Epaggelia

v12, Why did his disciples need to ask about where the Passover meal would be held? How did Jesus make arrangements without their knowledge? The Passover meal was one of the most important laws to observe and they’ve been following him for over 2 years, why wouldn’t they be prepared? To find a man carrying a jar of water, wouldn’t be hard, because usually it was women who carried jars of water. Luke 22:8 tells us which disciples are sent by Jesus to find this man, it was Peter & John. When they find the man, he leads them to the owner of the house, and they ask “The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ The words “MY GUEST ROOM” are amazing. This has been planned beforehand with serious intent! It doesn’t sound like a last minute afterthought being miraculously snapped into action. 

v13-15, Once they found the room, What was the role of the disciples in preparing for the meal? There is a certain sense of secretive service going on, while observing the Passover Meal. No one knows who owns the house, not even the disciples, so Judas would be totally unaware, and unable to use this venue as time for betrayal, but Judas was there! And the words “MY GUEST ROOM” are amazing. This has been planned beforehand with serious intent! It doesn’t sound like a last minute afterthought being miraculously snapped into action. It is very beautiful when the Master feels free to put His hand on our possessions, and claim their use. Does he not ask for the guest chamber of our inner life? Is our lifestyle at His disposal? Do we have room for Jesus to call his own in our estate? A great series of verses to read in this context is: Luke 14:33, Acts 4:32, Ephesians 1:11-14.

v16-21, The conversation around the table is directed by Jesus to emphasize betrayal. Why do you think in the middle of the Passover meal, ‘betrayal’ was needed as the topic of teaching? What is being established here is our Deliverance from betraying Jesus. All of us are guilty, and this Meal turns into the Supper we commune in our salvation. Just as the Israelites were saved as God passed over the blood in Egypt, we are saved as God passes over us with the blood of Christ in communion. Jesus has known for a long time, the evil one was amongst his own closest disciples, John 6:70, yet he still eats this Supper with him. Shouldn’t this teach us to be very slow in withdrawing fellowship from sinful Christians in our fellowship? However Judas is condemned by Jesus in v21, with real finality. In the mind of Christ, Judas Iscariot had already gone too far to return and repent and Christ knew it, as the other disciples would soon learn. The audacity of Judas to ask the question (is it I? ) even after having already talked to his enemies (14:10) is proof that Jesus is right. 

v22-24, the body of Jesus being represented as unleavened bread, which is broken and shared to be eaten is an obvious message of suffering, especially in view of the fact that Jews would see this as being in or out of fellowship. Unleavened bread was mandatory in this feast but if you ate any leavened bread that week, you were cut out of Israel’s fellowship, Exodus 12:15. So Jesus was mandating inclusive participation in his suffering, and none of them actually understood it at the time. Remember Acts 14:22. Jesus would suffer in this body, then expect us to be disciples that serve to the point of sacrificial suffering, Colossians 1:24. Isn’t it a paradox, that the spiritual body of Christ on each Sunday shares in the bread that represents his suffering for us? When Jesus offered the cup as his blood establishing a new covenant, he was on the brink of fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:31-33.