Matthew 26:17

**Matthew 26:17**

The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread marks the Passover’s immediacy and sacred rhythm. The disciples approach Jesus to prepare for the Passover meal, a central Jewish festival commemorating Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. Their question—where shall we prepare for you to eat the Passover?—reflects hospitality, ritual arrangement, and communal fellowship. The disciples’ preparation arrangements signal not just a meal but a symbolic reenactment of salvation history. In this moment, Jesus initiates a new, faithful obedience: the Passover becomes foreshadowing of the Lord’s Supper, a ritual of remembrance pointing to his soon-poured-out blood.

The scene foregrounds Jesus’ authority over ritual and the shaping of future worship. It signals the transition from old covenant imagery to new covenant reality: Jesus becomes the true Passover Lamb whose sacrifice redeems his people. Theologically, the Passover meal becomes the context for a lasting ritual that the church continues—communion—as a memorial of Jesus’ death and a proclamation of his return. The act of preparing for the meal denotes not merely logistics but the intentional focus of faith on Christ.

In your life today, think about how you gather with others around meals, worship, and shared faith. Consider creating intentional spaces for spiritual conversation during meals with friends or family, or leading a small group that reflects on Jesus’ work during key feast periods or seasons. Use shared meals as opportunities to practice hospitality, to tell stories of what God has done, and to invite others into the ongoing narrative of grace. The practice of preparation becomes a spiritual discipline—creating space for worship, confession, and gratitude as you anticipate God’s activity in community.

Cross-References: Exodus 12:1-14; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Mark 14:12-16