A dinner was given in honor of Jesus at Simon’s house. While Jesus and His twelve disciples ate their meal, a woman approached Jesus with a flask of very costly perfume. She annointed Jesus’ head and His feet, and the fragrance of the spikenard filled the entire house. She gave her all in devotion to, and her love for, Jesus. While she gave her all, one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, said, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” The woman honored her Lord; Jesus defended her; and Judas became infuriated. So much so that he went to the chief priests and asked how much would they be willing to give him to deliver Jesus into their hands. “Thirty pieces of silver,” they said, and solidified the betrayal.
Six days later on a Thursday evening, Jesus and His twelve disciples again had supper. But this supper, the Passover meal commorating Israel’s deliverance from bondage in Egypt, would be their Last Supper together. Jesus was aware of it, but the disciples had no idea what would transpire in the next few hours. As they ate their meal, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” Astonishing words that grabbed everyone’s attention! Perplexed and filled with sorrow, several of the disciples asked, “Lord, is it I?” Then, Judas asked, “Rabbi, is it I?” Jesus locked eyes with Judas ~ one had a secret and only the Other knew what it was. “You have said it,” Jesus said.
After Jesus had dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas, saying, “What you do, do quickly,” and dismissed him from supper, and Judas left the room. Then Jesus broke additional bread when He instituted the Lord’s Supper that is meant for believers only. It was night. Not only did Judas go out into the darkness, he had also entered into spiritual darkness separating himself from the Light of the world. As Judas betrayed Jesus, so his actions betrayed his deepest thoughts of his heart ~ his hatred of Jesus. Our actions also reveal what is in our hearts for Jesus ~ good or bad.
After singing a hymn, Jesus and His eleven discipes went out to the Mount of Olives where Jesus gave another startling prediction ~ all of the disciples would be scattered that night. But Peter declared his loyalty, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” But Jesus revealed that he would indeed deny Him three times before the rooster crowed. Then Peter spoke intensely , “Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny You!” Peter was guilty of over-promising and under-delivering. Would we be any different? However, today we have the power of the Holy Spirit to keep us strong in our faith. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given when Peter denied Jesus.
The disciples did not grasp what was happening then, much like we today still cannot fully grasp the 10.8 magnitude of Jesus’ suffering for our redemption.
We still observe the Lord’s Supper/Communion in remembrance of Jesus when on the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”