CHRIST JESUS, earlier in the day, bid HIS Disciples to set in motion the prearranged plan that a Passover meal be made ready in the upper room of a house in Jerusalem. When it is nighttime, they all assemble and celebrate not only the Passover meal, but THE LAST SUPPER that JESUS will share with them. HE is aware that his hours are numbered; this is another memento mori, showing the reader that JESUS has DIVINE foreknowledge of HIS fate...
After the meal, HE distributes the broken bread and the poured wine among the 12, but refuses to eat or drink HIMSELF until "that day when I drink it new in the KINGDOM OF GOD" (MARK 14: 25). At this time HE pronounces theologically charged teaching: the wording of the Institution of THE LAST SUPPER varies in the four accounts (MATTHEW 26: 26-29; MARK 14: 22-25; LUKE 22: 15-20; 1 CORINTHIANS 11: 23-26), but the common denominator is that JESUS links HIS impending death and resurrection to the participation of HIS followers in a comparable destiny. The drinking of this wine and the eating of this bread MAKE that link. Paul, in 1 CORINTHIANS 11, makes it plain that the repeating by Christians of THE LAST SUPPER IS no mere memorial but has contemporary and eschatological significance for them as they await THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST...
In all the GOSPELS the proximity of the Passover is underscored and encourages the obvious parallels to be drawn between the "old" Passover of the Jews, and the NEW Passover in which JESUS BECOMES THE PASCHAL LAMB (as Paul calls HIM in 1 CORINTHIANS 5: 7). The significance of the SALVATION and rescue of the Jews in the EXODUS narrative is NOW TRANSFERRED by the Christians to the SALVATION that they believe came with CHRIST'S SACRIFICIAL death. In the changed chronology in John's GOSPEL, the meal in the upper room takes place one day before the Passover, but John does not lose sight of the symbolism associated with Passover---for him, JESUS now dies at the precise moment when the Jews are slaughtering the lambs in preparation for the forthcoming Passover meal. This too, is obviously, a significant and comparable theological parallel...
After the meal in the upper room, John records a footwashing when JESUS washes HIS Disciples feet (JOHN 13: 3-20). This menial task is intended to be another acted parable in which JESUS demonstrates the NATURE OF HUMILITY. Several times in THE NEW TESTAMENT, the role of the SELF-SACRIFICING SERVANT is said to be a requirement of Christians as they take up their cross to follow JESUS' example. In addition with the footwashing, JESUS performs another prophetic action symbolizing HIS impending death in humiliation FOR the SALVATION of others...
During THE LAST SUPPER another prediction made by JESUS is that one of the 12, eating from the common dish will betray HIM. HE also says that it would have been better for that person had he not been born. Judas is an important pawn in the DIVINELY planned drama that is about to unfold, yet he cannot escape the consequences of the role he must play out. Judas's own motive in fulfilling this role is not clear, although the payment of 30 pieces of silver, obviously, tempted him (MATTHEW 26: 15). LUKE and JOHN give a theological reason for his treachery. Satan has entered Judas (LUKE 22:3; JOHN 12: 2, 27)...
After JESUS and HIS Disciples leave the upper room and go to the Mount of Olives, Judas duly leads those seeking JESUS to their quarry, and JESUS is arrested. The inevitable punishment for such treachery is reported in MATTHEW 27: 3-10; Judas, having belatedly regretted his action, commits suicide. Another, and appropriately gory end to Judas appears in ACTS 1: 16-20, where his entrails spill out when he dies in the potter's field known as Hakeldama (Field of Blood), which had been purchased with the ill-gotten silver. Further polemic against Judas is seen in the Anointing at Bethany in JOHN'S GOSPEL---there the objector to the apparent waste of precious ointment is Judas, described as the 12 Disciples' treasurer who pilfered from their common purse (JOHN 12: 3-6)...
After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives...
31+++Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED.’
32+++“But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
33+++But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.”
34+++Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
35+++Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too.
36+++Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37+++And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.
38+++Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”
39+++And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
40+++And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?
41+++“Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42+++He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
43+++Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
44+++And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.
45+++Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46+++“Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
47+++While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48+++Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.”
49+++Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
50+++And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.
51+++And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.
52+++Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.
53+++“Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
54+++“How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”
55+++At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me.
56+++“But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.
57+++Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
58+++But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome.
59+++Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.
60+++They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward,
61+++and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’”
62+++The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?”
63+++But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
64+++Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.”
65+++Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy;
66+++what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”
67+++Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him,
68+++and said, “Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?
69+++Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”
70+++But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”
71+++When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72+++And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.”
73+++A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.”
74+++Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
75+++And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
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