Matthew 26:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

NIV: When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

NASB: And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

CSB: After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

NLT: Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

KJV: And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

NKJV: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

The Passover meal always ended with the singing of the last part of what was called the Hallel, from Psalm 113–118 or perhaps Psalm 136. "Hallel" refers to the repeated word "hallelujah." As the acting head of the household, in this moment, Jesus, would have sung one line after another as the disciples responded by singing the word "hallelujah."

The Israelites had sung these promises from God, year after year, for centuries. Now the disciples were singing them together with the Lord Himself, one last time, before the great act of love which would bring so many of these promises into reality: "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" (Psalm 118:29).

After concluding the meal with the hymn, the group got up from the table and walked back to their nighttime campsite at the Mount of Olives (Matthew 24:3). Judas had already gone (John 13:26–30). It was just Jesus and the 11 remaining disciples. They will end up at a place called the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36).

Matthew 26:17–35 begins with locating the room which will be used for the Passover meal. While they are eating, Jesus announces that one of His closest disciples will become a traitor. Judas discovers that Jesus knows it is him. Jesus introduces the concept of bread and wine as symbols of His sacrificial body and blood. After the meal, Jesus tells the disciples they will fall away that night and that Peter will deny Him three times. They insist that will not happen. Mark 14:10–31, Luke 22:3–23, Luke 22:31–34, and John 13:21–38 feature these events, as well.

The Jewish religious leaders further their plots to arrest and kill Jesus, finding a willing traitor in Judas Iscariot. A woman anoints Christ with oil during a dinner at Bethany. Next, Jesus and the disciples hold the Passover meal in an upper room where Jesus predicts His arrests and introduces the sacrament of communion. Then Jesus prays in unimaginable agony in the garden of Gethsemane before being betrayed by Judas and captured. The disciples scatter. Before the high priest, Jesus explicitly claims to be divine. They convict Him of blasphemy and sentence Him to death. As this happens, Peter denies knowing Jesus and runs away in shame.

After a long series of teaching (Matthew 24—25), Matthew 26 begins with Jesus saying He will be delivered up for death. Christ is anointed at a dinner in Bethany and Judas agrees to turn Him over to the chief priests. Jesus holds a Passover meal with the disciples, predicts an act of treachery, and introduces the sacrament of communion. He tells the disciples they will run in fear and that Peter will deny Him, which happens just as prophesied. Christ prays in great sorrow in a garden and is then arrested and taken away and unfairly sentenced to death. After this, Jesus will be taken to the Roman governor, where Jewish leadership will press for Him to be executed as an insurgent.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 5/3/2024 4:00:41 AM