Jesus’ Last Supper

The Jews celebrated the Passover every year on the 14th day of the month of Nisan. This was to remind them of how Jehovah had set them free from slavery in Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land. In the year 33 C.E., Jesus and his apostles celebrated the Passover in an upper room in Jerusalem. At the end of the meal, Jesus said: ‘One of you is going to betray me.’ The apostles were shocked, and they asked Jesus: ‘Who is it?’ Jesus said: ‘It is the man to whom I give this bread.’ Then he gave a piece of bread to Judas Iscariot. Immediately, Judas got up and left the room.

Jesus then said a prayer, broke some bread into pieces, and handed it to the remaining apostles. He said: ‘Eat this bread. It represents my body, which I will give for you.’ Then he prayed over some wine and gave it to his apostles. He said: ‘Drink this wine. It represents my blood, which I will give so that sins can be forgiven. I promise that you will be kings with me in heaven. Do this every year to remember me.’ Jesus’ followers still meet together on that evening every year. That meeting is now called the Lord’s Evening Meal.

After the meal, the apostles argued over which one of them was the most important. But Jesus told them: ‘The one who is greatest among you is the one who sees himself as the youngest, the least important one.

‘You are my friends. I tell you everything my Father wants me to tell you. Soon I’m going to my Father in heaven. You will remain behind, and people will know that you are my disciples by the love that you have for one another. You must love one another just as I have loved you.’

Finally, Jesus prayed, asking Jehovah to protect all the disciples. He asked Jehovah to help them to work together in peace. He prayed for Jehovah’s name to be sanctified. Then Jesus and his apostles sang praises to Jehovah and went outside. The time was near for Jesus to be arrested.