(12) And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and pre pare that thou mayest eat the passover (13) And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a. pitcher of water: follow him. (14) And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the good man of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guest-chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? (15) And he will shew you a large, upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. (16) And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
It should not be forgotten, that the LORD with his disciples were still at Bethany, two miles from Jerusalem, and as the time was now arrived for the Passover, it became necessary for the disciples to return into the city, to make provision for it. For, according to the law in Jerusalem, the feast must be, and the Paschal Lamb slain, between the two evenings, and eaten at night. Hence the question the disciples put to CHRIST, and the LORD's answer as related in those verses. The Reader, I hope, will not fail to take notice how the, LORD JESUS here again manifested his divine nature in foretelling his disciples who they should meet, and how they should be received JESUS over ruling this man's mind to accommodate the LORD and his disciples. By the disciples making ready the Passover, I should apprehend they bought a lamb, for such no doubt were sold upon this, solemn festival at Jerusalem, both to the inhabitants, and to the Jews, which came to Jerusalem, to celebrate this feast; and as the law en joined, they must have carried it to the court of the temple for slaughter, and there burnt the fat upon the altar, sprinkling the blood upon it, before they brought it home to the house where it was to be eaten. And I should apprehend also, that the roasting it whole, and the bitter herbs, and bread and wine, were all included in what is said of the disciples making ready before that JESUS came in the evening to sit down with the twelve. See Exodus 12:1. throughout. Deuteronomy 16:1-8.