The Last Supper is a pivotal event in the New Testament, marking the final meal Jesus shared with His disciples before His crucifixion. This event is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—and is alluded to in the Gospel of John. It holds profound theological significance, serving as the institution of the Lord's Supper, or Communion, a sacrament observed by Christians to this day.

Biblical Accounts

The Last Supper is described in Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-26, and Luke 22:7-38. Each account provides unique details, yet they collectively emphasize the meal's Passover context, Jesus' foreknowledge of His betrayal, and the establishment of the New Covenant.

In Matthew 26:26-28 , Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to His disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is My body." He then takes a cup, gives thanks, and offers it to them, stating, "Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

Mark 14:22-24 echoes this narrative, highlighting the symbolic nature of the bread and wine as Jesus' body and blood. Luke 22:19-20 adds the command, "Do this in remembrance of Me," underscoring the memorial aspect of the meal.

Theological Significance

The Last Supper is rich in theological meaning. It is a fulfillment of the Passover, with Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb, whose sacrifice brings deliverance from sin. The meal signifies the inauguration of the New Covenant, prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34, where God promises to write His law on the hearts of His people and forgive their iniquities.

The breaking of bread and sharing of the cup symbolize Jesus' impending sacrifice on the cross. The bread represents His body, given for humanity, while the wine signifies His blood, shed for the remission of sins. This act of communion is a means of grace, a spiritual participation in the body and blood of Christ, as articulated by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:16 : "Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?"

Betrayal and Foreknowledge

During the Last Supper, Jesus reveals His awareness of the impending betrayal by one of His own disciples. In Matthew 26:21 , He declares, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me." This foreknowledge underscores Jesus' divine omniscience and the fulfillment of Scripture, as He willingly submits to the Father's redemptive plan.

Foot Washing and New Commandment

While the Synoptic Gospels focus on the meal itself, the Gospel of John provides additional context. In John 13:1-17, Jesus performs the humble act of washing His disciples' feet, teaching them about servanthood and love. He then gives them a new commandment in John 13:34 : "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another."

Conclusion

The Last Supper remains a cornerstone of Christian faith and practice, encapsulating themes of sacrifice, redemption, and covenant. It invites believers to partake in the mystery of Christ's presence and to live out His commandment of love and service.Mark 14:12
And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said to him, Where will you that we go and prepare that you may eat the passover?
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Mark 14:1-72
After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
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Luke 22:15
And he said to them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
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Luke 22:21
But, behold, the hand of him that betrays me is with me on the table.
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1 Corinthians 11:23-25
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
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John 2:13
And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
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John 13:1
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end.
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Mark 14:20-21
And he answered and said to them, It is one of the twelve, that dips with me in the dish.
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John 13:26-27
Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
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The Last Supper
... Part II. The Ministry VII The Last Supper. 189. On Thursday Jesus and his
disciples returned to Jerusalem for the last time. Knowing ...
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The Last Supper.
... Chapter XIII. The Last Supper. The events of this wonderful week have passed
rapidly. We have followed the Savior in his entry into ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the last supper.htm

B. The Last Supper. Ch. 22:7-38
... VII. THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION. CHS. 22 TO 24 B. The Last Supper. Ch.
22:7-38. 7 And the day of unleavened bread came, on which ...
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The Last Supper.
... CHAPTER III. THE LAST SUPPER. O Judas, art thou blinded quite By untamed greed of
gold and gear? And would thou sell thy master dear For base gain? ...
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Object of Christ in the Last Supper.
... CHAPTER II. THE LAST SUPPER OF JESUS WITH THE DISCIPLES. Section 265.
Object of Christ in the Last Supper. JESUS looked forward ...
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Jesus Eats the Last Supper with his Disciples
... THE NEW TESTAMENT JESUS EATS THE LAST SUPPER WITH HIS DISCIPLES. Judas Iscariot,
one ... meal?". [Illustration: The Last Supper]. So Jesus ...
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Meditation iv. The Chalice Used at the Last Supper
... MEDITATION IV. The Chalice used at the Last Supper. The chalice which the Apostles
brought from Veronica's house was wonderful and mysterious in its appearance. ...
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CM *Pierpont. The Hymn of the Last Supper.
... IX. MISCELLANEOUS. 474. CM *Pierpont. The Hymn of the Last Supper. 1 The
winds are hushed; the peaceful moon Looks down on Zion's ...
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The Lord's Supper
... Paul had his account of the Last Supper direct from Christ. Luke apparently
had his from Paul, so that the variations from Matthew ...
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Last Week of Jesus.
... ideas of the first Christians was that the death of Jesus had been a sacrifice,
replacing all those of the ancient Law, the "Last Supper," which was supposed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/renan/the life of jesus/chapter xxiii last week of.htm

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