12 On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?"
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
See the notes at Matthew 26:17-19.
They killed the passover - The "paschal lamb," which was slain in keeping the Passover.
Go and prepare - Go and provide a lamb, have it roasted, and properly prepared with the usual things to eat with it.
(6) And the first day of unleavened bread, (b) when (c) they killed the (d) passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?
(6) Christ being made subject to the law for us celebrates the passover according to the law: and in addition by a miracle shows that even though he will immediately suffer in the flesh, that he is yet God.
(b) That is, upon this day, and at the evening of the same day, which was the beginning of the fifteenth. See Matthew 26:17.
(c) They used to sacrifice.
(d) That is, spoken thus, by the figure of speech called metonymy, which is commonly used when talking about sacraments, and by the passover is meant the paschal lamb.
And the first day of unleavened bread,.... Being come, which was the fourteenth of Nisan:
when they killed the passover; that is, "the Jews", as the Syriac and Persic versions supply; for any Israelite, that not a priest, might slay it: their canon runs thus (x),
"an Israelite kills (the passover), and a priest receives (the blood), and gives it to his neighbour, and his neighbour to his neighbour, and he receives (the basin) full, and returns it empty; the priest that is near to the altar sprinkles it, at one sprinkling, over against the bottom of it.''
Upon which the commentators (y) observe, that the slaying of the passover by strangers; that is, such as are not priests, lawful. And so Philo the Jew, speaking of the passover, says (z);
"at which time the common people do not bring their sacrifices to the altar, and the priests slay; but by the command of the law, , "the whole nation", does the work of a priest; every one particularly bringing the sacrifices for himself, and then slaying them with his own hands.''
But then it was always killed in the court of the temple, and after the middle of the day; See Gill on Matthew 26:17;
his disciples said unto him, where wilt thou that we go and prepare, that thou mayst eat the passover: for it was now Thursday morning, and the passover was to be slain after the middle of the day, between the two evenings, and eaten in Jerusalem at night; and they were now at Bethany, near two miles from the city; and it was usual for servants to get ready the passover for their masters; See Gill on Matthew 26:17.
(x) Misn. Pesachim, c. 5. sect. 6. (y) Jarchi, Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. (z) De Vita Mosis, l. 3. p. 686.
Nothing could be less the result of human foresight than the events here related. But our Lord knows all things about us before they come to pass. If we admit him, he will dwell in our hearts. The Son of man goes, as it is written of him, as a lamb to the slaughter; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed! God's permitting the sins of men, and bringing glory to himself out of them, does not oblige them to sin; nor will this be any excuse for their guilt, or lessen their punishment.
On the first day of unleavened bread. See notes on Matthew 26:17-19.
*More commentary available at chapter level.