Matthew 26:17-19; Jesus, our Passover Lamb

“My time is at hand,” Jesus in Matthew 26:18

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'"  (Abraham Kuyper, A Centennial Reader, chapter “Sphere Sovereignty”)

“And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain,” (Revelation 5:6).

In one of the darkest moments in the Bible, the LORD passed through and killed “all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast,” (Exodus 12:12).  This was the final plague against Pharaoh that freed Israel from slavery.  The LORD told Moses to instruct Israel to spread the blood of a sacrificed lamb on the lintel and the doorposts of their homes.  “When He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you,” (Exodus 12:23). 

The feast of Passover is to be observed “throughout your generations, as a statute forever,” (Exodus 12:14).  When a child asks about Passover, one should say, “For it is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, for He passed over the houses…of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians but spared our houses,” (Exodus 12:26-27). 

Just as all of Israel was saved from physical death by the blood of the sacrificed Passover Lamb, so all the world would be saved from spiritual death by the blood of the Lamb of God, sacrificed on the feast of Passover.  Jesus is “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” (John 1:29).  “Hallelujah to the Lamb!”  

Typology is a system of interpretation where an Old Testament event or person is a symbol or a shadow (see Hebrews 8:5, 10:1) which finds its completed expression in the New Testament.  The Passover Lamb and the yearly Passover feasts, celebrated since Moses, are “types” that find their ultimate fulfillment in Christ Jesus. 

Nearly simultaneous to Passover is the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:17; Leviticus 23:5-6); in fact the doctor Luke groups the two feasts together in Luke 22:1.  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?” (v. 17).  Jesus had timed their arrival into Jerusalem so that He could participate in the Passover with His disciples.  More importantly, He timed their arrival into Jerusalem so He could fulfill and complete the shadow of Passover.  

Jesus did not use His sovereignty to deliver Himself from death, but to deliver Himself willingly to death.   Additionally, He used His sovereignty to orchestrate even the hour of His death.   He will soon time His death to precisely “when the whole assembly…of Israel shall kill their [Passover] lambs at twilight” (Exodus 12:6).     

Jesus said, “Go into the city to a certain man…” (v.18). Mark 14:13 and Luke 22:10 add that this man will be “carrying a jar of water.”  This will make him easier to find because this is the task of a servant, not a man who has the resources of whom Jesus could say, “I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples,” (v. 19).  The disciples acted as disciples and did as Jesus had directed them and they prepared the Passover (v. 19). 

The Teacher declared, “My time is at hand,” (v. 18).  No more will Jesus say, “My hour has not yet come,” (John 2:4).  Now His time has come.  It is time for the true Passover Lamb to be led to slaughter.  It is time for the head of the serpent to be crushed (see Genesis 3:15).  It is time for the Good Shepherd to “lay down His life for the sheep,” (John 10:11).  It is time for the Father to be glorified in the Son (see John 17:1).  It is time.