Welcome! So all four Gospels in fact agree! Background: The Passover. He would soon depart from this world. According to our reconstruction of the pre-exilic calendar, in AD 33, the year of the Crucifixion, the Passover meal in this calendar was on the Wednesday of Holy Week. Scholars have literally rushed around Jerusalem with a stop-watch to see how the large number of events recorded in the Gospels could have occurred between the Last Supper on Thursday night and the Crucifixion on Friday morning. The Jews who led Jesus to Pilate for trial did not enter the [Gentile] governors headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. The Passover here does not refer to the Passover meal, but to the Passover feast, which lasted seven days. 24:1-11), when the Lords Supper ostensibly takes place in the context of the Feast of the Passover and not during the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot or Pentecost), which celebrates the revelation of the Torah on Mount Sinai. Note the Gospels made no mention of procuring or sharing a Passover lamb (which would not have been available until Friday afternoon when He is crucified). The roots of the festival are found in Exodus 12, in which God instructs the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb at twilight on the 14th day of the Jewish month of Nisan, before the sun sets (Exodus 12:18). And if the Last Supper was indeed during Passover, as the Synoptic Gospels indicate, then why is there no mention of the lamb, the main dish laden with pertinent symbolism? Jesus blood cleanses us of sin. The author of one such commentary on Matthew in the Tyndale New Testament series, R. T. France, presents a practical approach to the problem: The simplest solution, and the one assumed in this commentary, is that Jesus, knowing that he would be dead before the regular time for the meal, deliberately held it in secret one day early. In addition, Luke 22:19b20 is a disputed text which does not appear in some of the early manuscripts of Luke. [71] In their view, the Last Supper is a tradition associated mainly with the gentile churches that Paul established, rather than with the earlier, Jewish congregations. When speaking about Jesus, follow His example of meeting people where they are in their understanding and then leading them to deeper awareness. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." In the Temple celebration of Passover, they are separate days: Passover sacrificed on the 14th, First Day of Unleavened Bread on the 15th, but in the Samaritan rite they are both on the 14th. It would open the door to spiritual freedom. [57] For Aquinas, at the Last Supper Christ taught by example, showing the value of humility (as reflected in John's foot washing narrative) and self-sacrifice, rather than by exhibiting external, miraculous powers. He showed the disciples who he was their Deliverer and Redeemerand what he was doing for themsetting them free for all eternity. Additionally, according to Paul and Luke, he tells the disciples "do this in remembrance of me." Remember for the Jews, the new day begins at sunset, so the lambs would have been slaughtered on the afternoon of Nisan 14, and then after sunset (Nisan 15) the Passover meal would have been shared. We are connected not only with the Lord who saved us but also with past and present believers. Is there a way to reconcile the two differing accounts? What is the Meaning and Importance of the Last Supper? Also called the Lord's Supper, the Last Supper was significant because Jesus showed his followers that he would become the Passover Lamb of God. Did Jesus eat his last Supper on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday night? At the conclusion of the meal, Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper ( Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ). To fully understand this topic, let's examine the Gospel reports of Yeshua's final meal. Maundy Thursday is the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples. For example, Matthew 26:17 says: On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover? The first three Gospels seem to indicate that Jesus and his disciples ate the Last Supper meal on the evening beginning Nisan 15. Deut. In the Gospel of John, when asked about the traitor, Jesus states: "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Wright. (Matthew 26:28, ESV). The Passover meal and the Last Supper (Mark 14: 12-26) And in the Old Testament, a covenant renewal ceremony was a time in which the people would remember what God had done for them, rehearse the events of salvation history and renew their vows. Was the Last Supper a Passover Seder? | Bible.org ', In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. Typically wine is served four times during the Passover meal. (4 of 4). Jews typically ate two meals during the day, one around 10 or 11 in the morning, and another in the late afternoon. Shawn lives in East Cambridge with his wife, Hanna, and his three daughters. 68. The Last Supper (Luke 22:7-23) | Bible.org If Jesus ate the Passover meal one day earlier than the Jews did, he simply disregarded tradition. Two similar statements also appear later in John 15:12: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you", and John 15:17: "This is my command: Love each other. Wright --University of Arizona, Center for Judaic Studies Breaking bread with another person was a sign of mutual friendship and trust. [5][6], The overall narrative that is shared in all Gospel accounts that leads to the Last Supper is that after the triumphal entry into Jerusalem early in the week, and encounters with various people and the Jewish elders, Jesus and his disciples share a meal towards the end of the week. Matt. I am to celebrate the Passover with My disciples in your house (Mt 26:17-19). All four of those are His own preparation. The solution given in this book is as follows. The eminent biblical scholar, F. F. Bruce, once described this problem as the thorniest problem in the New Testament.. Jesus was therefore holding his Last Supper on the exact anniversary of the first Passover of Moses, as described in the book of Exodus, thus proclaiming that he was the new Moses, instituting a new covenant (a direct reference to the original covenant made between God and the Jewish people through Moses, according to Exodus) and leading his people out of slavery into a new life. Moreover, regardless of whether or not the Lords Supper was a Passover meal, both the Synoptic Gospels and Johns Gospel agree that Christ fulfills the typology of the Passover lamb. Meeting 10AM Sundays158 Spring St., Cambridge, MA. Holy Week Timeline: From Palm Sunday to the Resurrection, Scripture Readings for Ash Wednesday Through the First Week of Lent, Israel Tour Pictures: Photo Journal of the Holy Land, Judas Iscariot - Betrayer of Jesus Christ, General Biblical Studies, Interdenominational Christian Training Center, The Last Supper in the Bible constitutes the biblical basis for the practice of. And we see Him in several different ways preparing for His death. [55], The traditional location is in an area that, according to archaeology, had a large Essene community, a point made by scholars who suspect a link between Jesus and the group.[56]. But my research shows that we should really be celebrating this on the Wednesday of Holy Week. The tie between Passover and Easter dates back to the Last Supper, when Jesus had a Passover Seder soon before his crucifixion. The Passover Seder and Sacrifice The Jewish holiday of Passover commemorates the Exodus from Egypt. First, Jesus spoke of celebrating the Passover feast with His apostles: On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came up to Jesus and said, Where do you wish us to prepare the Passover supper for you? He said, Go to this man in the city and tell him, The Teacher says: My appointed time draws near. Did Jesus Eat the Passover Supper? | ChristianCourier.com There is a real difference between John and the synoptics on this question, and John's chronology continues to make much more sense to me: Jesus was tried and killed before the holiday began. In chapter 26 of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus prays thanks for the bread, divides it, and hands the pieces of bread to his disciples, saying "Take, eat, this is my body." In the book of Exodus, the blood of the Passover lamb was painted on the Israelite's door frames, causing the plague of the firstborn to pass over their houses, sparing the firstborn sons from death. [33], Although the Gospel of John does not include a description of the bread and wine ritual during the Last Supper, most scholars agree that John 6:5859 (the Bread of Life Discourse) has a Eucharistic nature and resonates with the "words of institution" used in the Synoptic Gospels and the Pauline writings on the Last Supper. On Friday morning, at daybreak (Mk 15:1), the chief priests, elders, and scribes took Jesus to Pilate (about 6 a.m.). The Last Supper became known as the Lords Supper because of Pauls reference in 1 Corinthians 11:20: "When you come together, it is not the Lords supper that you eat." Why is the Last Supper on a different night than all other Seder nights By the Renaissance, the Last Supper was a favorite topic in Italian art. Its name derives from the fact that no yeast was used for cooking the meal. Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. I am not the first person to suggest that Jesus might have been using a different calendar. Starting with Adam and Eve, God required a blood sacrifice to cover transgressions (Genesis 3:21; Leviticus 17:11). 21:22-23). Jesus: The central figure at the table was Jesus. It would be better for him if he had not been born."[28]. [43], This sermon is referred to as the Farewell discourse of Jesus, and has historically been considered a source of Christian doctrine, particularly on the subject of Christology. The official Jewish calendar at the time of Jesusdeath was that still used by Jews today; a lunar system in which days run from sunset to sunset. Therefore, it makes more sense that Friday evening would have marked the beginning of Passover, i.e. And then, when they had sung a hymn, referring to the Hallel Psalms, Jesus and the apostles went out to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Our Lord prayed, Father, if it is your will, let this cup pass from me; but not my will, but yours be done. The fourth and final cup of Jesus Passover was drunk on the cross, when He died: When Jesus had received the wine, He said, It is finished; and He bowed His head and delivered over His spirit (Jn 19:30). But even Luke generally uses the word Passover to refer to the meal (Luke 22:7, 8, 11, 13, 15), and when he wants to use the word Passover to refer to the Feast, he always clarifies it by pairing it with the word for feast (eorth) (Luke 2:41; 22:1). Even His bones were not broken on the cross (Jn 19:32ff). But that Thursday night, Jesus revealed the messianic significance of two symbols: bread and wine. They were held on Sundays, which became known as the Lord's Day, to recall the resurrection, the appearance of Christ to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the appearance to Thomas and the Pentecost which all took place on Sundays after the Passion. This is referred to in the Book of Exodus, which describes God instructing Moses and Aaron to start their year at the time of the Exodus from Egypt. Robert Letham argues that the Lords Supper is connected not to the Old Testament Passover, but to the covenant meal eaten by Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel on Mount Sinai (Exod. .It was therefore a Passover meal in intention, but without a lamb [page 365]. Thanks for the interesting article. . So, the first thing we need to look at is when Passover is supposed to be kept. Since He rose prior to sunrise on Sunday morning, then we need not be concerned that there was a day four in contradiction to the teachings of the Bible. Get your FREEHoly Week Guide here. The Betrayer Goes out into the Night x. At this gathering, Jesus Christ shared his final meal with the disciples on the night before he was arrested. Are there some overlooked details that help clarify the matter? All games . [1] Such depictions date back to early Christianity and can be seen in the Catacombs of Rome. While Matthew, Mark and Luke say the Last Supper coincided with the start of the Jewish festival of Passover, John claims it took place before Passover. As they dined together, he told the twelve that one of them would soon betray him. Johannine Chronology Can Be Reconciled Believers must be careful not to underestimate their own potential for betrayal. Welcome! Appian Way SDA Church Sabbath Divine Service. July - Facebook True discipleship comes from the heart. So the primary purpose is this proclamation, "Do this in remembrance of Me," and as often as you do it, you proclaim the Lord's death. In this view, Mosess sprinkling of the blood of the burnt offerings on the altar and on the people is what Jesus has in mind, when he says, This is my blood of the new covenant. (The Lords Supper, p. 5). At the table, they began to argue about which of them was to be considered the greatest in that kingdom. Arriving at Calvary, the soldiers crucified Jesus at 9 a.m. (around the third hour Mk 15:25). (See also Mark 14:12-16 and Luke 22:1, 7-8.). 28:18-19). Was Jesus' Last Supper a Seder? - Biblical Archaeology Society They celebrated the time, long ago, when God saved his people from being slaves in Egypt. Hence, Jesus could have risen from supper to wash his disciples feet before the official commencement of Passover. Thursday night is night one. I have worked with an expert astronomer to investigate, for the first time, the possibility that a third Jewish calendar was in use in the first century AD. Inspired by the Holy Week celebrations last week, I am beginning a four-part series on the Lords Supper, because the more I learn about it, the more I realize how deficient my understanding of it was. Did Jesus Institute the Lord's Supper? in Classics and History from Williams College in Williamstown, MA, and his Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA. In John's account, Jesus died at the time the first Passover lambs were slain, at about 3 p.m. on the fourteenth day of the Jewish month Nisan. '"[64] Other Christian groups consider the Bread and Wine remembrance to be a change to the Passover ceremony, as Jesus Christ has become "our Passover, sacrificed for us",[65] and hold that partaking of the Passover Communion (or fellowship) is now the sign of the New Covenant, when properly understood by the practicing believer. In his description of the Last Supper, John uses the official Jewish calendar, in which the Last Supper was before the date of the official Passover. Previously, the feast's symbols had only pointed back to the Hebrews' redemption from Egypt. The blood of Jesus would seal the new covenant. With this usage in John established, it is not difficult to accept the suggestion that the Passover in John 18:28 refers to the entire feast and not to the Passover meal, in which case they were probably concerned with eating the feast-offering that was brought on Friday morning (cf. . This announcement shocked the twelve. Then Jesus took the cup of wine and shared it with his disciples. [73][17][74], The Last Supper has been a popular subject in Christian art. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/the-last-supper-700217. He says, "Is there not one bread that you take," speaking of the unity of the body. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. Families would gather and eat a special meal together. ", Then Jesus took the bread and the wine and asked God the Father to bless it. Not all Jews were exiled to Babylon. Second, Pope Benedict XVI, in Jesus of Nazareth, No. 1 Cor. On Good Friday, he was condemned by Pilate and crucified. Previously, the feasts symbols had only pointed back to the Hebrews redemption from Egypt. But if he at times forgets that he belongs to the Lord, he may give in to temptation. It is a place in which people who've been saved by the Gospel, remember the Gospel. Most recently, the Pope proposed in 2007 that Jesus might have used the solar calendar of the Qumran community, who were probably a Jewish sect called the Essenes. Their arguments can be classified broadly as exegetical and historical. Hisdeliberate act of betrayal proved that outward displays of loyalty mean nothing. Historians estimate that the date of the crucifixion fell in the range AD 3036. The Eastern Orthodox use the term "Mystical Supper" which refers both to the biblical event and the act of Eucharistic celebration within liturgy. 26:17-18)? [5][6], The three Synoptic Gospels and the First Epistle to the Corinthians include the account of the institution of the Eucharist in which Jesus takes bread, breaks it and gives it to those present, saying "This is my body given to you".