Matthew 26:2
“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus points to the upcoming Passover feast not just to mark time, but to frame his own impending death as the ultimate fulfillment of its ancient meaning—the ultimate deliverance achieved through sacrifice. He uses the present tense "is betrayed" to emphasize that this event, though future, is already certain and divinely ordained, as certain as the arrival of the Passover itself.
Jesus is speaking to his disciples just two days before the Jewish festival of Passover. He’s reminding them of this significant upcoming feast and immediately connects it to his own impending "betrayal" and crucifixion, indicating that his death is as certain as the festival's arrival. This statement sets the stage for the events that will unfold during the Passover week, leading directly to the Last Supper and his arrest.
Jesus isn't just stating a fact about the calendar. He's connecting a future, terrifying event to a deeply familiar, sacred festival.
Jesus tells his disciples, 'After two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.'
Was Jesus a victim of circumstance, or did he actively choose his path to the cross?
Jesus' words here are powerful because they reveal his agency in his own suffering and death.
Understand the original words
pascha · Greek Noun
The annual Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, involving the sacrifice of a lamb. In the New Testament, it points forward to the sacrifice of Jesus, the true Lamb of God.
huios tou anthrōpou · Greek Noun phrase
A messianic title used by Jesus, derived from Daniel 7:13-14, referring to his divine authority and his role as the suffering servant who is also the glorified human representative of God's kingdom.
paradidōmi · Greek Verb
To hand over or surrender someone to the authorities; in this context, it carries the theological weight of God's sovereign plan to hand Jesus over to be sacrificed for sin.
staurōthē · Greek Verb
Jesus links his upcoming crucifixion to the Passover feast, a time of remembrance and liberation, emphasizing that his death is the ultimate act of redemption, fulfilling the ancient symbolism of the Passover lamb.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God institutes the Passover feast to commemorate the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, marked by the angel of death passing over the homes of Israelites.
c. 33 AD
Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Jesus rides into Jerusalem, and the crowds hail him as king. This event sets the stage for his final week and the religious leaders' plotting.
c. 33 AD
Chief Priests Plot to Arrest Jesus
The religious authorities, fearing Jesus' popularity during the Passover, conspire to arrest and kill him, though they decide to wait until after the festival.
c. 33 AD
Anointing of Jesus in Bethany
A woman anoints Jesus with expensive perfume. This event, occurring shortly before the Passover, is seen by Jesus as preparation for his burial.
This passage details the original institution of the Passover, explaining its significance as a memorial of God's deliverance and setting the stage for Jesus to be understood as the ultimate Passover Lamb.
John 1:29John the Baptist declares Jesus as the 'Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,' directly linking Jesus to the sacrificial imagery of the Passover lamb.
1 Corinthians 5:7Paul explicitly calls believers to 'cleanse out the old leaven' because 'Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed,' drawing a direct parallel between the Passover ritual and Christ's atoning work.
Luke 22:14-20This passage describes the Last Supper, where Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper, explicitly connecting it to the Passover meal and identifying himself as the fulfillment of its meaning.
vincentMatthew 26:2: "Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified."
Is betrayed (παραδίδοται)The present tense expresses here something which, though future, is as good as present, because already determined, or because it must ensue in virtue of an unalterable law. Thus the passover is (γίνεται): it must come round at the fixed season. The Son of Man is betrayed according to the divine decree. Compare Matthew 26:24.
barnesMatthew 26:2: "Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified."
After two days is - the feast of the Passover. See the notes at Matthew 12:1-8. The festival of the Passover was designed to preserve among the Jews the memory of their liberation from Egyptian servitude, and of the safety of their first-born in that night when the firstborn of the Egyptians perished, Exodus 12. The name "Passover" was given to the feast because the Lord "pa…
Jesus points to the upcoming Passover feast not just to mark time, but to frame his own impending death as the ultimate fulfillment of its ancient meaning—the ultimate deliverance achieved through sacrifice. He uses the present tense "is betrayed" to emphasize that this event, though future, is already certain and divinely ordained, as certain as the arrival of the Passover itself.
Jesus is speaking to his disciples just two days before the Jewish festival of Passover. He’s reminding them of this significant upcoming feast and immediately connects it to his own impending "betrayal" and crucifixion, indicating that his death is as certain as the festival's arrival. This statement sets the stage for the events that will unfold during the Passover week, leading directly to the Last Supper and his arrest.
Jesus is speaking to his disciples just two days before the Jewish festival of Passover. He’s reminding them of this significant upcoming feast and immediately connects it to his own impending "betrayal" and crucifixion, indicating that his death is as certain as the festival's arrival. This statement sets the stage for the events that will unfold during the Passover week, leading directly to the Last Supper and his arrest.
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A form of execution by nailing or binding to a cross, used by the Romans as a public punishment for criminals; theologically, it is the means by which Christ bore the curse of sin and achieved reconciliation for humanity.
c. 33 AD— this verse
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
Jesus tells his disciples that the Passover is two days away and that he will be betrayed and crucified, highlighting the predetermined nature of his sacrifice.
c. 33 AD
The Last Supper
Jesus shares his final meal with his disciples, instituting the Lord's Supper as a new covenant meal, a remembrance of his sacrificial death.
c. 33 AD
Jesus' Crucifixion
Jesus is crucified on the day after the Passover feast, fulfilling the symbolic meaning of the Passover lamb and inaugurating a new covenant.
"“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”" — Jesus points to the upcoming Passover feast not just to mark time, but to frame his own impending death as the ultimate fulfillment of its ancient meaning—the ultimate deliverance achieved through sa…
