Matthew 26:20 kjv
Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
Matthew 26:20 nkjv
When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.
Matthew 26:20 niv
When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.
Matthew 26:20 esv
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.
Matthew 26:20 nlt
When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve.
Matthew 26 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 12:6 | ...keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter it at twilight. | Prescribed time for Passover sacrifice. |
| Exod 12:8 | That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. | Original Passover meal instructions. |
| Exod 12:11 | This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover. | Original Passover posture for departure. |
| Deut 16:6 | but at the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name—there you must sacrifice the Passover lamb in the evening, as the sun goes down, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. | Later commandment for Passover celebration location and time. |
| Mt 26:17 | On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” | Precedes verse, disciples ask about Passover preparation. |
| Mt 26:18 | He replied, “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.’” | Jesus directs specific Passover preparation. |
| Mt 26:19 | So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. | Immediate preparation for the meal. |
| Mk 14:17 | When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. | Parallel account of Jesus arriving with disciples for Passover. |
| Lk 22:14 | When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. | Parallel account emphasizing the specific "hour" for the meal. |
| Lk 22:15 | And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." | Jesus' longing for this final Passover meal. |
| Jn 13:2 | The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot...to betray Jesus. | Context of betrayal during the meal. |
| Jn 13:23 | One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. | Details of reclining at table. |
| Lk 24:30 | When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. | Later meal with disciples post-resurrection, mirroring actions. |
| 1 Cor 11:23 | For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread... | Recalling the setting and timing of the Last Supper. |
| Gal 4:4 | But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son... | Divine timing in Christ's ministry. |
| Ps 41:9 | Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me. | Prophecy of betrayal at the table, echoing this verse. |
| Jn 6:70 | Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.” | Foreshadowing of Judas among the Twelve. |
| Jn 1:29 | The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" | Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb. |
| Heb 9:28 | so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. | Fulfillment of sacrifice, echoing the Passover Lamb. |
| Acts 1:2 | until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. | The twelve apostles as chosen witnesses. |
Matthew 26 verses
Matthew 26 20 Meaning
Matthew 26:20 describes the precise moment Jesus and His twelve disciples began to partake in the Passover meal. As evening arrived, they took their places, traditionally reclining on cushions around a low table, ready to observe the sacred feast, a pivotal event preceding His crucifixion. This act signifies the solemn initiation of the Last Supper, wherein deep intimacy, prophetic fulfillment, and tragic betrayal would unfold.
Matthew 26 20 Context
Matthew 26:20 is situated within the narrative of Jesus' final week leading to His crucifixion. The preceding verses (Matt 26:17-19) describe the disciples' question regarding Passover preparations and Jesus' specific instructions for locating the upper room. This verse marks the commencement of the Last Supper, a Passover Seder meal that Jesus transformed into the institution of the Lord's Supper. Historically and culturally, Passover was one of the most significant annual festivals for Jews, commemorating their deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Exod 12). By Jesus observing this feast, He aligned Himself with a central tenet of Israel's faith while simultaneously preparing to reveal its ultimate fulfillment in His own sacrifice. This timing was highly symbolic; the evening of Passover was when the lamb would be traditionally slaughtered.
Matthew 26 20 Word analysis
- When evening came (Greek: Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης – Opsias de genoménēs): The term "evening" (opsia) here signifies the crucial time, after sunset, which traditionally marked the beginning of a new day in Jewish reckoning. More specifically, it indicates the transition from the 14th to the 15th of Nisan, the customary time for the Passover Seder. This timing aligns with the ritual requirements of the Old Covenant (Exod 12:6), underscoring Jesus' adherence to the Law and the divinely appointed schedule for the week of His passion. The arrival of evening sets the stage for the pivotal events of the Last Supper.
- he reclined (Greek: ἀνέπεσεν – anepesen): The Greek word for "reclined" implies lying on a couch or cushion, typically leaning on one's left elbow, with feet extended backward. This posture was customary for formal meals in the Greco-Roman world and had become the standard for the Passover Seder during this period. It stood in deliberate contrast to the standing posture of the original Exodus Passover (Exod 12:11), symbolizing a posture of rest and freedom from bondage. For Jesus and His disciples, reclining signified their status as free men enjoying God's provision and communion. This position facilitated intimate conversation and shared fellowship.
- with the Twelve (Greek: μετὰ τῶν δώδεκα – meta tōn dōdeka): "The Twelve" refers to Jesus' inner circle of chosen apostles, signifying His authority and intentionality in gathering this specific group. The number twelve carries deep biblical significance, echoing the twelve tribes of Israel and representing the reconstituted people of God, under a new covenant. Jesus’ choice of this specific number highlighted continuity with God's work in Israel, yet also foreshadowed the spiritual new Israel that would emerge from His kingdom. The phrase "with the Twelve" also emphasizes the communal aspect of this meal, a final intimate gathering with His closest followers before the beginning of His intense suffering. This close circle, however, included the one who would betray Him, adding a poignant layer of sorrow and divine purpose to the assembly.
Matthew 26 20 Bonus section
The observance of Passover by Jesus served to bridge the Old Covenant practices with the New Covenant realities. The act of reclining, while culturally adopted, also highlighted the shift from the hasty "eat it in haste" (Exod 12:11) to a posture of repose, signifying that salvation and deliverance had been fully accomplished. This Passover was "His appointed time" (Matt 26:18), indicating divine orchestration where earthly customs converged with eternal purposes. The supper that began with "the Twelve" would reveal the breadth of humanity – from the closest disciples to the betrayer – illustrating that salvation's call extends to all, yet it highlights the sobering reality of free will and human failure, even within Jesus' most intimate circle.
Matthew 26 20 Commentary
Matthew 26:20 marks the beginning of the end, the point of no return. It shows Jesus deliberately entering the final phase of His redemptive work, not in haste or hiding, but with the intentional observance of the Passover. The act of reclining signals both rest in God's faithfulness and freedom, paradoxically before His ultimate sacrifice. His intimate fellowship "with the Twelve" highlights the core community He had formed, a foreshadowing of the New Covenant people, yet it simultaneously casts a shadow of impending betrayal. This seemingly simple act of sitting down for a meal transforms into the profound setting for the institution of the Lord's Supper, linking the ancient Passover deliverance with the greater deliverance Jesus would achieve through His cross, thereby becoming the true Passover Lamb.