17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you 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.”
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
The Feast of Unleavened Bread was an eight-day festival of Passover in which no bread made with yeast or leaven could be eaten. Jesus sends His disciples to find a specific man and make arrangements to eat the Passover meal in his house.
While they were around the table, Jesus lets them know that his death, which He had already warned them about many times, would come about by betrayal by one of them. Each of them was deeply concerned that they might be the one to betray Him. Jesus confirmed that it was going to be one of the twelve when He said that it would be one who had dipped his hand into the same dish with Him. Judas asked his question that expected a negative response. “It is not me, is it?” is another way to express it. Jesus confirms that it was going to be him. Note that all the disciples refer to Jesus as Lord, “Is it I, Lord?” while Judas simply calls Him Rabbi, “Is it I, Rabbi?” Jesus says that it would be better for His betrayer, Judas, not to have been born because, based on his choice to reject Jesus, he will spend eternity in conscious, everlasting punishment.
During the meal, Jesus took the elements of the Passover and gave them new meaning. Where the Passover was instituted to remind the Jews of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt under Moses, the Lord’s Supper (or Communion) now reminds believers of our deliverance from sin through Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross.
Every one of us has the capacity in ourselves to be a betrayer like Judas. Perhaps that is why each of the disciples was concerned that they might be Jesus’ betrayer. They each recognised their inherent sinfulness. By God’s grace we each get a choice, we can embrace our sinfulness and harden our hearts like Judas in which case we will suffer the same fate of eternal conscious punishment. Or we can accept Jesus’ gift of salvation by believing in His death on the cross in our place and receive eternal peace with God. Have you made your choice?
It doesn’t matter how many steps in the wrong direction you have taken, it is only one step back to receive Christ as Lord of your life.
Bodie Hodge
Jesus was and is so willing to give up everything for us yet it’s so hard to surrender our will and give our best for him daily.
This made me think of forgiving people because Jesus was still friends with Judas even though he knew that he would betray Him. This made me think of how I hold onto ways people have wronged me but I should actually live up to Jesus’ standard and love everyone who does wrong to me
This made me realize just how Jesus kept saying to the disciples exactly what would happen and they didn’t really take it in and process it. I think in our lives when the Holy Spirit prompts us to do something we need to take it in and do it