The Last Supper
by CF Vos*
Matthew 26: 20-25*
"When evening came he was at table with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating he said 'I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me'. They were greatly distressed and started asking him in turn, 'Not I Lord, surely?' He answered, 'Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me will betray me. The son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!' Judas, who was to betray him, asked in his turn, 'Not I, Rabbi, surely?' 'They are your own words' answered Jesus'"
The Communion of the Apostles
From "The Life of Christ" Paintings by J.J.Tissot, 1896*
Matthew 26:26-29*
"Now as they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to the disciples. 'Take it and eat;' he said 'this is my body.' Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them. 'Drink all of you from this,' he said 'for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. From now on, I tell you, I shall not drink wine until the day I drink the new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father.' "
Jesus praying in Gethsemane
By William Brassey Hole. 1846-1917*
Matthew 26: 30-37*
"After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives. then Jesus said to them, 'You will all lose faith in me this night, for the scripture says: I shall strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered, but after my resurrection I shall go before you to Galilee' At this Peter said , 'Though all lose faith in you, I will never lose faith'. Jesus answered him, 'I tell you solemnly, this very night, before the cock crows, you will have disowned me three times'. Peter said to him, 'Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you'. And all the disciples said the same. "
"Then Jesus came with them to a small estate called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, 'Stay here while I go over there to pray'. He took peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him."
The Garden
The moon shown down on His sweaty hair.
A cooling breeze brushed His cheek.
His figure was slouched near an olive tree.
His apostles were near but asleep.
"Wake up!" He called to them.
"I need your company.
Talk to me, relieve my mind
from this intense agony."
But Peter only rolled about.
James mumbled something deep,
and John the beloved open one eye
but soon fell back to sleep.
Again the Galilean was alone
with the burden of man's needs.
His soul was anguished as His blood
washed clean the world's deeds.
He saw His Father's image there,
compassionate for His Son.
Christ asked "Father, me? Why me!"
The single answer came: "It must be done."
Lying prostrate, Christ professed
to do His Father's will.
Suddenly He heard the din
of men coming for their kill.
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[*Note: I purchased all images used in this post from biblepicturegallery.com. Bible verses used in this post are from The Jerusalem Bible, Copyright 1966, Doubleday and Company, Inc. Garden city, New York.]
