Urantia Book Paper 179 The Last Supper

Urantia Book Paper 179 The Last Supper
SPIRITWEB ORG, PROMOTING SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE INTERNET.

Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem ... The Last Supper
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Paper 179 The Last Supper

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Introduction

DURING the afternoon of this Thursday, when Philip reminded the Master about
the approaching Passover and inquired concerning his plans for its celebration,
he had in mind the Passover supper which was due to be eaten on the evening of
the next day, Friday. It was the custom to begin the preparations for the
celebration of the Passover not later than noon of the preceding day. And since
the Jews reckoned the day as beginning at sunset, this meant that Saturday's
Passover supper would be eaten on Friday night, sometime before the midnight
hour.

The apostles were, therefore, entirely at a loss to understand the Master's
announcement that they would celebrate the Passover one day early. They
thought, at least some of them did, that he knew he would be placed under
arrest before the time of the Passover supper on Friday night and was therefore
calling them together for a special supper on this Thursday evening. Others
thought that this was merely a special occasion which was to precede the
regular Passover celebration.

The apostles knew that Jesus had celebrated other Passovers without the lamb;
they knew that he did not personally participate in any sacrificial service of
the Jewish system. He had many times partaken of the paschal lamb as a guest,
but always, when he was the host, no lamb was served. It would not have been a
great surprise to the apostles to have seen the lamb omitted even on Passover
night, and since this supper was given one day earlier, they thought nothing of
its absence.

After receiving the greetings of welcome extended by the father and mother of
John Mark, the apostles went immediately to the upper chamber while Jesus
lingered behind to talk with the Mark family.

It had been understood beforehand that the Master was to celebrate this
occasion alone with his twelve apostles; therefore no servants were provided to
wait upon them.

1. THE DESIRE FOR PREFERENCE

When the apostles had been shown upstairs by John Mark, they beheld a large and
commodious chamber, which was completely furnished for the supper, and observed
that the bread, wine, water, and herbs were all in readiness on one end of the
table. Except for the end on which rested the bread and wine, this long table
was surrounded by thirteen reclining couches, just such as would be provided
for the celebration of the Passover in a well-to-do Jewish household.

As the twelve entered this upper chamber, they noticed, just inside the door,
the pitchers of water, the basins, and towels for laving their dusty feet; and
since

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no servant had been provided to render this service, the apostles began to look
at one another as soon as John Mark had left them, and each began to think
within himself, Who shall wash our feet? And each likewise thought that it
would not be he who would thus seem to act as the servant of the others.

As they stood there, debating in their hearts, they surveyed the seating
arrangement of the table, taking note of the higher divan of the host with one
couch on the right and eleven arranged around the table on up to opposite this
second seat of honor on the host's right.

They expected the Master to arrive any moment, but they were in a quandary as
to whether they should seat themselves or await his coming and depend on him to
assign them their places. While they hesitated, Judas stepped over to the seat
of honor, at the left of the host, and signified that he intended there to
recline as the preferred guest. This act of Judas immediately stirred up a
heated dispute among the other apostles. Judas had no sooner seized the seat of
honor than John Zebedee laid claim to the next preferred seat, the one on the
right of the host. Simon Peter was so enraged at this assumption of choice
positions by Judas and John that, as the other angry apostles looked on, he
marched clear around the table and took his place on the lowest couch, the end
of the seating order and just opposite to that chosen by John Zebedee. Since
others had seized the high seats, Peter thought to choose the lowest, and he
did this, not merely in protest against the unseemly pride of his brethren, but
with the hope that Jesus, when he should come and see him in the place of least
honor, would call him up to a higher one, thus displacing one who had presumed
to honor himself.

With the highest and the lowest positions thus occupied, the rest of the
apostles chose places, some near Judas and some near Peter, until all were
located. They were seated about the U-shaped table on these reclining divans in
the following order: on the right of the Master, John; on the left, Judas,
Simon Zelotes, Matthew, James Zebedee, Andrew, the Alpheus twins, Philip,
Nathaniel, Thomas, and Simon Peter.

They are gathered together to celebrate, at least in spirit, an institution
which antedated even Moses and referred to the times when their fathers were
slaves in Egypt. This supper is their last rendezvous with Jesus, and even in
such a solemn setting, under the leadership of Judas the apostles are led once
more to give way to their old predilection for honor, preference, and personal
exaltation.

They were still engaged in voicing angry recriminations when the Master
appeared in the doorway, where he hesitated a moment as a look of
disappointment slowly crept over his face. Without comment he went to his
place, and he did not disturb their seating arrangement.

They were now ready to begin the supper, except that their feet were still
unwashed, and they were in anything but a pleasant frame of mind. When the
Master arrived, they were still engaged in making uncomplimentary remarks about
one another, to say nothing of the thoughts of some who had sufficient
emotional control to refrain from publicly expressing their feelings.

2. BEGINNING THE SUPPER

For a few moments after the Master had gone to his place, not a word was
spoken. Jesus looked them all over and, relieving the tension with a smile,
said: "I have greatly desired to eat this Passover with you. I wanted to eat
with you

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once more before I suffered, and realizing that my hour has come, I arranged to
have this supper with you tonight, for, as concerns the morrow, we are all in
the hands of the Father, whose will I have come to execute. I shall not again
eat with you until you sit down with me in the kingdom which my Father will
give me when I have finished that for which he sent me into this world."

After the wine and the water had been mixed, they brought the cup to Jesus,
who, when he had received it from the hand of Thaddeus, held it while he
offered thanks. And when he had finished offering thanks, he said: "Take this
cup and divide it among yourselves and, when you partake of it, realize that I
shall not again drink with you the fruit of the vine since this is our last
supper. When we sit down again in this manner, it will be in the kingdom to
come."

Jesus began thus to talk to his apostles because he knew that his hour had
come. He understood that the time had come when he was to return to the Father,
and that his work on earth was almost finished. The Master knew he had revealed
the Father's love on earth and had shown forth his mercy to mankind, and that
he had completed that for which he came into the world, even to the receiving
of all power and authority in heaven and on earth. Likewise, he knew Judas
Iscariot had fully made up his mind to deliver him that night into the hands of
his enemies. He fully realized that this traitorous betrayal was the work of
Judas, but that it also pleased Lucifer, Satan, and Caligastia the prince of
darkness. But he feared none of those who sought his spiritual overthrow any
more than he feared those who sought to accomplish his physical death. The
Master had but one anxiety, and that was for the safety and salvation of his
chosen followers. And so, with the full knowledge that the Father had put all
things under his authority, the Master now prepared to enact the parable of
brotherly love.

3. WASHING THE APOSTLES' FEET

After drinking the first cup of the Passover, it was the Jewish custom for the
host to arise from the table and wash his hands. Later on in the meal and after
the second cup, all of the guests likewise rose up and washed their hands.
Since the apostles knew that their Master never observed these rites of
ceremonial hand washing, they were very curious to know what he intended to do
when, after they had partaken of this first cup, he arose from the table and
silently made his way over to near the door, where the water pitchers, basins,
and towels had been placed. And their curiosity grew into astonishment as they
saw the Master remove his outer garment, gird himself with a towel, and begin
to pour water into one of the foot basins. Imagine the amazement of these
twelve men, who had so recently refused to wash one another's feet, and who had
engaged in such unseemly disputes about positions of honor at the table, when
they saw him make his way around the unoccupied end of the table to the lowest
seat of the feast, where Simon Peter reclined, and, kneeling down in the
attitude of a servant, make ready to wash Simon's feet. As the Master knelt,
all twelve arose as one man to their feet; even the traitorous Judas so far
forgot his infamy for a moment as to arise with his fellow apostles in this
expression of surprise, respect, and utter amazement.

There stood Simon Peter, looking down into the upturned face of his Master.
Jesus said nothing; it was not necessary that he should speak. His attitude
plainly revealed that he was minded to wash Simon Peter's feet. Notwithstanding

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his frailties of the flesh, Peter loved the Master. This Galilean fisherman was
the first human being wholeheartedly to believe in the divinity of Jesus and to
make full and public confession of that belief. And Peter had never since
really doubted the divine nature of the Master. Since Peter so revered and
honored Jesus in his heart, it was not strange that his soul resented the
thought of Jesus' kneeling there before him in the attitude of a menial servant
and proposing to wash his feet as would a slave. When Peter presently collected
his wits sufficiently to address the Master, he spoke the heart feelings of all
his fellow apostles.

After a few moments of this great embarrassment, Peter said, "Master, do you
really mean to wash my feet?" And then, looking up into Peter's face, Jesus
said: "You may not fully understand what I am about to do, but hereafter you
will know the meaning of all these things." Then Simon Peter, drawing a long
breath, said, "Master, you shall never wash my feet!" And each of the apostles
nodded their approval of Peter's firm declaration of refusal to allow Jesus
thus to humble himself before them.

The dramatic appeal of this unusual scene at first touched the heart of even
Judas Iscariot; but when his vainglorious intellect passed judgment upon the
spectacle, he concluded that this gesture of humility was just one more episode
which conclusively proved that Jesus would never qualify as Israel's deliverer,
and that he had made no mistake in the decision to desert the Master's cause.

As they all stood there in breathless amazement, Jesus said: "Peter, I declare
that, if I do not wash your feet, you will have no part with me in that which I
am about to perform." When Peter heard this declaration, coupled with the fact
that Jesus continued kneeling there at his feet, he made one of those decisions
of blind acquiescence in compliance with the wish of one whom he respected and
loved. As it began to dawn on Simon Peter that there was attached to this
proposed enactment of service some signification that determined one's future
connection with the Master's work, he not only became reconciled to the thought
of allowing Jesus to wash his feet but, in his characteristic and impetuous
manner, said: "Then, Master, wash not my feet only but also my hands and my
head."

As the Master made ready to begin washing Peter's feet, he said: "He who is
already clean needs only to have his feet washed. You who sit with me tonight
are clean--but not all. But the dust of your feet should have been washed away
before you sat down at meat with me. And besides, I would perform this service
for you as a parable to illustrate the meaning of a new commandment which I
will presently give you."

In like manner the Master went around the table, in silence, washing the feet
of his twelve apostles, not even passing by Judas. When Jesus had finished
washing the feet of the twelve, he donned his cloak, returned to his place as
host, and after looking over his bewildered apostles, said:

"Do you really understand what I have done to you? You call me Master, and you
say well, for so I am. If, then, the Master has washed your feet, why was it
that you were unwilling to wash one another's feet? What lesson should you
learn from this parable in which the Master so willingly does that service
which his brethren were unwilling to do for one another? Verily, verily, I say
to you: A servant is not greater than his master; neither is one who is sent
greater than he who sends him. You have seen the way of service in my life
among you, and blessed are you who will have the gracious courage so to serve.
But why are you

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so slow to learn that the secret of greatness in the spiritual kingdom is not
like the methods of power in the material world?

"When I came into this chamber tonight, you were not content proudly to refuse
to wash one another's feet, but you must also fall to disputing among
yourselves as to who should have the places of honor at my table. Such honors
the Pharisees and the children of this world seek, but it should not be so
among the ambassadors of the heavenly kingdom. Do you not know that there can
be no place of preferment at my table? Do you not understand that I love each
of you as I do the others? Do you not know that the place nearest me, as men
regard such honors, can mean nothing concerning your standing in the kingdom of
heaven? You know that the kings of the gentiles have lordship over their
subjects, while those who exercise this authority are sometimes called
benefactors. But it shall not be so in the kingdom of heaven. He who would be
great among you, let him become as the younger; while he who would be chief,
let him become as one who serves. Who is the greater, he who sits at meat, or
he who serves? Is it not commonly regarded that he who sits at meat is the
greater? But you will observe that I am among you as one who serves. If you are
willing to become fellow servants with me in doing the Father's will, in the
kingdom to come you shall sit with me in power, still doing the Father's will
in future glory."

When Jesus had finished speaking, the Alpheus twins brought on the bread and
wine, with the bitter herbs and the paste of dried fruits, for the next course
of the Last Supper.

4. LAST WORDS TO THE BETRAYER

For some minutes the apostles ate in silence, but under the influence of the
Master's cheerful demeanor they were soon drawn into conversation, and ere long
the meal was proceeding as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred to
interfere with the good cheer and social accord of this extraordinary occasion.
After some time had elapsed, in about the middle of this second course of the
meal, Jesus, looking them over, said: "I have told you how much I desired to
have this supper with you, and knowing how the evil forces of darkness have
conspired to bring about the death of the Son of Man, I determined to eat this
supper with you in this secret chamber and a day in advance of the Passover
since I will not be with you by this time tomorrow night. I have repeatedly
told you that I must return to the Father. Now has my hour come, but it was not
required that one of you should betray me into the hands of my enemies."

When the twelve heard this, having already been robbed of much of their
self-assertiveness and self-confidence by the parable of the feet washing and
the Master's subsequent discourse, they began to look at one another while in
disconcerted tones they hesitatingly inquired, "Is it I?" And when they had all
so inquired, Jesus said: "While it is necessary that I go to the Father, it was
not required that one of you should become a traitor to fulfill the Father's
will. This is the coming to fruit of the concealed evil in the heart of one who
failed to love the truth with his whole soul. How deceitful is the intellectual
pride that precedes the spiritual downfall! My friend of many years, who even
now eats my bread, will be willing to betray me, even as he now dips his hand
with me in the dish."

And when Jesus had thus spoken, they all began again to ask, "Is it I?" And as
Judas, sitting on the left of his Master, again asked, "Is it I?" Jesus,
dipping the bread in the dish of herbs, handed it to Judas, saying, "You have

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said." But the others did not hear Jesus speak to Judas. John, who reclined on
Jesus' right hand, leaned over and asked the Master: "Who is it? We should know
who it is that has proved untrue to his trust." Jesus answered: "Already have I
told you, even he to whom I gave the sop." But it was so natural for the host
to give a sop to the one who sat next to him on the left that none of them took
notice of this, even though the Master had so plainly spoken. But Judas was
painfully conscious of the meaning of the Master's words associated with his
act, and he became fearful lest his brethren were likewise now aware that he
was the betrayer.

Peter was highly excited by what had been said, and leaning forward over the
table, he addressed John, "Ask him who it is, or if he has told you, tell me
who is the betrayer."

Jesus brought their whisperings to an end by saying: "I sorrow that this evil
should have come to pass and hoped even up to this hour that the power of truth
might triumph over the deceptions of evil, but such victories are not won
without the faith of the sincere love of truth. I would not have told you these
things at this, our last supper, but I desire to warn you of these sorrows and
so prepare you for what is now upon us. I have told you of this because I
desire that you should recall, after I have gone, that I knew about all these
evil plottings, and that I forewarned you of my betrayal. And I do all this
only that you may be strengthened for the temptations and trials which are just
ahead."

When Jesus had thus spoken, leaning over toward Judas, he said: "What you have
decided to do, do quickly." And when Judas heard these words, he arose from the
table and hastily left the room, going out into the night to do what he had set
his mind to accomplish. When the other apostles saw Judas hasten off after
Jesus had spoken to him, they thought he had gone to procure something
additional for the supper or to do some other errand for the Master since they
supposed he still carried the bag.

Jesus now knew that nothing could be done to keep Judas from turning traitor.
He started with twelve--now he had eleven. He chose six of these apostles, and
though Judas was among those nominated by his first-chosen apostles, still the
Master accepted him and had, up to this very hour, done everything possible to
sanctify and save him, even as he had wrought for the peace and salvation of
the others.

This supper, with its tender episodes and softening touches, was Jesus' last
appeal to the deserting Judas, but it was of no avail. Warning, even when
administered in the most tactful manner and conveyed in the most kindly spirit,
as a rule, only intensifies hatred and fires the evil determination to carry
out to the full one's own selfish projects, when love is once really dead.

5. ESTABLISHING THE REMEMBRANCE SUPPER

As they brought Jesus the third cup of wine, the "cup of blessing," he arose
from the couch and, taking the cup in his hands, blessed it, saying: "Take this
cup, all of you, and drink of it. This shall be the cup of my remembrance. This
is the cup of the blessing of a new dispensation of grace and truth. This shall
be to you the emblem of the bestowal and ministry of the divine Spirit of
Truth. And I will not again drink this cup with you until I drink in new form
with you in the Father's eternal kingdom."

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The apostles all sensed that something out of the ordinary was transpiring as
they drank of this cup of blessing in profound reverence and perfect silence.
The old Passover commemorated the emergence of their fathers from a state of
racial slavery into individual freedom; now the Master was instituting a new
remembrance supper as a symbol of the new dispensation wherein the enslaved
individual emerges from the bondage of ceremonialism and selfishness into the
spiritual joy of the brotherhood and fellowship of the liberated faith sons of
the living God.

When they had finished drinking this new cup of remembrance, the Master took up
the bread and, after giving thanks, broke it in pieces and, directing them to
pass it around, said: "Take this bread of remembrance and eat it. I have told
you that I am the bread of life. And this bread of life is the united life of
the Father and the Son in one gift. The word of the Father, as revealed in the
Son, is indeed the bread of life." When they had partaken of the bread of
remembrance, the symbol of the living word of truth incarnated in the likeness
of mortal flesh, they all sat down.

In instituting this remembrance supper, the Master, as was always his habit,
resorted to parables and symbols. He employed symbols because he wanted to
teach certain great spiritual truths in such a manner as to make it difficult
for his successors to attach precise interpretations and definite meanings to
his words. In this way he sought to prevent successive generations from
crystallizing his teaching and binding down his spiritual meanings by the dead
chains of tradition and dogma. In the establishment of the only ceremony or
sacrament associated with his whole life mission, Jesus took great pains to
suggest his meanings rather than to commit himself to precise definitions. He
did not wish to destroy the individual's concept of divine communion by
establishing a precise form; neither did he desire to limit the believer's
spiritual imagination by formally cramping it. He rather sought to set man's
reborn soul free upon the joyous wings of a new and living spiritual liberty.

Notwithstanding the Master's effort thus to establish this new sacrament of the
remembrance, those who followed after him in the intervening centuries saw to
it that his express desire was effectively thwarted in that his simple
spiritual symbolism of that last night in the flesh has been reduced to precise
interpretations and subjected to the almost mathematical precision of a set
formula. Of all Jesus' teachings none have become more tradition-standardized.

This supper of remembrance, when it is partaken of by those who are
Son-believing and God-knowing, does not need to have associated with its
symbolism any of man's puerile misinterpretations regarding the meaning of the
divine presence, for upon all such occasions the Master is really present. The
remembrance supper is the believer's symbolic rendezvous with Michael. When you
become thus spirit-conscious, the Son is actually present, and his spirit
fraternizes with the indwelling fragment of his Father.

After they had engaged in meditation for a few moments, Jesus continued
speaking: "When you do these things, recall the life I have lived on earth
among you and rejoice that I am to continue to live on earth with you and to
serve through you. As individuals, contend not among yourselves as to who shall
be greatest. Be you all as brethren. And when the kingdom grows to embrace
large groups of believers, likewise should you refrain from contending for
greatness or seeking preferment between such groups."

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And this mighty occasion took place in the upper chamber of a friend. There was
nothing of sacred form or of ceremonial consecration about either the supper or
the building. The remembrance supper was established without ecclesiastical
sanction.

When Jesus had thus established the supper of the remembrance, he said to the
apostles: "And as often as you do this, do it in remembrance of me. And when
you do remember me, first look back upon my life in the flesh, recall that I
was once with you, and then, by faith, discern that you shall all some time sup
with me in the Father's eternal kingdom. This is the new Passover which I leave
with you, even the memory of my bestowal life, the word of eternal truth; and
of my love for you, the outpouring of my Spirit of Truth upon all flesh."

And they ended this celebration of the old but bloodless Passover in connection
with the inauguration of the new supper of the remembrance, by singing, all
together, the one hundred and eighteenth Psalm.

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Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem Tuesday Morning In The
Temple The Last Temple Discourse Tuesday Evening On Mount Olivet Wednesday, The
Rest Day Last Day At The Camp The Last Supper The Farewell Discourse Final
Admonitions And Warnings In Gethsemane The Betrayal And Arrest Of Jesus Before
The Sanhedrin Court The Trial Before Pilate Just Before The Crucifixion The
Crucifixion The Time Of The Tomb The Resurrection Morontia Appearances Of Jesus
Appearances To The Apostles And Other Leaders Appearances In Galilee Final
Appearances And Ascension Bestowal Of The Spirit Of Truth After Pentecost The
Faith Of Jesus

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