Reminders

Luke 22: 7-20 (March 27, 2011)

1) The Text

7Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.” 9They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” 10“Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters 11and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” 13So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

14When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. 15He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

2) The Context

Passover is one of the most sacred and significant celebrations on the Jewish calendar. It is the celebration of the deliverance of God’s people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. The last plague that God sent upon the Egyptians was the angel of death who was to slay the first born in every home in Egypt. The Jews were to kill an unblemished lamb, eat it in hast because they were going to flee the country, and put the blood of the lamb on the door posts and the lintel of the house. The angel seeing the blood would pass over the house and everyone inside would be safe. Jesus and his disciples were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.

An upper room would be an extra room, built onto the flat roof of a typical Palestinian house. It was probably "furnished" (Greek strunnuo, "to equip something with appropriate furnishings") with carpets and cushions on which guests would recline for their meal. It was customary to recline at the Passover meal. Guests would lean on their left arm and eat with their right, legs splayed out behind them. As host of the meal, Jesus begins to speak the ancient words of the Passover meal, telling of Israel's Exodus from Egypt by God's strong hand. For Jesus, this Passover meal looks forward to its fulfillment in the Great Feast in the Kingdom of God at the End Time (Luke 13:28-29; 14:15; 22:30; Revelation 19:9).

3) Interpretation

Jesus begins the night with a mind catching statement, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Jesus tells them he is about to suffer and that this is the last meal he will have with them until the kingdom of God is fulfilled.

All of Jesus’ time on earth was leading up until this point. He came for one reason and one reason only and that was to die for the sins of the world. Jesus was focused on the cross. The disciples were unaware of what was taking place. It was not a coincidence that Jesus chose the Passover to reveal himself at last to the disciples. The Passover was the celebration of the deliverance from bondage, an earthly bondage. Jesus was about to announce himself as the true Passover lamb; the one who would deliver his people from the bondage of sin and death.

At this one meal prior to the events that would unfold Jesus lays out what will happen to him over the next few days. Jesus was bringing the kingdom of God to fulfillment. During the meal he takes bread and after giving thanks he breaks it and offers it to them with the words, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” At the end of the meal he takes the cup and tells them, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Jesus identifies himself as our sacrifice for sin. The celebration of a past event becomes the present reality for the disciples and for us.

Jesus comes to us each time we eat the bread and drink the wine. He is among us. The reality of his sacrifice is made real to us again. The bread and the wine remind us that our sins are forgiven. The kingdom is made real to us. The disciples did not know what was taking place at the time but after the resurrection they would gather in homes to break bread and drink the cup and remember the Lord’s death.

The gospel story moves us to this event and the Book of Acts takes us from this event, but the cross remains central to the churches theology. From the virgin birth until the cross the life of Jesus is seen as special, but in many ways he is witnessed as an important rabbi, a special figure. When demons recognize him he silences them. When someone is healed he tells them not to say a word to anyone. Jesus’ life and ministry is not about miracles and earthly power. Jesus’ ministry is about the salvation of lost humanity. Jesus on this night is not silent about who he is. All that was understood in the paschal celebration finds fulfillment in Jesus.

The days will unfold and go in the eyes of the disciples and followers of Jesus from bad to worse. He will identify his betrayer, be arrested and put on trial, Peter will deny him and the others will flee. Pilate will agree to have him executed and all will seem lost. In hind sight this night makes sense. The reason we celebrate the Lord’s supper is because in doing so we act out the passion story and we are refreshed and built up by the Christ who comes among us.

Christianity is all about Jesus. Our faith is all about Jesus. Our salvation is all about what Jesus has done for us. It is on this night that we understand that nothing we can do matters. It is in the recognition that Jesus is the one who died for our sins that we tap into the source of all life.

4) Thought Exercise

During communion, what do the cup and bread remind you of?

How does the communion experience serve you in daily life?