BIBLE STUDY LESSON 04

SERIES T --- THE ADONAI OF LIFE

THE LAST SUPPER

From Matthew 26:20-35; Mark 14:17-31; Luke 22:14-38; John 13:1-38

The evening came, and with it the Passover meal which Yeshua ate with the twelve apostles in the Upper Room. They reclined together at the table and Yeshua spoke to them. [I have wanted much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer, for I will not eat one with you again until it finds its full meaning in the Kingdom of YHVH.] When Yeshua took up a cup of wine, He gave thanks and said, [Share this among yourselves, for after today I will not drink anything from the grapevine until the Kingdom of YHVH comes.] After that, Yeshua took a loaf of bread and gave thanks, then broke it into pieces. He presented it to the apostles and said, [This bread is My body, given for you. Continue to do this as a memorial to Me.] When supper had ended, Yeshua took a cup of wine and said, [This is the new Covenant, confirmed by My blood. But even as I speak, the man who will betray Me is here with Me at the table. It has already been determined that I will leave by a certain way, but woe to that man who betrays Me.] The apostles whispered among themselves, asking which one might be the betrayer. They also began to discuss which would have the highest rank in the Kingdom. Then Yeshua said to them, [The kings of the heathen nations lord it over their people, and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ But this is not for you; instead, whoever among you would be greatest must serve as though he were the youngest, and whoever would be leader must first become servant. For which is greater, the guest at the table or the servant who serves him? The guest is, of course. I have come as a servant to wait on you. You have remained with Me throughout My trials thus far, so as My Father has given Me a Kingdom, I will also give you the privilege of eating and drinking with Me in it, and you will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.] It had been revealed to Yeshua before the Passover began that this would be His last night with the apostles before He was crucified. He wanted to show them how much He loved them, even though Satan had already suggested to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that this was the night to betray Him. Confident that the Father had put all things into His hands, and that He had come from YHVH and would return to YHVH, Yeshua arose from the table, removed His outer garments, and tied a towel around His waist. After He poured water into a basin, He began to wash the disciples’ feet and wipe them with the towel. When Yeshua came to Simon Peter, he asked Him, [Adonai, are You planning to wash my feet?] Yeshua told him that He was, and said to him, [You will not understand tonight what I am doing, but sometime you will.] [You shall never wash my feet!] Simon Peter protested. [Unless I do, you have no part with Me,] Yeshua answered. [Then wash not only my feet, but my hands and face, too,] Peter responded. [A person who has bathed does not need to be washed,] Yeshua said. [But I do need to wash your feet. You are clean, but not everyone here with you is clean.] Yeshua was speaking of Judas, who would betray Him. [Do you know what I have done?] Yeshua asked when He had finished, put on His garment and sat down at the table again. [You call Me Names such as Teacher and Adonai, and these are correct Names for Me. If I as your Teacher and Adonai wash your feet, so you ought to wash one another’s feet, following the example I have given you. A servant is not greater than his master, nor is the one sent greater than the one who sends him. Happy is the person who not only knows these things, but practices them. I realize that this does not apply to all of you, but only to those whom I have chosen, that the Scripture may be fulfilled that says, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted his heel against Me.’ I will tell you things that will happen, and when they do, you may believe that I am the Moshiach. Whoever welcomes the ones I send, welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me, welcomes My Father Who sent Me.] While Yeshua was talking to the apostles, He became troubled in spirit. [I tell you that one of you will betray Me,] He said. The apostles looked at each other and wondered which would do this. John was sitting closest to Yeshua, so Simon Peter motioned for him to ask Yeshua who this would be. John turned and asked, [Adonai who is it?] [When I dip this bread I will give it to the traitor,] Yeshua said. When He dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. When Judas ate the dipped bread, Satan entered him. [Do it now!] Yeshua Commanded Judas. But no one else knew why Yeshua said this. Some thought that Yeshua wanted Judas to pay for the food or give money to the poor, for Judas was their treasurer. As soon as Judas had gone out into the night, Yeshua told the remaining apostles, [The time has come for Me to be glorified, and for YHVH to be glorified in Me. If YHVH is glorified in Me, He will also glorify Me in Him, and this will be soon. Little children, I will be with you only a short time now. As I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for Me but you cannot go where I am going. But I leave a new Commandment with you, that you love one another even as I have loved you. Thus, others will know that you are My disciples when you love one another.] [Where are You going, Adonai?] Simon Peter asked. [To a place where you cannot go now,] Yeshua replied. [But you will come with Me later.] [Why can’t I come now?] Peter asked. [I will die for You!] [Will you die for Me?] Yeshua asked. [Let Me tell you this, you will deny Me three times before the cock crows.]

COMMENTARY

THE FOOD OF THE LAST SUPPER

When Yeshua and His disciples gathered in the Upper Room, they were celebrating the Jewish feast of Passover. The table was set with special plates and cups used only once a year on this solemn occasion. The food was part of an ancient menu symbolizing important events in Israel’s history. The disciples dipped bitter herbs in vinegar to remind themselves of the harsh life of slavery their ancestors suffered in Egypt. But the biting taste left in their mouths was softened by the {haroset} that Yeshua passed around the table. This sweet, thick paste of apples, nuts and cinnamon symbolized the red clay the Israelites moulded into bricks for their Egyptian taskmasters. Because this memorial meal was a worship service as well as a feast, Yeshua and His disciples sang age-old hymns long associated with it. They prayed the prayers that had been offered by the many generations of Jews since the Exodus from Egypt. The pattern of the ancient ritual was so carefully preserved that the meal itself was called a {seder,} meaning an {orderly} ceremony. On the night of the Last Supper, Yeshua led His disciples to a new understanding of the symbolism of the seder. The cup of red wine was traditionally drunk as a toast to Israelite freedom. But Yeshua offered the wine as His blood, to be shed for the sins of the whole world. The flat bread, baked without leavening, mirrored the hastily prepared bread of the Israelites as they escaped from Egypt. But when Yeshua broke the bread and passed it among His disciples He said, [This is My body offered for you.] Even the Passover lamb, the centre of the seder, received new significance on the night of the Last Supper. The Israelites in Egypt sacrificed a lamb and sprinkled its blood over their doorposts to save their firstborn males from the Angel of Death. In obedience to YHVH’s Commandment, generations of Jews thereafter continued to sacrifice a lamb each year as a reminder that YHVH had passed over His people when He sent plagues upon the Egyptians. But Yeshua offered His own life as the Passover sacrifice. His blood became the substitute for believing men and women everywhere, just as the lamb’s blood was substituted for the firstborn sons of Israel. Believers today continue to celebrate Adonai’s Supper. Just as the Jews eat roast lamb as a reminder of YHVH’s deliverance, believers drink the wine and eat the bread that mark Moshiach’s death for all mankind.