Are there Limits to Forgiveness?

 Revisiting the familiar...

(98) The Last Supper

Is Jesus about to eat the Passover meal with his disciples, or is this some other meal, during the week before Passover? Read Matthew 26:17, Mark 14:12, Luke 22:7, John 13:1, 19:14-16

1.       Matthew, Mark and Luke describe a Passover meal (14th/15th Nissan), but John says the crucifixion takes place that day (so Jesus’ body had to be removed before sundown). Why would both timelines make symbolic sense?

2.       Do we have to make the timelines agree? Is it a problem if they don’t?

3.       What matters more—the day Jesus died, the fact that he died, or the reason that he died?

Read Matthew 26:17-19, Mark 14:12-16, Luke 22:7-13

1.       Did you remember that Matthew doesn’t mention the man with the pitcher? Why might he not want to mention him?

2.       Do you suppose the man had already invited Jesus, or did Jesus invite himself?

3.       How secretive do you suppose Jesus’ arrangements had to be?

4.       Is it ever okay to keep quiet about your faith and what you might be doing for Jesus?

Read Matthew 26:20-25, Mark 14:17-21, Luke 22:20-23, John 13:18-30

1.       Did you remember that Luke tells about the betrayal after the bread and wine rather than before? Why might he have “got it wrong”?

2.       In John, Judas leaves straight away. Did John get it wrong?

a.       Did Jesus give Judas permission to betray him?

b.       Could Judas still have changed his mind?

c.       Could Judas still have asked forgiveness?

3.       Will it be “best that man had never been born” because the betrayal is so evil, or because Jesus knows Judas won’t ask forgiveness?

4.       Have you ever betrayed your faith, or felt like you’ve betrayed your faith? Does God forgive betrayal?

Read Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20

1.       Did you remember that John doesn’t write about Holy Communion at the Last Supper? Did John write about the Eucharist? Did he think it was important? Read John 6:53-59

2.       Do you know any connections between the Eucharist and the Seder?

a.       The head of table would say “This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate…” How is Communion the bread of affliction?

b.       Read Exodus 24:8, Isaiah 53:12. What is the cup of new Covenant? How is Jesus’ blood shed for many?

3.       Where is the line between symbol and nature? How do Jews deal with bread at Passover? How do Christians treat bread at the Eucharist?

Read John 13:2-17 Did you remember this happens at the end of the meal, not the beginning?

1.       What part of you or your life most needs washing by Jesus? What part needs least?

2.       Why is washing people’s feet yucky?

3.       Who do you feel that you are “greater than”?

4.       What are you going to do about it?

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