Chapter 7.

The “Last Supper”,

Before Judas Left

 

 

Jesus Shared

a Passover Meal With His Disciples.

 

As the sun set Tuesday evening, Jesus’ thoughts turned to His imminent death on the Cross.  He knew He would be entombed in about 26 hours.  By then, He would have served as the Ultimate Sin-Sacrifice Victim.  All the sins of all believers of all times would have been transferred to Him.  He would have died to pay all the penalties for all those sins.  So, all believers of all times would be sin-free and fit to be residents of Heaven.  “God will never convict them of anything,” He thought.  “He will ‘Pass Over’ them when He sits in judgment, just as He did ‘Pass Over’ the first-born of Israel during the deadly ‘Plague of the First-Born’ in ancient Egypt.”

 

To disclose these thoughts ... to express His love for His Apostles as He prepared to leave them and return to Heaven ... and to institute a new “Passover Feast” for the New Testament Church that would soon form -- Jesus desired to share one last Passover Dinner with His men before He suffered.  Christians call this meal the “Last Supper”.

 

Since He would be dead before the normal time for the annual Passover Feast, scheduled for sunset Wednesday, Jesus gathered His men together one day early.  John notes this in his Gospel. 

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.  (John 13:1)

Matthew declares ...

... when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.  (Matthew 26:20)

Mark states ...

... in the evening he cometh with the twelve.  (Mark 14:17)

And, Luke remarks ...

... when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.  (Luke 22:14)

 

 

 

Jesus Signified His Abiding Unity

With His Apostles.

 

Jesus opened the Feast in a somber mood.  He was about to separate Himself from His dearest friends.  Even so, He wanted to highlight His abiding unity with them.  He passed a large cup of wine around the table.  Each disciple poured a portion of its contents into his own cup.  Then, in unison, Jesus and each Apostle consumed the wine.

... he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

For I say unto you, I will not any more eat hereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.  (Luke 22:15-18)

Wine was the beverage of choice on Jewish tables in those days.  It was often added to water to give the water vitality and flavor.  The God-fearing did not use it as an intoxicant.

 

 

 

Jesus Declared,

“One Of You Will Betray Me.”

 

As they were eating the Passover Feast, Jesus voiced a shocking revelation.

... as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 

(Matthew 26:21-22)

Mark states ...

... as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?  (Mark 14:18-19)

 

By saying this, Jesus proved to Judas, His betrayer, that He was divine.  It was as if He had said, “Judas, I know what is in your heart!  I know about your wicked deal with the chief priests!”  This must have shaken Judas.  But somehow, Satan prodded Judas to continue acting as a loyal disciple till he was sure where Jesus would go after the meal was over.

 

Jesus did not specify what the betrayer would do.  Would he defect from the Apostolic team and return to his former occupation?  Would he join the ranks of those who denounced Jesus?  Would he declare that Jesus was a fraud?  Or, would he cooperate with those who wished to kill Jesus?  Jesus did not say.

 

 

 

Jesus Disclosed a Detail

About His Betrayer.

 

There was a bowl of dip on the table, and Jesus said His betrayer had dipped a crust of unleavened bread into the dip at the same moment when He had done so.  That was odd.  Normally, one of the 12 would have paused to allow his Lord to complete His dip before he dipped into the bowl.  It was a signal that Judas no longer believed Jesus was his Lord.  Mark says ...

... he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.  (Mark 14:20)

Matthew declares ...

... he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.  (Matthew 26:23)

 

 

 

Jesus Indicated That

His Betrayer Was Headed To Hell.

 

Matthew has Jesus saying ...

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is

betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.  (Matthew 26:24)

And, Mark states ...

The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.  (Mark 14:21)

 

 

 

Judas Confronted Jesus.

 

Emboldened by Satan, Judas concluded, “Jesus is not divine!  He has no knowledge of my arrangement with the chief priests!  He’s just paranoid!”  In an haughty voice, he tested Jesus.

... Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.  (Matthew 26:25)

As Jesus spoke, He cast an accusatory stare into Judas’ smirking face.  Suddenly, Judas knew that Jesus knew everything.  Still, under Satan’s power, he continued his charade.  He played the role of an obedient Apostle, waiting for an appropriate moment to race to the palace of the High Priest and summon the Temple guards.  His darkened mind reasoned, “They will arrest and discipline this false messiah!”

 

 

 

Jesus Instituted

the “Lord’s Supper”.

 

Abruptly, Jesus re-directed His attention to inaugurating a new kind of “Passover Feast”.  He knew that the Passover Feasts prescribed by Moses would be obsoleted by coming events:

-   The Temple and Jerusalem would be destroyed in 70 A.D.

-   Simultaneously, Israel would cease to exist.

-   Many Jews would flee to other countries.

-   The Jews who did not escape would be sold as slaves throughout the world.

So, Passover Feasts like those described in the Torah would become an impossibility.

 

Also, Jesus plainly taught that the Jewish nation which  rejected Him would wither away and be replaced by a new Jewish movement, the New Testament Church.  This new body of believers would take Christ’s message to the whole world ... to Jews and Gentiles alike.  Henceforth, the members of this new movement would be known as God’s chosen people.  A few years after the events of Holy Week, Peter noted this in his first letter to early Christians ...

... you [Christians] are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

(1 Peter 2:9 NLT)

 

Jesus knew the turning point for this great change would be His death on the Cross.  In a few hours, He would become “The Lamb of God taking away the sins of the world”, just as John the Baptist had predicted.  His Sacrificial Death would be the most important event in human history.

 

Jesus rose to introduce a new kind of Passover Feast.  This feast would be observed frequently by members of the New Testament Church which would be comprised of those who had repented and asked Jesus to remove their sins.  It would remind them that Jesus had erased their sins by His Sacrifice on the Cross.  It would assure them that God would “Pass Over” them when He gathered the unrepentant and dispatched them to eternal damnation.

 

This new Passover Feast is most often called the “Lord’s Supper”, but it is also known as “The Eucharist”, “The Breaking of Bread”, and “Communion”.  Here’s how Jesus began the ceremony:

... he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.  (Luke 22:19)

Matthew discloses ...

... as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.  (Matthew 26:26)

And, Mark states ...

... as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.  (Mark 14:22)

So, Jesus used unleavened bread as the symbol for His body which would be buffeted with fists, pierced by thorns woven into a crown, lashed with a scourge, nailed to the Cross, and slashed by a spear.  Today, when a Christian consumes a fragment of bread during a Communion service, he remembers the agonies inflicted on Christ’s body as He suffered and died.

 

Then, Jesus used wine as the symbol for the blood that would stream from His body as He endured Torture and Crucifixion.

... he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

(Matthew 26:27-28) 

Mark declares ...

... he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 

(Mark 14:23-24)

And, Luke states ...

... Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.  (Luke 22:20)

 

Scripture says ...

... without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.  (Hebrews 9:22 NLT)

As a Christian consumes wine during the Communion  Service, he remembers, “There was a copious shedding of the Blood of my Savior.  My sins are forgiven.”

 

 

 

Jesus Vowed To Forego Wine

Until the Kingdom Age Comes.

 

Someday the Millennial Kingdom will come.  We’ve been praying for it for years ... “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth ...”.   Jesus said ...

... I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.  (Matthew 26:29)

Mark has Jesus saying ...

Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.  (Mark 14:25)

 

 

 

Again, Jesus Declared,

“My Betrayer Is Here With Us!”

 

Having completed the first “lord’s Supper” ceremony, Jesus’ thoughts returned to Judas, His betrayer.  Long ago the Trinity had determined that Jesus would become the Ultimate Sacrifice Victim who would erase the sins of all believers of all times.  For sure, He was going to the Cross in a few hours, but that did not excuse Judas’ wicked behavior.  Jesus said ...

... behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.  (Luke 22:21-23)

For sure, Judas took part in the inaugural Communion Service, but he did so unworthily.  The Apostle Paul tells us how destructive such behavior can be.

... anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.

(1 Corinthians 11:27-29 NLT)

 

 

 

The Apostles

Drifted Into a Quarrel.

 

While discussing Jesus’ repeated references to a betrayer among them, the Apostles began to quarrel.  Perhaps, some of them said, “I’d never betray Jesus.  Maybe you would, but I’m better than that!”  And, the discussion became heated as some alleged, “I’m a better believer than you are!”  Jesus quickly quelled the arguments.

... there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.  (Luke 22:24-27)

 

 

 

Jesus Began Washing the Feet

Of His Disciples.

 

Supper was over.  Satan was motivating Judas.  And, Jesus was contemplating His return to Heaven. 

... supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God ...  (John 13:2-3)

And, having urged His Apostles to live as servants, Jesus enlivened His words with action.

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.  (John 13:4-5) 

 

 

 

Initially, Peter Refused

To Let Jesus Wash His Feet.

 

Peter was disturbed when Jesus came to wash his feet.  But, Jesus assured him that the act was necessary and that he would come to cherish it later.

Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.  Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean ...  (John 13:6-10a)

 

 

 

Jesus’ Betrayer

Was Still In The Room.

 

What a storm of thoughts must have erupted when Jesus washed the feet of Judas.  Judas had decided that Jesus was a fraud.  He thought this foot-washing was weird.  He wanted to race away to the palace of the High Priest and have him mobilize the Temple guards  to arrest Jesus, but first, he must ascertain where Jesus and the disciples were headed after they left the Upper Room.

 

Jesus was sad.  He wished Judas was a believer.  Yet, He consoled Himself, knowing that this man had seen hundreds of His miraculous works and heard hundreds of His sermons and was still an unbeliever.  No other lost soul had ever had a better opportunity to be saved.  So, after Jesus said, “Ye are clean,” He added ...

... but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.  (John 13:10b-11)

 

 

 

Jesus Commanded,

“Serve One Another.”

 

Jesus urged His disciples to follow His example.

... after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.  (John 13:12-17)

 

 

 

Jesus Pondered,

“Why Has Judas Not Believed?”

 

Jesus knew that 11 of the men at the table were believers.  He was saddened and angered by the fact that Judas had turned against Him.  Having indicated that the 11 believers would have a happy future, he said ...

I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me (Psalm 41:9).  Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.  (John 13:18-20)

 

 

 

Again, Jesus Remarked,

“One Of You Will Betray Me!”

 

Jesus was, and is, One Aspect of the Trinity.  The Triune God wants every man to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).  Jesus was troubled, seeing Judas slipping away to eternal damnation.

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.  (John 13:21-22)

 

 

 

Jesus Identified His Betrayer.

 

In Jesus’ day, when dining, folks sat or reclined on cushions laid around a low table.  They did not sit on chairs or stools.  John was reclining next to Jesus, so Peter urged him to ask Jesus, “Who is the betrayer?”

One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.  (John 13:23-26 NIV)

 

 

 

Jesus Sent Judas Away.

 

At that moment, Peter and John knew Judas was going to betray Jesus.  But, they did not know what Judas would do.  Immediately, Jesus sent Judas away.  Some of the men thought Judas was sent out to give money to the poor.  And, since the official Passover Feast and the week-long “Feast of Unleavened Bread” were to begin the next evening, some thought Judas was sent out to buy provisions for those events.  

... after the sop Satan entered into him [Judas]. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. 

(John 13:27-30)

Apparently, prior to that moment, Judas had heard where Jesus was going when He left the Upper Room.  He raced away to the High Priest and set in motion the events of Good Wednesday.

 

 

 

Jesus Proclaimed,

“My Time Has Come!”

 

Jesus, the man, shuddered as He thought of the terrible afflictions He would soon suffer.  Jesus, the Son of God, rejoiced in anticipation of completing His primary mission, erasing the sins of all believers of all times.

As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son,  he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once.  (John 13:31-32 NLT)