The Last Supper
What is the true value of Jesus, and how does he prepare his friends for his impending death?
Matthew 26:1-30
Read the whole passage before anything else. Everything below exists to help you understand what you just read.
1When Jesus had finished all these words, he said to his disciples,
2“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
3Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas.
4They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit and kill him.
5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people.”
6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.
8But when his disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?
9For this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”
10However, knowing this, Jesus said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for me.
11For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.
12For in pouring this ointment on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.
13Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a memorial of her.”
14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” So they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver.
16From that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
17Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
18He said, “Go into the city to a certain person, and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’”
19The disciples did as Jesus commanded them, and they prepared the Passover.
20Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.
21As they were eating, he said, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.”
22They were exceedingly sorrowful, and each began to ask him, “It isn’t me, is it, Lord?”
23He answered, “He who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me.
24The Son of Man goes even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”
25Judas, who betrayed him, answered, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You said it.”
26As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
27He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it,
28for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.
29But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
30When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
What just happened?
Picture Jerusalem, around 30 AD, just as the city swells with pilgrims for Passover, the most significant annual Jewish festival. This is a time of immense religious and nationalistic fervor, commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The air would have been thick with tension, excitement, and anticipation. Jesus, who has been teaching and performing startling acts for over three years, is now an undeniable public figure. His popularity with the common people is undeniable, but his challenges to the religious establishment have created powerful enemies.
At the same time, the chief priests and elders, the religious and political power brokers, are in closed-door meetings. Their concern isn't theological debate but control. Jesus, with his radical teachings and growing following, represents a direct threat to their authority and their carefully maintained relationship with the Roman occupiers. They have decided to eliminate him. Their only internal debate is the timing; they want to avoid a public uprising during the Passover crowds, fearing Roman intervention and further instability. They are looking for a discreet, calculated move.
While these plots unfold, Jesus is just outside Jerusalem, in Bethany, at the home of Simon, a man he had likely healed from leprosy. Here, a woman performs an act of profound devotion, anointing Jesus with expensive perfume. This act, often misunderstood even by Jesus' closest friends, sets the stage for the dramatic events that follow. It's a moment of stark contrast: the plotting of powerful men against him, the pragmatic protests of his disciples, and this singular, lavish gesture of love and foreboding. The stage is being set for what Jesus himself has predicted for weeks: his death.
The Woman's Lavish Act
Imagine the scene in Bethany: Jesus is at a dinner, reclined at the table, a common practice in that culture. Suddenly, a woman steps forward with a jar of what Matthew calls "very expensive ointment." The Greek word used here, 'muron,' refers to a fragrant, costly perfumed oil. She pours it over his head. This isn't just a pleasant scent; it's an extravagant, almost shocking, act. The disciples react with indignation, seeing it as "waste." They calculate its value – enough to be sold for "much" and given to the poor. Their concern appears noble, practical, and fiscally responsible.
But Jesus sees something deeper. He asks, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for me.” He then offers a puzzling statement: “For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.” This isn't a dismissal of caring for the poor; Jesus consistently taught and demonstrated compassion for the marginalized. Rather, it's an acknowledgement of a unique, fleeting moment. He clarifies her act: “For in pouring this ointment on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.” In a culture where anointing a body for burial was a customary final act of respect, this woman, perhaps unknowingly, was performing Jesus’s funeral rite in advance. It was a prophetic act of service and love.
Jesus elevates her action, declaring, “Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a memorial of her.” He doesn’t simply commend her; he immortalizes her. Her act, born of devotion rather than calculation, becomes an inseparable part of the message about him. It’s a powerful illustration of Jesus's ability to see and value the heart behind an action, even when others are focused on its perceived practical or economic inefficiency.
The Betrayal and the Passover Meal
Immediately after this profound act of devotion, the narrative pivots sharply to Judas Iscariot. One of the twelve, one of Jesus's inner circle, approaches the chief priests. His question is stark: “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” The price they agree upon is "thirty pieces of silver," a sum that, in ancient Israelite law, was the compensation for a slave killed by an ox. It's a chilling detail, revealing the contempt with which Judas and the priests valued Jesus's life. From that moment, Judas actively seeks an opportunity for betrayal.
Then comes the Passover. Jesus instructs his disciples to prepare the meal. The Passover meal itself was a highly symbolic event, centered on the ritual slaughter and eating of a lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs, all commemorating God's deliverance of Israel. As they recline at the table, Jesus drops a bombshell: “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.” The disciples are "exceedingly sorrowful." Their immediate, individual response is a panicked self-examination: “It isn’t me, is it, Lord?” It speaks to their genuine devotion and their shock at the idea that one of their own could commit such an act.
Jesus confirms the betrayal, indicating, “He who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me.” Sharing a dish was a sign of intimacy and trust. The tension heightens when Judas, who has already made his deal, also asks, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?” Jesus's response is terse and direct: “You said it.” This exchange reveals Jesus's full awareness of Judas's actions, yet he still sits and shares the Passover meal with him, knowing exactly what is coming. The shadow of betrayal falls heavily over this sacred meal.
The New Covenant
During the Passover meal, Jesus takes the traditional elements—bread and wine—and transforms their meaning. He takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and gives it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then he takes the cup, gives thanks, and says, “All of you drink it, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.” The phrase "remission of sins" (Greek: 'aphesin hamartion') means the forgiveness or cancellation of sins. This is the heart of what Jesus is establishing. The Old Covenant, established through Moses, was based on laws and sacrifices. Jesus is inaugurating a "new covenant," a new agreement between God and humanity.
The blood of the covenant echoes ancient ceremonies where blood sealed agreements, but here, it’s Jesus’s own blood. This isn’t a repeat of the animal sacrifices of the old system; it’s a definitive, once-for-all act that provides forgiveness. He’s taking the most sacred symbols of the Jewish Passover—the bread representing liberation from slavery, the cup representing the covenant—and reinterpreting them through his own impending death. His body will be broken, his blood poured out, not for liberation from a human oppressor like Egypt, but for a deeper, spiritual liberation from the power of sin.
Jesus concludes with a profound promise: “But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” This is a glimpse of future hope, connecting his imminent suffering and death to a joyful future reunion and celebration in God’s ultimate kingdom. After this deeply symbolic and solemn moment, they "sung a hymn"—likely part of the traditional Passover liturgy—and then departed for the Mount of Olives. The meal ends not in despair, but with a hymn, underscoring the purpose and hope behind the coming events.
What are we supposed to see?
This passage vividly shows Jesus as a man fully in control, even as events conspire against him. He is not a helpless victim. He knows the exact timing of his death (“after two days the Passover is coming”), the manner (“delivered up to be crucified”), and the identity of his betrayer. He even orchestrates the Passover meal preparation with foreknowledge. This demonstrates a sovereignty that undercuts any notion of him being caught off guard. His actions are deliberate, purposeful, and align with a larger plan he understands, even if his disciples do not.
Furthermore, Jesus demonstrates an extraordinary capacity for valuing people and their intentions over superficial appearances or popular opinion. He defends the woman who anoints him, seeing the sacrificial love in her act when others see only waste. He sits and shares a meal with Judas, knowing his treachery, offering him the same opportunity to partake. This reveals a radical grace, a deep seeing of the human heart, and a consistent commitment to his mission of establishing a new way of relating to God, even in the face of betrayal and imminent suffering.
- 1WHAT HE VALUES
Jesus values heartfelt devotion and sacrificial love, even when it appears impractical or wasteful to others. He values sincerity of intention more than outward performance.
- 2WHAT HE CONFRONTS
Jesus confronts self-serving ambition and betrayal, as seen in Judas, and the spiritual blindness of those who focus on outward rules or monetary value over the deeper meaning of actions.
- 3IDENTITY
Jesus presents himself as the 'Son of Man' whose death is a fulfillment of scripture and the foundation of a 'new covenant' for the 'remission of sins,' establishing his identity as the ultimate sacrifice.
Where this sits in the whole Bible
Matthew 26:12 → Mark 14:8 → John 12:7
All three Gospels record the anointing of Jesus by a woman, with Mark and John also explicitly connecting it to his burial. This repetition emphasizes the significance of this act as a prefigurement of his death.
Matthew 26:15 → Zechariah 11:12-13
The 'thirty pieces of silver' paid to Judas echoes a specific Old Testament prophecy in Zechariah, where the prophet is paid this paltry sum for his labor, which is then thrown into the temple treasury. Matthew will later explicitly link this further in chapter 27.
Matthew 26:28 → Jeremiah 31:31-34 → Hebrews 8:6-13
Jesus's declaration of a 'new covenant' directly refers to the prophecy in Jeremiah where God promises a new covenant, not like the old one, written on hearts. The book of Hebrews later expounds on Jesus as the mediator of this superior new covenant.
The profound contrast between the woman's selfless, extravagant devotion and Judas's calculated, cheap betrayal, happening within moments of each other, defines the varying responses to Jesus at his crucial hour.
Don't rush past this
Perhaps the most uncomfortable truth in this passage is that betrayal can come from within the closest circle. Judas, one of the twelve chosen disciples, someone who shared intimate meals and mission with Jesus, is the one who sells him out. This forces an honest confrontation with the idea that proximity to the divine does not guarantee faithfulness, and that even those closest can harbor motives of greed and self-interest that lead to profound disloyalty.
Another challenging aspect is Jesus's statement, "For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me." On the surface, it can sound like a dismissal of social justice, which goes against Jesus's core teachings of care for the vulnerable. The discomfort arises from needing to reconcile this statement with his broader ministry. It forces us to acknowledge that while compassion for the poor is always necessary, there are unique, unrepeatable moments of divine significance that demand a different kind of focus and sacrifice, recognizing that Jesus’s impending death was a singular event that would redefine humanity's relationship with God forever.
Turn it inward
Three questions from this passage. Answer them or just sit with them — nothing here is required to finish the lesson.
God, open my eyes to see the value in acts of devotion that might seem foolish to the world. Help me to grasp the depth of Jesus's love and his sacrifice in establishing a new way for me to know you. Give me courage to live faithfully, even when it costs me, and to trust your sovereign plan even when I cannot understand it. Amen.
This week, identify something in your life that you deem 'wasteful' but is actually an act of selfless devotion or love for someone else, or for God. Lean into that act, regardless of how others might judge its practicality, remembering that Jesus values the heart and intention more than the observable output or cost. Perhaps it’s time spent with someone others deem unimportant, or an extravagant act of generosity that makes no logical sense.
History, language, objections and sources. None of it is needed to understand the passage.
How can Jesus claim that the woman's anointing was 'for his burial' when he hadn't yet died? Was he just being dramatic, or did he somehow know he was going to die soon?
Jesus had explicitly and repeatedly told his disciples that he was going to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and be raised. Matthew 16:21, 17:22-23, and 20:17-19 all record Jesus foretelling his death and resurrection. So, when he interprets the woman's act as preparing him for burial, he is not being dramatic; he is acknowledging her intuitive or prophetic action in light of his clear and consistent prophecies about his own death. He knew the timeline and purpose of his life, including its end, and recognized her act as fitting into that divine plan.
Why would Jesus allow Judas to remain at the table, knowing he would betray him? Why didn't he stop him or expose him publicly sooner?
This is a deeply debated question. One perspective is that Jesus, in his sovereignty, allowed events to unfold as prophesied in scripture, showing that even human evil is woven into a larger divine plan. Another view emphasizes Jesus's grace and patience; he gave Judas every opportunity to repent, even sharing the most sacred meal with him, offering a final chance. Public exposure might have prevented the act but would have violated the freedom of choice Jesus consistently honored. His actions demonstrate a profound understanding of Judas's heart without overriding his agency, even to his own detriment.
If Jesus's death established a 'new covenant' for the 'remission of sins,' does that mean the old covenant was completely ineffective? What about people who followed God before Jesus?
The New Testament, particularly in books like Hebrews, describes the Old Covenant as a foreshadowing or preparation for the New. It was effective in its time for revealing God's law and the need for a savior, and for establishing a means of relating to God through ritual and sacrifice. However, it was not the ultimate solution for sin. The New Covenant, established through Jesus's blood, is considered superior and definitive because it deals with the root problem of sin once and for all. For those who lived before Jesus, they were saved by faith in God's promises and provision, which ultimately pointed forward to the work of Christ, even if they didn't fully comprehend it.
The Significance of 'Thirty Pieces of Silver'
The sum of thirty pieces of silver for Judas's betrayal holds a specific and grim significance in the ancient world. In the Old Testament, Exodus 21:32 stipulates that if an ox gored a male or female slave, the owner of the ox had to pay the slave’s owner thirty shekels of silver. This made thirty pieces of silver the legal price for a slave, thus marking Jesus as being valued no more than a slave by those who sought his death and by his betrayer. This detail is not merely incidental but powerfully symbolic, underscoring the contempt and utter disregard for Jesus’s true worth by his enemies and Judas.
Furthermore, this amount links directly to the prophetic literature, particularly Zechariah 11:12-13. In this passage, Zechariah, acting as a shepherd of God’s flock, is paid thirty pieces of silver by the people, which he is then commanded to throw into the temple treasury, calling it a "handsome price." Matthew, in 27:9-10, explicitly connects Judas's return of the money and its subsequent use to buy the potter's field with this prophecy from Jeremiah and Zechariah. This emphasizes Matthew's intention to show Jesus's life and death as the fulfillment of ancient prophecies, reinforcing his claim to being the Messiah.