The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-11-01

Time Thursday evening, April 6. A. ID.
Place An upper room Ia Jerusalem.
This lesson Is fun OF dramatic ia.
cidents. A harmony is necessary to
understand the scenes In full.
The first great day Of the Passover
which lasted week, began at sun.
set on the evening after the 18th OF
April, which by the Jewish reckoning
was the beginning of the 18th when the
regular Passover supper was eaten.
The disciples came to Jesus. some
time on Thursday. saying Where
( wilt thou that we prepare for thee
to eat the passover? "a room was
needed. with tables surrounded by
touches, for the Passover must be
eaten reclining. since it was a canon
that even the poorest must partake
of that supper in a reclining attitude.
to indicate rest, safety and liberty.S
Then there must be obtained uR
leavened bread, bitter herbs, wine, and
a paschal lamb, which must be slain
in the temple between three and fva
O'Clock. and cooked in private home,
Jesus and his disciples probably left
Bethany late Thursday afternoon,
walked two or three miles. and reach
ed the upper room soon after sunset,
The strife probably began when the
disciples were assembling in the up
per room, and were about to take their
places at the table. Even in this
most solemn hour, more solemn than
they realized, there arose a conten-
ton among the disciples as to who
should be the greatest. probably with
reference to the places of honor and
nearness to Jesus. with an outlook to-
ward the highest places in the new
kingdom which was soon to begin.
Also because no one was willing to
take upon himself the serVile duty OF
washing the travel-stained feet of the
company
There was doubtless a minglfng of
good and evil motives IN the disci-
pies.
At length all were reclining at the
tables and the Passover supper was
begun. Jesus wisely waited till time
had been given for the excitement to
be quieted, and the disciples to come
to a better frame Of mind Then
by n symbolic action he taught them
a lesson which has been needed all
down the ages. He who had all power,
who came forth from God, and was
going to God, arose from the supper,
poured water into basin, and wash
ed his disciples feet, including the
feet Of Judas, into whose heart the
devil had put the plan to betray him.
And as they were eating the Pass
over meal Jesus used the same bread
and wine that was upon the Passover
table and taught the Passover truths.
The rites Of the new kingdom. of heay-
en- expressed for the spiritual life tho
deliverance from the slavery of sin,
the redemption through blood. the
promise of allegiance to the Lord, the
hope of the promised land, which was
enacted in actual life by the saving
of the Israelites from the bondage of
Egypt. "The Passover brought to-
gether the largest number of indiyid-
uais to claim and consciously recog-
nize their part in Gods redeeming
grace and power. and because of its
sense of all-embracing victory. milIen-
NAL gladness, universal salvation,
was better fitted to become the dis
tinctive and enduring symbol of re-
demption, and express the mighty
hopes of Jesus as he stood on the
threshold of his passion, than any of
the sacrifices of the altar"
Jesus took bread. the thin cake of
unleavened bread. and blessed it, Gin
voked blessings" "consecrated with
solemn prayers" Take. eat. make 1t
part Of yourselves. This is my body,
symbolizes my body, does for your
bodies just what my spiritual life does
for your souls.
This is my blood. A type of en-
bIem OF his blood, his life, which he
laid down as the atonement for sin.
or the new testament, which God was
now confirming to men The new coy
enant was that God would renew and
save all who believed in Jesus. 1t Is
the new promise to men. the new Cos
pei dispensation, In which God has
used his perfect wisdom in seling to
save the world from sin. Which Is
shed for many. Multitudes, not mere
ly few, are to be saved by Christ.
For the remission of sins. including
the forgiveness of sin, and the de-
Iiverance from the power Of sin. Sin
is to be put away entirely. so that
the heart and life are clean and pure.
The Supper is kind OF All Saints
day. We become one, not only with
those around us. but with those who
have gone before. to join the heaven
iy host.
1t is feast of victory. 1t was the
sun triumphing over darkness. The
Lords Supper is prophecy of
Chfist's second coming, of the perfect
triumph Of his kingdom: for we are
to celebrate 1t till he comes. 1t con-
tains hope and promise.
Our last view Of Christ in the Cos
pels is not Of death. but OF an ever
living Saviour, who once was dead.
but now lives for evermore. It shows
that we do not worship dead Christ.
but living Christ. sitting on the
right hand of God, leading the hosts
of Christendom. It is the morning
star that heralds the new day.
It Is an invitation to all to come and
be saved It Is the church holding UP
the banner OF redemption that all the
world may see.