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Passover, Last Supper, and Lord's Supper: Jewish Elements for Christian Reclamation

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Passover, Last Supper, and Lord's Supper: Jewish Elements for Christian Reclamation Leaven Volume 1 Issue 1 Worship Article 5 1-1-1990 Passover, Last Supper, and Lord's Supper: Jewish Elements for Christian Reclamation Randall D. Chesnutt [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Chesnutt, Randall D. (1990) "Passover, Last Supper, and Lord's Supper: Jewish Elements for Christian Reclamation," Leaven: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1 , Article 5. Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol1/iss1/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Leaven by an authorized editor of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Chesnutt: Passover, Last Supper, and Lord's Supper: Jewish Elements for Chr All things praise thee, Lord may we 15 By Randy Chesnutt PASSOVER, Y \\"LAST SUPPER, ~; Y AND LORD'S SUPPER Jewish Elements for Christian Reclamation The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and accounts confirming this identification. Luke indicate that Jesus' Last Supper was a The purpose of this article is to explore Passover meal (Matt. 26:17-29; Mk. 14:12-25; Lk. the significance of the Passover setting of the 22:7-23). The Gospel of John presents a some- Last Supper. What was an ancient Passover what different chronology; there the Last Supper meal like? Does the Passover character of the oc- precedes Passover, and in fact the Passover meal casion shed light on the New Testament ac- is yet in the future at the time ofJesus' death counts of the Last Supper? In what ways should (13:1-2,29; 18:28; 19:14,31,42). The explana- the Passover roots of the Lord's Supper inform tion for this divergence probably lies in the our understanding and celebration of the sacred various Jewish calendars in use in the early first Christian meal? Answers to these questions century A.D. In his account of the passion, John must be grounded in an appreciation of Passover apparently followed a different calendar from as it was practiced in Jesus' time. that reflected in the other Gospels, perhaps because this enabled him to emphasize Jesus as Passover in the First Century A.D. the fulfillment of Passover by having Jesus' Students ofthe Old Testament know death coincide with the slaying of the Passover that Passover commemorates the great deliver- lambs in the Temple. Whether or not this is the ance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. Also correct explanation for a much-discussed chrono- familiar from the Old Testament are some ofthe logical problem, one thing seems abundantly food items comprising the Passover meal: lamb, clear: Jesus' Last Supper was a Passover meal. unleavened bread, and bitter herbs (see Exod. The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and 12-13). The lamb, of course, reminded partici- Luke) are quite explicit on this point, and, as we pants of the lambs whose blood was smeared on shall see, there are elements in the Synoptic the doorposts in Egypt so the death angel would pass over and spare Israelite children from the tenth and final plague prior to the Exodus. Randy Chesnutt is Associate Professor of Re- Unleavened bread was used in the celebration as ligion at Pepperdine University. He attended a reminder of the hasty departure of the fore- Alabama Christian, Harding Graduate bears from Egypt in an hour of such crisis that School, and received a Ph.D. from Duke Uni- there was no time to wait for bread to rise. The versity. He is a member of the University bitter herbs (such as horse raddish, chicory, and Church in Malibu. endive) were interpreted as reminders of the Published by Pepperdine Digital Commons, 1990 1 Leaven, Vol. 1 [1990], Iss. 1, Art. 5 16 LEA YEN Winter 1990 bitterness of Egyptian bondage. liminary dishes, including the Less familiar to non-Jews are the many bitter herbs and fruit puree, were Passover traditions which are not described in eaten. The main course (see III the Old Testament but which evolved in subse- below) was served and the second quent centuries. Many of these are described in cup of wine was poured. the Mishnah, the written codification ofJewish oral law compiled around 200 AD. Although II. Passover Liturgy. The youngest this source contains many traditions later than son competent to do so inquired the first century AD., the Passover celebration formally about the meaning of the described in it is thought to be essentially that occasion: ''Why is this night practiced in Jesus' time. In addition to the different from all other nights ... symbolic food items specified in the Bible, others ?" The head of the household equally laden with symbolic significance are responded with the Passover described in the Mishnah. Thus, for example, a Haggadah_- a retelling of the fruit puree called haroseth, consisting of a Exodus story beginning with "A mixture of finely-ground fruits, spices, and wandering Aramaean was my vinegar, served as a dip for the bitter herbs. father ... " (Deut. 26:5) and con- Because of its color and consistency, it provided a tinuing through God's mighty acts reminder of the clay used when the ancestors of redemption as these were made bricks during their servitude in Egypt. suggested by the symbolic foods. The Mishnah also calls for the drinking of four This was followed by the singing cups of wine to celebrate God's deliverance of his of Psalms 113-114 (or perhaps people (the rabbis discerned four aspects of God's only 113), the first part ofthe promise of deliverance in Exod. 6:6-7). Some- great Hallel (Psalms 113-118). what later rabbinic texts mention still other Then followed the drinking of the symbolic items; among those with possible roots second cup of wine. in first century practice are a bowl of salt water symbolizing the tears shed in Egypt (or, accord- III. Main Course. The head of the ing to some, the waters of the Red Sea) and used household blessed, broke, and as a dip for certain foods, and cinnamon sticks distributed the unleavened bread. placed in the fruit puree to represent the straw The main meal, consisting of the used in brickmaking. roasted lamb, unleavened bread, On the thirteenth day of the Jewish bitter herbs, and fruit puree, was month of Nisan, all traces ofleaven were re- moved from every house in which Passover was to be observed. On the afternoon of the four- Full participation in Passover teenth day the lambs destined to be the main meant that the external facts of course of the meal were slaughtered in the history became lining, present re- Temple. On the evening ofthat day (which was the fifteenth day by Jewish reckoning since a alities marking both the personal new day was considered to begin at sunset) the experience of deliverance and the Passover meal was eaten. The particulars of that meal and the accompanying celebration oneness of the community of varied somewhat from time to time and place to people thus liberated by God. place, but the Passover Seder (order, arrange- ment) described in the Mishnah provides our earliest detailed account and may be outlined in eaten. The third cup of wine was four parts as follows: blessed and served. 1. Preliminary Course. The head IV. Close. Psalms 115-118 (or per- of the household said a blessing haps 114-118), the remainder of for the feast day generally and for the Hallel, was sung. The fourth the first cup of wine. The first cup cup of wine was blessed and of wine was drunk and the pre- https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol1/iss1/5 2 Chesnutt: Passover, Last Supper, and Lord's Supper: Jewish Elements for Chr All things praise thee, Lord may we 17 served. who wrought all these wonders Description of the mere mechanics of a for our fathers and for us. He Passover celebration does not dojustice to the brought us out from bondage to profound religious significance of the occasion for freedom, from sorrow to glad- ancient Jews. One must also appreciate the ness, and from mourning to a atmosphere created, the memories evoked, the Festival-day, and from darkness to great light, and from servitude As God's most decisive act of de- to redemption; so let us say liverance, it merits telling and before him the Hallelujah. The pronouns have been highlighted here in retelling in Christian families order to show how present participation in the and in the Church so that it is past event was emphasized at Passover. In the deeply ingrained in the con- same spirit, one rabbinic text defines the "wicked son" as one who inquired, ''What do you mean by sciousness of children from their this service?" This text complains that by using earliest memory. the second person pronoun, the inquirer ex- cludes himself and rejects one of the fundamen- tal principles of Judaism. Thinking of oneself as praise inspired, the hopes rekindled, the festive- an actual slave liberated from Egypt served both ness aroused, the self-identity revitalized, and to encourage individuals to appropriate for the communal solidarity nurtured by this sacred themselves the benefits of God's gracious acts occasion. Two such aspects of Passover which and to strengthen the individual's sense of underlie all of the external acts are especially oneness with the community of Israel. To fail to noteworthy. read the national experience of deliverance into One is the sacred memory of God's one's own experience was to renounce God's mighty acts of deliverance of his people.
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