Lent Reflection on Understanding How Jesus Celebrated the Passover (Last Supper) and How He both Fulfilled Prophesy and Change the Observance Forever

Why did Jesus not complete the Passover Meal on Holy Thursday? What do the Passover’s five cups of wine represent, what is their significance, and why do Christians only observe three of the cups? What is the meaning of Eucharist Consubstantiation and Transubstantiation?

Part 1 of 3

Today, the event we as Christians refer to as Holy Thursday is the observance of the Passover for the Jews in Jesus’ day. Oddly for a 1st-century Jew, Jesus did not complete the Passover meal on that Thursday. For the Jews of the day hearing of the events of the apostles’ last supper with Christ, the events of the Passover meal would have been confusing; however, as they listen to the events of the following day, the listener would begin to see and understand the prophecies of the Messiah being fulfilled in Jesus the Christ.

The Gospels’ account was so specific and complete that even the Zealots, a sect of Jews who thought Christ would redeem the Israelite Nation through a military rise in the manner of Joshua and David, could clearly understand and accept the true nature of Christ’s Redemption. The events of the Passover meal with the disciples, Christ’s Words on the Cross, and the events immediately following all have a purpose and fulfillment in convincing the Jews of their Messiah.

During the Passover dinner, there are five cups of wine; the Gospel account starts after consuming the lamb and the second cup. The Gospels offer a detailed account of the Passover meal from this point beginning with the ‘Grace after Meals’ being said over the third cup.

What happened with the third, fourth, and fifth cups connects the Old Testament Passover to the New Testament Redemption.

Proving that Jesus is the Messiah for the Jews is part of the reason for the detailed retelling of the Last Supper in the Gospels (Mt. 26:17–30, Mk. 14:12–26, Lk. 22:7–39 and Jn. 13:1–17:26).

Matthew 26:17-30 New International Version (NIV)

The Last Supper

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

The forecasted act of ‘eating the Flesh of the Son of Man and drinking His Blood’ is now realized. When prophesied, it was difficult to understand and required true faith, an abandonment of one’s perceptions and preconceptions. Although accepted by the Twelve, not all of His disciples were able to accept this teaching.

John 6:40-69 New International Version (NIV)
40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Christ’s Teaching of eating His Body and Blood was ‘too difficult’ for many disciples because they understood that He was speaking literally. They understood that He was not speaking in a euphemism, symbolically, or metaphorically; He was directing them to literally ‘eat His Body and drink His Blood.’ He reinforced his intent by telling them of another literal bread that came from God during the act of God saving the Israelites during their exodus in the desert: “Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6 verse 58). He plainly stated, “For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.” (John 6 verse 55).

Like other times when Jesus relates something to a crowd and then offers a further explanation to His disciples, Jesus further explained this teaching to the disciples. He did not clarify symbolic language; rather, He reinforces the literalness of His Words. He asked if this Message is also too difficult for them to follow. Simon Peter replies for the group, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6 verse 67-69)

The practical application of this directive is realized at the Last Supper. Jesus presents His Body and His Blood for them to now consume.

For modern believers, the Last Supper typically stands on its own. For the Jewish believers of that day who had been taught the significance of each action in the Jewish Passover observance, the Last Supper took the existing covenant established through Moses, fulfilled it, and brought it to a new level. The promise of a Messiah is fulfilled.

Jesus Christ’s commandment to eat His Body and Drink His Blood brings us a new Sacrificial Lamb (replacing the Passover lamb), a new Bread of Life (replacing the manna / “bread from Heaven”), and establishes a new Sacrificial Blood. The third cup of Passover, the “Cup of the Covenant,” represents the blood of the Passover’s sacrificial lamb used to mark the houses of the faithful for death to pass over (Passover). Jesus Christ changes the meaning of the third cup; He establishes a new covenant; He expands the Passover covenant to save all who believe and partake of Him from eternal death. John chapter 6:53 “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.

In addition to the “bread of life” (manna), Jesus elevated the Bread of Presence (also called Showbread Shewbread, updated weekly and placed in the priests’ private chamber on the north side of the Temple’s Holy Place). The Bread of Presence was a constant reminder of God's everlasting covenant with His people (12 loaves for 12 tribes, now 12 apostles). Christ is the new High Priest. Christ elevates and fulfills the covenant. Christ is the Promise. The Bread of Presence, which was for only the priests to consume, is upgraded to The Divine Presence in the Eucharist for all to consume. (The Jews are given a physical sign of these changes in the Temple and its observance discussed below.)

In John 6:35, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." (NLT) Later, in verse 51, he said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Hebrews 8:6, "But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises."

The remembrance of the Israelites’ God-given salvation, being freed from their enslaved captivity and becoming a new nation, was ritualized in the fourth cup in Passover Meal.

Exodus 11-12 God’s Word Translation (GW)
The Tenth Plague—The Death of the Firstborn
11 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and Egypt. After that he will let you go. When he does, he will be certain to force all of you out of here. 2 Now announce to the people of Israel that each man and woman must ask the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry.”

3 The Lord made the Egyptians kind to the people. And Moses was highly respected by Pharaoh’s officials and all the Egyptians.

4 Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: About midnight I will go out among the Egyptians. 5 Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who rules the land, to the firstborn children of female slaves who use their handmills, including every firstborn domestic animal. 6 There will be loud crying throughout Egypt, such as there has never been or ever will be again. 7 But where the Israelites are, not even a dog will be startled by any person or animal. This is how you will see that the Lord shows the distinction between Egypt and Israel. 8 Then all these officials of yours will come, bow down to me, and say, ‘You and all the people who follow you, get out!’ After that I will leave.” Burning with anger, Moses left Pharaoh.

9 The Lord had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you. This is why I will do more amazing things in Egypt.” 10 Moses and Aaron showed Pharaoh all these amazing things. Yet, the Lord made Pharaoh stubborn, so he wouldn’t let the Israelites leave his country.

Passover
12 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 “This month will be the very first month of the year for you. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth day of this month each man must take a lamb or a young goat for his family—one animal per household. 4 A household may be too small to eat a whole animal. That household and the one next door can share one animal. Choose your animal based on the number of people and what each person can eat. 5 Your animal must be a one-year-old male that has no defects. You may choose a lamb or a young goat. 6 Take care of it until the fourteenth day of this month.

“Then at dusk, all the assembled people from the community of Israel must slaughter their animals. 7 They must take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they will eat the animals. 8 The meat must be eaten that same night. It must be roasted over a fire and eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. 9 Don’t eat any of it raw or boiled but roast the whole animal over a fire. 10 Don’t leave any of it until morning. Anything left over in the morning must be burned up. 11 This is how you should be dressed when you eat it: with your belt on, your sandals on your feet, and your shepherd’s staff in your hand. You must eat it in a hurry. It is the Lord’s Passover.

12 “On that same night I will go throughout Egypt and kill every firstborn male, both human and animal. I will severely punish all the gods of Egypt, because I am the Lord. 13 But the blood on your houses will be a sign for your protection. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. Nothing will touch or destroy you when I strike Egypt.

14 “This day will be one for you to remember. This is a permanent law for generations to come: You will celebrate this day as a pilgrimage festival in the Lord’s honor. 15 For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the very first day you must remove any yeast that you have in your houses. Whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh day must be excluded from Israel. 16 You must have a holy assembly on the first day and another one on the seventh. You must not work on these days except to prepare your own meals. That’s all you may do.

17 You must celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread because it was on this very day that I brought you out of Egypt in organized family groups. This is a permanent law for future generations: You must celebrate this day. 18 From the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month until the evening of the twenty-first day you must eat unleavened bread. 19 There should be no yeast in your houses for seven days. Whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be excluded from the community of Israel, whether he is an Israelite or not. 20 Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat only unleavened bread.”

21 Then Moses called for all the leaders of Israel. He said to them, “Pick out a lamb or a young goat for your families, and kill the Passover animal. 22 Take the branch of a hyssop plant, dip it in the blood which is in a bowl, and put some of the blood on the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. No one may leave the house until morning. 23 The Lord will go throughout Egypt to kill the Egyptians. When he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, he will pass over that doorway, and he will not let the destroyer come into your home to kill you.

24 “You must follow these instructions. They are a permanent law for you and your children. 25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26 When your children ask you what this ceremony means to you, 27 you must answer, ‘It’s the Passover sacrifice in the Lord’s honor. The Lord passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he killed the Egyptians.’”

Then the people knelt, bowing with their faces touching the ground. 28 The Israelites did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron.

29 At midnight the Lord killed every firstborn male in Egypt from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who ruled the land to the firstborn son of the prisoner in jail, and also every firstborn animal. 30 Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the other Egyptians got up during the night. There was loud crying throughout Egypt because in every house someone had died.

Pharaoh Allows the Israelites to Leave Egypt
31 Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron during the night. He said, “You and the Israelites must leave my people at once. Go, worship the Lord as you asked. 32 Take your flocks and herds, too, as you asked. Just go! And bless me, too!”

33 The Egyptians begged the people to leave the country quickly. They said, “Soon we’ll all be dead!” 34 So the people picked up their bread dough before it had risen and carried it on their shoulders in bowls, wrapped up in their clothes.

35 The Israelites did what Moses had told them and asked the Egyptians for gold and silver jewelry and for clothes. 36 The Lord made the Egyptians generous to the people, and they gave them what they asked for. So the Israelites stripped Egypt of its wealth.

The Israelites Leave Egypt
37 The Israelites left Rameses to go to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, plus all the women and children. 38 Many other people also went with them, along with large numbers of sheep, goats, and cattle.

39 With the dough they had brought from Egypt, they baked round, flat bread. The dough hadn’t risen because they’d been thrown out of Egypt and had no time to prepare food for the trip.

40 The Israelites had been living in Egypt for 430 years. 41 After exactly 430 years all the Lord’s people left Egypt in organized family groups. 42 That night the Lord kept watch to take them out of Egypt. (All Israelites in future generations must keep watch on this night, since it is dedicated to the Lord.)

In the Jewish celebration of Passover there were five cups of wine which occur in the meal of remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt and the birth of a new nation. Each of the first four expressions is accompanied with drinking a cup of wine.

1. "I will take you out…" recalling the promise of removing the people from Egypt and their slavery.

2. "I will save you…" recalling the Ten Plagues. After the second cup, the main part of the dinner occurs.

3. "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm…" recalling the redemption (the pains of the judgment against them) and their new salvation (the new covenant). The cup of redemption of the new covenant.

4. "I will take you as a nation…" recalling the establishment of a new nation and a new covenant.

The Kiddush (a blessing regarding the sanctity of the event) is recited over the First Cup of Sanctification; the Exodus story is shared over the second cup (the Cup of Judgement and Deliverance, Cup of Plagues); then a ‘Grace after Meals’ a special blessing thanking God for giving food where the k'zayit (approximately one ounce of unleavened bread) is eaten, being said over the third cup; the third cup is the Cup of Redemption, Cup of Blessing, or Cup of the Lord; then Psalms and hymns of praises to God are recited over the fourth cup, the cup of a new nation. Leaving the fifth cup. After the words are spoken over each of the four cups, the contents of the cup are consumed.

The Mishnah, the transcribed Israelite Oral Law, describes the drinking from a cup four times during the Passover ceremonial dinner (Pesahim 10:1). The cups are to be filled with red wine representing the blood of the sacrificed lamb. Then the fifth cup is filled.

Footnote:

The Mishnah is the first written record of the Oral Law. Prior to the Mishnah, the Law was passed on from one scholar to the next, from one generation to the next, through memorized oration. In each generation there were experts in each area. One scholar would be an expert in the laws of the Sabbath, another an expert in torts and damages; and so on; all together, they were the ones who transmitted the full body of the traditions of Moses down through the centuries of the Jewish people. The publication of the Mishnah occurred around years 3950–3962 in the Hebrew Calendar corresponding to 190 AD to 200 AD.

Matthew’s Last Supper account (Matthew 26:17-30 above) begins after eating the main meal and drinking the second cup.

The story and explanation continue in Part 2.