Passion Week ~ The Upper Room ~ Part 3
In our last post, we continued to examine the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. This post continues to explore the events that may have occurred on Thursday.
Yeshua Predicts & Identified His Betrayer
18 “I’m not talking to all of you – I know which ones I have chosen. But the words of the Tanakh must be fulfilled that says, ‘The one eating my bread has turned against me.’”
I know which ones I have chosen. Yeshua references all of His talmidim present, but not Y’hudah Ben-Shim‘on from K’riot.
19 I’m telling you now before it happens; so that when it does happen, you may believe that I AM [who I say I am]. 20 Yes, indeed! I tell you that a person who receives someone I send receives me and that anyone who receives me receives the One who sent me.” 21 After saying this, Yeshua, in deep anguish of spirit, declared, “Yes, indeed! I tell you that one of you will betray me.” [1]
Yeshua is obviously feeling the weight of His imminent suffering and death.
22 They became terribly upset and began asking him, one after the other, “Lord, you don’t mean me, do you?” 23 He answered, “The one who dips his matzah in the dish with me is the one who will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man will die just as the Tanakh says He will, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him had he never been born!” [2]
Dips his matzah in the dish... The dish may have contained charoset and/or maror (bitter herbs, usually horseradish) used in Seder services today. Charoset is a sweet paste made of fruit, nuts, spices, and wine; numerous recipes are used today in various Jewish communities. Its function in the Seder is to recall the appearance of the mortar the enslaved Israelites made in Egypt. Maror reflects the bitterness of Israelite slavery to Pharaoh. Rabbi Hillel, in the generation before Yeshua, inaugurated the custom of eating a “sandwich” consisting of a piece of the Passover lamb and matzah and maror.
The Son of Man will die just as the Tanakh says he will. The Tanakh includes the following prophecies of the circumstances and manner of the Messiah’s death at his first coming. The Brit Hadashah citations or allusions (considered by many to be fulfillments of these prophecies) are given for reference. [3]
22 The talmidim stared at one another, totally mystified – whom could He mean? 23 One of His talmidim, the one Yeshua particularly loved (Yochanan), was reclining close beside him. 24 So Shim‘on Kefa motioned to him and said, “Ask which one He’s talking about.” 25 Leaning against Yeshua’s chest, he asked Yeshua, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Yeshua answered, “It’s the one to whom I give this piece of matzah after I dip it in the dish.” So He dipped the piece of matzah and gave it to Y’hudah Ben-Shim‘on from K’riot. 27 As soon as Y’hudah took the piece of matzah, the Adversary went into him. [4] 25 Y’hudah, the one who was betraying him, then asked, “Surely, Rabbi, you don’t mean me?” He answered, “The words are yours.” [5]
| Prophecy: The Messiah would be | Location in Tanakh | Fulfillment in New Testament |
| Hated without a cause | Isaiah 49:7 | Yn 15:24–25 |
| Rejected by the rulers | Psalm 118:22 | Mt 21:42, Yn 7:48 |
| Betrayed by a friend | Psalm 41:9, 15(12–14) | Mt 26:21–25, 47–50; Yn 13:18–19; Ac 1:16–18 |
| Sold for 30 pieces of silver | Zechariah 11:12 | Mt 26:15 |
| Subject to having his price given for a potter’s field | Zechariah 11:13 | Mt 27:7 |
| Forsaken by his talmidim | Zechariah 13:7 | Mt 26:31–56 |
| Struck on the cheek | Micah 4:14(5:1) | Mt 27:30 |
| Spat on | Isaiah 50:6 | Mt 26:67, 27:30 |
| Mocked | Psalm 22:8–9 (7–8) | Mt 26:67–68; 27:31, 39–44 |
| Beaten | Isaiah 50:6 | Mt 26:67; 27:26, 30 |
| Executed by crucifixion (i.e., having hands and feet pierced; Masoretic text: having a lion at hands and feet) | Psalm 22:17 (16) | Mt 27:35; Yn 19:18, 37; 20:35 |
| Executed without having a bone broken | Exodus 12:46, Psalm 34:21(20) | Yn 19:33–36 |
| Thirsty during his execution | Psalm 22:16(15) | Yn 19:28 |
| Given vinegar to quench that thirst | Psalm 69:22(21) | Mt 27:34 |
| Considered a transgressor | Isaiah 53:12 | Mt 27:38 |
| Buried with the rich when dead | Isaiah 53:9 | Mt 27:57–60 |
| The one whose death would atone for the sins of humanity | Isaiah 53:5–7, 12 | Mk 10:45; Yn 1:29, 3:16; Ac 8:30–35 |
| Raised from the dead | Isaiah 53:9–10; Psalms 2:7, 16:10 | Mt 28:1–20; Ac 13:33; 1C 11:4–6 |
| Ascended to the right hand of God | Psalms 16:11, 68:19(18), 110:1 | Lk 24:51; Ac 1:9–11, 7:55; MJ 1:3 |
| “Cut off, but not for himself,” 69 x 7 years after rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem | Daniel 9:24–26 | Ro 5:6, 1 Ke 3:18 |
In our next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the end of the week and continue in The Upper Room.
Click here for the PDF version.
[1] Yochanan 13:18–21.
[2] Mattityahu 26:22–24.
[3] The table is from the Jewish New Testament Commentary by David Stern.
[4] Yochanan 13:22–27.
[5] Mattityahu 26:25.
My Heart is for Israel 
Happy Easter my friend❤️
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