Matthew 26: 17 19 Passover

Target year level: Year One

Scripture text

Introduction

The Gospel of Matthew thought by most scholars to have been written for a New Testament audience of Jewish Christians together with some Gentile Christians who knew Jewish culture, religious belief and practice. Matthew’s text has many Jewish references that take for granted an audience familiar with Judaism, its culture, beliefs and practices.

For further background on the Gospel of Matthew, see the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), Introduction to Matthew.

World behind the text

Many scholars believe Matthew’s Gospel was written at Antioch, a Greek speaking city with a number of Jewish synagogues. Antioch became the capital of the Roman province in Syria in 64 BCE and in the first century CE was the third largest city in the Roman Empire. Christianity had become well established in Antioch by 80 CE. A number of other possible locations with a similar demographic to Antioch are also suggested as possible sites for the writing of Matthew’s Gospel.

For further information, see Gospel of Matthew Composition and Setting.

Jesus and his disciples were Jewish and worshipped in the local Synagogue. After the death of Jesus, many of his earliest followers who came to be called Christians were Jewish and continued to gather and worship at the Synagogue as well as gather with fellow Christians in Early Christian house churches. In time, questions and disputes arose as to the precise relationship between the Christian churches and Judaism. Internal disputes in the Christian churches focused on the extent to which Jewish Law was applicable to the followers of Jesus who were Jews and whether or not elements of Jewish Law should be observed by Gentile Christians. Matthew’s Gospel was also written at a time of increasing tension between Jewish synagogue and Christian church over claims about truth and authenticity. On both sides there was a general hardening of attitudes. For further information, see Early Christian churches and Judaism

World of the text

Matthew 26:17-19 situates Jesus and his disciples clearly in their Jewish context in Jerusalem. In particular, Mt 26:17-19 references, ‘Passover’, ‘Passover preparations’, ‘unleavened bread’ and the ‘keeping of the Passover’. For further information, see Jewish Celebration of the Passover.

Matthew’s Gospel was written to convince his audience - Jews and Gentiles alike - that Jesus is the Messiah long anticipated by the Jews. Jesus is the New Moses, the one who liberates his people from oppression. Moses is a central figure remembered by Jews in the celebration of Passover and Matthew has Jesus, the New Moses, as the commanding and central figure in 26:17-19. For Matthew, Jesus and, by implication, the followers of Jesus and their Christian communities, are in continuity with all that is true and good in Judaism and in the history of the People of Israel. Just as the Passover celebration is central in Judaism so Matthew 26:17-19 situates the institution of the central act of Christian worship, the Eucharist, in the context of Jesus’ celebration of Passover with his disciples.

World in front of the text

Matthew 26: 17-19 challenges contemporary Christians to:

Recognise that Christians inherit the riches of a Judeo-Christian tradition as gathered in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and Christian Scriptures (New Testament)
Understand the continuities between all that is true and good in Judaism and all that is true and good in Christianity
Engage in inter-religious dialogue and action for the common good with our Jewish brothers and sisters
Stand up to anti-Semitism that seeks to vilify and threaten Jewish people in Australia and elsewhere
Appreciate that Christian Eucharistic celebrations as with Jewish celebrations of Passover are at the heart of religious identity
Become involved in outreach, advocacy and service to help overcome all forms of oppression, injustice and marginalisation.