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Matthew 26 General Notes
Structure and formatting
Some translations set each line of poetry farther to the right than the rest of the text to make it easier to read. The ULB does this with the poetry in 26:31, which is words from the OT.
Special concepts in this chapter
Sheep
Sheep are a common image used in Scripture to refer to the people of Israel. In Matthew 26:31, however, Jesus used the words "the sheep" to refer to his disciples and to say that they would run away when he was arrested.
Passover
The Passover festival was when the Jews would celebrate the day God killed the firstborn sons of the Egyptians but "passed over" the Israelites and let them live.
The eating of the body and blood
Matthew 26:26-28 describes Jesus' last meal with his followers. At this time, Jesus told them that what they were eating and drinking were his body and his blood. Nearly all Christian churches celebrate "the Lord's Supper," the "Eucharist", or "Holy Communion" to remember this meal.
The tomb
The tomb in which Jesus was buried (Mark 15:46) was the kind of tomb in which wealthy Jewish families buried their dead. It was an actual room cut into a rock. It had a flat place on one side where they could place the body after they had put oil and spices on it and wrapped it in cloth. Then they would roll a large rock in front of the tomb so no one could see inside or enter.
Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter
When Judas kissed Jesus
Matthew 26:49 describes how Judas kissed Jesus so the soldiers would know whom to arrest. The Jews would kiss each other when they greeted each other.
"I am able to destroy the temple of God"
Two men accused Jesus of saying that he could destroy the temple in Jerusalem and then rebuild it "in three days" (Matthew 26:61). They were accusing him of insulting God by claiming that God had given him the authority to destroy the temple and the power to rebuild it. What Jesus actually said was that if the Jewish authorities were to destroy "this temple," meaning his body, he would certainly raise it up in three days (John 2:19).