Matthew 14:16

14:16 But he ¹  replied, “They don’t need to go. You ²  give them something to eat.”

Matthew 15:20

15:20 These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.” ³ 

Matthew 25:42

25:42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink.

Matthew 25:35

25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

Matthew 26:17

The Passover

26:17 Now on the first day of the feast of ⁴  Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and said, ⁵  “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ⁶ 

Matthew 12:4

12:4 how he entered the house of God and they ate ⁷  the sacred bread, ⁸  which was against the law ⁹  for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? ¹⁰ 

[14:16]  ¹ tc ‡ The majority of witnesses read ᾿Ιησοῦς (Ihsous, “Jesus”) here, perhaps to clarify the subject. Although only a few Greek mss, along with several versional witnesses (א* D Z^vid 579 1424 pc e k sy^s,c,p sa bo), lack the name of Jesus, the omission does not seem to be either accidental or malicious and is therefore judged to be most likely the original reading. Nevertheless, a decision is difficult. NA²⁷ has the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[14:16]  ² tn Here the pronoun ὑμεῖς (Jumeis) is used, making “you” in the translation emphatic.

[15:20]  ³ tn Grk “but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”

[26:17]  ⁵ tn The words “the feast of” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity.

[26:17]  ⁶ tn Grk “the disciples came to Jesus, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) has been translated as a finite verb to make the sequence of events clear in English.

[26:17]  ⁷ sn This required getting a suitable lamb and finding lodging in Jerusalem where the meal could be eaten. The population of the city swelled during the feast, so lodging could be difficult to find. The Passover was celebrated each year in commemoration of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt; thus it was a feast celebrating redemption (see Exod 12). The Passover lamb was roasted and eaten after sunset in a family group of at least ten people (m. Pesahim 7.13). People ate the meal while reclining (see the note on table in 26:20). It included, besides the lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs as a reminder of Israel’s bitter affliction at the hands of the Egyptians. Four cups of wine mixed with water were also used for the meal. For a further description of the meal and the significance of the wine cups, see E. Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 523-24.

[12:4]  ⁷ tc The Greek verb ἔφαγεν (efagen, “he ate”) is found in a majority of witnesses (Ì⁷⁰ C D L W Θ Ë^1,13 33 Ï latt sy co) in place of ἔφαγον (efagon, “they ate”), the wording found in א B pc. ἔφαγεν is most likely motivated by the parallels in Mark and Luke (both of which have the singular).

[12:4]  ⁸ tn Grk “the bread of presentation.”

[12:4]  ⁹ sn Jesus’ response to the charge that what his disciples were doing was against the law is one of analogy: “If David did it for his troops in a time of need, then so can I with my disciples.” Jesus is clear that on the surface there was a violation here. What is not as clear is whether he is arguing a “greater need” makes this permissible or that this was within the intention of the law all along.

[12:4]  ¹⁰ sn See 1 Sam 21:1-6.