x.xii. Edershrim supposes that he wo.s father nf 7-18.) Mark, who was the "young man" arrested by the company that took J esns (l\lo.rk xiv. Ver. 17.-The 11.rst do.y of the Feast of 51). The secrecy observed in the ahovc- Unleavened Bread; litemlly, on the fllT'st day mentioned arrangement was intencled to of Unleavened Bread. We ho.ve o.rrived e.t keep the knowledge from Judas, and tbns the 'l!hursdo.y in the Holy Week, Nise.n to secure immunity from interruption at the 13. Wednesday. had been spent in retire- solemn meal. The traitor seems to have ment e.t Botbe.ny,.e.nd no o.cta or sayings of sneaked out from the last Sapper, and dis• Christ on that de.y e.re recorded. The fes- closed Christ's retreat to the Jewish autho- tival e.ctne.lly began e.t SUD.Bet of the 14th, rities, and conducted I hem to the house; which was called the de.y of preparation+ bnt, finding. that Jesus had left the room, because the lambs for the feast were slain he led them to Gethsemane, whither he in the afternoon of that de.y, preparatory to knew that Jeane often resorted (.John xviii. their being eaten before the morning of the 1, 2). The Ma.ator. A disciple woald know 15th. Domestic preparation, involving the who was meant by this title (c,nnp. eh. remove.I of e.11 leaven from houses and the :uiii. B, 10; John xi. 28). Whether any use of unleavened bread, began .on the 13th ; previous arrangement had been me.de witl1 henoe this. we.a considered e.t this ere. "the him, we cannot tell ; most probably Christ first clay of the Unleavened}' . Came to speaks from prevision and bis provideutial Jesus. As the Master oftho family, who had ordering of eveuts. My time is at he.nd. the ortloring of a.11.thedete.ils of the Paschal The time of my snffering and death. This celebration. .'.Dhey did not know the mind fact would make the request more impera- of Jesus on the subject, and desired his tive. But I.he expression was mysterions directions·e.e in formor:yee.rs. Bethany was and indefiuite. I will keep ( ,ro,oi, I keep) considered as J eruso.lem for the purposes of the Passover at thy house. The Passover the solemn meal, and the apostles thought which the Lord was to keep was not the that prepe.l'B.tion was to be made at some usnn1 Paschal meal, as the lamb could not house in that village. Prepare for thee to be legally killed till the 14th, but a com- eat the Passover.. The prepn.rations wero memorative anticipatory feast in which he numerous ; e. proper room had lo be found himself was the Lamb-" the Lamb of Goel. and swept and carefully cleansed from that taketh away the sin of the world." Ot' every particle of leaven; .tables e.nd couches that Lamb the apostles did mystically eat had to be arranged, lights to be supplied, when Christ gave them the bread and wine the lamb e.nd .e.11 other necessaries (e.g. with .the words, "This is my body ; " "Thi• breud, wine, bitter herbs) provided. All is my blood." This Supper, which wns these preparations took much time, so it virtue.Uy the now Pnssover, seems tra<lition- was-douqtlese in the early morning that the e.lly to have become confounded with tile disciples applied to our Lord. When they usualPaeohal solemnity; hence the language spoke of eating the Passover, they doubtleas of the eynoptists 0.ssumes a form which supposed that Christ meant in due course is 0.pplicable to the regular Jewish feast. to celebrate the regular Paschal supper on 'fhis explanation, if it seems to derogate the o.ppointed day, i.8. on .the evening of somewhat from the precise verbal accuracy FriJe.y.. But his intentions wern different of the evangelists, would probably be con- from what they expected. firmed if we were better ncqnainted with the Ver. 18.-The oity. Jerusalem. Jesus customs I.hen prevalent, and with the current was a.t Bethany. St. Luke says that he meaning of tho hrnguage employed. The sent Peter e.nd John, now first joined to- ambiguity in the accounts may Le diviuely gether without Je.mes. To such a man intended to. co.II attention to the ft\ct tho.t ("pb• 'Tbv 6,i'vti). The other synoptists men- the fost Supper was not the Jewish Passover, tion certain signs by which they were to but the Chri•tinn Passover-not tho sacrifice recognize the me.u, At the entrance of the on the oross, but an anticipation thereof. city they would meet e. man bearing e. We may ob,erve in passing that there is no pitcher of wnter; they were to follow him mention of the lamb in the celebration ; to the house whither he wont, and then Peter and Johu were not enjoined to provide give their message to the master of the one, nor are they e11id to have visited the house. There is.11 great similarity between. temple-which, indeed, on the 13th woulJ. this mission and tliat concerning the 111!8 have been useless: and yet to obtain the before the triumphal entry. Tho foreknow- le.rub in any other way would have been a led "0 and the precision in diroc.tions a.re breach of I.he Law, whioh we oonnot sup- quite analogous. . The. ".good man" was pose Christ would sanction. We may lllso doubtless e. disciple, though e.t this festival notice tho.t the word "feast" ( fopnj) is all strangers were freely received by any nowhere 11pplied to the last Supper, thongll  520 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [on. xxv1. 1-75.