Day 5: THURSDAY - The Last Supper
Suggested Reading:
Matthew 26:17–75
Mark 14:12–72
Luke 22:7–71
John 13:1–18:27
Have you ever thought about who attended The Last Supper? Or perhaps a better question is, have you ever thought about who was not in attendance at The Last Supper? If Jesus was celebrating Passover in a traditional manner, then this Last Supper would be known as a Seder. A Seder is supposed to be a special family meal. But, in the four Gospels, we see that Jesus’ biological family is not present. Rather, on what would prove to be the beginning of the end of Jesus’ earthly life, He chose to celebrate Passover by sharing a meal with the twelve men who He had done ministry with for the last 3 years. He gathered with Bartholomew, James (son of Alphaeus), Andrew, Judas Iscariot, Peter, John, Thomas, James (the Greater), Philip, Matthew, Jude Thaddeus, and Simon (the Zealot) in an upper room and had the Passover meal prepared. So, was this a traditional Passover Seder, or was it perhaps something much more significant?
The Last Supper was indeed so much more than a regular Passover Seder. The books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke paint a very clear picture of Jesus instituting a practice that we refer to as communion. Before He suffered in His body, He instructed the disciples that His body and His blood are broken and given for us. They are an outpouring of His great love for us and that those who call themselves His disciples should “eat this bread and drink this cup” until His return. Partaking in communion is something that Christians still do, to this day. However, that is not all that happened at The Last Supper.
The book of John, and this Gospel alone, tells us that Jesus “rose from supper. He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.” It cannot be missed that at this seemingly untraditional Passover meal Jesus intentionally spent His last moments with His disciples in a way that was typically reserved for servants. This was a beautiful display of Jesus’ humility and His servanthood.
Let’s return to the initial question: have you ever thought about who attended The Last Supper? Have you considered whose feet Jesus washed? It was the feet of all twelve disciples. This means that Jesus washed the feet of His betrayer, Judas Iscariot, on the very night that he would betray Him. Yet, Jesus, knowing that Judas would betray Him, washed his feet anyway. Jesus washed the feet of the one who would deny him, not once, not twice, but three times. Still, Jesus, knowing that Peter would deny Him three times, washed his feet anyway. Jesus washed the feet of James and John who, along with Peter, could not manage to stay awake and pray with Jesus while He was suffering in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus washed their feet anyway. Jesus washed the feet of His deserters, most of the disciples left Jesus, fleeing from the garden when He was arrested. He washed their feet anyway. Jesus saw past their worst moments, their sin, and their failings and washed their feet anyway. He was not willing to let their worst deter Him from offering them His best. This is what is offered to each of us.
Matt & Jessica Stallbaum - EEC - https://eccc.us/holy-week/