The Disciples Get Ready to Celebrate the Holy Day with Jesus
Today’s passage: Matthew 26:17–19, Mark 14:12–16, and Luke 22:7–13
Focus verse: “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” (Matthew 26:18)
The time for the Passover draws near. It’s the reason Jesus and his disciples are in Jerusalem.
Passover is an annual celebration that began when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt.
As instructed by Moses, each family slaughtered a lamb and roasted it over a fire. They feasted on the meat. They also took blood from the lamb and spread it on the doorframe of their house.
On the night of that first observance, God sent his angel to kill the firstborn of each house. But the angel would “pass over” the houses with blood on their doorposts (Exodus 12:1–30).
This was the final plague, and at last the Pharaoh let the people leave Egypt.
When he later changed his mind and chased after them, God performed a miracle to wipe out the Egyptian army. This freed God’s people from their masters and poised them to head toward the land God promised to give them.
The annual Passover celebration remembers all this. It’s not a question of if Jesus and his disciples will observe the Passover, but where. When they ask what he has in mind, he gives a cryptic answer.
“Go to town and find a certain man. Tell him that the Teacher’s appointed time draws near, and he and his disciples will celebrate Passover at his house.”
The disciples go and do as Jesus instructed. Though Matthew and Mark imply that all twelve disciples go, Luke says it’s only Peter and John.
Though Matthew’s account is concise, Mark and Luke give more detail. They both write that upon entering the city the disciples are to look for a man carrying a jar of water.
They are to follow the man to his destination. Once they reach the house, they’re to talk to the owner, who will take them to a large room, all furnished and ready. This is where they’re to make the needed Passover preparations.
We understand that, culturally, women were the ones to fetch water, not men. So, a man carrying a water jug would stand out and be easy to spot.
Though I’ve always assumed this takes place in Jerusalem, the Bible doesn’t specify where. It’s possible it happens in Bethany.
What’s always amazed me is that the disciples’ arrival and request doesn’t surprise the owner of the house. Though we don’t know if he realizes who the Teacher is, he has a large room ready for them to celebrate Passover.
I marvel over his faith to have made preparations before the disciples made their request and his ready acceptance of their presumptuous question of “Where is my guest room?”
Questions:
- When has God told us to do something that made no sense?
- Did we have the faith to obey?
- How can we commemorate now what God has done for us in the past?
Prayer: Jesus, when you tell us to do something, may we obey—even if we don’t understand why.
[This devotional is taken from the Day 20 reading in The Passion of Jesus.]
Discover more about celebrating Jesus and his passion to save us in devotional The Passion of Jesus. It is part of the Holiday Celebration Devotionals Series.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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