The Lord’s Supper

Discussion Questions: “The Lord’s Supper”

Matthew, Mark, and Luke accentuate the importance of Jesus’ establishment. All three tell the similar story.  Judas plans to betray Jesus, Jesus establishes the Lord’s Supper during the Passover, and then Jesus prays in the garden.  There are two lessons to be learned from the Lord’s Supper. John provides one lesson to learn about being clean.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke give the other lesson where Jesus symbolically demonstrates the breaking of bread and the drinking of the wine.  The bread represents His body, which will be broken.  The wine represents His blood, which will be shed.  Both are just as important, and both need to be studied.  Either one apart from the other does not provide a clear picture of the event.

1.    When and why is Passover celebrated?  When: March 22nd to April 25th.        Why: When the Israelites were held captive as slaves in Egypt, Moses went before Pharaoh, telling him to let the Jews go free.  Each time, Pharaoh says “no.”  God sends plagues down to Egypt, demanding the Jews be set free. On the tenth plague, God sends down a most severe plague killing every firstborn.  The Israelites are told to protect themselves by marking the doors with lamb’s blood so the angel of death would pass over them.  Hence the name Passover. 

READ IN SECTIONS:  John 13:1-15, then let someone else read John 13:16-30.

2.    The Lesson:  Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet: (John 13:3-5) Why did Jesus wash the disciples’ feet? Jesus fully comprehended how much He had elevated above them over during his physical lifetime on Earth.  The washing of one’s feet was the work of a servant to perform for the homeowner’s guests.  Jesus demonstrates how low He would be willing to go to teach and save His people.  It was a symbolic lesson of humility.  A study intended to teach the disciples to be humble and one they would never forget.  Notice also the disciples realized what Jesus was doing, but none of them offered to do the same in return.

3.    Why does Jesus say He who is bathed only needs to wash their feet? (John 13:10) There are a few theories why Jesus says those that bathed only need to wash their feet.  1) It was customary to bathe before eating the Lord’s Supper.  When returning from where they bathed, only the feet were dirty and needed to be washed.  2) Another theory is Jesus was teaching them they were already clean or pure.  But not all of them were clean or pure.  Look closely at John 13:10-11.  Jesus states in 13:10; they are clean, “but not all of you.” Then in 13:11, John clarifies what Jesus was referring to about not being clean; The one who will betray Him.  3) Another theory Jesus is saying to the disciples that you are spiritually clean, by teaching my Word and ministry. 

4.    Why does Jesus tell the Disciples to wash one another’s feet? (John 13:14-15) Jesus is teaching them a lesson in humility.  Jesus is saying do not be proud or unwilling to occupy a low place.  To lead them by His example.

Compare Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s observation of the Lord’s Supper.

5.    Have someone read: Matthew 26:17, Mark 14:12, Luke 22:7-9.  Why was the bread to be unleavened bread? The feast would last a total of eight days.  During this time, no bread made with the yeast of leaven was permitted to be eaten.  Notice Mark and Luke mention the Passover must be killed.  But only Mark mentions “lamb.”

6.    Have someone read: Matthew 26:18, Mark 14:13-15, Luke 22:10-12.  Jesus instructs the disciples to find their room for the Passover. What city is Jesus referring to when He says, “Go into the city?”   Jerusalem.

7.    Who were the two disciples Jesus sent? Peter and John. Luke 22:8.

8.    Who is the man Jesus instructs the disciples to provide the room for the Lord’s Supper?  The man’s name is unknown, but he was carrying a pitcher of water.

9.    Where and what kind of room does the man have prepared for the disciples?  The room is a large upper room, most likely on the second floor.  It was furnished and equipped.  The word “furnished” means spread.  This usually means carpets were laid on the floor and couches to recline on at the table.

10.                Have someone read:  Matthew 26:19, Mark 14:16, Luke 22:13.  What do the disciples prepare for the Passover? Most likely, the disciples did not purchase or obtain a lamb and went through the whole process of cooking their lamb.  It is more likely they purchased a lamb that was prepared at the temple.  During this ceremony, many lambs would have been made ready for sale in the temple.  They would have been flayed, roasted, and prepared with bitter herbs and a sauce by the priests, along with unleavened bread.  The blood would have been poured on the altar.

11.                Have someone read:  Matthew 26:20-22, Mark 14:17-19, John 13:21-22.  Jesus states to the twelve disciples one of them will betray Him.  All of them ask, “Lord is it I?”  Who is the last to ask and why?  These are the only verses between Matthew, Mark, and John.  The last to ask was the betrayer, Judas.  For all of them were sorrowful, looking at one another and probably even questioning themselves if they were the betrayer.  All except one.  Judas.  We say Judas would be the last because, during this moment, he was most likely silent.  Judas would not have asked during this moment.  Nor would he probably look around at the other disciples.  Because he knew it was himself.  He knew he was guilty and the one Jesus was calling out that would betray Him.  He most likely initially felt an emotion of shock, knowing that Jesus knew there was a plot to betray him.  So the guilty would always conceal themselves, and he would remain silent.

12.                Bonus Question:  Jesus previously mentions to the twelve that one of them is “a devil” and who the betrayer is.  Where is this mentioned?  Read John 6:70-71.  At this moment, John, the author, nor any of the other disciples, would not have known who the “devil” would have been in verse 6:70.  Without more detailed information at this moment, the twelve would also not have suspected Judas Iscariot in verse 6:71 because they continued to treat Judas the same afterward.

13.                Have someone read:  Matthew 26:23-24, Mark 14:20-21.  Why is it better for the betrayer to not been born than to betray the Son of Man? Betrayal in itself is a conscience, selfish act for one’s gain.  Planning a betrayal is deliberate, pros and cons are evaluated and the plan is finally put into action.  The act of betrayal, therefore, has some level of premeditation of how, the betrayal is initiated.  Knowing who he represented, and using Him for his financial gain, is evidence Judas knew what he was about to do.  The betrayer of Jesus will undergo the most severe and agonizing punishments.  It would be better to be “nothing” (not being born) than being the betrayer of the Son of Man for all of eternity.

14.                Have someone read:  Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22, Luke 22:19.  What is the significance of breaking the bread and eating it? Jesus took the unleavened bread, blessed it (gave thanks), broke it apart, and gave them instructions on what to do with the bread.  Jesus tells them to eat the bread that it represents His body.  He tells them to do this in remembrance of Him.  Matthew and Mark are the same:  Take, eat, this is My body.  Luke states do this in remembrance of Him.  However, in these verses, it does not clearly state Jesus’ body is broken apart as the bread has been.  It is inferred, and many conclude this.  Read what Paul states in 1 Corinthians 11:24 in either the King James or New King James versions.  Paul links the bread to Jesus’ body and states, “this is my body, which is broken for you.”  Some of the other versions do not include “the body is broken.”  The breaking of the bread represents the suffering Jesus will endure for our sins. It does not mean literally that His body will be broken apart like the bread is broken apart.  It means Jesus will take on your sins, and His body will absorb and be afflicted for the atonement and punishment of the sins.

15.                Have someone read:  Matthew 26:27-29, Mark 14:23-25, Luke 22:20-22.  What is the significance of drinking from the cup? Jesus states the wine in the cup represents His blood that is about to be shed.  And drinking from the cup represents man’s new covenant with the Lord.  The new covenant is sealed with His blood.

16.                What does the wine represent? The wine represents the new covenant God makes with man through Jesus.

17.                What is the old covenant?  Exodus 24:8. Moses offered burnt offerings to the Lord. Half of the blood was sprinkled on the altar.  The other half was put in basins.  Moses then sprinkled the blood from the basins onto the people.

18.                When did Jesus have his disciples drink from the cup of wine during the Passover?  Luke states Jesus took the cup after supper.

19.                What does it mean when Jesus says his blood is shed for many for the remission of sins?  For our sins to be forgiven by God, it is Jesus’ blood that must be used to wipe away their sins.  It is unclean for a man to drink blood.  Jesus’ blood was used to shed for many people.

20.                Why does Jesus state he will no longer drink from the fruit of the vine?  Jesus is saying that his stay will be very short.  The cup He drank from would be the last drink he would have with his disciples. 

21.                Have someone read:  Matthew 26:25 and John 13:26-27.  Jesus identifies his betrayer.  Who is it?  There are two references where Jesus outwardly identifies who the betrayer is.  In Matthew 26:25, Judas asks Jesus, “Is it I?”  Jesus replies, “You have said it.”  In John 13:26-27, Jesus is responding to Peter’s inquiry, “Lord, who is it?”  Jesus provides the answer and tells him it is the person he hands the bread to when he dips it into the bread.  In the following sentence, Jesus gives the bread to Judas Iscariot.  At the end of John 13:27, Jesus says to Judas, what he has to do, do it quickly.