NOVEMBER 22, 2015
THE LAST SUPPER
INTRODUCTION:
1. So much has happened since Jesus rode triumphantly into the city of Jerusalem that we must remind ourselves that we are now only four days into what we refer to as the Passion Week.
2. Even when we consider that the supper at Bethany in the home of Simon the leper, at which a dear woman anointed Jesus’ head with precious ointment, actually happened before Christ’s Triumphal Entrance, it still seems that from Sunday to Wednesday is a short space considering all that has happened.
3. Speaking of that event which we considered in our last lesson, apparently the Gospel writers Matthew and Mark were moved to record the story just before Judas’ betrayal for sake of emphasis. Immediately following an instance of great kindness comes an instance of great unkindness. Perhaps the waste of that costly substance had stuck in Judas’ craw, causing the receiving of blood money in return for the betrayal of his Master to sound more appealing.
4. Now that the wicked plot was arranged, only one thing remained to be done before it would be carried out. Jesus greatly desired to eat the Passover with His disciples before the mob would come for His arrest.
5. Thus, this eating of the Passover is called The Last Supper, but Jesus on that occasion, instituted a new memorial to be observed by the church until He comes again.
I. JESUS INSTRUCTS HIS DISCIPLES TO MAKE READY THE PASSOVER THAT THEY MIGHT EAT IT TOGETHER. (VERSES 12-16)
A. JESUS WOULD KEEP THE PASSOVER ACCORDING TO THE LAW. (VERSE 12)
1. Being made under the law (Gal. 4:4), He submitted to all ordinances of it, and to this among the rest. This was kept in remembrance of Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt, the birthday of that people. It was a tradition of the Jews that in the day of Messiah they should be redeemed on the very day of their coming out of Egypt, and it was exactly the case, for Christ died on the day after the Passover.
2. The time when He would eat it with His disciples would be “the first day of unleavened bread when they killed the Passover.” (Verse 12a; see Exod. 12:17)
3. The disciples were aware of the day, and they knew that He would certainly keep the Passover. They did not say to Him, “Shall we prepare?” but rather, “Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the Passover?” (Verse 12b)
4. They knew that preparations must be made, and being His servants, they asked for directions where they should make it ready.
B. THE PLACE WHERE THEY WOULD EAT THE PASSOVER WAS PARTICULARLY APPOINTED BY HIMSELF. (VERSE 13)
1. Again, they took for granted that He would keep the feast. Though He was at the time persecuted by the chief priests, and His life was sought, they knew that He would fulfill His duty. Those who make excuses for their not attending the Lord’s Supper (our Gospel Passover) are not at all following the example of their Lord.
2. This was a solemn ordinance, and therefore appropriate preparations were necessary. The original Passover was attended with careful and very detailed instructions. Sacred ordinances require careful preparations, both physical and spiritual. The disciples knew well that this observation would not be done on the fly or in some make-shift manner.
3. The disciples knew also that Jesus had no house of His own wherein to eat the Passover. In this, as in other things, for our sakes He became poor.
4. From Him they received instructions. As Zion’s King He had no palace, but as King of Kings and Lord over all, all houses are His. Here, as He gives instructions to two of His disciples, (Peter and John, Luke 22:8) we are reminded of His previous direction given perhaps to the same two disciples, concerning their obtaining an animal upon which He would ride into the city. (See Ch. 11:1-7)
a) Some are of the opinion that the man whose house would be used was a friend and follower of Jesus, and therefore to his house He invited Himself and His disciples.
b) That may be, but not necessarily. We hope he was a follower of Christ, or that he became so, but it seems that his willingness was due to Christ’s Sovereign Lordship over all creatures. Note Jesus’ instruction, “Say ye to the goodman of the house, THE MASTER SAITH…” This is very similar to what we had in Ch. 11:3, “Say ye that THE LORD hath need of him.” Notice, they were not to say, “YOUR Master saith, but THE Master saith…” (Verse 4) Even as before, they were not to say, “YOUR Lord hath need of him, but THE Lord hath need of him.” (Ch. 11:3)
c) This idea seems to find support in the fact that as in the previous matter, Jesus was able to describe exactly what they would see, and how they would be able to identify the man. “There ye shall meet a man bearing a pitcher of water.” (Verse 13; Compare Ch. 11:2)
5. The disciples did as they were instructed, and finding the man, were led to a place; a large upper room, where they made ready for the Lord and for the other disciples. (Verses 15, 16)
6. It seems that there was little that needed doing in making ready, since the room was already furnished and prepared. The greater work had already been done by the goodman of the house according to The Master’s pleasure.
C. WHEN IT WAS EVENING JESUS SAT DOWN WITH THE TWELVE AND ATE THE PASSOVER. (VERSES 17, 18a)
1. This was according to the Lord’s great desire. (Luke 22:15)
2. This was according to the Law. According to the Law, there was to be a lamb for a household. This group made up the Lord’s household.
II. JESUS INFORMS HIS DISCIPLES THAT ONE OF THEM WILL BETRAY HIM. (VERSES 18-21)
A. JESUS USED THIS SOLEMN OCCASION TO DELIVER THIS MOST UNPLEASANT MESSAGE. “AND AS THEY SAT AND DID EAT…”
1. According to the Law, the Passover was to be eaten with bitter herbs. (Exod. 12:8) Surely this added bitterness to the feast for them all, but especially for our Lord. His familiar friend would lift up his heel against Him. (Psa. 41:9)
2. He had often told them that He would be betrayed, but they could not receive it. Now they learn that it will be one of them who betrays the Lord.
B. THE ANNOUNCEMENT FELL LIKE A BOMB-SHELL AMONG THE DISCIPLES. (VERSE 19)
1. It, at first, filled them with great sorrow. “…and they began to be sorrowful.”
2. It then caused great heart searching with all of them.
a) Each one individually asked, “Lord, is it I?” This they did one by one.
b) Notice, not one of them said, “Lord, is it HIM?” There was no finger-pointing.
c) No one asked, “Lord, is it Judas?” The Lord knew what was in Judas’ heart, but they did not, and it would seem none suspected him.
d) It is always best to turn our suspicions inward and not towards others. However the original form of the question implies incredulousness. The question expects a negative answer. Though we cannot imagine ourselves ever betraying Christ, let us always be suspicious of our old nature and its capabilities.
C. JESUS DESCRIBES HIS BETRAYER AS ONE WHO IS A FAMILIAR FRIEND. (VERSES 20, 21)
1. Not only was he sitting at the same table, but was close enough to the Master to dip with Him in the same dish. A person can come very near to Christ, even hold office in the church and yet end up betraying the Lord.
2. Christ’s words assure us that divine decrees do not deprive a sinful action of its guilt. “The son of Man goeth as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!”
3. What awful doom belongs to those who betray that Friend that is closer than a brother. “Good were it for that man had he never been born.”
4. Many will come to rue the day that they were ever born. This will surely be true of every condemned sinner who dies without Christ, but even more so for those who once owned Christ as their Friend and Brother.
D. JUDAS HIMSELF INQUIRED IN LIKE MANNER AS THE OTHERS. “MASTER, IS IT I?” (MATT. 26:25)
1. He knew very well that it was he, (Verses 10, 11) yet he bluffed the question, so formed as the others, to expect a negative answer. But it was answered in the affirmative.
2. Had not Judas been a hopeless reprobate, this unmasking might have driven him to repentance. But, sadly, he had sold himself to Satan before he sold his Lord.
III. CHRIST USED THE OCCASION OF THE LAST SUPPER TO INSTITUTE THE LORD’S SUPPER. (VERSES 22-26) The Jewish Passover was made to melt into the New Testament ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, which became the new memorial.
A. CHRIST SAW IN HIS OWN DEATH THE TRUE FULFILLMENT OF WHAT THE PASSOVER PICTURED AND, THEREFORE, THE NEED TO CHANGE THE MEMORIAL ORDINANCE. (VERSES 22-24)
1. The type was fulfilled when Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us. (I Cor. 5:7) The shadow and type are therefore laid aside because now in the Kingdom of God, the substance is come.
2. The Passover and the deliverance out of Egypt were prophetic signs pointing to Christ, Who by dying would deliver us from sin and death.
B. IT IS THE DEATH OF CHRIST THAT IS IN SPECIAL MANNER SET FORTH IN THE CEREMONY OF THE LORD’S SUPPER. (VERSES 22-24; I COR. 11:26)
1. The bread is a symbol of Christ’s body. The death of Christ as a sacrifice for sin is commemorated in the breaking of bread. (Verse 22)
2. The wine in the cup is a symbol of Christ’s shed blood by which the atonement was made. (Lev. 17:11; Eph. 1:7) This is the sign or token of the New Covenant. (Verse 24)
C. JESUS WILL BE TAKING LEAVE FROM THE EARTHLY COMMUNION UNTIL THE TIME WHEN THE ETERNAL JOYS OF HEAVEN WILL BE SHARED. (VERSE 25)
D. THE CEREMONY CONCLUDED WITH THE SINGING OF A HYMN. (VERSE 26)
Speak Your Mind