New Testament · event
The Last Supper
A new covenant in bread and cup — a table to remember and to share.
The Last Supper is the final meal Jesus shared with his disciples the night before his arrest — the event that became the origin of Communion (the Lord's Supper).
Timeline at a glance
- PassoverThe last meal with the disciples (Luke 22)
- Foot-washingWashing the disciples' feet (John 13)
- New CovenantThe bread and the cup (Luke 22)
The Passover Table
Sharing the Passover meal with his disciples, Jesus broke bread, saying, "This is my body given for you," and lifted the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22). The Passover of the Exodus carries on into a new salvation.
A Model of Service
John's Gospel tells how that night Jesus washed his disciples' feet (John 13). The teacher stooped to the place of a servant, showing the model of a life of loving service.
Remember
As he said, "Do this in remembrance of me," the church still shares the bread and cup, remembering Jesus' death and love. The table becomes the place that binds the community into one.
Related verses
- Luke 22:19"This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
- 1 Corinthians 11:26"Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death."
Frequently asked questions
What does Communion remember?
The body and blood Jesus gave for us — that is, the death and love of the cross — remembered with thanksgiving. It also carries the meaning of proclaiming his death until he comes again.
Was the Last Supper a Passover meal?
The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) present it as a Passover meal. The Passover, in which people were saved by the blood of the lamb at the Exodus, became the setting for the new covenant established in Jesus' own body and blood (Luke 22).
Why did Jesus wash his disciples' feet?
It was to give a model of service, as the teacher stooped to the place of a servant (John 13). Jesus taught a life of loving service, saying, "You also should do as I have done for you."