Wednesday
Evening Bible Study
May 8, 2002
Introduction
Jesus is in His final night. Peter
and John have found a place to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. The table is set.
:14-21 Passover Supper
:14 And when the hour was come, he
sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
was come – ginomai – to
become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being; to become,
i.e. to come to pass, happen. Aorist
tense.
the hour – hora – a
certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and returning with the
revolving year; the daytime (bounded by the rising and setting of the sun), a
day; a twelfth part of the day-time, an hour, (the twelve hours of the day are
reckoned from the rising to the setting of the sun); any definite time, point
of time, moment
he sat down – anapipto –
to lie back, lie down; to recline at a table, to sit back
Which “hour”?
It could be that it simply is referring to the hour when the Passover meal
is to begin, around 6:00 p.m.
But there is a usage of the word “hour” where Jesus refers to a special
period of time, when He would die for the sins of the world.
(John 2:4 KJV) Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to
do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
(John 8:20 KJV) These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as
he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet
come.
(John 12:23 KJV) And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is
come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
(John 12:27 KJV) Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I
say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
(John 13:1 KJV) Now before the feast of the passover, when
Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto
the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto
the end.
:15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover
with you before I suffer:
with desire – epithumia
– desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust
I have desired – epithumeo
– to turn upon a thing; to have a desire for, long for, to desire; to lust
after, covet; of those who seek things forbidden. Aorist tense.
(Luke 22:15 NKJV) Then He said to them, "With fervent
desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
(Luke 22:15 NLT) Jesus said, "I have looked forward to
this hour with deep longing, anxious to eat this Passover meal with you before
my suffering begins.
(Luke 22:15 NIV) And he said to them, "I have eagerly
desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
Why has Jesus greatly desired this Passover?
Because this is the moment He’s been waiting for. This is the Passover where He is going to die for the sins of the
world. This is the Passover feast where
He is going to give a marvelous thing to His disciples, Communion, where they
can remember what He’s going to have done for them.
passover – pascha –
the paschal sacrifice (which was accustomed to be offered for the people’s
deliverance of old from Egypt); the paschal lamb, i.e. the lamb the Israelites
were accustomed to slay and eat on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan
(the first month of their year) in memory of the day on which their fathers,
preparing to depart from Egypt, were bidden by God to slay and eat a lamb, and
to sprinkle their door posts with its blood, that the destroying angel, seeing
the blood, might pass over their dwellings; Christ crucified is likened to the
slain paschal lamb; the paschal supper; the paschal feast, the feast of the
Passover, extending from the 14th to the 20th day of the month Nisan
The Lexicons all say that this is a Greek word that is derived from an
Aramaic or Hebrew word, pecach, which is the word for Passover.
I suffer – pascho –
to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to
undergo; in a good sense, to be well off, in good case; in a bad sense, to
suffer sadly, be in a bad plight; of a sick person
Though these words are seemingly unrelated, they seem very, very similar. I wonder if Jesus’ usage of both these words
in the same sentence isn’t drawing out the fact that the pascha was the
time for His pascho. The
Passover was the time for His suffering.
In fact, not just that He is about to suffer. But that He MUST suffer at the pascha, or the pesach.
:16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be
fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
fulfilled – pleroo – to
make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full; to render full, i.e. to
complete; to make complete in every particular, to render perfect; to carry
through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking)
What does Jesus mean by this?
He is saying that the picture that the Passover feast paints is about to be
fulfilled.
The Lamb is about to pay for the sins of the world. The Lamb is about to use His blood so that
God would pass over the sins of those who believe.
:17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide
it among yourselves:
he took – dechomai – to
take with the hand; to take up, receive; to receive, get
the cup – poterion – a
cup, a drinking vessel
gave thanks – eucharisteo
– to be grateful, feel thankful; give thanks
This is where the word “Eucharist” comes from.
take this – lambano – to
take; to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back
divide it – diamerizo – to
cleave asunder, cut in pieces; to be divided into opposing parts, to be at
variance, in dissension; to distribute
The Passover Feast
In the celebration of the Passover feast, there were certain things that
were done during the dinner.
When the group was settled, the first cup of wine was filled, and a
blessing was asked by the head of the family on the feast, as well as a special
one on the cup.
This is probably this first cup that Jesus is taking here. It was called
the cup of sanctification.
Then the bitter herbs were placed on the table and a portion of them were
eaten, reminding the family of the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt.
Then the unleavened bread was handed around next. It is interesting that there was supposed to be three loaves of
bread kept in little cloth sacks. The
middle or second loaf was to be broken.
After the bread was passed around, the lamb was eaten, and the second cup
of wine was drunk, the cup of “plagues”.
Then the son would ask the father the meaning of the feast in accordance
with Ex. 12:26. The Father would remind
the family of the suffering in Egypt and God’s deliverance.
A song of praise was sung. The
Hallel or “Praise” songs were sung
The lamb was then carved and eaten, followed by a third cup of wine, the
cup of redemption.
There was a final cup of wine, the cup of praise.
:18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until
the kingdom of God shall come.
drink – pino – to drink;
figuratively, to receive into the soul what serves to refresh strengthen,
nourish it unto life eternal
the fruit – gennema – that
which has been born or begotten; the offspring or progeny of men or animals;
the fruits of the earth, the produce of agriculture
the vine – ampelos – a
vine
Jesus did drink vinegar while on the cross.
(John 19:28-30 KJV) After this, Jesus knowing that all things
were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
{29} Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with
vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. {30} When Jesus
therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his
head, and gave up the ghost.
But the point could be made that the kingdom had come. Jesus had paid for our sins and established
a new way to come to God, through the cross.
Others look at this as Jesus saying that the next time He would drink wine
with His disciples is after He comes back to set up His kingdom on earth.
:19-20 Communion
:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them,
saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
he took – lambano – to
take; to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back
bread – artos – food
composed of flour mixed with water and baked; food of any kind
gave thanks – eucharisteo –
to be grateful, feel thankful; give thanks
brake it – klao –
to break; used in the NT of the breaking of bread or communion. It is always used to describe breaking bread
in the NT
Paul will tell us
(1 Cor 11:24 KJV) And when he had given thanks, he brake it,
and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do
in remembrance of me.
Even though there wasn’t any bones broken in Jesus at His death (to fulfill
the Passover Lamb picture), His body was broken, especially when He was
whipped.
(Isa
53:5-6 KJV) But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of
our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. {6} All we
like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the
LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
God laid upon Jesus all of my sin. His body was broken.
body – soma – the body
both of men or animals; is used of a (large or small) number of men closely
united into one society, or family as it were; a social, ethical, mystical body
for – huper – in behalf
of, for the sake of
is given – didomi – to
give; to give something to someone
remembrance – anamnesis
– a remembering, recollection
The bread remains bread. It does
not magically turn into the flesh of Jesus.
It is meant to make us remember Him.
It is meant to make us remember His body.
It used to be that the Passover feast would cause the people to remember
what God had done in Egypt.
Jesus now tells His disciples that they are to remember Him.
:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new
testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
likewise – hosautos – in
like manner, likewise
the cup – poterion – a
cup, a drinking vessel
supper – deipneo –
to sup; especially a formal
meal usually held at the evening
It would seem that this might be the last cup, the cup of “praise”.
testament – diatheke –
a disposition, arrangement, of any sort, which one wishes to be valid, the last
disposition which one makes of his earthly possessions after his death, a
testament or will; a compact, a covenant, a testament
God has now established a New Agreement between God and man. Keep in mind, Jesus didn’t just come up with
this idea, it was promised long ago.
God had promised that there would be a New Covenant:
(Jer 31:31-34 KJV) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house
of Judah: {32} Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in
the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt;
which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the
LORD:
The New Covenant is contrasted with the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant is the agreement that God
made with Israel through Moses. It
dates back to the time when God took the people out of Egypt. When did God take the people out of
Egypt? At the Passover.
{33} But this shall be the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the
LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts;
and will be their God, and they shall be my people. {34} And they shall teach
no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the
LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of
them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember
their sin no more.
The New Covenant would be something that happens on the inside. God writes His laws on our heart. People know the Lord. And God forgives our sin.
In the Old Covenant, the agreement was “sealed” with blood.
(Exo 24:8 KJV) And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it
on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the
LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
This made the agreement binding.
The people were sprinkled with blood.
The New Covenant is also sealed with blood. The cup is to remind us of this.
for – huper – in behalf
of, for the sake of
is shed – ekcheo – to pour
out, shed forth; metaph. to bestow or distribute largely
Jesus’ blood was given to pay for our sin.
(Lev 17:11 KJV) For the life of the flesh is in the blood:
and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls:
for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
(1 John 1:7 KJV) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin.
:21-23 The Betrayer
:21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
him that betrayeth – paradidomi
– to give into the hands (of another); to give over into (one’s) power or
use; to deliver to one something to keep, use, take care of, manage; to deliver
up one to custody, to be judged, condemned, punished, scourged, tormented, put
to death; to deliver up treacherously; by betrayal to cause one to be taken
the table – trapeza – a
table
In the gospel of John (John 13:18), Jesus quotes from Psalm 41 –
(Psa 41:9 KJV) Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I
trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
:22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that
man by whom he is betrayed!
goeth – poreuomai – to
lead over, carry over, transfer; to pursue the journey on which one has
entered, to continue on one’s journey
it was determined – horizo –
to define; to mark out the boundaries or limits (of any place or thing) 1b to
determine, appoint; that which has been determined, acc. to appointment,
decree; to ordain, determine, appoint
It was in God’s plan for Jesus to die for our sins from the very beginning.
Re 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall
worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world.
he is betrayed – paradidomi –
to give into the hands (of another); to give over into (one’s) power or use; to
deliver to one something to keep, use, take care of, manage; to deliver up one
to custody, to be judged, condemned, punished, scourged, tormented, put to
death; to deliver up treacherously; by betrayal to cause one to be taken
Lesson
God’s will and man’s will
God had determined that Jesus would die for the sins of the world.
But there was a sense in which Judas was making his own choices.
:23 And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that
should do this thing.
they began – archomai – to
be the first to do (anything), to begin; to begin, make a beginning
to inquire – suzeteo – to
seek or examine together; in the NT to discuss, dispute, question
that should – mello – to
be about; to be on the point of doing or suffering something; to intend, have
in mind, think to
Matthew gives us a little more detail.
(Mat 26:20-25 KJV) Now when the even was come, he sat down with
the twelve. {21} And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one
of you shall betray me. {22} And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every
one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
Lesson
Self-examination
I think the disciples are setting a good example. Rather than pointing their fingers at each other and wondering if
it is the “other guy”, they are all wondering about themselves.
When you read Scripture, do you think of what other people should be doing,
or are you asking, “Is it I?”
{23} And he answered and
said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
{24} The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by
whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not
been born. {25} Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is
it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
Lesson
Don’t be self-deceived
Perhaps Judas was just trying to cover his tracks by asking this question
in front of the other disciples.
I know that we can deceive ourselves into thinking that we could never do
certain things, and then we turn around and do them.
Lesson
Communion
(1 Cor 11:17-33 KJV) Now in this that I declare unto you I praise
you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. {18} For
first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be
divisions among you; and I partly believe it. {19} For there must be also
heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among
you. {20} When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat
the Lord's supper. {21} For in eating every one taketh before other his own
supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. {22} What? have ye not
houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them
that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise
you not.
Paul is rebuking the Corinthians because they were abusing the Lord’s
Supper. It wasn’t a good thing to
them. It was a time when people hurt
each other. Some even got drunk.
{23} For I have received of
the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same
night in which he was betrayed took bread: {24} And when he had given thanks,
he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you:
this do in remembrance of me. {25} After the same manner also he took the cup,
when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do
ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. {26} For as often as ye eat
this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. {27}
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord,
unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
I think Paul is referring to the abuses in the Corinthian church when he
talks of taking communion “unworthily”.
{28} But let a man examine
himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
Communion ought to be a time for self-examination. Is it I?
{29} For he that eateth and
drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning
the Lord's body. {30} For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and
many sleep. {31} For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. {32}
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be
condemned with the world. {33} Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to
eat, tarry one for another.