Matthew 26:2
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“You know that the Passover is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
GLORIOUS ANGELIC ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, THAT CHRIST IS RISEN--HIS APPEARANCE TO THE WOMEN--THE GUARDS BRIBED TO GIVE A FALSE ACCOUNT OF THE RESURRECTION. ( = Mar 16:1-8; Luk 24:1-8; Joh 20:1). (Mat 28:1-15) In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn--after the Sabbath, as it grew toward daylight. toward the first day of the week--Luke (Luk 24:1) has it, "very early in the morning"--properly, "at the first appearance of daybreak"; and corresponding with this, John (Joh 20:1) says, "when it was yet dark." See on Mar 16:2. Not an hour, it would seem, was lost by those dear lovers of the Lord Jesus. came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary--"the mother of James and Joses" (see on Mat 27:56; Mat 27:61). to see the sepulchre--with a view to the anointing of the body, for which they had made all their preparations. (See on Mar 16:1-2). And, behold, there was--that is, there had been, before the arrival of the women. a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, &c.--And this was the state of things when the women drew near. Some judicious critics think all this was transacted while the women were approaching; but the view we have given, which is the prevalent one, seems the more natural. All this august preparation--recorded by Matthew alone--bespoke the grandeur of the exit which was to follow. The angel sat upon the huge stone, to overawe, with the lightning--luster that darted from him, the Roman guard, and do honor to his rising Lord.
Open source ↗26:2 The irony is that the Son of Man, who is to judge the nations (25:31-46), must first be wrongly judged and condemned to death by evil people. Jesus’ death was the ultimate Passover sacrifice (see John 19:31-37; 1 Cor 5:7).
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Now Judas His betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples.
Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many people went up from the country to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover.
When they gathered together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.
“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.”
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to Me along with anything leavened, and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Feast remain until morning.
And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering.
When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.