Matthew 26:17-35

The Passover and Communion Matthew 26:17-35: Jesus ate the Passover with the disciples for the final time. This was the last Passover in two senses: (1) Jesus would soon die and would not be on earth to observe Passover, and (2) Passover was a part of the Law of Moses that ended at the death of Jesus. As they ate Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray me. (Matthew 26:21)

Jesus' death is to be remembered by Christians on the first day of each week. The Lord's Supper is a memorial to His death. This powerful memorial involves bread that is His body and the cup that is His blood. The bread that we break is symbolic of His wounded, pierced, and broken body, all of which was absolutely essential and necessary for Him to undergo if we were ever to know redemption from sin. The reason Jesus came to die was so that sin could be destroyed and we could be a part of His church! The cup or fruit of the vine that we drink is symbolic of His precious blood that was shed for our salvation. (1 Peter 1:18) The Lord's Supper is a memorial kept by the Lord's disciples (those in the kingdom) in memory of the death of the Savior every Sunday.

Jesus told the disciples that the sheep would be scattered. This fulfilled the prophecy of Ezekiel 13:7. Jesus also predicted Peter would deny Him three times. (Matthew 26:34) Peter protested by saying, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" (Matthew 26:35)