How does Matthew 26:17 connect to the Old Testament Passover instructions? The Setting in Matthew 26:17 “On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?’” • Matthew pinpoints the same festival God instituted in Exodus 12, signaling an intentional tie-in to the original Passover narrative. Echoes of Exodus 12: The Original Blueprint • Exodus 12:3–6 — lamb selected on the 10th day, sacrificed on the 14th. • Exodus 12:8 — eat the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. • Exodus 12:14–17 — keep the feast as “a lasting ordinance.” • Deuteronomy 16:1–8; Leviticus 23:5–8 — reiterate the same commands centuries later. Matthew’s wording shows Jesus and His disciples obeying these enduring instructions. Shared Timing and Calendar Markers • “First day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread” (Matthew 26:17) = 14th of Nisan, the precise date God set for the Passover meal (Exodus 12:6, Leviticus 23:5). • Both passages emphasize a weeklong removal of leaven (Exodus 12:15; Matthew 26:17 assumes it is already underway). Identical Preparation Steps • Secure a place (Exodus 12:7 — house marked with blood; Matthew 26:18 — room secured). • Prepare the lamb (Exodus 12:5–6; implied in Matthew 26:19). • Eat the meal at evening (Exodus 12:8,12; Matthew 26:20). • Consume with unleavened bread (Exodus 12:8,17; Mark 14:12 parallels Matthew 26:17). Matthew’s narrative shows the disciples following these Exodus patterns point-by-point. Theological Threads • Redemption: Passover commemorates deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12:12–13). Jesus positions Himself at this meal to inaugurate a greater redemption (Matthew 26:28). • Covenant blood: lamb’s blood saved Israel’s firstborn (Exodus 12:13); Jesus’ blood “poured out for many” (Matthew 26:28; cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7). • Memorial meal: Israelites commanded to “remember” annually (Exodus 12:14); Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). Fulfillment in Jesus, the True Passover Lamb • John 1:29 calls Jesus “the Lamb of God.” • 1 Corinthians 5:7: “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” • Matthew’s careful linkage (26:17) shows Jesus stepping into the exact space Passover foreshadowed, ensuring every Old Testament detail finds literal, historical fulfillment in Him. |
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