Did Jesus eat a Passover Seder with His disciples? The Bible seems to indicate He did not for a number of reasons. First, a Seder is always celebrated with your family. The disciples had families and yet were the only ones present at the Last Supper. Second, Jesus was crucified on the Day of Preparation before the Passover began. This is confirmed in Mark 15, John 19, and Luke 23. Third, all the elements of a Passover meal are not present, no bitter herbs, no roasted lamb. Finally, we have John 18 where the officers of the Chief Priest and the Pharisees accusing Jesus won’t enter Pilate’s Praetorium so that they won’t be defiled and can eat the Passover. I know some of you are diving for your Bibles right now to show me that in Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22 the disciples ask Jesus where He wants to celebrate the Passover. And it does say that. But Passover is also a multi-day event combined with the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Without diving into the dative case used in the Greek text consider the conversation you might have with your Mom, “Hey Mom, can we come and celebrate Christmas with you?” Your answer to her next question will be something like, “We’ll be there the 18th and stay two weeks.” So when are you celebrating Christmas?
The Last Supper Before the Fast
The Last Supper, in Hebrew Seuda Ha-Mafeseket, or the “separating meal” is the last meal that occurs before a fast. It is consumed in the afternoon before the fast day begins at sundown. We don’t exactly know the menu used in the first century, but it was likely not elaborate. It may have been just some bread and something to drink, such as wine. Stuffing oneself before fasting really defeats the purpose (Jesus offers us some good fasting advice in Matthew 6). Jewish people fast for many different reasons throughout the year, but specifically at Passover, Yom Kippur, and during the month of Av.
Purpose
It has also been said that the Last Supper was used by Rabbis to instruct their Talmadin (disciples) on finer points of Passover and its meanings in Torah before they would share Passover with their own families. It is clear that Jesus took the opportunity of the Last Supper to instruct the disciples concerning many things that will be important to them in the coming days and years. Read Chapters John 13 – John 17 and notice how many topics are covered in the remaining hours before Jesus is taken to the cross.
The Meal
The Gospels do not provide an extensive description of the upper room where the Last Supper was celebrated but we do know a few things. There was bread. We know this was likely unleavened bread as preparation for the Feast of Unleavened Bread had already begun. There was wine, as this was a typical staple of 1st century meals. It says in Mark that they reclined. Meals were eaten around a low table called a triclinium that was U-shaped. Participants in the meal reclined on pillows or mats around the table. Reclining leaves one hand free to partake of the meal and also results in some folks laying close to or resting upon others as we read in John 13:23-25. Paintings often depict Judas Iscariot at the end of the table, but in reality he may have been next to Jesus. In this arrangement it explains how the things Jesus spoke to Judas were heard clearly by some, but not by all.
Symbols
The bread and the wine are symbols that Jesus uses during the meal to institute the New Covenant.
– Of the bread He says after blessing and breaking it, “Take it [eat], this is my body” (Mark 14:23). In what way does this bread represent Jesus’ body? What significance does eating the bread have for you?
– Of the wine He says after giving thanks and distributing it, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” (Mark 14:24) Consider in what way the wine represents His blood? Why does He use the word covenant? What is significant about His blood represented by the wine that was to be, “poured out for many?”
– Finally, in Mark 14:25 Jesus says, “Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” What does He mean by this? What does this statement symbolize? What promises are contained in His statement?
Reflection
Have you ever imagined what it was like to recline at this table with Jesus? How would you have responded to the things he did and said during His Last Supper? As we draw closer to the celebration of His Resurrection how will you respond to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? What meanings do His suffering, death, burial and resurrection have for you? What do you want from Him? What is He asking of you?