“And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover” (Matthew 26:19).

Discipleship involves self denial, cross-bearing, setting priorities, and fruitfulness. And it includes, as in the study verse, staying on task, “(doing) as Jesus had appointed them.” How easy it is to get off track doing good but irrelevant things. Jesus recognized that His time was at hand (v.18), and He had a schedule to keep—one set from eternity. Now He asked for assistance in keeping the schedule, and His disciples were to handle the physical preparations for the Passover celebration.

Passover was first held on the fourteenth day of the first month (approximately April) of the Jewish year. It commemorates the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, in particular the tenth plague on the Egyptians (Exodus 12:29,30) which brought death to the firstborn. This plague was avoided by the Israelites by the activity of sacrificing a lamb on the fourteenth day and spreading its blood on the two side posts and lintel of the door of each house. The Lord passed over the homes with the blood “covering,” and cursed the Egyptian homes with death to the firstborn.

In like manner, Jesus became the sacrificial lamb whose blood was shed to save all those who would confess Him as the Son of God and accept His being raised from the dead by God (Romans 10:9). In going to the cross, Jesus gave the best example of staying on task—“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me” (John 6:38).

May we, with the apostle Paul, be able to say at life’s end, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day” (II Timothy 4:7,8). KBC