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The last supper (Mk 14:10-25)
The last supper is also recorded in Matt 26:14-29, Luke 22:3-23 and John 13:1-2,21-30.
(the betrayer)
“And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.” (v10) Before the recording of eating the last supper, all four Gospels mention the betrayer Judas Iscariot. This serves as a preceding hint for the key part of the supper during which Jesus mentioned that he would be betrayed by one of the disciples at the table. “And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money.” (v11) The main reason for his betrayal is obviously for money, as said in Matt 26:15, “(Judas) said unto them, ‘What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?’ And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.” “And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.” (v11) Luke 22:6 says, “he (Judas) promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.” The convenient way to betray Jesus is of course to avoid the crowd of Jews. The appropriate time would be mid-night hours and a good place would be in the countryside. Later, the passage tells us that Judas chose to betray Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane on the mount of Olives late at night. Luke 21:37 tells us, “And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.” It is likely that during the final week before the suffering, after Jesus and the disciples have departed Jerusalem every evening, they slept in the garden of Gethsemane on the mount of Olives. That’s why Judas was well aware of the whereabouts of Jesus at mid-night hours.
(prepare the Passover supper)
“And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover (就是宰逾越羊羔的那一天), his disciples said unto him, ‘Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?’ ” (v12) The feast of unleavened bread (除酵節) is actually the Passover feast (Lk 22:1) and lasts for 7 days.(Note 1) The disciples knew that their master would keep the Passover, except that they had no idea of where to eat the passover. So, they asked Jesus for instructions. While the disciples were earnestly preparing everything to celebrate the Passover feast, Jesus’ enemies were also earnestly preparing to kill the true ‘Passover lamb’ as prophesied.
(Note 1: Originally, the Passover feast is separately celebrated from the feast of unleavened bread: “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord’s passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.” (Lev 23:5) Later, the Jews mixed the two feasts together.)
Jesus gave the disciples a very clear guidance as to where to find the location to take the Passover dinner. “And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, ‘Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman (主人) of the house, “The Master, saith, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples?” And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.’ ” (v13-15) Luke 22:8 tells us that the two disciples that Jesus sent were Peter and John, two of his closest disciples: “And he sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat.’ ” It is amazing that everything that was about to happen was all in Jesus’ mind, just as when Jesus instructed two of his disciples on the mount of Olives to enter the city to seek a colt for him to ride on (Mark 11:2-3). Peter and John then followed the instructions of their master and found the location as precisely as he said: “And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.” (v16) Apparently, the setting for eating the passover was well prepared beforehand. The minor process of arranging the setting for eating the Passover seems to reveal the major process of arranging the setting for killing the true ‘Passover lamb’; both settings are all within the delicate arrangement of God. No wonder when Jesus was arrested by his enemies, he said, “I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not, but the scriptures must be fulfilled.” (Mk 14:49)
(the last supper)
After the disciples have prepared everything for eating the Passover, Jesus began to eat with his twelve disciples: “And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.” (v17) During the Passover, the Book of Mark records two chief events: 1. Jesus revealed the betrayer; 2. Jesus revealed himself as the Passover offering in the Communion (聖餐). So do Matthew and Luke. The Book of John only records the former but not the latter; however, during the last supper, it includes other events such as washing the disciples’ feet, his words of Peter’s denial, a long and final speech for the disciples, prayer for himself and for the disciples. (John 13-17)
There are a few important messages that Jesus conveyed in the last supper:
1. reveal the betrayer
“And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, ‘Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me,’ And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, ‘Is it I?’ And another said, ‘Is it I?’ ” (v18-19) Everyone understood what Jesus said. They might even understand what he meant by betraying him—handing him over to his enemies. The disciples were “exceeding sorrowful” (Matt 26:22) on hearing his shocking words and wondered who would dare to betray him. Some even doubted if Jesus was referring to themselves. According to John, “Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved (John). Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ ” (John 13:22-25) All the disciples (except for the betrayer) were anxious to know the answer. Jesus finally disclosed to them: “It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish (同我蘸手在盤子裡的那個人).” (v20) Matt 26:23 said, “He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish (同我蘸手在盤子裡的), the same shall betray me.” Luke 22:21 said, “Behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table (那賣我之人的手與我一同在桌子上).” John gave a clearer hint, “Jesus answered, ‘He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. (我蘸一點餅給誰，就是誰)’ ” (John 13:26)
Jesus continued, “The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! Good were it for that man if he had never been born.” (v21) Once again, Jesus stressed that his sacrifice as the Passover lamb was prophesied in the OT and was to be fulfilled at the appointed time. Where in the OT was his sacrifice prophesied? Isa 53:7-8 says, “he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment.” However, the betrayer would deserve severe penalty.
Here comes the question: Why did Jesus choose Judas the betrayer to be one of his twelve disciples? When he selected the twelve among a group of disciples, he did it after a long night of prayer: “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.” (Luke 6:12-13) Did he foreknow that Judas would betray him at that time? Why would Jesus still take Judas if he already knew him to be his betrayer? Is it totally Judas’ fault, or is God to blame also for the betraying of Jesus, or Jesus himself to blame? First of all, no event will occur without God’s permission. According to God’s will, He has destined to sacrifice His begotten Son to accomplish the plan of salvation. God has arranged for Judas to betray Jesus in His plan. I believe God is simply using Judas’ endless greediness to accomplish His plan. Judas held his selfish motive of following Jesus all the way through. We know that he was greedy for money, as depicted by John 12:6, “he was a thief, and had the bag (錢嚢), and bare what was put therein (常取其中所存的).” He was the treasurer among the twelve. Yet he always embezzled the money in the bag. When he followed Jesus, he might anticipate Jesus to become the King of the Jews one day and would make him rich. As he found that the chief priests were about to arrest Jesus for judgment, his dream vanished right away. Then he came up with the idea of betraying his master for money. It is probable that God allowed Satan to use his sinful character and wicked motive to accomplish the task of handing Jesus over to the wicked people. This point is more obvious in the next paragraph.
John 13:26 says, “And when he (Jesus) had dipped the sop (耶穌就蘸了一點餅), he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.” Matt 26:25 says, “Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, ‘Master, is it I?’ He (Jesus) said unto him, ‘Thou hast said.’ ” So, Jesus confirmed that Judas Iscariot was the true betrayer. John 13:27-30 says, “And after the sop (他吃了以後) Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, ‘That thou doest, do quickly.’ Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag (錢嚢), that Jesus had said unto him, ‘Buy those things that we have need of against the feast’; or, that he should give something to the poor. He then having received the sop (受了那點餅) went immediately out.” Here we can see that Satan entered Judas’ heart and induced him to take action. If we continue to harbor evil in our minds, Satan will sooner or later take the opportunity to entice us to turn our evil thoughts into action. James 1:14-15 says explicitly, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” Ephe 4:27 therefore warns us, “Neither give place to the devil (也不可給魔鬼留地步).” We should not yield to the devil and become his device for committing sin.
2. reveal himself as the Passover offering
After Judas has left Jesus and the disciples, Jesus started for the first time to host what we call today 'the Communion' (領聖餐). He “took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they drank of it. And he said unto them, ‘This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.’ ” (v22-24) Jesus reconfirmed that he was about to offer his body and shed his blood for us. The purpose of his sacrifice was to establish the new testament in replacement of the old testament. The new testament began to take effect after Jesus has shedded his blood on the cross. Now let us analyze how the new testament prevails over the old one.
a. new testament has better promises
The author of Hebrews explains clearly the functions of the new testament (covenant) when compared with the old testament in Hebrews 8-10. He first explains that God is determined to use the new covenant to replace the old covenant with better promises. Heb 8:6-13 says, “But now hath he (Jesus) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises…Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not (我也不理他們), saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people…In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old (既說新約，就以前約為舊了). Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away (但那漸舊漸衰的，就必快歸無有了).”
b. new covenant purges our conscience
He then explains the effectiveness of the new covenant over the old covenant: “Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary…the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people…For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh (叫人成聖，身體潔淨), how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:1,6-7,13-14)
c. new testament takes effect by the death of Jesus
Then he explains how the new testament takes effect—by shedding blood: “he (Jesus) is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance…For a testament is of force (遺命才有效力) after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth (若留遺命的尚在，那遺命還有用處嗎？). Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood…And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (若不流血，罪就不得赦免)…So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Heb 9:15,17,18,22,28)
d. removal of our sins by the offering of Jesus
Then he explains the insufficiency of offering the sacrifices in the old testament is made perfect by the offering of Jesus: “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, ‘Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me’…Then said I, ‘Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God’…By the which will (憑這旨意) we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb 10:3-5,7,10,17) As we can see, Jesus has been ordained to be the Passover offering in the O.T. Where? Psa 40:6-8, “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”
3. remember his death
Luke 22:19 says, “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me.’ (你們也應當如此行，為的是記念我) ” Paul repeats the Lord’s instruction in I Cor 11:24-25, “And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me.’ After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped (飯後), saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.’ ” Our Lord Jesus tells us to keep the communion regularly in order to remember him—and meditate what his death means to us, as Paul instructs: “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come (表明主的死，直等到他來).” (I Cor 11:26)
4. hope for a new communion/supper in God’s kingdom
At the end of the communion, Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (v25) Another thing to remember during the communion is what he said here: there will be a day when he will take the communion or supper with us again in the kingdom of God. Thus, we should always bear hope for such joyful day every time we partake in the Communion. In the Book of Revelation, John envisioned this new supper in Rev 19:9, “And he (the angel) saith unto me, ‘Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he saith unto me, ‘These are the true sayings of God.’ ” The Passover lamb (the bridegroom) will one day host the marriage supper with the church (the bride). His words in verse 25 will be fulfilled at that time.
(Reflection)
After finishing the Lord’s instruction concerning the Communion, Paul continues, “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (干犯主的身、主的血). But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body (若不分辨是主的身體，就是吃喝自己的罪了)…For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged (我們若是先分辨自己，就不至於受審). But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” (I Cor 11:27-29,31-32) This is due to the fact that some members of the church of Corinthians did not keep the Communion in a proper way but selfishly cared only for their own stomach and despised the other church members, causing unhealthy and chaotic condition during the Communion service. Paul criticized these members as: “this is not to eat the Lord's supper” (I Cor 11:20) but “despise ye the church of God” (I Cor 11:22).
When we partake of the Communion service today, of course we will not commit the same error as the Corinthians did (“every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.” Cor 11:21). Nevertheless, have we first examined our spiritual conditon to see if we have been trapped in the mire of sin without any sense? If so, we have to first humbly plead with the Lord to grant us sufficient strength to free ourselves from the bondage of sin. Then we can take the Lord’s bread and cup with a peace of mind. On the contrary, if during the Communion service, we in the mire of sin remember the Lord offering his body and blood for our sins without a penitent heart, we are just like what Heb 6:6 denounces: “they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame (把神的兒子重釘十字架，明明地羞辱他).” The result is: keeping the Communion service becomes merely a superficial ritual with no real spiritual meaning at all; plus, we may be chastened by the Lord. Taking into consideration the seriousness of the consequence, we should not contempt the solemnity of the Communion service, or we shall “eateth and drinketh damnation to himself (吃喝自己的罪)” and eventually “come…unto condemnation (自己取罪)” (I Cor 11:34).