1: God wants people to submit to the higher powers. The ‘higher powers’ refers to human government. Although God is the almighty, the key here is authority. No authority can come from anyone but God. God has ordained human government. In other words, human governments have authority because God gave it to them. Legitimate governments may only rule by appealing to this God-given authority. Illegitimate governments, though not recognizing his supreme authority, get their authority from their might, which is totally in his hand.
2: To resist the authority that God has ordained is disobedience. There are consequences to disobedience.
3: Rulers here refers to those who oversee the laws of the land. Good law and order has never hampered good works. If you want to live free from fear of breaking the law, keep the law. Those who do good will be praised by the lawmakers.
4: God uses rulers for the benefit of the individual. The sword here refers to the judicial ability of the ruler. Execution is possible. The Romans used swords to carry out executions. God has given human governments the authority to carry out the law as an expression of his wrath. This includes capital punishment against evildoers.
5: These are good reasons to obey human authorities. Christians, as keepers of the law, should have no cause to be the recipients of wrath on the part of human governments. Conscience also is a good motive. It is good sense to have a government for the safety and well-being of all.
6: Therefore, tribute, or tax, is to be paid for the sake of conscience. It is similar to the pay of a minister of the gospel. Lawmakers must have a living. They work constantly for the welfare of all.
7: Tribute and custom refer to all taxes, customs, levies, etc. that might be charged. The word ‘render’ here is helpful. Not just paying these things, but giving them, with the protection and order that they afford in mind. Fear and honor are the reverence due to officials. Christians, though free to think and speak, are not free to speak rudely to God’s ministers.
8: Any kind of debt, whether to the government or otherwise, should be paid on time and in full. The only debt to have is to love others. This means simply that the need to love others continues. One can never love another enough. This love for others fulfills the law.
9: All of these commandments, and any other good and sensible law, may be summarized by the need to love one’s fellow man.
10: Thus, love for others and law and order are in complete agreement with each other.
11: While loving others, Christians are to be mindful of the time. Every day brings closer the return of Christ. The salvation of the saints from this world of woe comes closer every passing hour. It is more than time to do what must be done to live for the benefit of the souls of lost men the world over.
12: The apostles all were under the impression that the Lord would be returning soon. And, they were not mistaken. He will return soon. Some will find it too soon and not be ready. Thus Christians are to work good works, not evil.
13: Here is described the actions of dishonest men who break all sorts of the laws of men very easily.
14: Christians are to wear Jesus like a garment. He must be what others see. The flesh must not be given the chance to do as it wills.

24: The fact that Jesus would die on the coming day was already established. God had predetermined it, promised it, and prophesied it. The betrayer is still at fault, however. This shows the balance between Divine will and human will. God has determined the way of things in this evil world, but will offer mercy to each individual. Judas chose to betray Christ. It was an act of his own will.
Woe is pronounced only when great judgement is due. Indeed, Jesus, by his words, shows that Judas bears the greatest blame for his being brought to the point of crucifixion. The saying Jesus uses here concerning Judas was common among the Jews. It expressed a more complicated concept than might first be recognized. One who was never born would be a miscarriage. Such persons, never having the chance to enter this world in force, are presumably better off than those who, having been born, make a mess of their lives. The implication is that a miscarriage would have hope for the future, whereas Judas could look forward to nothing but eternal torment.
25: Judas seems to be trying to cover his bases before the other disciples. However, he may also have sincerely wondered if Jesus knew who would betray him. Either way, he did not expect the answer he received.
Judas called Jesus Rabbi rather than Lord, possibly trying to sound more respectful. Instead, he succeeded in being different from men who were obviously innocent. Jesus’ answer here is another common expression. Rather than saying yes, you say that the person has said it, but it means yes. Apparently, none but Judas heard his answer.

23: There were dishes near each group of men there. In other words, he was not referring to one dish that they all dipped into. Instead, there might have been only two or three that dipped in this same dish. Thus, this would have narrowed things down considerably. This fulfills prophecy in that one who was close to Christ, and shared fellowship with him, betrayed him.

21: During the meal there would be very specific foods and an order in which things were to be done. Therefore Jesus words, besides being surprising by themselves, would have come as a bolt out of the blue. Of course, Judas would ultimately have betrayed Christ anyway. But, Jesus words set the ball rolling. He instigated the timing, knowing the importance of the next day, and his Father’s timetable.
22: Although the disciples were not always the best examples spiritually speaking, their sorrow here was genuine. At least, that is, for the eleven. It is easy to imagine how they felt. Their question is interesting. Apparently none of them denied being a traitor. In the case of the eleven, it seems they realized that Jesus might know about a betrayal before the betrayer knew. Though weak at times, none of them were traitors.

18: It has been suggested that Jesus had already made contact with this man he mentions. Although he may have met the man, it seems very unlikely that he had already contacted him about the Passover in particular. This is yet another example of Jesus’ omniscience. He knew what this particular man’s response would be, and that he would have a room available. This is why he tells the disciples in detail what to say to the man. If the man already knew what to expect, this much explanation would be unnecessary.
Jesus’ reference to his ‘time’ is here very interesting. He must have known that this man would understand to what he referred. Thus, he may have met him and spoken with him in the past. This is not the only instance in which Jesus makes a reference to the relative timing of God’s plan.
19: The disciples obeyed their Master. The preparations for the Passover included the preparation of the location, purification from all leaven, procuring of the lamb, and preparation of the lamb, among other things.
20: The Passover would commence when the stars appeared. It was generally observed with one’s family only.

17: The beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread would have taken place on Friday, the 3rd of April, A.D. 33, the 14th of Nisan in the Hebrew Calendar. This was referred to as the Day of Preparation. This day would have begun on the evening of Thursday by Jewish reckoning. Thus, this verse occurs on Thursday evening, the 2nd of April, and 13th of Nisan. Much debate has ensued over whether Jesus actually ate the Passover on this evening. Two things, however, can be stated with certainty if one takes the words of all the gospel writers literally. First, Jesus did eat the Passover meal with his disciples. Second, though it is unclear how this worked, some Jews ate the Passover when Jesus did, and some waited until Friday evening around the time that it became the 15th of Nisan.
The disciples new that the preparations made for this meal were somewhat elaborate, and wanted to know where they could find to make things ready.

1: These rhetorical questions are not meant to be answered in the text. Instead, they point out the fact that many will not believe the reports concerning the Christ. Many will miss what the Lord has done. However, though not intended for an answer here, these questions must be answered in the life of every individual. Have you believed in the one who gave himself for you?
2: The idea of a ‘tender plant’ is that he comes from a heritage that seemed to have vanished. Coming from dry ground, he is unexpected. Jesus, though born in Bethlehem, hailed from Nazareth, a place viewed with contempt. Having no especially distinctive traits, or unique circumstances of birth, he goes unnoticed. It must be said here that Jesus is distinctive and unique, and so was his birth. However, the focus here is upon what men would normally expect, and be looking for.
3: Rather than being embraced by the great personages of his day, he was disliked and treated as an outcast. He is a man who knows what it means to experience grief. This can refer to a whole host of things in the life of the Savior. He grew up in a poor family. His earthly father apparently died before he began his preaching ministry. He grieved over the unbelief of others. He endured the suffering of the cross. Rather than looking to him, men tried to hide from him. They did not respect him as they should.
4: Jesus, though God, has experienced the griefs of man. He has born the grief of sin for every man. He has sorrowed to the point of death. And yet, by and large, his own people felt that God was punishing him for his own sin.
5: Jesus was crucified for mankind’s illegal actions. He was crushed for our lawless ways. He was chastised in order to bring peace to our lives. The marks he bears have brought us healing from the plague of sin.
6: Sheep easily wander off. Shepherds have to keep very close watch on them. Like sheep, we willfully wander into danger. God, in his infinite wisdom and mercy, has caused the responsibility for all of our lawlessness, perpetrated during our wanderings, to be laid on Christ.
7: He was mistreated, humiliated, and abused. And yet, he did not speak against it. He is like a lamb, which does not cry out before being butchered. Or, like the same animal when it is being sheared. He did not complain.
8: Jesus was arrested, put on trial, sentenced to death, and then ‘taken’ to be crucified. Again we find a rhetorical question. It is asked concerning the spiritually blind generation of people that Jesus lived among. Once again, it must be answered by all people. Will we fail to consider Christ’s work for us? Will we be blind beyond description like the generation here mentioned? Jesus was cut off from the land of the living. It happened not for his sin, but for the illegal actions of the people.
9: Jesus died while in the company of wicked men. Specifically, he was identified with malefactors, two of which were crucified with him. He was buried in the tomb of the rich Joseph of Arimathaea. In the text, the word ‘rich’ is singular, obviously referring prophetically to this particular rich man. The word ‘because’ must be taken to point out a contrast in the first part of the verse. Normally criminals were not buried in the tombs of the rich. Jesus is because he had never hurt anyone. He was a man of peace. Also, he was not guilty of blasphemy, though accused of such. He was not a deceiver.
10: As Jesus said to Piltate, it was only by God’s permission that any of this was done. The Lord willed it. It has been in the plan to cause Christ to suffer. God caused his grief. God offered him for our sins. It is amazing how many will say that God has done something bad to them. And yet, we do not find these types of actions specifically pointed by God towards anyone but Christ.
Three glorious things now immediately follow. First, Jesus sees his seed, or those who are saved by his sacrifice. Second, it is by this cross work that the resurrection is made possible. He prolongs his days and ours for all eternity. Third, God’s program for the future is laid in his hands. Though his greatest work, this sacrifice is only the beginning of his actions.
11: In other words, Jesus will experience a great trial, and yet be happy to go through it. The phrase ‘his knowledge’ here refers to belief in his word. Though his sacrifice is able to save all, justification comes by faith. Thus, the sins of believers are borne by Christ. The rest will die in their sins.
12: The future of Christ is one of victory. God has exalted him. Jesus deserves all that the Father gives him because he suffered, was condemned, died for us, and even now makes intercession for us.

15: Judas, though despicable, was shrewd enough to realize that the chief priests lacked not ability, but opportunity, to catch Jesus. This is why his offer is to ‘deliver’ him. Judas may have figured that since they were bound to get him sometime either way, he could stand to make a profit this way. Judas was a thief, so any chance to make some extra money was inviting to him. Likely, he was also motivated by Jesus sharp rebuke. Beyond this, he surely realized that a Messiah who spoke of dying soon would not be promoting him to a place of affluence in an earthly kingdom anytime soon.
Thirty pieces of silver was the standard price for a slave. This shows that Judas was very willing to betray his Master. He did not drive a bargain, but settled for whatever he could get.
16: Judas actively looked for a chance to betray Christ. God’s timing is always perfect. Judas was, in fact, ultimately set into motion by Jesus’ words at the passover meal.

14: It is after the anointing of Jesus by Mary, and Jesus’ response to Judas comments concerning it, that Judas begins his betrayal. He was one of Jesus twelve disciples, and he is called Judas Iscariot to delineate him from the other Judas in the group. The meaning of the name ‘Iscariot’ is too obscure to define. The chief priests, though likely not generally accessible, were surely more than happy to speak with a potential traitor.

13: This has to be one of the coolest verses in the Bible. Not only is it more futuristic than the latest science fiction, it is also the best comeback to to a snub that has ever been conceived. Jesus does so many things all at once in this verse that a list is in order.
First, and most importantly, he prophetically established the certainty of the completion of the salvation work that he was about to consummate with his death on the cross. Secondly, he prophetically established the certainty that his words would not only be recorded, but also become part of the ‘gospel’ message that would be published on a global scale. Third, he helped Judas and those who agreed with him understand the sting of being wrong before the good and perfect Judge of the universe. Last, but not least, he prophetically established the certainty that this woman’s actions would not go unrewarded. Indeed, he built a memorial for her that stands the test of time better than one carved out of granite. This verse reveals to us not only Christ’s almighty power, but also his infinite wisdom.