Transcription of the Video: The Last Passover

The Jewish Passover Festival is deeply rooted in the events of the Exodus from Egypt. If you read that story in the Hebrew Bible, you discover a word that occurs again and again and again. The word is "remember". "Remember the night you put blood on your door. Remember when the angel of death passed by. Remember when you left Egypt. Remember when you were camped on the shore of the Red Sea and the Egyptian army was coming in the distance. Remember."

Remember is a word in Hebrew that's not easy to define. It applies an intense focus in a way that would allow that memory to shape you as you think of it, as you reflect on it. 

Jesus was a Jew. And so, the end of his life was a collection of incredible teachings, unbelievable sacrifice all focused on that ancient Jewish celebration of Passover. And he, too, said, "Do this to remember." Come. Let's walk those last few hours with Jesus as he celebrated the seder and then, left and went with his disciples to a night of watching.

We're here today at the place called the Bible Times Center to look at one of the most significant links between the Hebrew Bible experience of God's people, Jesus, and the people that are in him. And that is the experience of the Passover celebration, which on the one hand remembers that great Exodus from Egypt and all that God did because of it. And on the other hand, becomes the moment that Jesus fits himself clearly into the story, and says, "I'm now a part of your Exodus. Come and be a part of my people."

In the Bible, the first time, the first Exodus, the first Passover, God brought his people to Sinai. When they were there, one of the things he did was to have the elders sit down for a meal after making a covenant with them - or through them -with Israel. A meal in that culture was one way of coming together with people who needed to be reconciled and resolving the differences. So, it's as if God said, "Look. This covenant is my way of showing you my mercy and resolving the differences between us. Let's eat together." So, in a sense, the Passover meal - the first one, all those in between, Jesus, and what Jesus created - is a reminder of reconciliation between God and people and between people and people.

But there's another major emphasis as I'm sure you're aware. And that is that the Passover meal links together the great salvation experience of the Hebrew people with what Jesus came to do. And it provides an incredible picture of who we're called to be. 

Now, there is a question. Was that Last Supper, held during Passover season, actually a Passover seder, a Passover meal? Not everyone agrees. I'd like to show you why I think it was. Come.

Let's talk a bit about what that Last Supper was. The question is, first of all, was it a seder? Was it a Passover meal or just an evening meal during Passover week? Well, I think it was a seder even though there is some question. And I think that for a number of reasons. 

One, in Exodus, God said, "Have the Passover meal to remember." (Exodus 12) The key of this is not a big holiday simply or a wonderful meal simply. The key was to remember, "I brought you out of Egypt. I saved you."

Jesus came to that meal and that's one of his key words. "Do this to remember." And I think that suggests that the Passover - the seder - would be the best place to picture "remember". Because that's what it's about. 

There's another reason. Notice the matzo and the trays in front of you. We have matzo, which is unleavened bread. Leaven, in the Bible, represents sin. So, God said, "When you leave Egypt, leave Egypt behind." So, no leaven at that meal. None at all. Not even in your houses. 

So, obviously, you use the bread that represents what God asked. And since Jesus is going to make this the picture of his body, it makes perfect sense to have unleavened bread. So, that's first.

Second, in Jesus' story, wine is mentioned. And more than one cup of wine - one before the meal at least and one after the meal. And the wine is blessed. These are things that were done at a seder. So, again, it sounds a bit-- maybe quite a bit-- like a seder. 

Third, at the end of the meal, Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn, which is exactly what they did at the end of a seder. And there's no record they did that at the end of an ordinary meal. It was possible, but it sounds, again, like a seder. 

So, for at least those three reasons, I think the writers are trying to say to you, "This was a seder." But probably the most convincing reason is the Bible says, "They reclined."

In the Exodus story, God said, "Eat the meal standing up. But eat the meal standing up, because you've got to be ready to leave." 

They left and when they got to the Promised Land, they began to say, "Look. We're here. God has given us what he promised. We're in the land of rest." So, it began to develop that at the Passover, you recline. So, that, in the Bible, "They reclined around the table," contrary to most Christian art about the Last Supper is very convincing evidence that it was, indeed, a seder. 

You recline on your left elbow and eat with your right hand. Now, you notice how you are. At this meal, you're looking at the back of the person reclining next to you. So, you carry on a conversation with the back of that person's head. If you want to talk to somebody behind you, you talk and you can't see them. 

There were three sides, and the serving was done in the middle. Now, a legitimate question would be, do we know who sat where? Well, if I were to ask you, based on our culture, where would the host be, what would you tell me?

Yeah. You'd say in the middle, at the head of the table. I don't know why we put the host or hostess there. But we do. For them, the last seat is the servant seat, and that's the one who would wash our feet as we enter. It would probably normally be one of the members of the family of the household, because there's a high honor in serving someone. So, it's not a dishonor. But that's the foot washing position - the servant seat position. And everyone else would find their places. 

Now, what's interesting to me is in the rabbinic world, there was discussion about who should sit here. Well, obviously, you put the rabbi here. Who's next to him? How do you decide who's honored? How do you decide who's last? And they discussed and debated. Should it be the oldest to the youngest? Should it be the wisest to the learner? 

No. A legitimate question would be, do we know who sat where? Well, in their culture, the host seat - the most honored seat - is the second one in on that side. To his left and his right would be the seats of honor for those who would be next to the host. On the opposite side, the last seat is the servant seat. And that's probably the one who would wash our feet as we enter. 

When Jesus' disciples entered the upper room, there must have been some discussion about who's going to sit where. And I say that, because almost immediately, as the meal starts, they get into a debate about who's the greatest. (Luke 22)

And I think what may have triggered that debate is who sits here? So, be kind to those disciples. It's not out of the blue they're starting to argue about who's the greatest. It's there's a reason why that issue came up. 

Shortly after the meal began, Jesus addresses that issue with foot washing. Now, let's try and ask do we know where anyone sat, assuming that this was the position? If this is correct, and Jesus is here, we can be safe in assuming John is here - at least the disciple Jesus loved - that most believed - is John. Because the text says, "John leaned back against Jesus' chest." And that's only possible here. 

Judas would have been here, believe it or not. Because Jesus and Judas dipped together. And in the custom, three people eat out of the same bowl. The amazing thing about that is that puts Judas, who's already betrayed Jesus, in the second honored seat. And if that isn't like the character of Jesus, I don't know what is.

I would like to suggest that it seems to me that Peter is over here. Let's look at that for a moment. Right in the middle of the meal, Jesus got up, and he took a wash basin, poured water in a bowl, took a towel and began to make the rounds washing feet. 

The text says, "When he came to Peter." And I hear in that, that Peter is somewhere down the line. Because it sounds like he didn't come to Peter first but after a bit. And that might argue that Peter is down this way a ways in the foot washer's position. 

Then, he came to Peter, put down the bowl, and knelt down by Peter's feet. Peter said, "No way. I should wash your feet." Now, that may be because Peter is saying, "You're the Rabbi. You're the Messiah. No way." Or Peter may have been saying, "Look, that's my position. That's my responsibility." 

Either way, Jesus says, "Peter, if I don't wash your feet, you can't be part of me." 

And Peter said, "Then wash my head and my hands too." (John 11) That's a Jewish way to say, "I repent."

And Jesus said, "No, Peter. You're already clean. You don't need to repent. I want to teach you about servanthood." Jesus is using this moment to address the who's-the-greatest debate, which came up because of the seating just before.

When he was finished with that teaching moment, he laid the towel aside, and it says, "He took his robe up again." (John 13) Now, I don't know if that meant he put it back on. Maybe that's more possible. Or he returned it to the place where he had taken it down from. I like that idea, because that tends to be how rabbis teach. They like to make dramatic moments.

Either way, he has now laid it down and taken it up. And what I find intriguing is in that same Gospel, there's a story in which Jesus says, "I lay down my life, and I take it up again." (John 10) Those are the same phrases. No one takes it from me. 

Now, if I'm a disciple-- remember, a disciple is someone who wants to be like the rabbi. How do you lay down your life and take it up again? Is it really explained? I think it's possible - maybe probable - that Jesus used the foot-washing moment to say, "Do you want to know how to lay down your life? Remember that day? Do you want to know how to take it up again? Lay down your life for someone else. And do it often."

Now, if you would be more comfortable being seated, feel free at this point. Because I'd like to look at, now, how that seder meal went. The Passover is built around the number four. It's in Judaism what three is in Christianity. I say three. You say Trinity. And Christian will do that. Three is not such a significant number in Judaism. Four is. 

In Exodus, God made four promises, which are the heart of the Passover celebration. Let's imagine we're with Jesus. And somewhere that evening, I am sure they recited the four promises. Say these words after me. "I'm the Lord. I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will set you free from being slaves to them. I will redeem you with outstretched arms and mighty acts of judgement. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God. I am the Lord." (Exodus 6) Those are the very words of God.

These are the four promises: I will take you out, I will set you free, I will redeem you, I will take you. Those four promises are the heart of the Passover celebration. Now, think about them a moment. "I will take you out from the yoke of the Egyptians," meant, "Tomorrow, you Hebrews, you aren't going to be beaten anymore. You don't have to make bricks. They won't throw your babies in the Nile. I'm going to take you out."

And you say, "Yes. Praise the God of Abraham." 

But you get out and you think, "But do you know what? I'm a slave. I don't know how to act out here. I've never had to make a decision for myself in years." 

And so, God came and said, "Okay. And I will take your slave nature away." It's like an addict who stops using but is still addicted. And then, God comes and tells them, "I'll take your addiction too. You won't even want it anymore."

And they say, "Yes!" 

And maybe they thought, "But God, we're stained with the sin of Egypt."

And God said, "You're right. So, I will redeem you. I will save you. I will clean you up with an outstretched arm - [think Egypt] - and mighty acts of judgement." 

And then, maybe someone thought, "What if we go back there?"

And God said, "Don't worry. I will take you," - remember Sinai and the marriage? "I will take you to myself to be my people, and I will be your God. I'll protect you." Those are the four promises. 

Now, in Judaism, they developed the practice of drinking a cup of wine four times during the meal to remember those four verbs - take you out, set you free, redeem, and take. 

Did they have four cups in Jesus' day? Honestly, the answer is we don't know for sure. My belief, my feeling, my understanding, it's more likely they drank at four different points to remember those four promises. So, when I talk about four cups, I don't know that we can say like today, there are actually four cups standing in a row. That seems to have come later. But certainly, the idea that you drank a sip of wine at the point you remember the four promises can be argued much earlier, even in Jesus' time.

So, let's look at what happened at the seter that night in light of those four cups. Picture the disciples-- and we've put all men around the table because no women are mentioned. And I don't believe they were there. But at least, they aren't mentioned. Picture the disciples reclining around the table. You would begin, of course, by saying, "Hear o Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord alone. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might." That's the great lesson of the Exodus. And Jesus may have added, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Then, you would begin the story - maybe by memory. You start out with that story and you come to the first promise. "I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians." 

Your eyes flash. "Yes! God is going to bring us out." And at that point, the host would bless the cup the first time. One cup, four cups, I don't know. Now, the blessing almost certainly was there by Jesus' time. And we know that, because the blessing was decided based on a debate between Hillel and Shammai. It was resolved in their lifetime, and that's before Jesus' time. 

So, the blessing went like this. "Blessed are you Lord our God King of everything for giving us the fruit of the vine." Now, that seems to me to be the cup mentioned in Luke. Jesus takes a cup that he does not turn into the Lord's Supper and he blesses it at the beginning of the meal. 

Then, we come to the part where we say, "I will set you free from being slaves." And just before you start eating, there's a second cup - the cup of being set free from being slaves. I don't see it mentioned in the Bible. Maybe they drank at that moment and went, "Yes! I hope it's the Romans this year. But praise God we were set free from the Egyptians."

At that point, the meal begins. And the meal begins with a dipping. Now, in the Book of Exodus, there are three things required at Passover: lamb, bread - which we've already mentioned - and bitter herbs. (Exodus 12) 

The bitter herbs are to remind you of what it was like to be in bondage. I think, if you look in your text, it seems to me that that's the moment at which Jesus chooses to address the issue of his betrayal. So, the dipping becomes the dipping in the bitter herbs. 

And I see him blessing the cup and saying, "He will set us free from being slaves." 

And they're going, "Yes. That's awesome." 

And then, Jesus said, "Yes, and one of you is going to turn me over."

I don't think they immediately thought, "It can't be me, because I haven't seen any Romans." 

I think they thought they would slip up somehow, and they began to say, "Is it me? Is it me?"

And Judas asked, "Is it me?"

And Peter said, "John, ask him who."

And Jesus said, "It's someone who dips with me." And I think he took a piece of bread, which in their world was the silverware, and he dipped into the bowl of bitter herbs and gave it to Judas, and they tasted the bitterness of a different kind of bondage. 

It's a powerful teaching if that's the way it went. Because it's not just, "Well, I'll dip with him so you'll know who it is." It wasn't clear, because none of them seem to get it. 

I think Jesus is saying, "Egypt isn't the only bondage."

And then, comes the meal. It's still the second drinking. Now, the meal. While they were eating-- that's why I think that's exactly where it fit-- while they were eating, Luke says, during the meal, Jesus took the matzo and said, "This is my body." (Luke 22)

Now, there's so much teaching in that we couldn't live long enough to unpackage it. But at least see the stunning moment where he takes something out of the Passover, not to end the Passover but to say, "If you want the picture, put it in the Passover. I think it's a great instruction for Christians to use Passover to help to understand what Jesus said. "This bread that represents your deliverance from bondage, this bread without yeast, this sinless bread, this bread today that's striped and wounded,"-- I don't think theirs was. But at least, "I see this bread as my body, my sacrifice, my offering. Eat it. All of you. Remember me." Every time from then on when they had Passover, and had that unusual taste of unleavened bread, they remembered. 

And now, the meal is finished. Now, we drink a third time. That cup is called the cup of thanksgiving or blessing. Paul identifies it in Corinthians as the cup Jesus used to institute the Lord's Supper. (1 Corinthians 10)

In Luke, it says, "After supper, he took the cup." And I can say with some certainty that whatever cup that was, whether it was two or three, we know there's one before. We now know there's one after. Clearly, it's that cup after supper where you remember that great promise - the first one, I took you out; the second one, I set you free; and the third one, I redeemed you. And Jesus took that third cup and said, "This cup, this redeemed promise is my blood offered for you." And he made a renewal, a new covenant, tying together Noah and Abraham and Moses and David in him. "Drink from it, all of you."

I think they sat as you did in silence. "Wow. What is this? It's not in the liturgy. "The blood," he said, "is poured out for many." That will come back.

I think, as they sat in silence, they waited for the last cup that comes at the very end of the meal. That's the cup of, "I will take you to myself. You will be my people. I will be your God." Do you remember "take you"? That's marriage language. "Take you to myself," he says and brought them Sinai to marry them. And they waited for that cup, the cup of protection. 

But Jesus had said, "I'm not going to drink again until I drink new. (Luke 22)

"But, Jesus, that night in Egypt, the Red Sea's ahead of us. Pharaoh showed up with 600 chariots. We needed God's protection that night. Are you sure you don't want a drink?"

"I will not drink again."

"But Jesus, you said one of us will betray you. I've heard the Sadducees applauding. There are Romans out there. Are you sure?"

"I will not drink again."

In some profound way, this Rabbi, this Messiah, this Lamb of God left the seder without drinking to God's protection. I wonder.

So, Jesus took an ordinary-- I don't know how I dare call it that-- seder, and it became one of the great teaching moments. The bitter herbs, now, not only the bondage in Egypt but whatever your bondage is. Eat bitter herbs this year and realize how terrible bondage is whatever form it takes. 

The matzo, now, not just bread without yeast but now, the manna from Heaven. "I tell you the truth, unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives forever." (John 6)

If you go back to the first Passover, they were all standing. And when they finished the meal, they waited. The Destroyer would pass that night. Hopefully, they had blood on the doorpost. But I think after 1,000 years of that, most Jewish people thought, "When the meal's over, Passover's over." But for Jesus, like the ancient Hebrews the first time, Passover had only just begun. Because the Destroyer still walks. Come. Let's go see.