Do you ever think about how people will remember you after you die?
If you’re thinking, “That’s a weird way to start a conversation,” you’re in good company. In fact, that may have been what Jesus’ disciples were thinking when He opened their Passover celebration dinner with stories, questions, and unsettling comments about life, death, and betrayal. This meal, known as the Last Supper, took place the night before Jesus was crucified.
Where Is the Last Supper in the Bible?
All four gospels recount the story of the Last Supper: Matthew 26:17-29, Mark 14:12-25, Luke 22:7-38, and John 13-17. Paul also referred to it in 1 Corinthians 11:23-25.
Story Summary: The Last Supper
- Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to prepare the special Passover meal for Jesus and His close disciples.
- As Jesus promised, they found a large upstairs room furnished and ready—often referred to as “the upper room.”
- At the gathering, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as a sign of humility and service.
- Jesus predicted Judas’ betrayal.
- The disciples were confused when Jesus compared Himself to broken bread and wine.
- Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit as a helper, told the disciples to love one another, and prayed over them.
The Main Point of the Last Supper
The Last Supper was Jesus’ final meal with His followers before He was crucified; at the meal, He showed His 12 disciples how to live, how to serve, and how to remember Him.
What Does the Last Supper Teach Us?
During the Last Supper, Jesus modeled three key mindsets to develop as Christians:
- We humbly serve.
- We remember God’s love together.
- We pray knowing that we have a Helper.
1. Jesus Humbly Served
First, Jesus paused and stooped to wash His disciples’ feet. Foot washing was a job so disgusting that it was reserved only for the lowest of servants. Through this surprising act, Jesus redefined leadership as humble service.
Jesus showed us that His kind of leadership isn’t glamorous.
We tend to think of leaders as people with a big personality, title, or following. But Jesus showed us that His kind of leadership isn’t glamorous, and following Him isn’t about ordering others around. Instead, it’s about caring for others even when it’s hard—and refusing to let pride get in the way of love.
2. Jesus Wanted Us to Remember God’s Love Together
Then Jesus ate the Passover meal with His followers. He broke bread and poured wine for them, asking them to remember Him whenever they did the same in the future.
By these actions, Jesus instituted what we now know as communion. He also invited us to regularly eat, drink, and remember God’s love for us together, in community.
3. Jesus Taught Us How to Pray
Finally, Jesus taught His followers how to pray for friends, enemies, and everyday situations. He also reassured the disciples that He would send a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to be with them always.
The Last Supper was an intense night for Jesus and His disciples. Even though the disciples didn’t fully understand the weight of what was coming, this meal was a significant hint that something sacred and painful was about to unfold.
Common Questions About the Last Supper
Why Did Jesus Wash His Disciples’ Feet?
Jesus washed the disciples’ feet to demonstrate His radical humility. He was showing, in a tangible way, how much He cared for His disciples and that He was willing to sacrifice His glory to serve them.
It was a small step toward the humiliation He endured on the cross because of His deep love for all of us.
Additionally, this was Jesus’ demonstration of what godly leadership should be: that those in places of honor or power should humble themselves to care for those they lead.
When Should the Last Supper Be Celebrated?
Traditionally, the Last Supper is celebrated on Thursday of Holy Week, three days before Easter. It’s usually celebrated with communion and a gathering that serves as preparation for Good Friday. Some Christians celebrate it as a Passover meal called a Seder, following Jewish tradition.
But the practices that Jesus demonstrated—love, humility, service, and prayer—can (and should) be celebrated by Christians every day, in remembrance of Him. So you can celebrate the Last Supper whenever you want, through loving and serving others and remembering Jesus’ sacrifice.
What Did Jesus Mean by ‘This Is My Body’ and ‘This Is My Blood’?
Jesus used the broken bread and the cup of wine as metaphors for the suffering He was about to endure. His body took a severe beating and His blood was poured out to death on the cross—out of love for us, to cover our sins.
The bread and wine analogy also compared physical nourishment with spiritual sustenance. We eat and drink to sustain our physical bodies, but Jesus is our source of spiritual life.
Jesus freely gave up His life and died the death of a criminal on the cross so that you and I could live forever in heaven with Him. So even now, when we eat or drink, we can remember who sustains us every day.
For more specific questions about communion, check out this article: Communion Explained
Reflect or Discuss
- What is one specific way you can serve someone this week?
- Where in your life do you need to trust God even if you don’t fully understand His plan?
- If your life were a response to the Last Supper, what aspects would change?