ON THE VANGUARD

WEDNESDAY
“When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.’”
Matthew 26:20-21

For the remainder of this week I want to focus on the events of the Messiah’s last week. Now technically we know that Christ was resurrected and made appearances to the disciples and others following His death before ascending into heaven, but still, this week is known by many as the final week. There is one important factor we must keep in mind, however, as we look at the events that took place. To understand these events we must remember that a Jewish day starts as sundown. In order for the Messiah to have been sacrificed on the 14th of Nisan, when the lambs were also sacrificed in relation with Passover, and be raised after three days, we have to count backwards. That means that on the Wednesday evening of the week our Lord was crucified, the disciples and He were celebrating the Last Supper.
As I was doing my personal study regarding these last week events, my eyes were opened. I long had thought that Christ was crucified on a Friday, therefore the reason we have the holiday of Good Friday, and allowing Christ to resurrect on Easter morning. But that is Western thought. I too was taught incorrectly. With the evenings beginning at night and the Jewish week beginning on Saturday night following Shabbat, it all began to make more sense. Once I counted backward this way then I was able to understand that in order for Christ to be crucified on Passover, the Last Supper would have been had a night early. When others were having Passover on the day Christ was sacrificed, making Him also the lamb, the Messiah had already had His Supper on Wednesday night.
It is on this night that Jesus and the Twelve sat around the table and ate their meal. It was on this night that Jesus would be betrayed. And it was on this night that Christ would give the disciples an image to remember in the breaking of the bread and drinking of the cup. The stage had been set, the price already agreed upon. Jesus knew it. Yet still He did not name names. He made a remark that one would betray Him, but never did He spill out a name. Instead, when the moment was right during their meal, while they were washing their hands as is done twice during the Passover meal, Jesus said, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me” (Matt 26:23). I wonder if the other disciples caught that, or if Jesus may have spoken it quietly.
As the meal continued, it came time for Christ to break the bread. In the Passover meal there are three matzahs placed on the plate. Rabbi’s have fought over the reason for three and cannot come to a joint understanding. Some say they represent Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the early pillars of the faith, while others claim it represents the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. While I do not claim to know, I do think the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit makes the most sense. And here is why. The tradition of the Seder is to take the middle matzah and break it in half. If the Son, Jesus, is represented by the middle matzah, and the Bible records Jesus breaking the unleavened bread and referring to His body (Mk 14:22), then would it not make sense that He was in essence the middle matzah? The Messiah is also seen in the cup. The four cups of Passover have meaning. But there was one cup of the four that Jesus said He would not drink of yet (Mk 14:25). This forth cup, the cup of Praise, was not consumed by Christ, nor will it be until the wedding feast of the Lamb (Rev 19:9).
I encourage you tonight, even with Passover already celebrated a couple nights back, that as you are sitting around with your family at the table, take a moment and reflect on this night in history. This night was no ordinary night, but rather was the beginning of the events that paid our ransom. The arrest that followed just hours after the dinner placed the Messiah in the hands of those who would crucify Him. But without this Last Supper, we too may have missed the parallels between Christ and the lamb. Let tonight be a time of reflection. Read this night in your personal study time or with your children. Never forget that His body was broken for you and His final cup untouched until we all join Him at the great wedding feast.