(Jesus), in like manner he took also the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which shall be shed for you.”
Body of Bread before Supper, new covenant in Jesus’ blood after supper.
What did they eat for supper? Was the meal a Seder, the ritual meal held in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Passover?
Typically, Christians pray before and after meals. Before: “Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy Bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.” After: “We give Thee thanks Almighty God, for all Thy benefits, and for the poor souls of the faithfully departed, through the Mercy of God, may they rest in peace. Amen.”
‘Before and After,’ seems to be a common thread in life…
Before and after birth.
Before and after sin.
Before and after death.
See beyond what seems to be!
Sin starts with a thought yet Peter thought and spoke denying knowing the Lord three times.
And at that moment, while he was yet speaking, a cock crowed. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, “Before a cock crows, thou wilt deny me three times.” And Peter went out and wept bitterly.
God knows our sins and Jesus knows our sins too. Jesus in our heart comforts our spirits and forgives our sinfulness.
“I am perfect, except when I am not,” says this sinful soul.
Jesus said Peter would deny Him that third time. I wonder if seeing and feeling that was worse than the betrayal of Judas which seemed nonessential and routine in terms of biblical drama. Here Peter is not only denying the Lord three times but does nothing to stop the abuse to him.
And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter.
When will we stop the abuse to ourselves and the abuse we do to others?
Jesus at the Mount of Olives to Apostles: “Pray you may not enter into temptation.”
Jesus to God: “Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will but thine be done.”
And there appeared to him an angel from heaven to strengthen him. And falling into an agony he prayed the more earnestly.
And rising from prayer, he came to his disciples, and found them sleeping for sorrow. And he said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, that you may not enter into temptation.”
…and he who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was going before them (a crowd), and he drew near to Jesus to kiss him, But Jesus said to him, “Judas, dost thou betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
“Lord shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
Jesus: “Bear with them thus far.” And he touched his ear and healed it.
Jesus to the chef priests, captains of the temple and elders: “As against a robber have you come out, with swords and clubs. When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not stretch forth your hands against me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
And the men who had him in custody began to mock him and beat him. And they blindfolded him, and kept striking his face and asking him, saying, “Prophesy, who is it that struck thee?” And many other things they kept saying against him, reviling him.
Elders of the people, the chief priests and the scribes gathered together and they led him away into their Sanhedrin, saying, “If thou art the Christ, tell us.”
Jesus: “If I tell you, you will not believe me; and if I question you, you will not answer me, or let me go. But henceforth, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
They: “Art thou the Son of God?”
Jesus: “You yourselves say that I am.”
They: “What further need have we of witness? For we have heard it ourselves from his own mouth.”
What is tempting you this very moment? Are you able to turn from it and ask Jesus to come into your heart and save you from the temptation?
What cross are you carrying? Why is it so heavy? Jesus promises us rest!
Pray before supper and pray after supper, and stay in union with Christ all the time!
Day 80: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Before Supper, After Supper, In Union with Christ all the Time!
Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Luke Chapter 22.
Bible Notes:
The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
Saint Luke, a pagan by birth and a physician by profession, had never seen our Lord. An early convert, he became a companion and co-worker of Saint Paul.
In the first four verses of his Gospel he explains why he wrote it. Paul’s doctrine that salvation is for all, not for Jesus alone, is the theme of Saint Luke’s Gospel.
Luke Chapter 22: The council against Jesus; The betrayal by Judas; Preparation for the Passover; The Last Supper; Institution of the Holy Eucharist; The betrayer; Contention among the Apostles; Peter’s denials predicted; The impending capture of Jesus; The agony in the garden; Jesus finds the disciples sleeping; The kiss of Judas; Jesus arrested; Peter’s denial; Jesus abused; Trial before the Sanhedrin.
Now the feast of the Unleavened Bread, which is called Passover, was drawing near…
But Satan entered into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, one of the Twelve…
Now the day of the Unleavened Bread came, on which the Passover had to be sacrificed.
Jesus to Peter and John: “Go and prepare for us the Passover that we may eat it… Behold, on your entering the city, there will meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house into which he goes. And you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Master says to thee, “Where is the guest chamber, that I may eat the Passover there with my disciples?”’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished; there make ready.”
Jesus to the Twelve Apostles: “I have greatly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you that I will eat of it no more, until it has been fulfilled in the kingdom of God… Take this and share it among you; for I say to you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God comes… This is my body, which is being given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In like manner he took also the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which shall be shed for you.”
“But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man indeed goes his way, as it has been determined: yet woe to that man by whom he will be betrayed.”
Now there arose a dispute among the Apostles, which of them was reputed to be the greatest. But Jesus said to them: “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and they who exercise authority over them are called Benefactors. But not so with you. On the contrary, let him who is greatest among you become as the youngest, and him who is the chief as servant. For which is greater, he who reclines at table, or he who serves? Is it not he who reclines? But I am in your midst as he who serves. But you are they who have continued with me in my trials. And I appoint you a kingdom, even as my Father has appointed me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you shall sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jesus: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith may not fail; and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, strengthen thy brethren.”
Simon Peter to Jesus: “Lord, with thee I am ready to go both to prison and to death!”
Jesus to Simon Peter: “I tell thee, Peter, a cock will not crow this day, until thou hast denied me three times that thou knowest me.”
Jesus to the Twelve Apostles: “When I sent you forth without purse or wallet or sandals, did you lack anything?”
Apostles: “Nothing.”
Jesus: “But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a wallet; and let him who has no sword sell his tunic and buy one. For I say to you that this which is written must yet be fulfilled in me, ‘And he reckoned among the wicked.’ For that which concerns me is at its end.”
Apostles: “Lord, behold, here are two swords.”
Jesus: “Enough.”
Jesus at the Mount of Olives to Apostles: “Pray you may not enter into temptation.”
Jesus to God: “Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will but thine be done.”
And there appeared to him an angel from heaven to strengthen him. And falling into an agony he prayed the more earnestly.
And rising from prayer, he came to his disciples, and found them sleeping for sorrow. And he said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, that you may not enter into temptation.”
…and he who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was going before them (a crowd), and he drew near to Jesus to kiss him, But Jesus said to him, “Judas, dost thou betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
“Lord shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
Jesus: “Bear with them thus far.” And he touched his ear and healed it.
Jesus to the chef priests, captains of the temple and elders: “As against a robber have you come out, with swords and clubs. When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not stretch forth your hands against me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
Woman: “This man was with him.”
Peter: “Woman, I do not know him.”
Someone else: “Thou too art one of them.”
Peter: “Man, I am not.”
Another: “Surely this man, too, was with him, for he also is a Galilean.”
Peter: “Man. I do not know what thou sayest.”
And at that moment, while he was yet speaking, a cock crowed. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, “Before a cock crows, thou wilt deny me three times.” And Peter went out and wept bitterly.
And the men who had him in custody began to mock him and beat him. And they blindfolded him, and kept striking his face and asking him, saying, “Prophesy, who is it that struck thee?” And many other things they kept saying against him, reviling him.
Elders of the people, the chief priests and the scribes gathered together and they led him away into their Sanhedrin, saying, “If thou art the Christ, tell us.”
Jesus: “If I tell you, you will not believe me; and if I question you, you will not answer me, or let me go. But henceforth, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
They: “Art thou the Son of God?”
Jesus: “You yourselves say that I am.”
They: “What further need have we of witness? For we have heard it ourselves from his own mouth.”
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