The Bible Book

250

A

s opposition mounts to

Jesus’s ministry, Jesus

decides to spend time

privately with His closest disciples,

sharing with them the most

important occasion of the Jewish

year, the Passover supper. During

this meal, they remember God’s

rescue of their ancestors from

slavery in Egypt. Like many

other Jews, they have traveled

to Jerusalem so that they can

share the Passover meal within

the walls of their holy city, in

proximity to the Temple, the

focus of their worship of God.

guest room, where I may eat the

Passover with my disciples?’” (Luke

22:11). Jesus tells the two disciples

that they will then be shown to a

large upper room, where they can

prepare for the meal.

Peter and John go to the city,

and find everything just as Jesus

has said. They buy all the elements

that make the meal a reminder of

THE LAST SUPPER

IN BRIEF

PA S SAGE

Luke 22:7–38

THEME

New symbolism

of Passover

SETTING

c. 29 ce An upper room of

a house in Jerusalem on the

night of the Passover feast.

KEY FIGURES

Jesus The Messiah and Son

of God in the period leading

up to His crucifixion.

Peter and John Tw o o f

Jesus’s disciples, who are

sent by Jesus to prepare the

Passover meal in Jerusalem.

Judas Iscariot The disciple

who goes on to betray Jesus

in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Since they are staying at Bethany,

just outside the city, they need

to find a room in which to share

the meal. Jesus sends Peter and

John, two of His disciples, to

make the arrangements for the

feast. “Where do you want us to

prepare for it?” they ask (Luke 22:9).

Jesus tells them that as they enter

the city, they will find a man

carrying a jar of water, quite an

unusual sight in an age when this

was considered to be a woman’s

task. They are to follow him back

to the house and say to the owner:

“The Teacher asks: ‘Where is the

A Flemish miniature by Simon

Bening (c.1525–30) shows Jesus

preparing to wash the feet of His

disciple Peter, an act normally

performed by a servant.

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251

See also: Covenants 44–47 ■ The Passover 72–73 ■ The Baptism of Jesus

194 –97 ■ The Crucifixion 258–65 ■ The Day of Pentecost 282–83

THE GOSPELS

Herod’s Jerusalem

Seeking to establish his

reputation as Israel’s ruler

despite his association

with the Roman overlords,

Herod the Great, King of

Judea (37–4 bce), decided to

refurbish the Second Temple.

He aimed to nearly double

its overall footprint with a

vast paved court, and this

work was still ongoing during

the time of Jesus. According

to historian Flavius Josephus

(c.37–100 ce), the Temple was

“like a snow-clad mountain

for all that was not gold was

gleaming white.” Situated

alongside the Temple walls

was the Antonia Fortress,

which Herod built to house

the occupying armies. Other

major sites included his palace,

the Praetorium, and the home

of the Roman governor.

Jerusalem’s population

around this time is estimated

at 40,000, though at festival

times, pilgrims coming into

the city to worship could

increase that number to about

250,000. However, many of

these visitors would not find

accommodation in the city;

instead, they would look for

rooms in nearby villages—

such as Bethany, where Jesus

and His disciples stayed.

A model of Herod’s Temple

shows what it might have looked

like. The Temple was 164 feet

(50m) high and stood on the

highest hill in Jerusalem.

their ancestors’ escape from

Egypt: unleavened bread, roasted

lamb, bitter herbs, and wine.

The table is set

Later that day, Jesus and the rest

of the disciples arrive at the room

to share the meal. A low table is set,

and Jesus and the disciples recline

around it, in the customary way.

Stone jars filled with water stand

by the door, so that guests can wash

their dusty feet before sitting down.

Usually, this task is done for them by

a servant, but to their surprise, the

disciples watch as Jesus strips off

His robe, ties a towel around His

waist, and begins to wash their feet.

Peter is horrified: “Lord, are you

going to wash my feet?” he asks

(John 13:6). In answer, Jesus tells

the disciple that unless he allows

his feet to be washed by Him, Peter

will not be able to share the meal

with Jesus, or all it symbolizes.

Jesus is setting His disciples an

example here, turning the usual

expectations of greatness on their

head. Jesus, their honored leader,

is humbly serving them by washing

their feet, an act that symbolizes

a spiritual cleansing. All that Jesus

is about to face in the next 24 hours

can be understood as Him serving

them in the ultimate way—His

sacrifice will cleanse the stain of

sin from their lives.

Preparing the disciples

As they eat bitter herbs and

roasted lamb and remember

God’s deliverance of the Israelites

from Egypt, Jesus alludes to the

significance of the occasion. “I have

eagerly desired to eat the Passover

with you before I suffer,” He says

(Luke 22:15), knowing that this will

be the last meal with His disciples

before His opponents lay hands

on Him. As they share one of the

traditional cups of wine around the

table, Jesus notes with foreboding

that He will not eat this meal with

them again “until the kingdom of

God comes” (Luke 22:18). Just as

the Israelites have shared a last

meal in Egypt before their divinely

ordained rescue and journey to

freedom, so this is Jesus’s last

meal before the events that will

bring about a new freedom for the

world in the kingdom of God. ❯❯

For whenever you eat

this bread and drink

this cup, you proclaim

the Lord’s death until

He comes.

1 Corinthians 11:26

Very truly I tell you,

no servant is greater

than his master, nor is a

messenger greater than

the one who sent him.

John 13:16

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