Matthew 26 26

Matthew 26:26 kjv

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

Matthew 26:26 nkjv

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."

Matthew 26:26 niv

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."

Matthew 26:26 esv

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."

Matthew 26:26 nlt

As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take this and eat it, for this is my body."

Matthew 26 verses

Matthew 26 26 Meaning

Matthew 26:26 records the foundational act of the Lord's Supper, where Jesus, during the Passover meal, transforms the unleavened bread into a symbol of His own body. He establishes a new covenant ritual, signifying His impending sacrifice—His body to be broken and offered for the redemption of humanity. This act inaugurates Christian Communion, a central ordinance for believers to remember and participate in His atoning work.

Matthew 26 26 Context

Matthew 26:26 occurs during Jesus' final Passover meal with His disciples in Jerusalem, just hours before His betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. This event, traditionally known as the Last Supper, is set against the backdrop of the Jewish Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), which commemorated Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Within this ancient ritual, Jesus profoundly reinterprets its core elements. The chapter immediately preceding shows Judas's plot to betray Jesus and the preparations for the Passover. This verse marks the pivotal moment where the focus shifts from a past national deliverance to Christ's imminent atoning sacrifice, inaugurating a new covenant and a new remembrance for His followers. It transforms the physical act of eating into a profound spiritual engagement with His sacrifice.

Matthew 26 26 Word analysis

• And as they were eating (Ἐσθιόντων αὐτῶν δὲ): This phrase indicates continuity with the ongoing Passover meal. It signifies that Jesus' actions were not isolated but arose from within the traditional context, thus imbuing the familiar elements with new, Messianic significance.
• Jesus (Ἰησοῦς): The proper name identifies the specific individual enacting this profound shift, affirming His unique authority as Messiah and Son of God to establish this new practice.
• took bread (λαβὼν ἄρτον): The bread was unleavened, characteristic of Passover, representing haste and purity from the "leaven" of sin (cf. 1 Cor 5:7-8). Taking the bread implies a deliberate, intentional act to set it apart for a new purpose.
• and blessed (καὶ εὐλογήσας): From the Greek "eulogēsas," meaning "to speak well of" or "to invoke blessing upon." In a Jewish context, this was a traditional blessing of God for the food. Here, it also serves to consecrate the bread, setting it apart as a vessel of divine truth, parallel to "giving thanks" (εὐχαριστήσας) in Lk 22:19 and 1 Cor 11:24, highlighting the gratitude involved in the sacrificial act.
• and broke it (καὶ κλάσας): From the Greek "klasas," signifying a physical breaking of the bread. This action is deeply symbolic. As the unleavened loaf was brittle and easily broken, it vividly foreshadows Jesus' body being broken, crushed, and wounded on the cross, making His atoning sacrifice tangible.
• and gave it to the disciples (καὶ ἐδίδου τοῖς μαθηταῖς): This denotes Jesus' active role in distributing the bread, making the act personal and inclusive. It underscores His commission for them to participate directly in this new covenant ritual.
• and said (καὶ εἶπεν): A declaration of divine authority and instruction, indicating the revelatory and instructional nature of His words. This is not merely an offering but an authoritative statement of its meaning.
• Take (Λάβετε): An imperative command. It implies an active reception, not just observation. Disciples are called to willingly receive and internalize this new understanding.
• eat (φάγετε): Also an imperative command. More than symbolic participation, "eating" denotes internalizing and receiving sustenance, connecting with Jesus' "Bread of Life" discourse (Jn 6). It is an act of communion and identification.
• this (τοῦτό): The demonstrative pronoun points directly to the bread physically present in their hands.
• is (ἐστιν): From the Greek "estin." This copula verb ("to be") is crucial for theological interpretation. In this context, it asserts a profound identification between the physical bread and Jesus' actual body, not just a resemblance or metaphor. It implies a true, spiritual presence or identification, though various Christian traditions differ on the exact nature of this "is" (e.g., transubstantiation, consubstantiation, real spiritual presence, symbolic memorial). It clearly communicates that the bread represents in a very real and essential sense, His sacrificial body.
• my body (τὸ σῶμά μου): The Greek "sōma" (body) refers to Jesus' physical being, yet encompasses His full personhood. Here, "my body" specifically denotes His physical self to be offered in sacrifice. This refers directly to His incarnate presence and His impending suffering and death on the cross (Isa 53:5). It is His life given, His physical suffering leading to atonement, forming the core of the new covenant.
• Words-Group analysis: "Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it...and said, Take, eat; this is my body." This sequence of actions and words encapsulates the liturgy of the Christian Communion: collection, consecration, breaking, distribution, and interpretation. It transforms the historical Passover remembrance into a forward-looking and present-enacting covenant with God through Christ's sacrifice.

Matthew 26 26 Bonus section

• The connection to the Jewish afikomen ritual during Passover Seder (the hidden and then broken piece of matzah) presents a powerful parallel, suggesting that Jesus fulfilled this ancient symbol.
• The Lord's Supper is not merely a memorial; it is also a prophetic act, looking forward to the consummation of God's kingdom, as indicated in Mt 26:29, where Jesus speaks of drinking "it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
• This institution shifts the focus from an animal sacrifice (Passover lamb) to the ultimate human-divine sacrifice of Jesus' own body, establishing a new and living way through His torn flesh (Heb 10:20).
• The breaking of bread was also a common sign of fellowship and community in early Christian gatherings (Acts 2:42, 46), highlighting the communal aspect inherent in this ordinance.

Matthew 26 26 Commentary

Matthew 26:26 records the pivotal moment when Jesus transforms the traditional Jewish Passover meal into the institution of the Christian Supper. By taking the unleavened bread, common to Passover, He endowed it with new, ultimate meaning. His actions of blessing and breaking the bread are profoundly symbolic: the blessing signifies consecration and thanksgiving for His redemptive work, while the breaking foreshadows the physical suffering and eventual death of His body on the cross, given as an atonement for sins. His command, "Take, eat; this is my body," is a solemn declaration. It mandates active participation, requiring believers to internalize and appropriate the truth that the bread is or represents His self-sacrificing person. This act establishes the enduring sacrament of Communion, urging believers throughout all generations to remember His sacrifice, affirm His new covenant, and anticipate His return, all while drawing spiritual sustenance and unity from Him.