Discipleship History

How An Italian Painter Hijacked the Jewish Passover Meal

One of the most well-known and widely recognized religious paintings is Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper. His work of art has captivated the minds and hearts of Christians for centuries. Da Vinci devoted three years of his life (from 1495-98) to this masterpiece during the Italian Renaissance period. It is intended to depict the Last Supper, particularly the moment after Jesus announced that one of the Twelve would betray Him (John 13:21). It displays Jesus in the middle of the table, flanked on both sides by His twelve apostles. James is immediately on His right; John is immediately on His left. Judas is seated next to John. The work has been scrutinized by everyone from pastors to artists and mathematicians for its symbolism, theological insights, and psychological complexity. In May of 1999, an effort was made to restore the painting to its original glory after being damaged by exposure over the years of being displayed, and it was completed beautifully. The Last Supper remains one of the most important paintings of the Renaissance and, perhaps, human history. Read More
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How An Italian Painter Hijacked the Jewish Passover Meal (Part 4)

This is part 4 of a 4 part series. Click here for part 1. Jesus was likely teaching Peter, the rock on whom He would build His church, humility by placing him in the servant seat. He stated earlier in Luke 22:26-27, “Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” Additionally, Jesus said the last will be the first in Matthew 19:30. Everyone would have received the servant-leader lesson that Jesus was communicating. Read More
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How An Italian Painter Hijacked the Jewish Passover Meal (Part 3)

This is part 3 of a 4 part series. Click here for part 1. After walking all day, finding the man that they were to find, and setting up supper in the upper room, they would be coming in just in time to celebrate the Passover meal at its traditional time: right at dusk. It began when the sun went down because they counted the days from sundown to sundown. Mark plainly tells us: “And when it was evening, he came with the twelve” (Mark 14:17, emphasis mine). Read More
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How An Italian Painter Hijacked the Jewish Passover Meal (Part 2)

This is part 2 of a 4 part series. Click here for part 1. Let's get this straight. In a crowded city with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims arriving for Passover, the disciples were to be looking for a man with a water jug to follow. To a Western audience in the 21st century, we read this without any hesitation, but it probably sounded like bizarre instructions to the disciples. See, men didn’t carry water jugs; women did. Think of Rebekah in the Old Testament and the Samaritan woman in the New Testament, who notably went to the well to draw water—men were not drawing water with them. It was embarrassing for a man to carry a water jug in public, as Robert Boyd explains in his book, World’s Bible Handbook: Read More
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How An Italian Painter Hijacked the Jewish Passover Meal

This is part 1 of a 4 part series. One of the most well-known and widely recognized religious paintings is Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper. His work of art has captivated the minds and hearts of Christians for centuries. Da Vinci devoted three years of his life (from 1495-98) to this masterpiece during the Italian Renaissance period. It is intended to depict the Last Supper, particularly the moment after Jesus announced that one of the Twelve would betray Him (John 13:21). It displays Jesus in the middle of the table, flanked on both sides by His twelve apostles. James is immediately on His right; John is immediately on His left. Judas is seated next to John. The work has been scrutinized by everyone from pastors to artists and mathematicians for its symbolism, theological insights, and psychological complexity. In May of 1999, an effort was made to restore the painting to its original glory after being damaged by exposure over the years of being displayed, and it was completed beautifully. The Last Supper remains one of the most important paintings of the Renaissance and, perhaps, human history. Read More
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