“Appropinquabat autem dies festus azymorum, qui dicitur Pascha :”
“Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.”
“Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching,”
“Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.”
“Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.”
Cross references: : Matt. 26:1-5 ; Mark 14:10 Christ is taken upon the day of the Passover, rather by the providence of his Father, than by the will of men.
The year of the redeemed is now come, which had been from eternity fixed in the divine counsels, and long looked for by them that waited for the consolation of Israel. After the revolutions of many ages, it is at length come, Isa 63 4. And, it is observable, it is in the very first month of that year that the redemption is wrought out, so much in haste was the Redeemer to perform his undertaking, so was he straitened till it was accomplished. It was in the same month, and at the same time of the month (in the beginning of months, Exod 12 2), that God by Moses brought Israel out of Egypt, that the Antitype might answer the type. Christ is here delivered up, when the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, v. 1. About as long before that feast as they began to make preparation for it, here was preparation making for our Passover's being offered for us. Here we have,
Verses 1-6 Christ knew all men, and had wise and holy ends in taking Judas to be a disciple. How he who knew Christ so well, came to betray him, we are here told; Satan entered into Judas. It is hard to say whether more mischief is done to Christ's kingdom, by the power of its open enemies, or by the treachery of its pretended friends; but without the latter, its enemies could not do so much evil as they do.