The Passover Meal – Treasures Old and New

This is the third in a three-part series on the Passover – by far the longest part, but also the most important. If you have not done so already, please read parts 1 and 2 before continuing.

Transition to Main Course

Toward the end of the precourse, the attendant served Jesus and his disciples the so-called “second cup” of wine. (It was called the “second cup,” and for many it was the second cup, but they were allowed to have their cup refilled at any point during the precourse and main course. Only between the third and fourth cups were there no refills.) Over this and any other cups of wine after the first cup, each of the disciples would have spoken the already-mentioned blessing over wine for himself.

The second cup marked the beginning of the transition from the precourse to the main course. It was accompanied by the Passover Haggadah – questions, answers, and recitations based on Exodus 12:26, 27; 13:8; and Deuteronomy 26:5-9. Ordinarily, if children were present, one of them would begin by asking his father about the meaning of Passover.

We don’t know whether the disciples’ families were present at Jesus’ final Passover. If they were not, Jesus probably had one of his disciples pose the question: “Why is this night different from all other nights? For on all other nights we eat leavened and unleavened bread, but on this night we eat only unleavened bread. On all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night bitter herbs. On all other nights we eat meat roasted, stewed, or boiled, but on this night roasted only. On all other nights we dip once [during the precourse], but on this night we dip twice [also during the main course].” In reply, Jesus would have discussed the meaning of the Passover lamb, the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs.

Jesus and his disciples then responded by singing the first part of the Hallel, either Psalm 113:1-9, or Psalm 113:1-114:8. A solemn blessing concluded this portion of the meal.

The Main Course Begins

Now began the main course. At this point, many Jews went through a ritual washing of the hands. However, this was simply a tradition and not a command of God, and Jesus’ disciples appear not to have regularly followed this tradition (Mt 15:2). (This is a good place to note that, even though the Passover account in the Gospels shows us that Jesus and his disciples followed many Jewish traditions, such as using the wording of some of the customary blessings, they did not feel bound to them. They were bound only to God’s word.)

The main course consisted primarily of the unleavened bread, roasted lamb, and more bitter herbs – all prescribed by the Lord (Ex 12:8). The bread could be produced from any of the five chief cereal grains of Palestine – wheat, barley, spelt, foxtail millet, or oats. Ordinarily the leader of the meal company would have taken the unleavened bread, or matzah, in his hand and spoken the blessing: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who bring forth bread from the earth! Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who have sanctified us through your commandments and have commanded us to eat matzah!”

After the rest had said, “Amen!”, he would have broken the bread in his hand piece by piece and thus distributed it to them. However…

The Bread Jesus Broke

Jesus proceeded differently at this Passover. First, it appears that this was one blessing for which Jesus noticeably departed from the traditional wording. The first exclamation above was the traditional blessing over bread spoken at every meal. But Luke 24:30, 31, 35 tells us that the two Emmaus disciples recognized the resurrected Jesus “when he broke the bread.” Jesus probably did not have some special method of breaking and distributing bread, but more likely he spoke an original blessing over bread that differed substantially from the traditional one.

As for the second exclamation, Jesus was not about to praise God for “sanctifying [his people] through his commandments.” God has always sanctified his people through his gracious call in the gospel message of free salvation, and through that alone.

Matthew tells us what the second difference was. After speaking a blessing, Jesus “broke [the bread], and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body’” (Mt 26:26). Mark’s account is similar (Mk 14:22). Luke tells us, “And he took bread, said a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; continue to do this in remembrance of me’” (Lk 22:19). He thereby clearly indicated, as he also did later through Paul (1Co 11:24, 26), that he wanted this to be a lasting institution for his Church.

A few observations are in order. First, note how priceless the gift Jesus gives his disciples:

What on this most solemn night before his death will he bequeath to his beloved disciples? He has no earthly wealth or land. He has no palaces, no coffers filled with gold and silver. He has no earthly realms to bequeath for them to rule. And so, having nothing, he who had humbled himself so fully, so completely in his lowly birth and trouble-filled life and who would in the next day humble himself yet more in his death on the cross of a criminal, what would he leave for them? Having nothing, he left them – himself! (Daniel Deutschlander, from a yet-to-be-published book)

Secondly, and related to this, note how clear Jesus’ words are. Yet so many have stumbled precisely on this stone in their Christian walk, imagining that Christ could not possibly be giving his actual self in the Lord’s Supper. That’s impossible, they say, because he’s in heaven, or because it doesn’t make sense, or because the idea is revolting.

But there is nothing revolting here. He does not say, “This is my body; take and eat,” as if he were offering his bones to be crunched on or his flesh to be torn by his disciples’ teeth. No, he says, “Take and eat; this is my body.” When we eat the bread, we receive his real, physical body in a supernatural way that we cannot understand or explain.

And no, it does not make sense. Neither does universal atonement, nor the Trinity, nor any of the other truths basic to our faith. But Jesus’ words are clear, whether or not they are rational. People will say, “Different beliefs about the Lord’s Supper are just a matter of different interpretations.” But what did Jesus say? “Take and eat; this is my body.” Therefore we may and should confess as Confessional Lutherans do, “When we take and eat the bread in the Lord’s Supper, we actually receive Jesus’ body.” That’s not an interpretation; that’s taking Jesus at his word.

And yes, Jesus is in heaven. As true God, he was also in heaven even as he spoke these words to his disciples (Jn 3:13 KJV). That’s precisely why he is able to give himself in the Lord’s Supper and do all the other things he promised. The right hand of the Father in heaven is a position of unlimited ability (Eph 1:19-23).

Thirdly, remember the blessing Jesus spoke at the very beginning of the Passover? “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who gave this Passover Feast to your people Israel for joy and remembrance!” The Passover meal was a remembrance meal, a remembrance of the greatest act of deliverance by God thus far. But now that act of deliverance would be far surpassed. “Continue to do this in remembrance of me,” Jesus said. Jesus would not deliver from slavery to a nation, but from slavery to sin, death, and the devil. Jesus would not deliver so that people could inherit a country, but so that sinners could inherit heaven. Jesus would not deliver through the slaughtering of a lamb, but through himself, the lamb of God, who would shortly give his own body to a death he did not deserve.

Jesus and his disciples then continued with the eating of the Passover lamb and more bitter herbs. Jesus doubtless altered the blessings over these as well, which traditionally went: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who have sanctified us through your commandments and have commanded us to eat the Passover [or bitter herbs]!” Breaking a bone of the Passover lamb when eating it was forbidden (cf. Jn 19:33-36).

The Cup Jesus Blessed

buying generic viagra So add spice to your love life by opting for these tips. Solely the colour is cheapest cialis india totally different. it’s found in 2 forms-tablet and jelly. Malleable improvements on the other hand use a couple of supports that are http://pamelaannschoolofdance.com/thursday-august-12th-competition-team-auditions/2-1157/ cialis generika loaded into the corpora cavernosa the member. Health issues associated with best price cialis diabetes is contributing to difficulties with libido. Once the meal was over (“after supper” – Lk 22:20; 1Co 11:25), the attendant removed the leftovers, brushed the crumbs on the floor to the side, and filled the third cup for Jesus. This cup already had special significance. It was the one cup that was regularly shared, at least with the lady of the house, as a token of honor. (Jews ordinarily found the sharing of a cup to be as disgusting and unsanitary as many do today.) It was also adorned with garland on some occasions. Why? Because it was the cup over which the “Grace after Meals” or closing table prayer was spoken. Thus it came to be called the “cup of blessing” (rf. 1Co 10:16 NASB).

If Jesus followed the customary ritual for this cup, the scene went like this: Jesus sat upright on his cushion and once again spoke the blessing over wine. Then he invited his disciples, “Praise our God, for what we have enjoyed belongs to him!”

“Blessed be our God for the food we have eaten!” they answered.

Jesus then took hold of the full cup of blessing in front of him with both hands, lifted it a handbreadth above the table, then removed his left hand so that only his right was supporting it. Fixing his eyes firmly on the cup, he prayed the first benediction, which went something like this:

“Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who feed the whole world by your goodness! In grace, love, and mercy he gives bread to all flesh, for his grace endures forever. According to his great and everlasting goodness he has not let us be in want, and may he never let us want for food for the sake of his great name. For he feeds and provides for all and does good to all and prepares food for all his creatures which he has made. Blessed are you, O Lord, who feed all!”

He then continued with the second benediction. This may have originally (as it still does in Jewish circles) focused on redemption from slavery in Egypt, the inheritance of the land of Israel, the covenant of circumcision, and the laws and precepts of God. Since he had just directed his disciples to their coming redemption through himself, Jesus likely altered this. But he may have retained some of the wording, such as: “[We thank you, O Lord our God,] for the life, favor, and love you have graciously bestowed on us, and for the enjoyment of the food with which you continually feed and provide for us day after day, time after time, hour after hour. For all of this we thank you, O Lord our God, and we praise you. May your name evermore be blessed by the mouth of every living thing into all eternity!” He concluded with, “So say, ‘Amen!’”

And the disciples responded, “Amen!”

But then… “[Jesus] gave [the cup] to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the new covenant which is being poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Continue to do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. I tell you, I will never drink of this fruit of the vine from now until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom’” (Mt 26:27,28; 1Co 11:25).

Again, what grace! The prophet Jeremiah foretold of this new, one-sided covenant, which would consist simply in the forgiving of wickedness (Jer 31:31-34). Hebrews 9:11-15 also beautifully describes this covenant. Whenever we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, Jesus drags his Good Friday sacrifice through time to confront you inescapably with the fact that his blood was shed for you, and paid for your sins, even as it paid for the sins of all.

And, as Martin Luther says, where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also eternal salvation. That is also what Christ gives us in his Holy Supper – the foretaste and assurance of heaven, when we will drink the same wine we receive in Communion in a new and glorified way at his own heavenly table. “On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken” (Isa 25:6-8).

Closing Hymn

After that, the attendant filled a fourth cup for each of them. After speaking the blessing over wine, they concluded with the singing of the second part of the Hallel – Psalm 114:1 (or Psalm 115:1) to Psalm 118:26 (Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26). They may also have sung the Great Hallel (Ps 136:1-26) or Psalm 23. Before or after singing, Jesus may have spoken the Grace of Song, a blessing based on a Psalm verse, mentioning how God is deserving of praise.

Jesus’ words in Luke 22:24-38 and John 13:31-14:31 were perhaps spoken after they were done singing, while they were finishing their final cup of wine. His new command to love one another as he has loved us (Jn 13:34, 35) would fit well on the heels of the institution of his Holy Supper.

So too we do well to close this series on the Passover with a fitting hymn verse:

Jesus, Lord of life, I pray you,
Let me gladly here obey you.
By your love I am invited;
Be your love with love requited.
By this supper let me measure,
Lord, how vast and deep love’s treasure.
Through the gift of grace you give me
As your guest in heav’n receive me. (Christian Worship 311:8)

For further reading: Matthew 26:26-30; 1 Corinthians 10:14-17; 11:23-32; John 13:31-14:31; The Passover Meal

HT Photos: freebibleimages.org