The New Covenant Inaugurated
TRANSLATION
(1) When Jesus had finished speaking all these words, he said to his disciples, (2) “You know that after two days Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” (3) Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered together in the court of the high priest whose name was Caiaphas (4) and plotted together to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. (5) But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
(6) Now when Jesus was (staying) in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, (7) a woman came there to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it over his head while he was dining. (8) When the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? (9) This ointment could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” (10) But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman, for she has done a beautiful thing for me. (11) For the poor you have with you always, but you will not always have me. (12) In pouring this ointment over my body, she has prepared me for (my) burial. (13) Truly, I tell you that wherever the Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
(14) Then one of the twelve who was called Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests (15) and asked, “What are you willing to give me to deliver him over to you?” And they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver. (16) From that time on he sought an opportunity to betray him.
(17) Now on the first day of (the feast of) Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus asking, “Where would you like us to prepare the Passover meal?” (18) And he said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand. Allow me to observe the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’” (19) And the disciples did as Jesus told them, and they prepared the Passover. (20) Now when it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve, (21) and as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I tell you that one of you will betray me.” (22) And they were very sad, and they all began to ask him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” (23) He answered, “The one who dips his hand in the dish with me is the one who will betray me. (24) The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man not to have been born.” (25) And Judas, who betrayed him, asked, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
(26) Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, and broke it and, giving to the disciples, said, “Take, eat! This is my body.” (27) Then he took a cup, and giving thanks, gave to them saying, “Drink all of it, (28) for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the remission of sins. (29) But I tell you that I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (30) And after they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
OBSERVATIONS
Matthew described in vivid detail the events surrounding the Passover Jesus shared with his disciples in the Upper Room. He began with Jesus’ warning the disciples of his imminent arrest (1-5) and continued with the meal they shared at Bethany where he was anointed with a costly perfume (6-13). He then described Judas’ arrangement with the chief priests to betray Jesus (14-16) and proceeded to recall the events at the Passover meal, namely, how the disciples obtained the room (17-19), how Jesus predicted his betrayal (20-25), and how he inaugurated the New Covenant (26-30). Repeated words and phrases in this segment included the name, “Jesus,” found six times (vss. 1, 4, 10, 17, 19, & 26) along with two uses of the title, “Son of Man” (both in vs. 24), six occurrences of “disciples” (vss. 1, 8, 17, 18, 19, & 26), two of “the twelve” (vss. 14 & 20), four of “Passover” (vss. 2, 17, 18, & 19), two each of “woman” (vss. 6 & 10) and “poor” (vss. 9 & 10), five instances of “betray/betrayed” (vss. 16, 21, 23, 24, & 25), and three of “drink” (vss. 27 & 29).
OUTLINE
I. Jesus warned his disciples regarding what would happen to them in Jerusalem. (1-5)
II. A grateful woman anointed Jesus with precious ointment at the house of Simon the leper. (6-16)
III. While eating the Passover meal with his disciples, Jesus foretold Judas’ betrayal. (17-25)
IV. Jesus inaugurated the New Covenant with his disciples in the partaking of bread and wine. (26-30)
IDEA STATEMENT
Just before he went to the cross, Jesus was anointed by a grateful woman, betrayed by Judas, and then inaugurated the New Covenant while celebrating the Passover with his disciples.
APPLICATION
Two elements of the Passover meal assumed a completely new significance when Jesus told his disciples that the unleavened bread he had broken and distributed to them would from now on represent his body broken on the cross. The cup of wine shared by everyone would now represent the blood he would shed on the cross for the remission of our sins. In doing this, Jesus inaugurated the last great covenant of the Old Testament called the New Covenant. Set forth in Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36, this covenant contained several promises: that God would indelibly write his law on human hearts of flesh and not of stone, completely forgive our sins, and bestow on us the indwelling Holy Spirit.
This hugely significant landmark in the history of our salvation was enacted amid horrific events including Judas’ heartless betrayal, Jesus’ impending judgment, suffering, and death, and the disciples’ general confusion. Only after his resurrection and ascension with the guidance of the Holy Spirit would Jesus’ followers come to understand the significance of all that had taken place that evening in the Upper Room.