Friday, November 2, 2012

The Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-35; Mark 14:12-31; Luke 22:7-38; John 13)


The Passover feast draws near and Jesus sends his disciples to make preparations for the Passover.

At the Passover, Jesus washes the feet of all his disciples.  He uses this to demonstrate the importance of service and love.  Meanwhile, Peter tells Jesus to not wash his feet, but then Jesus says if he does not, then Peter has no part with Jesus.  Peter then states that Jesus can wash his whole body.  This interaction shows that to be part of Jesus, we must let Jesus serve us.  Otherwise, if Jesus does not serve us, we are not a part of him.

Interestingly, this account is recorded in John 13, but not the other Gospels.  In fact, in Luke 22:24, a dispute arises among the disciples as to which disciple is greatest.

Again, Jesus is essentially preparing to die and is passing on the mission to his disciples, but they are concerned about their own self-importance.

Also, in John 13, we see the emergence of the "disciple whom Jesus loved".  Knowing what we know from the rest of John, this could refer to Lazarus.  Lazarus was referred to as someone Jesus loved when Lazarus died.

If this is the case, then it also means that there were more than 13 people at the Last Supper.  There would have to been at least Jesus, core Twelve, and Lazarus.  It is popularly conceptualized that there were only 13 people at the Last Supper, for instance the painting Last Supper.

Jesus also implements a new law, which is actually an old law, but Jesus gives it a new spin. The new law is that they are to love another.  The new spin is that this is how people will know they are his disciples, if they love another.

This appears in John, but it might be the clue to understanding the parable of the sheep and the goats, which is in Matthew.  In the parable, the defining difference between he sheep and the goats was the way they treated one another.  Here, Jesus is saying that this is that people know that one follows Jesus, by their love for one another.  Like I mention before, it is this kindness that is the indicator of Jesus' presence in one's life and ultimately, salvation.

What is not addressed here is the converse - are nice people automatically followers of Jesus and hence, automatically saved?  Again, this would be a works-based faith.

In Mark, Matthew, and Luke, Jesus also implements what comes to be known as Communion.  He had talked about people eating his buoy and drinking his blood, and here, he gives an action that people can do without actually resorting to cannibalism.  Out of remembrance for Christ, his followers are to drink wine and eat bread.

Meanwhile, Jesus starts talking about how one of the Twelve will betray him.  This confuses the disciples, but eventually singles out Judas Iscariot, telling him that whatever he was planning on doing, they do quickly.

Jesus also warns Peter that he will disown Jesus three times before the rooster crows at dawn.  Obviously, this denial of Jesus is not the same as the intention betrayal that Judas Iscariot is currently undergoing.  

The Gospel of Luke includes an interesting post-dinner detail.  Jesus tells them to buy some swords.  They find two swords and this enough.  We do not know what exactly Jesus has in mind for the swords, but armed resistance is not one of them, otherwise they should get enough swords for all the disciples.

After the meal, they sing a hymn and go to the Mount of Olives.  This is where Jesus went every night of the week to escape the crowd.  Judas knows where to find Jesus.

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