esus’ final time to be with the twelve disciples before his arrest, trial, and crucifixion is a meal known as the Last Supper. In Mark’s account of the event (14:12-25), it is noteworthy how two of the disciples refer to Jesus as “the Teacher” when they request a room where Jesus can have a Passover meal with his disciples. Jesus’ words and actions transform the traditional Passover meal into new type of ritualistic meal at a critical point in his relationship with his disciples. In ancient societies, both Jewish and Gentile, ritualistic meals were a ceremonial way of nurturing communal solidarity. Mark’s account of this ritualistic expression of solidarity occurs at a climatic point in Jesus’ relationship with his disciples.
1. Note how in Mark’s account of what Christians come to call the Lord’s Supper Jesus does not say, “Do this in remembrance of me.” These words are recounted in Luke’s account of the meal (22:19), which we will examine later. Identify words or actions of Jesus in Mark’s account of the meal that recall Jesus’ teaching of his disciples in earlier parts of Mark’s narrative. Interpretative notes in NISB and comments in NIB One Volume Commentary are helpful here.
2. Note actions of the disciples which Mark recounts directly before and after the Last Supper that establish a context for understanding Jesus’ purpose with this ritualistic meal. How do the episodes before and after the supper relate to what Jesus’ foretells in the apocalyptic discourse of Mark 13? What does the sequence of events recounted in Mark 14 imply about the disciples’ progress in trusting and understanding Jesus at this critical point in the teacher-disciple relationship?
3. Referring to the wine of the Passover meal as his blood, Jesus signals that his death will establish a covenant relationship between God and Israel. Footnote e in NISB indicates that some manuscripts add the word “new” to “covenant,” perhaps to conform with the covenant reference in Luke 22:20. How does Jesus’ earlier teaching involving an analogy to old and new wineskins (2:21-22) support the idea that Jesus here intends to establish a new covenant relationship between God and Israel? As new as this covenant relationship may be, are there points of continuity with the Mosaic covenant? See Murphy’s comments about atonement on pp. 123-124 in his chapter on Mark.
4. The Jesus’ last meal with his disciples becomes the basis for a ritualistic meal celebrated by Christians from the 1st century to the present. What do you think Mark’s intended audience understood to be the connection between this ritualistic meal and discipleship? Does it and should it have the same meaning for Christian communities today?
Incorporate your answers to these questions in an essay on the topic, The Last Supper in Mark. Recommended length: 850-1000 words.
