The Last/First Supper
12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” 16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.” 19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?” 20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Reflection:
The feast of the unleavened bread was a seven day Jewish festival, which was kicked off with the Passover meal. The Passover meal commemorated the Israelites' escape from Egypt, where their firstborn children were passed over by the angel of death. The unleavened bread was also a sign of their hasty departure, as they didn't have enough time for the leaven to rise in the dough. Still today in the "seder meal", the Matzah bread is a reminder of this! And, of course, at the center of the meal was the passover lamb. The innocent "pescha", who was slain on behalf of the people as a sacrifice for their sins. As they gathered with Jesus, he was about to bring new meaning into this old ceremony.
Jesus gives two of his disciples explicit instructions for them to go into the city and meet a man who is carrying a jar of water (a symbol of cleansing). "This man will lead you to another owner's home", he tells them. These two were not presumably part of the twelve disciples, who came with Jesus later. Then, Jesus initiated the Last Supper, which was really the First Supper of the new covenant. Jesus took two very powerful symbols in the Jewish faith and connected them with the sacrifice he was going to make as the innocent lamb of God. The bread was also a symbol akin to the "showbread", which was continually in the temple as a sign of the presence of God. Every week on the Sabbath, the bread was replaced, and a new loaf was put on a specially dedicated table. The priests were allowed to consume the old bread as long as they did so in the holy place. Maybe this is some of the precedence of the Catholic priests consuming the wine that is not used in Holy Communion.
But Jesus was going to give an entirely new meaning to this meal. When he took the bread, he broke and gave it to them and said, "Take it, this is my body!" Then, he took the cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and they all drank from it. He said, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many, and truly I tell you i will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
So hence we see the Old Testament tie in with what we celebrate every week in our church, Holy Communion. In our church, we teach that Jesus is "truly present", just as the "show-bread" assured the Jewish people God was present. We "take it", knowing it is the body of our Lord, and the "bread of life", as Jesus said in John 6:35. Then, the disciples all drank from the cup in unison, as a sign that they all needed the blood of the new covenant to cover the sins of all who were gathered. Instead of the blood of the innocent lamb from the flock, Jesus was the innocent lamb of God, who covered all of our sins past, present and future.
Finally, we are given a foreshadowing of the feast we will eat and drink in heaven some day. The new vine reserved for all those who call on His name in the Kingdom of God. We see there is a past/present/future dynamic when we receive (or i should say "take") Holy Communion. We are remembering what Jesus did for us on that day he went to the cross, and when he rose again from the dead, conquering sin, death and the power of the devil. We are partaking of His presence with us, as we do this is remembrance of Him. And finally, we look forward to the day when we will drink it anew in His kingdom one day.
Jesus has made preparations for us as well in His Father's house. He said, "In my Father's house there are many mansions, I go there to prepare a place for you. And if I go there, I will come back and take you to be with me, so you may be where I am." At most funerals we hear these comforting words, as we commend our loved ones to their heavenly homes. But it also helps us when our hearts are troubled here to not only know that God is with us, but He has prepared a place for us too. Each time we come to the Holy Meal, we believe he is truly present, and we receive the bread of life Jesus, whose mercies are new every morning. Great is Thy Faithfulness!!!
Jesus thank that you are our "showbread", and represent the power and presence of God for us when we receive/take you in faith. We know that you are not only present with us now, but you have prepared a place for us when we will eat the heavenly meal with all the saints before us in the Father's presence forevermore. Amen.
Reflection:
The feast of the unleavened bread was a seven day Jewish festival, which was kicked off with the Passover meal. The Passover meal commemorated the Israelites' escape from Egypt, where their firstborn children were passed over by the angel of death. The unleavened bread was also a sign of their hasty departure, as they didn't have enough time for the leaven to rise in the dough. Still today in the "seder meal", the Matzah bread is a reminder of this! And, of course, at the center of the meal was the passover lamb. The innocent "pescha", who was slain on behalf of the people as a sacrifice for their sins. As they gathered with Jesus, he was about to bring new meaning into this old ceremony.
Jesus gives two of his disciples explicit instructions for them to go into the city and meet a man who is carrying a jar of water (a symbol of cleansing). "This man will lead you to another owner's home", he tells them. These two were not presumably part of the twelve disciples, who came with Jesus later. Then, Jesus initiated the Last Supper, which was really the First Supper of the new covenant. Jesus took two very powerful symbols in the Jewish faith and connected them with the sacrifice he was going to make as the innocent lamb of God. The bread was also a symbol akin to the "showbread", which was continually in the temple as a sign of the presence of God. Every week on the Sabbath, the bread was replaced, and a new loaf was put on a specially dedicated table. The priests were allowed to consume the old bread as long as they did so in the holy place. Maybe this is some of the precedence of the Catholic priests consuming the wine that is not used in Holy Communion.
But Jesus was going to give an entirely new meaning to this meal. When he took the bread, he broke and gave it to them and said, "Take it, this is my body!" Then, he took the cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and they all drank from it. He said, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many, and truly I tell you i will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
So hence we see the Old Testament tie in with what we celebrate every week in our church, Holy Communion. In our church, we teach that Jesus is "truly present", just as the "show-bread" assured the Jewish people God was present. We "take it", knowing it is the body of our Lord, and the "bread of life", as Jesus said in John 6:35. Then, the disciples all drank from the cup in unison, as a sign that they all needed the blood of the new covenant to cover the sins of all who were gathered. Instead of the blood of the innocent lamb from the flock, Jesus was the innocent lamb of God, who covered all of our sins past, present and future.
Finally, we are given a foreshadowing of the feast we will eat and drink in heaven some day. The new vine reserved for all those who call on His name in the Kingdom of God. We see there is a past/present/future dynamic when we receive (or i should say "take") Holy Communion. We are remembering what Jesus did for us on that day he went to the cross, and when he rose again from the dead, conquering sin, death and the power of the devil. We are partaking of His presence with us, as we do this is remembrance of Him. And finally, we look forward to the day when we will drink it anew in His kingdom one day.
Jesus has made preparations for us as well in His Father's house. He said, "In my Father's house there are many mansions, I go there to prepare a place for you. And if I go there, I will come back and take you to be with me, so you may be where I am." At most funerals we hear these comforting words, as we commend our loved ones to their heavenly homes. But it also helps us when our hearts are troubled here to not only know that God is with us, but He has prepared a place for us too. Each time we come to the Holy Meal, we believe he is truly present, and we receive the bread of life Jesus, whose mercies are new every morning. Great is Thy Faithfulness!!!
Jesus thank that you are our "showbread", and represent the power and presence of God for us when we receive/take you in faith. We know that you are not only present with us now, but you have prepared a place for us when we will eat the heavenly meal with all the saints before us in the Father's presence forevermore. Amen.
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