Tuesday 4 April: The Last Supper

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Holy Week

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Bible reading: Matthew 26.17–29

When you become a Christian, your sense of reality is transformed. We can see that happening to the disciples at the Last Supper. What they reasonably expect to happen is not at all what happens. They have a limited hope in mind. Jesus is offering a profound hope, a living hope, coming to them through quite a difficult process.

They see Jesus with the opportunity to become the leader of Israel. Considering the way he arrived in Jerusalem, and the way the week has gone so far, this is his moment. He’s teaching, he’s healing, he’s taking on the establishment. He’s told those at the top of society that the people they look down on are the ones God is receiving. ‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!’ (Matthew 23.13–29) The crowd is on his side. The leaders hate him but they don’t dare touch him. Jesus is in charge now.

This is it. This is the best Passover ever. This is the beginning of the messianic age. The disciples see Jesus’ coronation coming, but he disturbs them with the news that one of them is about to betray him. He tells them his body is given up for them, and his blood is poured out for a new covenant. He’s disrupting this hugely important festival, which is central to their identity and which the 13 of them are enjoying together as friends, and he’s changing its meaning. That’s more than they asked for.

This reflection was written by James Howard-Smith, from the Supporter Relations team at Bible Society.