Last Supper
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Horsham 5th November 2025
The Passover meal commemorates the escape of the people of Israel from Egypt. In Christ’s day, it involved considerable ritual. The food, the wine, the words, the singing of Psalms, every part of that ritual had remained unchanged for many generations. For orthodox Jews the ritual remains much the same even today. The table included unleavened bread, and three cups of wine. These were there to be shared. The last cup to be shared was the cup of thanksgiving.
Towards the end of the meal, after the lamb had been eaten (none of it could be saved for later), hands were washed, and the remainder of the unleavened bread was shared. Then, the last cup of wine was blessed by the host and shared.
It was almost certainly at this point of the meal when Jesus did something extraordinary. Something radical. He applied his own words to the breaking of bread and the drinking of the cup of thanksgiving. Words spoken in the company of his closest friends, rather than out in the open. Words and actions so profound and yet so simple that his friends would remember them, take them to heart, and repeat them again and again. Words that are repeated in almost identical form in every Christian Church, by every Christian denomination, of every generation.
It’s easy for us to miss the magnitude of what Christ did. In context, Christ’s words were scandalous.
“Look,” he said, “Just as this bread is broken, so my body is broken for you. Just as this cup of red wine is poured out, so my blood is shed for you.” (Loc 6826)
Jesus declares that the ‘old covenant’ between God and mankind, set out in Exodus 24:3-8, is replaced by a ‘new covenant’, dependant not of the keeping of the Law, but on the shedding of hs own blood.
The new covenant was a relationship between human beings and God, dependant not on the Law, but on love.’ (Barclay Loc 6841)
When Jesus says that he will not drink this cup again until he does so in the Kingdom of God, he is surely affirming that he knows exactly what is about to happen. The hour of his death is drawing near. Yet he knows that after his death, comes his glory in heaven.
The last act of the Passover meal is to sing what we call Psalm 136.
So, everything is now in place. Judas is out and about his work. The Temple guard are preparing for their night’s activities. It only remains for Jesus to go and be in the place where Judas expects him to be.
Once more, Jesus could have turned away. He didn’t.
It is but a short walk to the Mount of Olives.
End Piece
We are often reminded that our own familiarity with the words of Jesus combined with our unfamiliarity with the Jewish culture of His day means that we can easily miss the radical, counter cultural nature of his words. Here is, perhaps, one of the greatest examples.
‘Celebrating passover was and is a deeply religious act, and also, for the many centuries in which the Jews have suffered oppression, a deeply political act. It says, loud and clear, ‘despite appearances, we are God’s free people.’ It sustains loyalty; it encourages faith, hope and love.’ (Wright p191)
Christ took a crucial part of that ritual celebration and made it his own. His words, spoken amongst his friends, are a radical departure from the norm. Had they been made in public, they would have created scandal.
Paul tells us- commands us – to ‘do this in remembrance of Jesus.’ (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ). Participation in this commemorative meal is central to our faith. We are to treat it with reverence and respect, yet we must share it with thankful hearts. This simple act encourages gratitude, faith, hope and love. We must never forget that it calls us back, draws us into, the very heart of the Gospel:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
‘You will be drawn to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.’ (1 Corinthians 11:32 – The Message)