The Last Supper

Biblical Texts and Content

The Last Supper was the final meal that Jesus Christ ate with the twelve disciples on the night before his crucifixion. The texts recording this meal are as follows:

• Matthew 26:17-30
• Mark 14:12-26
• Luke 22:7-38
• John 13–17: Instead of the account of the bread and the cup, John records Jesus washing the disciples' feet and delivering a lengthy farewell discourse.
• In 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Paul hands on this tradition as what he "received of the Lord," and he calls the meal "the Lord's supper."

During the meal Jesus broke bread, gave it to the disciples, and said, "This is my body." He then gave them the cup, calling it in Matthew 26:28 the blood of the covenant ("my blood of the new testament") and in Luke 22:20 the new covenant in his blood ("This cup is the new testament in my blood"). At this meal Jesus also foretold that one of the disciples would betray him and that Peter would deny him. The disciple who would betray him was Judas Iscariot. After the meal the company sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30), where the prayer in Gethsemane followed.

Background

The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) portray this meal as a Passover meal (Mark 14:12). It took place in "a large upper room" (Mark 14:15). John's Gospel, however, places the meal "before the feast of the passover" (John 13:1) and describes the day of Jesus' crucifixion as "the preparation of the passover" (John 19:14). Scholars hold a variety of views on how to reconcile this difference in dating.

Diners of that time are generally thought to have reclined at table. The description in John 13:23 of a disciple "leaning on Jesus' bosom" reflects this posture. A widely held view identifies the hymn sung after the meal with Psalms 113–118, which were sung at Passover.

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

Passover is the feast commemorating the deliverance of the Exodus. In that setting, the Last Supper reveals anew the meaning of Jesus' death. The phrase "blood of the covenant" recalls Exodus 24:8, spoken when the covenant was made at Sinai: "Behold the blood of the covenant." The "new covenant" is connected to the promise of Jeremiah 31:31, which is quoted again in Hebrews 8. Jesus also spoke of "that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God" (Mark 14:25), looking ahead to the consummation to come. The church's Lord's Supper began with this meal.

Interpretation and Points of Debate

• The meaning of the bread and the cup: Christian traditions divide over how to understand "This is my body." This division is known as the Eucharistic controversy.
• The Roman Catholic Church holds that the substance of the bread and wine is changed into the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation).
• Lutherans hold that the body and blood of Christ are truly present together with the bread and wine.
• Those in the tradition of Huldrych Zwingli, along with many Baptist churches, understand the Lord's Supper as a rite commemorating Christ's death.
• Presbyterian and Reformed churches following John Calvin hold that Christ is spiritually present through the Holy Spirit.
• Foot washing: The words of John 13:14-15 are generally read as an example of humility and service. Some churches observe this as a rite known as the foot-washing ceremony.
• Elements not found in the text: The seating arrangement in Leonardo da Vinci's painting is the artist's own composition. The legend of the "Holy Grail," concerning the cup used at the supper, is likewise not found in Scripture. The disciple "whom Jesus loved" in John's Gospel has traditionally been identified as the apostle John, but the text does not name him.

In the Korean Church

When observing Communion, Korean churches read the words of institution from 1 Corinthians 11 or the Gospels. Many churches hold a Communion service or a foot-washing service on Thursday of Holy Week. How often Communion is observed varies by denomination and congregation. Reproductions of da Vinci's The Last Supper are commonly seen in homes and churches.