Our Lord's Last Passover.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
THERE is nothing in the life of our Lord that is unimportant; no act that should not be studied most carefully and reverently. But of all the recorded events of his earthly ministry, those immediately connected with his death must be of the greatest interest. Everything centers around this point; it is that upon which all our hope depends. It is not strange, therefore, that the order of the events connected with the last supper should be (as has been the case) the subject of much careful study. It is true that some deprecate any special effort to locate different events in our Lord's life, thinking that it tends to divert the mind from the moral truths intended to be conveyed; but to us it seems highly proper. Indeed, such study appears to be very necessary if we would realize the full import of all that he did. It will be admitted that Christ was very careful in regard to the fitness of things. We cannot conceive of his doing anything out of place. Many scenes in his life that appear abrupt, and for which no reason can be given when considered by themselves, are fully explained when we consider the circumstances under which they took place. Of course there are many incidents in the life of Christ which cannot be assigned to any particular time or place. They are complete in themselves. But we think that those events in the life of our Lord which stand closely related to any other event, may be properly located by a careful study of the different accounts given by the four evangelists. And as such study makes the narrative seem more real to us, and brings us to a clearer understanding of our Lord's life, the important truths which he taught must thereby certainly make a deeper impression upon us. It is not because there has not been much discussion on the subject that it is taken up here. The various conflicting theories have been treated at great length; so great that the average reader often becomes confused before he arrives at the author's conclusion. And in the books on this subject we find, as we think, a mixture of truth and error. We shall endeavor as much as possible to simplify the evidence in the account, and so present it that all may take their Bibles and trace the matter for themselves. Matthew and Mark give almost precisely the same account of the events of the passover night. They note the sitting down to supper, the designation of the one who would betray Jesus, and the Lord's supper. Both follow the same order. It is quite certain, therefore, that while they have omitted many things, they have given those events which they did relate in their proper order. Luke does not follow the same order, but he mentions one point which the others omit—the strife among the disciples. John says nothing about the Lord's supper, but he gives a minute account of the feet washing, which is not mentioned by any of the others. A comparison of the four accounts will show that John's is the most complete in its details, and we shall therefore use that as a basis. Separating it into its parts we have the following table:— 2. Jesus rises and washes the disciples' feet. Verses 4-11. 3. He takes his garments again and sits down. Verse 12. 4. He explains his act and bids them follow his example. Verses 12-17. 5. He says that one sitting at the table with him would betray him. Verse 18. 6. He tells how the traitor may be known. Verses 23-26. 7. He gives the sop to Judas. Verse 26. 8. Judas immediately goes out. Verse 30. Before going further we must harmonize an apparent discrepancy in John's narrative. In verses 2 and 4 we read: "And supper being ended. . . . he riseth from supper," and then follows the account of the feet washing. Thus the idea generally obtains that the passover supper was entirely finished before the feet washing was performed. But in verses 12, 23-30, we again find them at supper. The question now arises, What relation, in point of time, does the feet washing sustain to the passover supper? We reply, It took place at the beginning of the supper, and offer the following proof: The original for, "And supper being ended," is, kai deipnon genomenon, which may be translated, "And supper being ready." The Revised Version renders it, "And during supper." Greenfield's Lexicon has it, "During supper." Robinson's Lexicon, on the verb alone, says: "(f) of any occasion, e. g. a repast, to be prepared, made ready, John 13:2." The Emphatic Diaglott: "While supper was preparing." Speaker's Commentary: "During supper." Clarke's Commentary: "While supper was preparing." Campbell: "While they were at supper." Barnes says on this text: "This translation expresses too much. The original means, while they were at supper; and that this is the meaning is clear from the fact that we find them still eating after this. The Arabic and Persic translations give it this meaning." Other good authorities give this meaning also. It may then be considered as settled that John's account is consistent with itself, and that the feet washing took place during, or near the beginning of, the meal. If supper were ready, and they were already sitting down when this event occurred, it would be perfectly consistent to say that it happened during supper.512 We will now consider a circumstance mentioned only by Luke—the strife among the disciples. It is recorded in Luke 22:24, after the account of the supper and the pointing out of the traitor. But there is very strong evidence to show that Luke's account is not chronological. And here we would remark that although Luke is very minute in his description of many things, he seems to have in general made no attempt to follow the order of events. His account of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness is a case in point. We first notice that the language of Luke 22:27 is similar to that of John 13:16. Christ's reproof and instruction in Luke 22:25-27, are evidently the same as his remarks in connection with the ordinance of feet washing. It is most natural to conclude that this humiliating ordinance was given immediately in connection with the strife of the disciples as to who should be accounted the greatest. It is impossible to think for a moment that any such strife could have taken place after that lesson on humility. But we have seen that the feet washing took place at the beginning of the supper. Then the strife (Luke 22:24) must have preceded the supper, and is recorded by Luke out of its proper place. Again, concerning what would the disciples be most likely to contend at that time? we answer, They would naturally contend as to who should have the precedence at table. Among the ancients the distinctions in age or rank were clearly defined, and at table the oldest or most honorable had certain seats assigned them. An instance of this is found in Gen. 43:33. Among all people, even at the present time, there is a difference, in point of precedence, in the seats at the table, and table etiquette is very clearly defined and strictly observed. The same point is brought out in Matt. 23:6; Mark 12:38, 39; Luke 14:7-11, where Christ reproved those who chose the chief places. There is certainly nothing else concerning which they could strive for the precedence on this occasion. And this strife furnished an occasion for Christ to give them the most impressive lesson on humility. But this again shows that the ordinance of feet washing took place at the beginning of the meal. Some may object, and say that their strife was as to who should be greatest in the kingdom of Heaven, and that it did not refer to their place at the table. But the disciples still looked for a temporal kingdom, which they thought Christ was soon to set up; and they would naturally expect that their rank in the kingdom would be determined by the position they occupied previous to its being set up. With this view their place at table was to them a matter of great importance. That we may keep the subject clear in our minds, we will now state in their order the events that occurred up to the present point of investigation. 1. Supper being ready, Jesus sat down. He was the host, and of course took the first place. 2. A strife arose among the disciples as to who should have the place of honor, that being, doubtless, the one nearest to Jesus. 3. To rebuke this unseemly strife, he rose from supper and proceeded to wash their feet, teaching them by precept and example that humility was the only ground of preferment in his kingdom. 4. Having completed this ceremony, he resumed his garments and sat down again to supper.