Wednesday morning of Holy Week. The Jewish people eat the Seder meal on Thursday night. I looked it up but couldn't find anything definitive on whether or not the Last Supper was a Seder meal or not.
At any rate, we know it was held in an upper room, something far more fancy than the apostles were used to. We know that someone must have allowed them to use it or perhaps the less expensive rooms were already in use. We know that the apostles were to look for a man carrying water. In one Bible study, we assumed that this was significant in a busy city filled with people because women usually carried the water. But I've read recently that it might have been signficant because a wealthy woman might have had a man servant to carry water. Many well-to-do women financially supported Jesus in those last three years of His life.
We know that the meal included the typical unleavened bread, and that the apostles were served bread and wine later in the evening at the end.
The Passover itself for the Jewish people would have been yet another reminder of their former enslavement, and their current circumstances of being under the thumb of Rome. There would have been those who rallied against Roman rule.
The chaos, confusion, noise, and bedlam within Jerusalem must have been quite something. People, animals, sacrifices, food. And adding to the usual drama, the people have heard that Jesus is there. For some of them, this is wonderful news. They have heard of his miracles; they may have even heard him speak at some earlier time.
Life for us too is chaotic sometimes, filled with noise, confusion and bedlam. Jesus sought out solace and peace in the Garden of Olives, a place where olives were pressed for their precious oil. And He prayed that his Father might take away what was coming, if it was His will.
And so we too reflect during this time, as Easter gets closer. We reflect on our own decisions, and perhaps seek out some peace and solace of our own. How can we thank Jesus enough for what He did for us?
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