Let us consider as a suggestion an inspiring interpretation of the events surrounding the Memorial Supper. Too often we seem to become bogged down in annual debates of things like, “Did Jesus and his disciples eat the Passover?” It is not that these questions are illegitimate, but their omnipresence on an annual basis would seem to detract from more important considerations.

This question was prominent in Bro. Russell’s day. While his own solutions for the question may not satisfy us, it is interesting to note that there seems to be at least a slight doubt in his own mind as to the answer — “room for wiggle.”

For instance, in R2771 Bro. Russell states that there is “no doubt … [that they] ate on the day preceding the one in which the Jews in general ate it.” This in itself should have alarm bells ringing. Jesus was not one to do things in a way not prescribed by the Law. Bro. Russell later offers (R2953) an article entitled “Between the Evenings — A Jewish View.” He did not endorse this article, but he did offer it for our consideration. To this author it seems very accurate.

To put it briefly, there are many scriptural evidences that could be gone into which show that it is most unlikely that the Memorial Supper was a Passover supper. But that is not the purpose of this article. In fact, what we wish to do is to avoid that discussion in order for us to recognize something much grander about that evening.

THINK ANTITYPICALLY

The kind of detail present in passages like Luke 22:7-23 makes us quite positive that the passage has more meaning than a simple preparation for eating of the meal. As Bible students we should be acutely aware that Scripture does not waste space on unnecessary detail. And the detail of preparing for the Passover which is mentioned in this Luke text is far too intriguing to assign no significance to it other than what the disciples did that day.

The true point, of course, is that Jesus is the Passover lamb. We keep the “feast” for the whole Gospel Age (1 Corinthians 5:7,8). Therefore, as we read Luke, if we can keep in mind this antitypical significance, the entire passage becomes not about that evening, but about the Gospel Age.

The antitype of the Passover began on the 10th of the month when the people were to select a lamb. That is the day that Jesus presented himself to them as that lamb. There was, therefore, no obligation for Jesus or his disciples to keep any part of the typical Passover celebration that year. The antitype had begun. Keeping the type would actually be inappropriate. Let us consider the bigger picture for its great blessings.

Eliezer, by William Dyce

In Luke 22:7 we begin this account with a reference to “the first day of unleavened bread.” But we know from the Law’s instructions that the “unleavened bread feast” was the 15th through the 21st of the month. What we tend to forget is that the “day of preparation” was the day that all leaven was to be removed from the house. Thus, it also was a day of unleavened bread. It was not a day of the “feast,” but it was (as Luke here points out) a “day of unleavened bread.” There can be no mistake about Luke’s record because he also states that it was the day “on which the Passover Lamb had to be sacrificed.” That day, by Law, was the 14th — not the 15th which was the first day of the feast.

What is happening here, antitypically, is that Jesus’ days in the flesh were a day of preparation for the Gospel-Age feasting on unleavened bread (1 Corinthians 5).

Think antitypically again as we read verse 8. Jesus asked the disciples to “Go and prepare the Passover that we may eat it.” Typically this makes no sense. The antitype had begun. What Jesus seems to be saying (antitypically) is, “Go and prepare for the last events which will make our Gospel-Age eating possible.”

Verse 9 is a simple question: “Where do you want us to prepare it?” Antitypically, the door is now open for great truths. Jesus will use the question to explain to them where they will eat the feast for the next 2000 years.

Verse 10 is full of symbolic gems. “Behold.” This word always (like Selah in the Psalms) means “Pause and consider in depth.” In other words, the sentence that follows is more than it appears. “When you have entered the city” becomes a reference to the embryo New Jerusalem — the condition of the saints during the Gospel Age. So, to the disciples, Jesus is saying, “Consider carefully; when the new age has opened.”

What happens when the new age opens? First, for the disciples, it opens at Pentecost. Recall how the bride for Isaac was sought. Abraham’s servant (Eliezer, rep- resenting the holy Spirit) sought Rebekah by dealing with her about water. So, when the new age begins, they will find a “man” (the antitypical servant) with the pitcher of water, the truths for the new age. “Follow Him!” That is, of course, the objective for all of us during the entire age. And what does the holy Spirit and its water do for us? First, it leads us “into the house that he enters.” “House” in the New Testament seems to symbolize covenants. So, we follow the holy Spirit into our new “covenant by sacrifice.” We then must “say to the owner of the house.”

That would be God, Himself. Jesus is thus informing us that we will have a direct access to the owner of this covenant relationship. But we did not do it without Jesus having become our advocate. The next sentence establishes that. We say to the owner, “The Teacher says to you.” In other words, we approach God in the name and merit of our Teacher.

What do we ask? (Or, rather, what does the Teacher ask?) Where is the “guest room in which I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” In the Parable of the Wedding Guests (Matthew 22:1-14) it is the same symbol. The spirit-begotten are assembled as “guests.” Jesus is here showing that he will spend the “Passover Night” (the night in which the firstborns are being judged) — the Gospel Age — “eating with us.” Actually, in his case, he will be serving us the meal: the Lamb, the herbs, the unleavened bread — all while dressed as pilgrims.

Verse 12 expands our delights about our Gospel-Age night in the room with Jesus. The holy Spirit will show the disciples a room. But note: it is large! No more is a relationship with God small and confining as it was under the Jewish Law. Our room is large. The relationship we gain with God is the largest and most satisfying accommodation ever conceived. But the room is also furnished. What is there that we do not have? God has “furnished” this age and our relationship with every kind of furnishing that can be imagined. It is the “holy” of the tabernacle, furnished with light, food, and a prayer altar. And, finally, it is an upper room. It is no longer an earthly (or lower) relationship. It is a spiritual (or upper) dwelling.

Jesus at the Last Supper

The verse then concludes: “Prepare it there.” Jesus is telling us that that is where the final acts of the old age would end so that the blessings for the disciples could really begin.

Are we still concerned about whether or not they ate the Passover? This is so much grander in its scope and in its appeal to our new creatures!

Verse 13. They departed the Jewish Age and found everything just as Jesus had predicted. Have we not found it so? So “they prepared the Passover.” This phrase, if we are yet thinking typically, at the very least causes some difficulty. It was too early to slay the lamb according to the Law. They did, however, probably think they were about to eat the Passover with Jesus — but not until the appointed time — the 15th. So, their “preparations” would have been in the nature of super-cleaning the room and making ready for the next night. That was the very purpose of the Jewish “Day of Preparation.”

When verse 14 begins, Jesus has joined them in the room. They were about to eat — but not to eat the Passover (which would be the next night). They were simply enjoying, as a family, the meal of the “Day of Preparation.” (They were eating with unleavened bread because the day of preparation insisted that no leaven be left in the house.) But Jesus used the occasion to comment on the meaning of the up-coming celebration. “When the hour had come” can now be taken also as an antitypical expression. Its meaning would be, “When the hour had come in the Jewish Age when the transition into the Gospel Age Lamb and Feast were about to begin (1 Corinthians 5).” This is, indeed, when Jesus “reclined at the table, and the Apostles with him.”

The words of verse 15 continue the antitypical significance. Jesus expresses how he has awaited this moment when the Gospel-Age feast would begin. When he used the words “before I suffer,” he shows that long before his crucifixion he had awaited the result. Indeed, it was his “suffering” that was going to open the door for the antitypical upper room.

The words of verse 16 need correction. They should read, “for I say unto you, I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” (The “never again” in the NAS implies that he WOULD eat it with them. But the true text does not imply this. As the matter of fact, the spurious words spoil the antitypical significance.)

The connection between verses 15 and 16 is difficult, but they are imperative for a correct understanding. Note carefully that verse 16 begins with “for,” which means “because.” A paraphrase of the connection between the two verses would be something like:

“Before my suffering I have had this intense desire to see my suffering’s result — the passing over (elimination of death) of all of us who are ‘first-born.’ [But this cannot quickly happen, of course, because the antitypical eating will take the whole age.]

Because of this, I will not eat of its results until the establishment of the Kingdom sees its completion.”

Thus, reading this passage as an antitype takes most of the mystery out of it. More importantly, it makes it so much more meaningful than the parochial approach which seems only to have caused prolonged discussion to not much avail.

THE MEAL

In and following verse 17, we see how Jesus instituted a memorial of the antitype of his fleshly sufferings.

He shared the cup which represents the blood which would seal the covenant which would deliver Israel when the morning of the Millennium arrives. Jesus’ part in the blood (verse 18) was about to be concluded. The disciples’ part was not. They would both “drink of it new” (with changed meaning) once the Kingdom comes.

He shared the bread which showed how the ransom would apply earlier for the justification of his Church so that they could share in spilling their blood for the sealing of the New Covenant.

When we get to verses 21-23, Jesus shares an intelligence with us regarding how long the intervening age would be. By his reference to Judas, he was showing that betrayers would sit with the disciples during the coming age. (Wheat and Tares would be assembled together.) Only Judas and the “Man of Sin” are called “The Son of Perdition” — showing that the one was a type of the other. They both betray the Lord with a “kiss” — with a feigned sign that they were faithful to him. Thus, in type, Jesus here prophesies the development of the apostasy.

Thus we have seen how all of these events (bread, and wine, and Judas, included) are so much larger than the actual events themselves. The whole episode is to teach us big things — not to have us squabble about who ate what. The typical age was over once the 10th day of the month had arrived. Everything was now antitypical.

— Br. David Doran

 

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