The Lord's Supper

The Lord's Command to Prepare

It's interesting to read the different accounts of the events around the crucifixion. Sometimes you pick up an interesting detail that's in this account but not in the others. But equally instructive can be the things that are left out. In the case of Matthew's account here, there are very few details given. In Mark and Luke the disciples are told to find a man carrying a jar of water, but here it's just a certain man. In the other accounts two disciples, Peter and John, Luke tells us, are sent to prepare the meal. Here it's a general command to all the disciples. It's as though Matthew wants to cut down the detail so we'll focus on what really matters. And what's that? Look at the passage. Can you see what details are given?

Well, first of all Jesus is named twice, as well as being described as'The Teacher'. Matthew wants us to focus on Jesus as he institutes the Lord's Supper. It's not the meal that counts but the person behind it. That's an important reminder for us Anglicans who can easily focus on the liturgy rather than on Jesus. But there's also the comment about his time being near. In Matthew's gospel there's often a sense of Jesus being in control, of his authority coming through; and even here where he's about to be arrested and put to death, even here when he's about to play his part as the suffering servant, his authority is evident. He knows what's about to happen. He won't be caught unawares. 'My time is near'