Monday, March 18

They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 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. “ (Luke 22: 13–16)

A room prepared for a meal, all furnished. With what?

A low table, just above the floor, surrounded by cushions to lean on as you recline for the meal. Somewhere nearby was either a spit or a roasting oven; the lamb could not be boiled or stewed, but roasted and carved from a whole or part of the lamb.

The usual plates and utensils, chalices for wine and a stack of three matzos. A scroll of Psalms. And maybe a Seder plate like the one on the bottom of the previous page.

Why was this Passover so important to Jesus and to us? Passover, and this one especially, means freedom - years earlier for the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery; for us, freedom from sin, freedom to worship our God in a new way, with a new understanding, as His children.

The evening would start the usual way for a Seder with the lighting of candles (maybe by one of the women as was done in a Hebrew home on the Sabbath). Then the pouring and passing of a chalice of wine; the telling of Freedom’s Story, beginning with, “Why is this night unlike all others.” (And little did the disciples know how different!) Next a portion of one matzo placed in a covering and hidden. Another cup of wine shared. The meal. Retrieval by a child at the end of the meal of the hidden matzo for which he is paid in silver coins. And then!

“This is my body.” “This is my blood.” 

A psalm is sung as a final cup of wine is poured for Elijah.

Wow! What a “Freedom Story!”

Perry White