The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 515

it ie nlways rmployed in roferenoe to hn.ving tasted it, passed it round to the the Jewish solemnity. St. Penl, in his gnests; the master washed his hands, the account of the institution of the Holy Com- others performing their ablutions at a later munion (1 Cor. xi.) makes no mention of part of the service ; the dishes were ple.occl nny Pasobal solemnities or associations, but on the table; after a special beueuiction merely states that it wes appointed on the had been spoken over the bitter herbs, the night in which Jeeus was betrayed. With master and the rest of the company took my cli11Ciplee; i.e. the twelve·apostles; none a bunoh of these, dipped it in the ap- hut the.m, not even the master of the house, pointed sauce, and ate it; an unleavened were present at this solemn soeue. oake was broken and elevated with a pre- Ver. 19.-llila.de ready the Passover (see scribed formula; the second cup wo.s filled, on ver. 17). They got the room ready, pro- the history of the festive.I was proclaimed, vided unfermented bread, wine, bitter herbs, Ps. oxiii.--OXviii. were recited, and the cup eauce, and some dishes necessary for the was drunk. Now began the proper Paschal feast. They would not eat the Paschal meal with a general washing of hands ; the lamb at the !ego.I time to-morrow, so the lamb was cut into pieoes, and a portion Lord ordained a commemorative and antici- given to each, with a bit of the unleavened patory solemnity, in which he appointed a bread and bitter herbs dipped in the sauce, rite which should take the place of the called by St. John (xiii. 26) "the sop." At .Jewish ceremony. We learn from the other the end of the meal, which was supple- synoptists that the honseholder was not mented by other vio.nds (which, however, satistied with offering Christ and his friends were probably eaten before the lamb), the lhe use of the common ha.II, which they third cup, named by St. Paul (1 Cor. L 16) would have had tosha.re probably \\ith other "tile cup of blessing," was drunk, and the gnests ; bnt he assigned to them his best solemn grace after meat was uttered. It a.nd most houonra.ble chamber, "a large would be necessary to examine St. John's upper room," already properly arranged and Gospel to see how the ritual fitted into the furnished for the feast. '.l'radi tion has main- actual details of the last Supper; we ho.ve tained that this e.pa.rtment was I.hat after- to deal with St. Mo.tthew's account. Verily wards used by the apostles as a place of I say 11.D.to you. Christ thus prepares the 8.l!Bembling, and where they received the apostles for the incredible statement which effusion of the Holy Ghost on the Day of he is a.bout to make. One of yon ; eTs l( Pentecost. ;,,,_;;,,,. One out of your number, my chosen Vera 20-25. -The last Supper. Jesu, companions. He had before spoken vaguely announces hu /.,elrayer. (Mark xiv. 17-21; of his betrayal (see eh. xvii 22; xx. 18; :u:vL 2). By thus showing hie knowledge Luke xxii. 14, 21-23; John xiii 21-30.) of the coming treachery, o.nd yet declining Ver. 20.-When the even we.s come; i.e. ac- to denounce the traitor by name, he may cording to Jewish reckoning, the beginning have given J nda.s e. Iaijt clumce of repentance of the 14th of Ni.sa.n; with us, the Thurs- before the final act. St. Mo.tLhew omits the day evening-the eve of Good Friday. He washing of the disciples' feet, o.nd the strife sat down ; he was reclining at table. Origin- a.bout pre-eminence. ally, the Passover was ordered to be eaten Ver. 22.-E.xoeeding sorrowful. Snoh en standing, in reference to the oircumslances announcement filled them with amazement of its first institution (Exod. xii. 11); but and grief; they scarcely dared suspect one after the settlement in Canaan the postnre another, but began to doubt their own con- had been changed to that of reclining in stancy, though at the time consoiow of their token of rest after a weary pilgrimage. The integrity. 1B it It M~n h·~ elµ,1; Nwmquid rule that obtained concerning the nllillber ego ,um 1 It is not I, is it 1 where the nega- in one oompe.ny of partakers of the Paschal tive answer is expected. It is remarkable feast was that it never ~hould be less tlie.n that the reo.l character of Judas had never ten, nor more than the lamb would suffice been discovered by the fellow-disciples who io feed, though a morsel of the desh was for three years ho.d mixed with him in considered to satisfy all reqnirements. closest companionship. Either he was a Ver. 21.-Aa they did ee.t. The details consummate hypocrite, or the other apostles of the Paschal feast are expounded by rab- were too simple-minded, good, and ohe.l"itable binical authors, though there iB little in St. to think evil of any one. 'l'Lus his pecula- Matthew's account to lead w to conclude tions passed unnoticed, and the greed and that our Lord obse"ed them on this ooce.- avarice which wrecked his spiritual life sion. The ceremonial usually practised were entirely unsuspeoted. was as followa : The head of the family, sit- Ver. 23.-He that dippeth (diwed)_ hie ting in the place of honour, took a cup of hand with me in the dish. Even now Jesus wine e.nd wat.er mixed (" the first cup"), does not identify the traitor. Many had pronounced a thanksgiving over it, and, put their hands into the dish aloug with ea, xxv1. 1-76.J TllE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 5'.'l