Jesus and the Last Supper

Jesus and the Last Supper

Matthew 26:17-19 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”  (18)He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ” (19)So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. (NIV)

The time was drawing nearer to Jesus’ death. He would have one last supper with his disciples. After wondering where they would take part in Passover, the disciples ask Jesus about his plans. Jesus instructed them to go to Jerusalem, and there they would meet a man with a pitcher of water. They were to follow him and that would be where they could prepare the supper. The disciples did as Jesus said.  

          As Jesus sat with them later that evening as they ate, he told them that one of them would betray him. They were in shock and began to ask him as if little children if each of them were the one. There was one who would turn the Master over in the ultimate act of betrayal; the one who had been with them for over three years. Who would even think of doing such a thing? Yet, there was a person in their mist who would betray their Master. 

          As they were dipping into a bowl of food, Jesus tells them that one of them, who had dipped in the bowl with him, would be the one to betray him. The disciples look at each other, but they still did not know who was the enemy. It was as if they were wearing blinders and could not see what was in front of them. 

          Satan had entered into one of the disciples and was ready to take him out. He used one of the ones closest to Jesus to do it. He was in the mist of their circle. The devil had intentions to destroy Jesus from the inside out. It wouldn’t be someone who was a stranger to them. It would be someone who they ate bread with, walked, and talked with on a daily basis. It was one of the disciples; one of the brothers, one who they considered to be a friend and one who was ready to betray him for a price.

          Judas feeling guilty, in the mist of the supper because he knew what was being planned asked Jesus if he was the one. Judas already knew the answer to the question. Jesus answered and said yes, he was the one. Jesus never embarrassed Judas even though he knew that it was he who would betray him. It seemed as if the clues flew right over the disciples for they remained oblivious to what Jesus was saying. Again, what was taking place and what was being said was as if there had been plugs in their ears and blindfolds over their eyes.

          Jesus took unleavened bread and broke it, which was the tradition of the Passover meal. Only this time, Jesus made sure to tell them that the bread symbolized his body which would be sacrificed for their sins. Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God over it. He then told the disciples to drink it for it represented the blood that he was about to shed.

          Never again would he partake in it until he would come and take all the  righteous to heaven to be with the Father. This was a covenant meal between the Father and His people. Jesus body was about to go through brokenness for the sins of the world. His blood was about to shed for acts that he had never committed. He was about to die and yet he was thinking about his disciples and not of himself. He ended the meal by singing a hymn with the disciples. This would be their last supper together prior to his death.