SEV Biblia, Chapter 26:20
Y como fue la tarde del día, se sentó a la mesa con los doce.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:20
Verse 20. Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.] It is a common opinion that our Lord ate the passover some hours before the Jews ate it; for the Jews, according to custom, ate theirs at the end of the fourteenth day, but Christ ate his the preceding even, which was the beginning of the same sixth day, or Friday; the Jews begin their day at sunsetting, we at midnight. Thus Christ ate the passover on the same day with the Jews, but not on the same hour. Christ kept this passover the beginning of the fourteenth day, the precise day and hour in which the Jews had eaten their first passover in Egypt. See Exod. xii. 6-12. And in the same part of the same day in which the Jews had sacrificed their first paschal lamb, viz. between the two evenings, about the ninth hour, or 3 o'clock, Jesus Christ our passover was sacrificed for us: for it was at this hour that he yielded up his last breath; and then it was that, the sacrifice being completed, Jesus said, IT IS FINISHED. See Exod. xii. 6, &c., and Deuteronomy xvi. 6, &c. See on John xviii. 28, and the Treatise on the Eucharist, referred to ver. 19; and see the notes on ver. 26 and following verses.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. Now when the even was come , etc.] The second evening, when the sun was set, and it was dark, and properly night; for “on the evenings of the passovers near the Minchah, a man might not eat Æçjtç d[ , “until it was dark” f1512 .” This was according to the rule, ( Exodus 12:8), he sat down with the twelve , his twelve disciples; so the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, and Munster’s Hebrew Gospel; and which also adds, “at table”; even all the twelve apostles, who were properly his family, and a sufficient number for a passover lamb f1513 : for “they do not kill the passover for a single man, according to the words of R. Judah, though R. Jose permits it: yea, though the society consists of an hundred, if they cannot eat the quantity of an olive, they do not kill for them: nor do they make a society of women, servants, and little ones?”
Judas was now returned again, and took his place among the disciples, as if he was as innocent, and as friendly, as any of them: this he might choose to do, partly to avoid all suspicion of his designs; and partly that he might get intelligence where Christ would go after supper, that he might have the opportunity he was waiting for, to betray him into the hands of his enemies. “He sat, or lay down with them”, as the word signifies; for the posture of the Jews, at the passover table especially, was not properly sitting, but reclining, or lying along on coaches, not on their backs, nor on their right side, but on their left; (see Gill on “ John 13:23”). The first passover was eaten by them standing, with their loins girt, their shoes on, and staves in their hands, because they were just ready to depart out of Egypt: but in after passovers these circumstances were omitted; and particularly sitting, or lying along, was reckoned so necessary to be observed, that it is said f1514 , that “the poorest man in Israel might not eat, bsyç d[ , “until he lies along”, or leans;” that is, as some of their commentators note, either upon the couch, or on the table, after the manner of free men, and in remembrance of their liberty: and another of them says, “we are bound to eat, hbshb , “lying along”, as kings and great men eat, because it is a token of liberty.”
Hence they elsewhere say f1517 , “it is the way of servants to eat standing; but here (in the passover) to eat, ˆybwsm , “sitting”, or “lying along”, because they (the Israelites) went out of bondage to liberty. Says R. Simon, in the name of R. Joshua ben Levi, that which a man is obliged to in the passover, though it be but the quantity of an olive, he must eat it, bswm , “lying along”.”
The account Maimonides gives of this usage, is in these words f1518 : “even the poorest man in Israel may not eat until he “lies along”: a woman need not lie; but if she is a woman of worth and note, she ought to lie: a son by a father, and a servant before his master ought to lie: “but a disciple before his master does not lie, except his master gives him leave” (as Christ did his); and lying on the right hand is not lying; and so he that lies upon his neck, or upon his face, this is not lying; and when ought they to lie? at the time of eating, the quantity of an olive, of unleavened bread, and at drinking of the four cups; but at the rest of eating and drinking, if he lies, lo! it is praiseworthy: but if not, there is no necessity.”
This custom was so constantly and uniformly observed at the passover, that it is taken particular notice of in the declaration, or showing forth of the passover by the master of the family, when he says f1519 , “how different is this night from all other nights”, etc. and among the many things he mentions, this is one; “in all other nights we eat either sitting, or lying along; that is, which way we please, but this night all of us ˆybwsm , “lie along”.”
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-25 - Observe, the place for their eating the passover was pointed out by Christ to the disciples. He knows those hidden ones who favour his cause, and will graciously visit all who are willing to receive him The disciples did as Jesus had appointed. Those who would have Christ' presence in the gospel passover, must do what he says. It well become the disciples of Christ always to be jealous over themselves especially in trying times. We know not how strongly we may be tempted nor how far God may leave us to ourselves, therefore we have reason no to be high-minded, but to fear. Heart-searching examination and ferven prayer are especially proper before the Lord's supper, that, as Chris our Passover is now sacrificed for us, we may keep this feast, renewin our repentance, our faith in his blood, and surrendering ourselves to his service.
Greek Textus Receptus
οψιας 3798 A-GSF δε 1161 CONJ γενομενης 1096 5637 V-2ADP-GSF ανεκειτο 345 5711 V-INI-3S μετα 3326 PREP των 3588 T-GPM δωδεκα 1427 A-NUI
Vincent's NT Word Studies
20. He sat down (anekeito). But this rendering missed the force of the imperfect tense, which denotes something in progress. The Evangelist says he was sitting or reclining, introducing us to something which has been going on for some time.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
26:20 {He was sitting at meat} (anekeito). He was reclining, lying back on the left side on the couch with the right hand free. Jesus and the Twelve all reclined. The passover lamb had to be eaten up entirely (#Ex 12:4,43).
