The Last Passover and the First Lord’s Supper

This section puts the Passover meal in the order that the Passover is still held today. This will better help the reader to understand all that Yeshua was doing that evening.

a. The Preparation for the Seder - Mark 14.12-16; Matt 26.17-19; Luke 22.7-13The day of unleavened bread, when the lamb is sacrificed, Jesus sends Peter and John to make ready for the Passover. There are nine specific things they would have had to do:

1. Must go to the temple compound where their lamb--or one they purchase--will be inspected for spot or blemish.

2. In the temple compound the lamb would be slain.

3. The blood of the lamb would be poured out into a bowl of some kind--because this was a pilgrimage feast there would be many people lined up to do this. There would have been lines of priests performing this work.

4. The bowl would be passed from one priest in line to another, passed by hand, until it got to the altar and the blood would be poured out at the base of the altar.

5. They would sing Psalms 113-118 while there in the temple compound. The Hallel.

6. The lamb would be cleaned, meaning skinned, and entrails removed.

7. A part of the lamb would be left for the priests and they would bring it up on the altar.

8. The rest of the lamb would be taken home to be roasted by fire.

9. Other Passover items would be prepared and made ready like the unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and wine.

This is what Peter and John would have done. Tents were often erected outside the walls of Jerusalem and feast goers would have their meal under the tents. Peter and John were told to meet a man bearing a pitcher of water (unusual as women did that sort of thing in those days)--was this man an Essene? He showed them an upper room that was already prepared for them to recline at the Passover. So Yeshua had made arrangements well ahead of time before this evening.

b. The Passover Observance - Mark 14.17; Matt 26.20; Luke 22.14-16, 24-30This is a special Passover--it is the one that Yeshua is going to physically fulfill. He tells them that he will not eat a Passover meal again until the Kingdom of God is come (millennial kingdom). This confirms that we will be celebrating the feasts of the Lord in the millennium. (Zachariah 14.16-19 confirms we will also celebrate Tabernacles in the millennium.)

c. The First Cup - Mark 14.22-25; Matt 26.26-29; Luke 22.17-20; 1 Corinthians 11.23-26At Passover the 1^st cup is called the Cup of Thanksgiving. (The 1^st two cups are drank before dinner, the 3^rd and 4^th after dinner.) Notice that Yeshua gave thanks and then tells the disciples to share the cup among themselves. Traditionally the candles would be lighted and then the 1^st cup is taken. Yeshua tells them he will not drink this cup again until he drinks it in the Kingdom of God. (They drank real wine, naturally fermented.)

d. The Washing of Feet and 1st Prediction of Judas’ Betrayal - John 13.1-20Traditionally, after the first cup you wash your hands over a bowl while someone pours the water over your hands. In place of hand washing, Jesus washes the disciples feet because he came as a servant. Peter says, “Does such a one like you wash the feet of someone like me?” Jesus tells him, “You are not of the household if I don’t wash your feet.” Jesus tells them they are clean, but for one. This is his first prediction of betrayal to come.

In Judea in those days most people went to a public bathhouse. When walking home their feet would get dirty. When they entered the house a bowl was near the door to wash feet before entering. The point Jesus was making is that we are clean once we receive salvation, but our feet still become dirty through sin. Therefore we must “wash our feet” by confessing our sins as in 1 John 1.9.This was also given as an example of serving one another. It was given as an example--not necessarily as an ordinance to be done ritually--but washing each other’s feet is a true lesson in humility and can be done if we feel so led.

e. Carpas: The 2nd Prediction of Jesus’ Betrayal - Mark 14.18-21; Matt 26.21-25; Luke 22.21-23; John 13.21-30As they sat (reclined) at the meal Jesus again says one of them will betray him. John asks who. In the carpas ceremony you dip a spring vegetable in a bowl of salt water. This is a memorial to Israel, who while in the spring of their youth, were led to freedom through the waters of the Red Sea.

Jesus does not name the betrayer, but as he dips in the salt water bowl he says the one who dips after me in the same dish is he. Judas dips after Jesus. Most of the disciples missed this.

f. The Breaking of the Middle Matzah - Mark 14.22-25; Matt 26.26-29; Luke 22.17-20; 1 Cor 11.23-26As the ceremony proceeds Jesus takes the Matzah and breaks it in three and wraps the middle piece in the linen cloth and hides it. Note the word remembrance, this is the focus, Jesus is not teaching transubstantiation. This is to be a memorial of his body broken for us. The entire Passover meal is focused on remembrance of what God has done for us/Israel. All that is done is done for remembrance--it has no other mystical meaning.

g. The Sop: The 3^rd Prediction of Judas’ Betrayal - Mark 14.18-21; Matt 26.21-25; Luke 22.21-23; John 13.21-30This next part is done just before beginning the Passover meal. Charoset is a mixture of chopped apple, nuts, honey, wine, and lemon juice. It becomes a dark brown color which is to bring to remembrance the mortar used to make the bricks as slaves in Egypt. The mixture is put between two pieces of matzah like a sandwich topped with horseradish to bring a tear to the eye for that bitter time.

Again Yeshua is asked who will betray him. He replies that the person he will give the sop, after he dips it, will be the one. Jesus dips and gives it to Judas to eat. After this Judas will leave and not return. This was a bitter time for Jesus and must have brought a tear to his eye. Still the disciples don’t understand what is taking place. The scripture in John 13.23-26 says it was night and Judas went out. Again we see the conflict between darkness and light--Judas was of the darkness.

h. The Third Cup - Mark 14.22-25; Matt 26.26-29; Luke 22.17-20; 1 Cor 11.23-26Two cups of wine are drunk before dinner at Passover and two after. Jesus now takes the third cup which is called the “cup of redemption.” In Judaism this refers to the physical redemption from slavery in Egypt--now it will symbolize spiritual redemption from sin. “This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you,” Jesus says. “Do it in remembrance of me.” This is very clear and simple.

We see in Ezekiel 40-48 that there will be a sacrificial system in the millennium which appears to be done in remembrance of Messiah’s death and will be a teaching tool for the nations to understand the Lord’s sacrifice.

A Lesson in Greatness - Mark 14.17; Matt 26.20; Luke 22.14-16, 24-30

The disciples are arguing about who will be the greatest in the kingdom. They think that after these days Yeshua will set up the Messianic Kingdom and they will be ruling with him. Jesus takes the opportunity to teach them three lessons. 1. There is a distinction between the body of believers and the world of unbelievers. The unbelievers of this world exercise their lordship by virtue of their authority--the believers in the kingdom of God will exercise greatness by serving. 2. He himself has taken on the role of servant--He is the example of greatness. 3. They are guaranteed a future role sitting on thrones judging the tribes of Israel.

j. The Prediction of Peter’s Denial - Mark 14.27-31; Matt 26.31-35; Luke 22.31-38; John 13.31-38Between the drinking of the third and fourth cups there is discussion about Jesus’ upcoming death. Judas is gone--betrayal is now assured. Jesus tells them he is going to be glorified and that God will be glorified in him. He leaves them a new commandment--that they love one another as he has loved them. He is setting before them a higher standard than the Mosaic law of “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This love requires laying down our lives for one another just as the Lord is going to do.

He tells them they will soon be offended at what is going to take place and be scattered (Zach 13.7). Jesus tells them after he has been raised up he will meet with them in Galilee--a three day’s journey from Jerusalem--he is telling them to leave town at his arrest--but again, they do not understand.

Peter wants to know where he is going--he will go too. Jesus tells Peter he is going to be tested but his faith will not fail. Peter insists he will not be offended by anything. Jesus prophecies that before the cock crows twice Peter will deny him three times.

Yeshua ends by telling them they now need to prepare for the times ahead and take along the necessary things: a purse, shoes, and sword. The sword is for defending against robbers--we do not kill for the faith but we can defend ourselves. He tells them all that is written about him must be fulfilled (cf Is 53.12), “He was reckoned with the transgressors….”

k. The Hallel - Mark 14.26; Matt 26.30At this point chronologically Matt 26.30 says after they had hymned, they went out to the Mt. of Olives. In the Passover the 4^th cup, the “cup of praise” is drank and Psalms 113 thru 118 (the Hallel) are sung. This shows they had already had the forth cup and sang prior to starting for the Mt. of Olives.



Notes from: The Life of Messiah from a Jewish Perspective by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum