Matthew 26:20-35 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

The Final Passover And The Declaration Of The New Covenant (26:20-35).

This second subsection is carefully patterned around the Passover meal. It commences with a warning of Jesus' coming betrayal, describes the Passover and the establishing of the Lord's Supper, and concludes with a warning of the coming desertion of His disciples and of Peter's coming threefold denial. Thus the institution of the Lord's Supper, revealing the Lord's future provision for His own, is placed within a framework of the betrayal, desertion and denial of those who were closest to Him, which serves to demonstrate how necessary that provision was. It is a mirror-image of God's grace at work, operating in the midst of a world in turmoil.

It can be analysed as follows:

a Jesus declares that one of His Apostles will betray Him (Matthew 26:20-25).

b Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper and then establishes the new covenant in His blood (Matthew 26:26-30).

a Jesus declares that the remainder of His Apostles will forsake Him and Peter will deny Him three times (Matthew 26:31-35).

The instituting of the Lord's Supper is therefore enveloped within a picture of the total failure of His chosen Apostles, one in betrayal and the others in great fear, emphasising that what Jesus is to go through He must go through alone. It is clear that this aloneness was necessary to the fulfilment of God's purpose, for in the very nature of things none other could have a part in the carrying through of the essential saving activity of God in Jesus.

Related Commentaries of Matthew 26:20

Matthew 26:20-35

20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

21 And as they did eat, he said,Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

23 And he answered and said,He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him,Thou hast said.

26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said,Take, eat; this is my body.

27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,Drink ye all of it;

28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

30 And when they had sung an hymn,a they went out into the mount of Olives.

31 Then saith Jesus unto them,All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offendedb because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

34 Jesus said unto him,Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.