--Critical Perspectives
from the Word of God

Throughout  the Apostolic Age the early Church of God, the qehal'el, celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of Nisan, determined by the priestly calendar, as did the Jewish community. The Pharisees and most other Jews kept the Passover of the Jews, the Mosaic Passover, at the end of the fourteenth day and into the evening portion of the fifteenth. The early Church kept the New Passover, or the Christian Passover, that is, the annual memorial instituted by Jesus of Nazareth the evening before his execution, at the end of the thirteenth day and into the evening portion of the fourteenth.

The early Church no longer celebrated the Mosaic Passover nor its animal sacrifice as Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, "our Passover" (1 Corinthians 5:8), had been the supreme sacrifice once and for all (Hebrews 10:10-14, 18). In the ancient Church the annual observance of the Christian Passover constituted the reaffirmation of a Christian’s baptismal commitment.

At the beginning of the fourteenth day of Nisan, on the evening before his death, Jesus chose to assign new meaning to the unleavened bread and wine of the ancient Passover. This change was appropriate to the New Covenant he brought into being. There is no indication in the New Testament that the Twelve knew beforehand of Jesus' intention to change the significance of these symbols during a Pascal meal, although, he had previously made the following points:

While Jesus of Nazareth was not an Essene the first Christian Passover apparently occurred in this Essene community. If so, it could explain the persisting tradition that the first Lord’s Supper occurred in an upper room on Mt. Sion (see Cenacle). The literary evidence is found in the gospels of Luke and Mark. Both state that on the day of the slaughtering of the Passover lambs, which would have been Nisan 14, Jesus instructed Peter and John to enter Jerusalem, presumably through the Gate of the Essenes, and to look for a man carrying a pitcher of water (Luke 22:8-10, Mark 14:13). They were to follow him to where he entered a house and there to inquire of the housemaster (Greek: oikodespore) about the guest room where Jesus was to eat the Passover with his disciples.

Jesus said "He will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there" (Mark 14:15; cf Luke 22:12). In this ancient culture, the carrying of water in jars to homes was the chore of children and women, not Jewish men. However, an Essene man, typically a celibate monastic, would carry water as a chore since an Essene conclave would have been absent children and women to perform this menial task. The two made final arrangements for the Passover Supper.

When it was late (Greek: opsios), that is, at nightfall, Jesus and The Twelve came (Mark 14:16-17). With others they presumably consumed a meatless Passover Seder. It would have been meatless as the Essenes, as vegetarians, observed a meatless Passover, and would have served such in their guesthouse. There is no evidence that women travelers in Jesus' party would not have been welcome at the Essene guesthouse. Also, to eat the Passover Jesus and his party would all have to have been ritually clean, presumably using the ritual baths before entering the guesthouse, and adhering strictly to the Mosaic code on ritual cleanness. This is consistent with Jesus statement to Peter that he who is clean does not need to bathe (John 13:10).

The Essenes always celebrated their Passover on a Tuesday night. In CE 30 this was twenty-four hours before the Passover of the Jews. Moreover, the Levitical priests did not sacrifice the Passover lambs until the afternoon of Nisan 14. Jesus' meal, a meatless Seder, in an upper room in the Essene guesthouse became known as the Last Supper. In context, this room was where they dined that evening was not the place where they stayed while in Jerusalem.

Based upon the principal events of the evening leading up to Jesus' arrest the defining elements at the New Passover, seven of them, as practiced by early Judeo-Christians included:

1. a set time at the beginning of Nisan 14 (a full 24 hours before the traditional Jewish Passover evening);

2. a meatless Seder which the apostle Paul referred to as the Lord's Supper (I Corinthians 11:20);

3. a foot-washing ritual during the meal involving Jesus and the Twelve (John 13:5);

4. prayer where Jesus asked a blessing and gave thanks;

5. the ceremonial ingestion of unleavened bread;

6. drinking wine from the cup (the bread and wine, not grape juice, taken together as symbolic of his soon to be broken body and shed blood now called the Eucharist) shared among the Twelve (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:17-20; I Corinthians 11:23-25), and

7. a hymn (Mark 14:26).

The early Christian community thereafter commemorated Jesus’ suffering and death on their behalf from the perspective of the night on which Judas betrayed him. The Christian Passover was an annual event, at the beginning of the fourteenth of Nisan, observed on the evening and in the manner set by Jesus. Every indication is that the early Christians maintained this practice from this day forward.

As ancient Christianity fragmented into many independent groups multiple forms of this event came into being. The question of when these matters occurred and what the precise practice of the early Church was in regard to this memorial continues to invite scholarly debate and Christian passion. See The Crucifixion.

Conditioned by centuries of religious ceremony and traditions, based upon ideas originating in the Middle Ages, nearly all Christians believe that only the Twelve and Jesus were in attendance at the Last Supper. Mark 14:18–21 records that the "disciples," disturbed to hear from Jesus that one of them was a betrayer, continued to ask Jesus "Is it I?" Luke states that there was speculation among the group about who the betrayer was (Luke 22:23 cf. John 13:22). Jesus' disciples included more people than the Twelve. At the very least the disciples included Joseph (called Barsabbas and Justus) and Matthias (Acts 1:21-26). His party likely included Jesus' mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and others.

Jesus responded, according to Mark’s gospel, "It is one of the Twelve..." (Mark 14:20 NASB). He did not say "It is one of you." He made it clear that it was one of his immediate associates. John's gospel records that Jesus disclosed quietly to one or more at his table who the individual was (John 13:23–26, cf., Matthew 26:23). Taken together, the four gospel accounts suggest a larger group of disciples in attendance than the Twelve with seating at several tables. In this context, Jesus statement "It is one of the Twelve..." makes sense. 

After the Pascal meal, the introduction of the foot washing ritual, and altering the symbolism of the unleavened bread and wine, Jesus withdrew with the Twelve (John 14:31) and perhaps others such as Joseph and Matthias. The party proceeded on toward the Mount of Olives to a garden called Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32, cf., Luke 22:40 and John 18:1). If the observance was a catered one as appears to be the case, then the women and other disciples presumably dispersed as it was getting late.

Many assume that Jesus and the Twelve rented the Upper Room in a Jerusalem household for their exclusive use during the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. There are other issues, matters, and possibilities to consider. Jesus' party included the Twelve and presumably other disciples. Surprisingly, the Twelve appear not to be in any way shocked that they were going to eat the Passover with Jesus at the beginning of Nisan 14 not at the end of Nisan 14.

The disciples' speculation about Judas buying things needed for the feast does not make sense (John 13:29) unless this occurred twenty-four hours before the celebration of the traditional Passover of the Jews. The Jews observed their Passover at the end of Nisan 14. Moreover, the disciples prepared the Passover which presumably means they made any necessary last minute arrangements with the owner of the Upper Room for the group's Pascal meal. The owner-operators of the Upper Room apparently expected their guests to be eating a Pascal meal at the beginning of Nisan 14 and the implication is that they catered it. There was simply not enough time between sunset (when Jesus sent Peter and John to make preparations for the Passover) and dark (when Jesus arrived for the Passover with the Twelve) for Peter and John to prepare the meal. 

Page last updated: 12/29/03 06:31 PM.

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