The National tribune., 1888-05-03
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated Sbove.I
SUBJECT: END OF THE PASSOVER AND ORIGIN
OF THE Holy CONFUSION.
Having answered in chapters "a and . the
question suggested ia "a ., Christ passed from
the west side of the Mount Of Olives on over
the summit probably to Bethany That was on
Wednesday, March 16, &. y. %. Two days
after to w.t. on Friday, was the Passover. (26:
], p Verses 1919 were without doubt spoken
st Bethany. This was the 18th day of the
month abb or Nissan, according to Jewish
names. The feast lasted seven days. lex, y:
49, Its object was TO keep in memory the
preservation Of the frstboTn from the 10th
plague inflicted on Pharaoh to force him 30
consent to the going forth of the children OF
Israel. lex, -: 40-42)
During the days covered by the Passover the
Jews eat anleavened bread. Elk, Il 39.) No
yeast nor leayen is allowed in any house dur
ing such period. tEz., 13 g. ~ Bread of this
kind was not Sc agreeable to eat, and was sug-
gestive Of the hard times the Israelites had IN
Egyptian bondage.
In celebrating the Passover many lambs were
slain at the temple, after which they were car
Tied by the people TO their respective homes
and partaken OF st a special feast. If family
were too small to be able to eat up the entire
lamb, two families could unite. group of
persons not sustaining family relations to each
other were allowed to partake of a lamb. Such
was the case in the instance of Christ and his
Disciples. They, in the sense of mutual conf
dence, experience and sympathy, constituted
family. Judas was present during the Pass
over part Of the evening. though he left before
the institution OF the Holy Communion.
Hence, the Passover party was composed of 13
persons.
The lamb was chosen carefully It must be
taa fv-ffnrT1 and yvirnOTE kiprlIgh Mar
kets near by were opened on purpose to supply
the people with suitable lambs. From st.
Luke's account (22:S) we learn that the par
ticuaT Apostles intrussed with the prepara-
tiOns for the Passover feast were SITS. Peter and
John. II was necessary TO secure proper
place, to buy lamb, 10 have it killed at the
great altar which was in the Court Of the Gen
tiles Of the temple. Read Ez., u: 1851; M,
8: lila; st. John, 1S:28) The lamb was
killed by 3 priest, the blood poured out on the
altar, and the flesh handed back to the wor-
SHIPPER to be taken home and, after being
cooked, served to his family
Then the company needed g room. Christ
Instructed the Disciples how to proceed. They
were to leave Bethany, 60 into the city, Jeru-
salem, and watch for certain signs. They were
to see man carrying pitcher Of water and to
follow him. lie was probably servant, water
/ bearer. Women generally carried the water
pitchers. The popularity would mark out the
particular person to be looked for aud followed.
Finding thus the house intended, the Apostles
were to enter and hire the guest-chRmber.
Rooms were in great demand all over Jerusa-
lem and vicinity during the Passover. Every
body rented rooms if it were possible to spare
them. We would suppose the landlord one
known to Christ aud probably friendly TO his
purposes. We see evidence Of our Sayi0rs fore
knowledge. Though at Bethany with Mt
Olives intervening and some considerable time
before the event, he could tell all about the
movements Of certain persons in a city con-
tanning probably 100000 to 100000 people.
There must nave been some intimate relations
existing between the Master Christ and the
landlord, or else much of the conversation Civ
ing certain explanations is omitted, or else there
was divine spiritual influence brought to bear
on the man having the guest-chambeT so that
without any Of the usual preliminaries aud un-
deTstandings he at once gave the applicants
! lists. Peter and john possession of the room
desired. Ny time is at hand would nat
uTally refer to Christs particular hour for cele-
brating the Passover but compare st. John,
1871.
We see the confidence of the Disciples in
their Master. Without asking questions, with
ont raising queries as to the man to be met with
q pitcher, they proceeded and followed the d.
! Passover they secured the room, bought the
lamb and had il slain, brought the flesh to the
1 room, and made all necessary arrangements.
We may suppose the Master and the Twelve
/ sat down 20 the table about 6 o'clock p. 10. AZ
/ the original celebration all stood, but by de-
i grees the people formed the habit of partaking
/ Of the Passover ia their usual attitude when al
meals. ". 20)
Christ knew Of the man to be met with the
! pitcher; so also he was aware beforehand Of the
one who was TO betray him. (V. 21) Ali tho
/ Apostles who were innocent would be greatly
| surprised when informed that one Of their own
! number was to be treacherous to Christ. Be
lieving the fact, however, they became very
/ sad. Each was anxious to escape suspicion, and
wanted 10 know which was 10 be so cruel il
/ il II" every one Except probably Judas asked
/ Christ replied by o9ject-teaching. At the Pass
over there was q dish of bitter sauce into which
all dipped their bread. Just then Judas wal
in the act Of sopping a piece Of bread in th'
dish Jointly with Christ. Said the Master
BE that dippeth his hand with me in the dish
the same shall belray me. (V. 23.)
We would say that one guilty Of betrayin,
4 Christ must be the grossest criminal of all thu
record Of evil. The sentence against Judas wa
severe. Many believe that verse "a teaches TIT
eternity Of punishment claiming that, if ON
ever reformed and entered on eternal joy j
were not a calamity he had been born. Other
see q quite common figure of speech pointing
70 the greatest seriousness as to punitive conse
quenccs.
At length, not to seem singular and there
fore 10 escape suspicion, Judas asked, Is it 2
And Christ practically replied, Yes, sir; vol
are the man" he soon left (St. John, 13 80
and was not, probably, present as the meal con
tjnued, blending from the Passover into th
Eucharist.
The Passover originated 3. C. 1891, or !, SO
years before the lesson. 1t should then hav
ended, but the Jews kept it up in all its par
tiCulars till Jerusalem was destroyed, A. d. &c
Ever since then they all over the world main
tain the custom, save as to sacrifices, whic
were forbidden being offered anywhere excep
at the temple.
The first celebration Of the Holy Commun
ion took place on Thursday evening, March II
%. St. Mark IA: 15) shows the place was :"
large upper room furnished and prepared.
Compare ST. Luke, q: IL, Il; Acts, / -.
Cyril states that was the room in which occur
red the scenes Of the Pentecost day. He wa
Bish0pof Jerusalem in the middle OF the fourtl
century. Epephaaius assures US the buildn
was not destroyed by Titus. The tomb Q
David is covered by building terminating i
] q minaret. IN a large room Of that building,
/ IS said, the last Passover (prOper) and the frs
E Eucharist took place. The room is name
THE COenaculum.p It is 50 4 30 feet.
Bread aud wine were already on the tabl,
3 having been used at the Passover. The break
: ing Of the bread was a prophecy Of Christ
! wounds TO be received on Friday. The yer
E color Of the wine suggested our Saviors blood
The names given TO this rite are: /. Th
! Il AZ a A