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1. The Last Supper and the Lord’s Supper

The Day the Saviour Died – Was the Day of Passover

Remember the order of events

1. The Master reclines with His Twelve Disciples round the Table

2. He rises, girds Himself, and Washes the Twelve Disciples’ Feet

3. They partake of the Passover Supper

4. Judas leaves

5. The Saviour institutes the Lord’s Supper

1. The Passover - Originally Ex 12

Marked beginning of a New Era for the Nation of Israel

Entered Egypt in Famine - A Family of 70 souls

Emerged 400 years later - A Nation of over 2 million!

Had been Enslaved by Pharaoh - Would now be Liberated by God

By what means? - A Lamb! - Type of Christ

- By Application of the Lamb's life blood

Judgment was Coming! - The Firstborn Sons in Egypt would die

When the Angel of death passed through

God promised - 'When I see the blood, I will pass over you'

Hence - This day would be remembered as - 'The Passover'

It would be a Landmark in the Nation's Calendar

The Date - 14th day of 7th month Nisan

Became the First month - So the Jewish Calendar changed!

Previously - Year had begun - In our September

Now - It would begin - End March - Beginning of April

Sir Robert Anderson - Calculated from Daniel's vision of 70 weeks Dan 9 - The Passover Day when the Saviour Died - To be 10th April 32 AD

The Ritual - God's Instructions to Israel Ex 12

Select the Lamb - On 10th Nisan - For one or two households

Not any Lamb! - Male in its First Year - Without blemish

Scrutinise it - Until 14th day

Slay it - In the evening of the 14th day

Apply the Blood - To doorpost & lintel

Roast it with fire - Immediately

Eat it all - With Bitter Herbs & Unleavened Bread

Anything remaining to be burned in the morning

Don't break any of the bones!

A Memorial - To be commemorated annually

As a reminder of deliverance from Egypt

As an opportunity to teach their children

2. The Passover - Prophetically Lev 23

First of 7 Feasts of the Lord - (Jehovah) - Which punctuated Jewish year

4 Spring Feasts - Reminders of Past

All fulfilled in Christ our Passover

Passover - Unleavened Bread - Firstfruits

His Death - Burial - Resurrection & Ascension

Pentecost (Weeks) - 7 weeks and 1 day later

Descent of Holy Spirit

3 Autumn Feasts - Reminders of Future Programme for Israel

Trumpets - Day of Atonement - Tabernacles

Re-gathering - Repentance & Restoration - Rejoicing in the Kingdom

3. The Passover - Typically

The Type - 'Christ our passover is sacrificed for us' 1Co 5.7

'The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world'

We must apply the blood - For Salvation

We make a New Start - 'New creatures in Christ'

We are Saved & Sustained - By Christ

We feed on the Lamb - Sustenance

We leave Egypt (World) - Pass through the Red Sea (Baptism)

Walk by Faith - Enjoy Promised Land

Challenge - Where are we today?

4. The Passover - In the Gospels

Only John's Gospel

Indicates the Duration of Christ's Public Ministry

Records 1st year of Public Ministry - Spent in Judea Jn 2-4

Synoptics

Start with 2nd yr of Galilean Ministry - commencing with John’s imprisonment

Mt 4.12; Mk 1.14; Lk 4.14

He punctuates his Gospel with Jewish Feasts - In particular - The Passovers

n.b. Sad note

'Feasts of Jehovah' had become 'Feasts of the Jews'

God was no longer in them! - Empty Religious Festivals!

John records 3 Passovers in Lord's Public Ministry

2.13 Approx. 4 months into His Ministry - Cleansed the Temple

6.4 End of 2nd yr in His Ministry - Feeding 5,000

11.55 Last Passover in Life of Christ - The Day the Saviour Died!

n.b. One Passover missing - Probably the 'Feast of the Jews' Jn 5.1

The Last Passover

Preparing for Passover Mtt 26.17-20; Mk 14.12-17; Lk 22.7-18

THE DAY

'Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed'

Lk

This was the day when 'Christ our passover' would be ‘sacrificed for us'

THE DESIRE

'Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

Mtt; Mk; Lk

It was their custom to keep Passover

Jesus would have kept it since the age of twelve -

When He went for the first time with Mary and Joseph -

In preparation for His Bar-Mitzfar Lk 2.42

n.b. The Day before Passover was called - Preparation Day

THE DISCIPLES

'And he sent Peter and John' Lk

First occasion Peter and John together - In service for the Master

They were once business partners

Firm friends - God used this friendship for His glory

They became - 'Pillars in the church' Gal 2.9

THE DIRECTIONS

A Man with a Pitcher of water

An unusual sight - this was women's work!

He would 'Meet you' Mk; Lk

Follow him to a house

The Goodman of the House

'The Goodman' = The Master of the House

Having followed the man with the pitcher to the house

They were to speak to the Master of the house

'Say to the Goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?' Mk 14.14

The Upper Room

'The guest chamber' = 'Katuluma' = occurs twice in N.T.

'There was no room for them in the inn' Lk 2.7

Not 'Inn' of the Good Samaritan - A Hostelry with a Host to care for guests

But a 'Guest chamber' - Only other ref to Passover Upper Room

A room providing shelter - but nothing else - for self catering

n.b. Saviour was born in a yard for penning animals -

Adjacent to such an inn - where there was 'no room for them'

n.b. Saviour connected with a 'Kataluma'

At the Beginning and End of His time on earth

Here - the Guest Chamber - was an Upper Room

'He will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared' Mk 14.15

Unusual - For a 'Guest Chamber' to be Furnished - and Prepared

n.b. Overruling hand of God in this!

This was not a Self-Catering situation

Furnished & Prepared - with Carpets & Dining Couches & table spread

Presumably - ceremonially cleansed of leaven in preparation for the Passover

The unnamed man had done all of this - Because God put it in his heart!

n.b. 'A large upper room' - became - 'The upper room'

Large - Saviour knew the Disciples would use this large room after His

death and resurrection

The Upper Room -

Where they were gathered when He appeared to them - twice

Where they gathered - praying & waiting for the Baptism of the Spirit Ac 1.13

The Preparation

'They made ready the passover' Mtt; Mk; Lk

What did this entail?

Peter and John would have to purchase a Lamb -

Which had been selected on 10th of Nisan

Unleavened Bread - Wine - etc.

They would have killed the lamb in the Temple court -

When allowed in by the Levites with a large group of folk with lambs 'Between the evenings' (mgn) Ex 12.6

Jews reckoned this was between 3.00 - 6.00 pm - Just before Passover Day

24 courses of Priests were there to collect the blood of the lambs

The dead lamb would be skinned

Parts to be offered on the altar of sacrifice - taken by priests

They would have to spit roast it - Ready for the Passover Meal (Edersheim)

n.b. While Peter and John were preparing for the Passover Supper

Judas was Bargaining for Money to betray the Saviour to the Jews

Did he know he was fulfilling Scripture?

As bargaining ended and he settled for 30 pieces of silver

'So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver' Zec 11:12

THE DETAILS

The Hour

n.b. Exact timing of events re Calvary

Saviour's knowledge of this -

'Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father’ Jn 13.1

'When the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him'

Lk 22.14

When the first hour of 14th day came (6.00pm) they sat down to keep the feast

The Passover Supper commences

This was to be the last Passover that God would recognise

The Work of the Cross would make it redundant - along with O.T. practices

cf. 'In the end of the sabbath(s)' Mtt 28.1

Did the Disciples realise the significance of this?

I think not!

n.b. At this point the Saviour rose - Girded Himself - Washed the

disciples’ feet

'And supper being ended' = ‘And supper taking place’ Gk N.T. Jn 13. 2

i.e. Just as they were about to commence supper

With unwashed feet!

None of the Disciples had volunteered to be the servant

So Jesus teaches them a valuable lesson - by taking the servant's place

- and washing their feet

n.b. Significance of language used - Compare with - Phil 2.5-8

'He riseth from supper' - See Him vacating the Throne

'And laid aside his garments' - 'Made himself of no reputation

'And took a towel' - 'Took upon him the form of a servant'

'And girded himself' - 'He humbled himself'

'Poured water into a basin' - 'And became obedient unto death'

In Picture Language - Demonstrating His Humility in Going to Calvary

Well might Paul say - 2Co 8:9

'Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich'

What took place at the Passover Supper?

Scripture is silent as to how it was celebrated in N.T. times

We must rely on Historians and Orthodox Jews who still keep the feast

Preparation for Passover

The house must be physically and ceremonially cleaned -

- To remove all leaven

Often re-decoration of rooms etc. takes place

All household utensils are cleaned

What is Leaven?

Literally - Yeast!

Spiritually - Evil - Sin

Saviour spoke of -

Leaven of Pharisees - Hypocrisy

'Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy' Lu 12:1

Leaven of Sadducees - Rationalism

'Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees' Mt 16:6

Leaven of Herod - Politics

'Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod' Mr 8:15

Paul wrote of -

Leaven of Malice and Wickedness

'.. keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth' 1Co 5:8

Immorality in Corinth must be dealt with - A brother put out of fellowship

'Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?' 1Co 5:6

Repeated to Galatians - Regarding returning to Law Keeping for Salvation

'A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump' Ga 5:9

Passover Supper

Table prepared - With 5 cups - And 3 Unleavened Cakes

Bitter Herbs - And Thick Sauce

And Roast Lamb

Places laid for each member of Family - An extra place for an unseen guest

Family assembled - Each reclining at the table - Not sitting

Began with a Thanksgiving

All drank of 1st cup of wine - 'The Cup of Blessing'

All ate some Unleavened Bread - From 3 unleavened Cakes - 'Matzos'

- More Biscuit shape than Loaves

Reminder of hastily made bread on eve of Israel's departure from Egypt

Dipped in the Bitter Herbs - Reminder of bitter experience of Egypt

- Often Horse-radish today

Dipped in 'Charoseth' - A sweet sauce comprised of a mixture of -

- minced apple - nuts - raisins - cinnamon

Symbolizing - Sweetness of God's Delivering Hand

Or - (from its appearance) - Clay from which they once had to make bricks

Jesus was referring to this when He said -

'He that...dippeth his hand with me in the dish..' Mt 26.23

Sang Psalms 113-114 - 'Praise ye the Lord..'

None drank of 2nd cup of wine - 'The Cup of Wrath'

None dare drink it!

It was poured out onto a plate while the company named the ten plagues God brought on the Egyptians

Then they ate the Roast Lamb - And unleavened Bread

All drank of 3rd cup of wine - The Cup of Salvation'

Filled until it overflowed - Reminder of Psa 23 'My cup runneth over'

Sang Psa 115-118 - 'Not unto us, O Lord..but unto thy name give glory..'

All drank 4th cup of wine - 'Cup of the Kingdom'

Anticipating the Coming Kingdom of Messiah King

Christ referred to this - 'I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God' Mk 14.25

This brought to an end the Passover Supper

But there are Two more Rituals

1. A place at the table - and an extra cup of wine was placed - For Elijah!

The door was opened - To allow his spirit - if not him in person - to enter

All at the table stood and said 'Blessed is he that cometh'

n.b. They still wait for Elijah - Forerunner of Messiah

Having rejected John & Jesus!

2. Youngest Son Recited 4 Questions

1. Why is this night different from all other nights?

2. On all other nights we may eat leavened or unleavened, on this night only unleavened

3. On all other nights we do not even dip once, on this night twice

4. On all other nights we may eat either upright or leaning, on this night we

all lean

The Father replies in the words of Scripture - From Ex 12. 26-27; 13-14

The Ritual of the Passover Supper is now ended

And must not be confused with the Lord's Supper!

n.b. By this time Judas had left the upper room

‘He then having received the sop (morsel of bread)

went immediately out: and it was night’ Jn 13.30

The Lord's Supper Mt 26.26-29; Mk 14.22-25; Lk 22.19-20

John - omits the Institution of the Lord's Supper

Synoptics - recount it with slight variations

Paul - teaches it as he writes to the Corinthians 1Cor 11.23-29

What the Saviour Did

The Passover Supper had ended - Judas had gone out

Jesus took an Unleavened Cake that remained from the Passover

Gave thanks - And broke it - And gave it to the 11 disciples to eat

Then he took a cup of wine - 'The cup' - Elijah's cup?

Gave thanks - Passed it to the 11 disciples to drink

What the Saviour Said

Re the Bread

'Take eat, this is my body' Mtt & Mk

'This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me' Lk

Re the Cup

'Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission (forgiveness) of sins' Mtt

'This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many' Mk

'This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you' Lk

Rome teaches - Transubstantiation

That the bread and wine - Literally become the Actual Flesh and Blood of Christ

That it is essential to partake of these 'Sacraments' to be right with God

This is called - 'Transubstantiation'

This is Fundamental Error!

This makes the Priest and Sacraments essential to Salvation -

Along with 'Purgatory'! - And paying for prayers for the dead!

Christians were Tortured and Burned at the Stake for renouncing this error

Jesus Taught - Representation

That the Bread and Wine represented His Body and Blood

It is obvious that they could not become His Body and Blood

Because He was standing there - In the flesh!

He told all of the 11 disciples to partake

He said His Body was given - 'for many’ - 'for you'

Speaking of Calvary

The work was -

Sufficient 'For all'

'Who gave himself a ransom for all' 1Ti 2.6

Efficient - 'For many' 'For you'

Personal to His own

The Blood of Christ - 'Shed' = 'Poured out'

Ratified the New Covenant 'Testament'

The Old Covenant (Testament)

Levitical Order - Only Covered Sin on a temporary basis

'Atonement' - An O.T. concept

Only N.T. ref should be 'Reconciliation' as in previous verse Ro 5.11

New Covenant

Replaced the Old Covenant

'In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away' Heb 8.13

New Covenant brought in-

New Way - Rent Vail - No restriction

New Day - 1st day of week - No Sabbath

New Feast - Lord's Supper - No Feasts of Jehovah

New Priest - Great High Priest - No Levitical priesthood

The Blood of Christ

Work of Christ at Calvary - Has brought a New Order

Faith in Christ - Brings sinful man into Relationship with God

The New Covenant is Primarily with Israel

In the future they -

'They shall look upon me whom they have pierced..' Zec 12:10

'And so all Israel shall be saved' Rom 11:26

God promises - Jer 31:31-33

'I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel...not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers...I will put my law in their ...hearts'

Hebrew Epistle deals with this Transition from Old to New Heb 8-10

The New Covenant will facilitate God's New Order Universally

Including the Eternal State - The Day of God - New Heavens & New Earth

Which the Church - Israel - And the Nations will enjoy

For Israel and the Nations - It is yet Future

For Believers - New Covenant Relationship with God is in the Present

A Remembrance Feast

'This is my body which is given for you' Lk 22.19

n.b. Personal nature of it

'This do in remembrance of me'

n.b. Regular remembrance of Him

Lit - 'Be in the habit of remembering me'

The Simplicity of this Act of Remembrance

No ritual or Ceremony

A Loaf of Bread - A Cup of Wine

Partaken of by all - To Remember Him

What the Early Christians Practised Acts

Called 'The Breaking of Bread' 2.42

A Gathering of the Church

On 'The first day of the week' 20.7

In the Evening

Probably for convenience of slaves etc.

Why do we do it in the Morning?

Principle of Worship before Service

'Holy' & 'Royal' priests 1 Pe 2.5,9

Accompanied by Preaching and Teaching

It seems to have been the One gathering on the Lord's Day

And it was quite lengthy! Ac 20.7

What the Apostle Taught 1 Cor 11.23-29

The Name

Called it the - 'Lord's supper' v 20

In contrast to the - 'Lord's Table' 10.21

The Reason

As we remember Him -

We - 'Proclaim the Lord's Death - Till he come' v 26

n.b. The Lord said nothing about - 'Till I come'!

The Picture

Partaking of One Loaf - Representing One Local Body of Believers

Unity - No differences!

The Responsibility

Examination necessary

'Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat' v 28

Not stay away!

Possibility of eating and drinking unworthily

'He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation (judgement) to himself'

No other Requirements for Celebrating the Lord's Supper

The Lord was in the practice of singing Psalms with His disciples

'And when they had sung an hymn (Psalm) they went out' Mtt 26.30

Appropriate Hymns and Choruses are helpful in Remembrance of the Lord

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