Originally posted by bytheblood
Sounds like an information packed book you got your hands on there. I am curious...what was it that you believed before that you now feel is different after reading that book.
I do believe that Beth Moore has a book of Jesus the One and Only. I have the Bible study. The section on the last supper is in week 9, day 2. I agree that the Lord's supper has always been a special time of worship for me. I am not one that does it out of routine or obligation. My church has the Lord's supper about 4 times a year, not weekly. However, I had never really understood all of the Passover observances and what they symbolized I guess. That is what was done that last night at the last supper. However, now we know that it wasn't just an ordinary observance. Jesus was about to institute the new covenant.
I will try to briefly explain some of the highlights Beth covers in the lesson.
Jesus had given much thought to the approaching feast. It is evident in verse 15 of Luke 22. "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." Frank E. Gaebelein says in The Expositor's Bible Commentary on pg. 1026 that in the original language it would be more accurately reflected by the words, "with desire I have desired." Jesus considered it to be an enormously profound, significant evening. Nothing about that evening was trivial or accidental. He chose his two, Peter and John, to prepare the Passover. The Passover involved a fairly elaborate meal with a very specific setting. You can read about the original Passover in Exodus 12:1-14. Three symbolic foods were to be eaten during every observance of the Passover meal: flesh of lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. Unleavened bread represents sincerity and truth. Bitter herbs symbolize the bitterness of suffering of slavery, death and the innocent lamb's substitution. The herbs eaten during the meal would intentionally bring tears to their eyes as a reminder of the grief. Every part of the meal was highly symbolic, but it would have no meaning at all without the lamb. The most important preparation that Peter and John made was the preparing of the Passover Lamb. They had knowledge or understanding that the detailed preparation involving the lamb would soon be fulfilled in Jesus Christ. They may not have grasped the significance of it at that time, but eventually they got it. Read their words! Peter says in 1 Peter 1:18-20 that we are redeemed by Christ's precious blood. He was our spotless and unblemished Lamb sacrifice. John wrote in Revelation 5:6-8, 12-13 that Jesus is our Lamb upon His throne. Peter and John are the only two of the twelve who were recorded referring to Jesus as the Lamb. I don't believe that is coincidental. Christ's ultimate goal in any work He assigns us is to reveal Himself through us or to us. The tasks that He assigned them that day were used to reveal to them the Lamb of God.
When they gathered around the table, Christ took the father role in the observance. He poured the first of four cups of wine and lifted His cup toward heaven. Observance has the Kiddush prayer recited here, the prayer of sanctification. That prayer includes these words, or something very close to this: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, WHo createst the fruit of the vine. Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, Who hast chosen us for Thy service from among the nations......Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who hast kept us in life, Who hast preserved us, and hast enabled us to reach this season." (She quoted Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal from The Feasts of the Lord as a source here.) Beth says this is very likely the blessing or thanks that He recited in Luke22:17. If Christ and His disciples had followed tradition, they took the first cup of wine and asked that blessing, observed ceremonial washing and broke the unleavened bread. Then, there would follow a literal enactment of Exodus 12:26-27. The four cups of wine served at the Passover meal represented the four expressions or "I wills" of God's promised deliverance in Exodus 6:6-7. At this point in the meal, Christ poured the second cup of wine and narrated the story of Israel's exodus. (Again, this would be following the traditional Passover observance.) They ate the meal between the second and third cups. Now, look at Luke 22:20, the next cup was taken after they had eaten. The third cup was traditionally taken after the supper was eaten. It represents the third "I will" statement of God recorded in Exodus 6:6-7. Look at that third I will!!!!!!! "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgement." This is the cup of redemption!!!!!!!!!!! Beth is clearly convinced that it is also the symbolic cup to which Christ referred only an hour or so later in the garden when He prayed "take this cup from me." (Luke 22:42). The third cup was the cup He could partake only with outstretched arms upon the cross.
We know that Christ did not literally drink this third cup because He said it in Luke 22:18, that He would not drink of another cup until the coming of the Kingdom of God. Instead of drinking the cup, He would, in essence, become the cup and pour out His life for the redemption of man. Christ took very seriously the cup of redemption He faced that last Passover supper. His body would soon be broken so that the Bread of Life could be distributed to all that would sit at His table. The wine of His blood would be poured out for all who would partake.
I believe that we have much to learn and appreciate about the Passover. I do know that we have been commanded to remember the death of Christ every time we observe the Lord's Supper. I always did so, but after this study I have so much more of an appreciation for that night and His sacrifice. I really would like to study the Passover traditions in more detail.
Sorry. I know that it is a long post, but I wanted to answer the question. I highly suggest this study, too. She answers lots of the questions.
Oh well, I like them. Mere Christianity is a good book as well.
that show. CSN is one of the only stations I listen to in the morning.
It's a great program. God Bless!
