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The last supper & washing of feet

Writer's picture: Justin Scoggins, Th.D.Justin Scoggins, Th.D.

Updated: May 19, 2023

Passover Seder meal. A commemoration of the exodus from Egypt. A celebration.

Something is different this time. Jesus has celebrated this time and time again over the years. But this time, there was a somber note, and something new that was introduced.

The old covenant was in stone. It was with a nation and a people group. A covenant is a formal, binding agreement, in which each party agrees to specific terms or expectations. To put it briefly, God required Israel to obey whatever He said. In exchange, God would make Israel the premier nation of the earth. Exodus 20-23 gives the groundwork for the covenant.

Covenants were a part of the ancient Near East. The binding contract had ritual around it. The family representatives would meet between the two families and begin. Exchanging garments, weaponry, goods, names, and firstborn children, and they would cut their wrists or chest to become functionally one all the way around. There is a variation to this, but this was fairly common. Toward the end, they would lock arms and share the same wine. Then they would feed each other bread (like at weddings today).

The interesting thing about God’s covenant with Israel is that it started with Abraham in Genesis 15. The smoking pot and flaming torch. Walking the death march in between the halved animals. Signifying that one who broke this covenant would pay. The beautiful and scandalous thing is that God makes a covenant with himself on behalf of us. God will answer the call if we fail to keep our end of the bargain.

“This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” The Greek word ‘anámnēsis’ here is recalling. I like retelling better. “Do this in the retelling of me.” The reason is that this word has the notion of present memory. It’s beautiful. A constant remembering of his body being broken for our retelling.

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you.” Jesus is saying that he takes care of the price of our failure on our behalf. Instead of stone, it is flesh. It’s on our hearts. God is fulfilling his promise. And we get to partake every time we break bread and drink the cup together.

Another thing he did was wash his feet. The God of gods chooses to wash the feet of those that are with him. He chooses to kneel and serve them. Lifting them up. Peter admonished him and after careful explanation proclaims; “not just my feet Lord, but my whole body.” Jesus washes the feet of every disciple. Soon, they would all abandon him, betray him, deny him, and hide in fear because of his association with him. But he washes anyway. He lifts up as he goes gown. In spite of our failure, he kneels to lift us up. Part of the new covenant is lifting up the other. And washing feet is a Sacrament that we’ve missed out on for too long.

On his last night, Christ begins another covenant ritual that will soon be solidified. He has, at this moment, grabbed the hand of creation and is bringing it to a point. He’s remembering his promise to Abraham and the covenant that he walked himself on our behalf. This retelling and present memory was about to change the world.

Painting by FRANCIS NEWTON SOUZA | The Last Supper



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Artwork credit: The Last Supper, Sadao Watanabe ,1977

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