1 When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.”

Matthew 26:1-2 (NASB) 中文

Backdrop

Jesus has presented His disciples (and us) with a very detailed picture of what the end times will be like. The disciples initiated this indirectly by admiring the temple in this previous passage which set the stage for the discourse in Chapters 24-25. The key points were: be ready, be on the alert; don’t be deceived, watch the signs; be active in your readiness; there is a judgment coming. It is His warning to take life and eternal life seriously. He has now finished that very important teaching. 

It’s the middle of the holy week leading to passover. Jesus has entered into Jerusalem with kingly fanfare as prophesied (Matthew 21:1-5). He’s taught about being ready and exposed the hypocrisy of the religious leaders.

Transition to crucifixion

It’s two days to go until Passover starts. This is one of the major annual events on the Jewish calendar. It is a memorial day – to remember how God, in fulfillment of prophecy, brought the Jews out of slavery in Egypt (Genesis 15:13-14, Exodus 6:6). He did it to fulfill another prophecy – a promise to give them their own land (Genesis 15:16), the Promised Land. 

Passover

More than that, it was the provision of a way for the first-born of Israel to be spared death by the Angel of death during the 10th plague of Egypt (Exodus 12:21–29). The first-born represents all those who are like him or come after him. A spotless lamb had to be sacrificed and its blood applied to the door of the home in faith that this would save their first-born from death. The angel would pass over their home. Christ is that sacrifice for us who are, through faith, children of Abraham, the father of faith (1 Corinthians 5:7). The following text will describe His sacrificial death.

RЯeflection

• Are we thankful for God’s plan of redemption? Considering the context, are we anticipating His return and working toward it with the good work He prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10)? Are we serving “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40)?
• Who are we sharing this good news with? God will lead us to those who He is drawing to Himself. Let our light shine before men in such a way that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16)