How are Jesus' words and actions in the Last Supper to be understood?

Question

I am posting this question again, but at a different time

The question refers to the passages in 1 Corinthians 11,23-25; Mark 14,17-25; Matthew 26,20-29; Luke 22,14-38; John 13,1-17; 26, even though the name "last supper" is never in any of them. The nature of that meal that Jesus took with his apostles shortly before his arrest is variously described in the New Testament.

The earliest reference in the New Testament to the "last supper" (and what soon grew out of it) is found in 1 Corinthians (written about A.D. 56), where Paul, even before he recounts what Jesus did and said at it, speaks of a participation of Christians in "the table of the Lord" (10,21). He thus refers to what was already a well-established ritual custom among Corinthian Christians. At it they shared in a "cup of blessing" (10,16a), which Paul now interprets as a "participation in the blood of Christ" (v.16b) and in a "breaking of bread" (v. 26c), which is "a participation in the body of Christ" (v16d): "All partake of the one bread" (10,17). Thus Paul alludes to a Christian rite, which he even compares with "sacrifices" of the people of Israel" (10,18) and other sacrifices of "pagans" (10,20), as he emphasizes the idea of partnership or participation of those involved in it.

Please read the biblical citations, if you are not familiar with them, before answering. Take your time.

Answer 1

"When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, 'I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.' " (22:14-16)
"With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer." The doubling of the word "desire" reflects the Hebrew infinitive absolute, a grammatical form indicating intensity -- "earnestly desired" (RSV, NASB). Why was Jesus' desire so great? Verse 16 indicates the answer -- that this will be his last meal with them. The Passover meal is special -- special to Jesus -- and he is so grateful to have the Twelve around the table with him for this final occasion.

As host of the meal, Jesus begins to speak the ancient words of the Passover meal, telling of Israel's Exodus from Egypt by God's strong hand. For Jesus, this Passover meal looks forward to its fulfillment in the Great Feast in the Kingdom of God at the End Time (Luke 13:28-29; 14:15; 22:30; Revelation 19:9).

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever" (John 6:53-58).
They didn't have a "white wine" -- all their wine was dark red, so it isn't surprising that wine is often used in the Bible as a symbol of blood. The Bible refers to wine as "the blood of grapes" (Genesis 49:11; Deuteronomy 32:14; cf. Isaiah 63:6; Joel 3:13; Revelation 14:19-20). When Jesus poured red wine into a cup at the Last Supper, he thought of pouring out blood into the cup -- a striking, searing image. The very next day his own blood would be poured out.

Answer 2

Jesus was Jewish. He participated in a Passover Seder. As far as they were concerned, it wasn't The Last Supper, that is our name for it. The custom of communion at a church service is a re-enactment of the Passover Seder / Last Supper. The Christ offered food and drink to his Apostles to partake in memory of Him. So it is done as a memorial, and way for the body of the church to continue to partake in the body and blood, as a symbol of a covenant. The symbols of the bread (body) and the wine (blood) are metaphorical. The bread was symbolic of spiritual food, the wine symbolic of the presence of the living Christ among them. The Christ was so thoroughly immersed in the teachings, he became the teachings. So in offering the spiritual food, he was offering himself.....

Answer 3

they shared a meal..this was a great tribute in the time of this event...its more then just sharing a meal with someone today..it was a great honor...

Answer 4

well, according to your previous best answer, it is to be interpreted as literal eating of the flesh and drinking of the blood...

therefore, it's cannibalism.

Answer 5

If you really want to KNOW ask Jah-- send HIM a email.
Love Matt