最後晚餐
路加福音二十二章7至16節
7除酵節,須宰逾越羊羔的那一天到了。
8耶穌打發彼得、約翰,說:“你們去為我們預備逾越節的筵席,好叫我們吃。”
9他們問他說:“要我們在哪裡預備?”
10耶穌說:“你們進了城,必有人拿著一瓶水迎面而來,你們就跟著他,到他所進的房子裡去,
11對那家的主人說:‘夫子說:客房在哪裡?我與門徒好在那裡吃逾越節的筵席。’
12他必指給你們擺設整齊的一間大樓,你們就在那裡預備。”
13他們去了,所遇見的正如耶穌所說的。他們就預備了逾越節的筵席。
14時候到了,耶穌坐席,使徒也和他同坐。
15耶穌對他們說:“我很願意在受害以先和你們吃這逾越節的筵席。
16我告訴你們:我不再吃這筵席,直到成就在神的國裡。”
信息分享
基督指示門徒到哪裡守逾越節筵席,實在是十分有趣。請再讀10至12節。男人是極少拿著水瓶在街上走的,但他卻是彼得和約翰要跟著的人。福音書其他地方每次採用「跟著」這個詞,都是與跟隨基督有關。但這裡卻對我們很有啟發,那個男人轉彎,他們就要轉彎;他走到哪裡,他們也到那裡;當他止步,他們便要止步。這豈不是我們跟從基督,並按著祂的引領行事的最佳寫照嗎?
逾越節的筵席要頗花一番功夫準備。他們要買一隻羊烤了,還要準備無酵餅、苦菜和其他物品。那個男人究竟是誰?那間大樓是誰的?基督是否預先與戶主作好安排等等問題,我們都很想知道。那間樓房要足夠容納13人。
逾越節宴席通常長達四到五個小時,猶太人以此紀念先祖在出埃及的前一晚,滅命的天使看見猶太人門楣上的血,便越過,不進入擊殺那戶的長子。這是預表基督在十字架上受死,祂流出來的血遮蓋和潔淨了我們罪。
基督在席上的話,實在是很意味深長。祂說:「我一直渴望與你們同吃這筵席。我知道它意味著甚麼,和將要有甚麼發生。這實在是最後的一次逾越節筵席。自此之後,將要慶祝另一件事──就是我在十字架上為你們被釘死。」門徒當時並不明白基督的意思,但後來終於醒悟。現在我們當然明白基督的意思,並要為基督感謝神,祂就是神的羔羊,除去世人罪孽的。請再次為基督所成就的一切讚美祂。
THE LAST PASSOVER
Luke 22:7-16
7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.
8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”
10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.
11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’
12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”
13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.
14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.
15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
Message
Christ’s instructions to the disciples as to where they would celebrate the Passover were very interesting. Read verses 10-12 again. It was unusual for a man to be carrying a pitcher of water but he was the man Peter and John were to follow. On every other occasion in the Gospels, the word “follow” is only used in relation to following Christ. But there is a real lesson in that fact. When that man turned, they were to turn. Wherever he went, they were to go. Wherever he stopped, they were to stop. Isn’t that a wonderful illustration as to how we are to follow Christ and go or do that He leads?
Considerable preparation had to be made for the evening meal. A lamb had to be purchased and roasted together with unleavened bread, bitter herbs and other items. It would be interesting to know who the man was whose house they met in and if Christ had made any prior arrangements with him. There were thirteen men to be accommodated.
The Passover meal took four to five hours. It was a feast of memory, depicting the night in Egypt when the angel of death saw the blood on the doorposts and passed over those homes without entering. It foreshadowed Christ’s death on the cross where His blood was shed and covered us, cleansing us from our sin.
Christ spoke of that Passover Feast in a remarkable way. He said, “I have been longing to eat this Feast with you. I know what it stands for and I know what is ahead. This really is the last Passover. From now on there will be something else to celebrate - my death on the cross for you.” The disciples didn’t understand then but they did later. With hindsight, we can see what He meant and in turn we thank God for Christ, the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Praise Him again today for all of this.

