THE MASS: Its Beginning Part IIa: The Last Supper-- the First Mass AD

Mass / Eucharist Concepts Appearances change; substances stay the same... they’re bread.

“ You can’t tell a book by its cover.” “Don’t judge a person from his or her appearance” We seem to be saying that there are things about objects that are essential to the object (without it, it wouldn’t be what it is called). There then also seems to be some things about an object that can be changed without changing the essential nature of the object. This understanding seems to hold for non physical things too like rituals and rites; we often ask “what do I HAVE to do to maintain the purpose of the ritual or rite.” The theologian calls the essential part of objects “substance”; the changeable appearances of an object are called “accidents”. “Things aren’t always what they appear to be.”

The “accidents” of bread include taste, smell, appearance (form), etc. The “substance of bread consists of wheat flour, water, kneaded and baked.”

Rites and Rituals Accidentals Substance “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” “This is My Body;... this is My Blood.”

Developments during this Era God chooses a meal in which to celebrate His continuing Presence among His People. Jesus interrupts the Jewish Seder meal to introduce a new Meal to be a remembrance of Him and His Sacrifice for all eternity. Two elements, unleavened bread and fermented wine become the symbols of many (grains of wheat, clusters of grapes) and pressed to make one loaf and one cup.

The Apostles were given His Body to take in their hands; they took It and ate the Body of the Lord. This is the beginning of Eucharist in the hands. The Apostles each took the Cup of the Blood of Jesus and drank from it themselves and passed it around. This is the beginning of the shared cup.

The Passover Seder Meal, 30 AD, Jerusalem Date: The Hebrew Month of Nissan 15, c. the year 3790; Place: The Upper Room, Essene Quarter of Ancient Jerusalem; Time: Sundown on the Eve of Passover or Feast of the Unleavened Bread--the Seder Meal; Attending: Jesus the Anointed One, Twelve Apostles; Preparation: A yearling lamb was sacrificed, blood drained, skinned, roasted with entrails, no bones to be broken, entirely consumed; Environment: As many as two and one-half million pilgrims in Jerusalem for the holyday, priests at the Temple offered more than a quarter million lambs on the Temple’s altar (256,500 to be exact); Jesus died approximately at the same time that the last of the lambs for the Passover were being slaughtered in Herod’s Temple--around 3 PM ("at the ninth hour"), so that the Jews could celebrate the Passover that evening (following Jesus' death). BC AD

Mark 14:12-26 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?“ He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"‘ Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.“ The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he came with the Twelve. And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.“ They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, "Surely it is not I?“ He said to them, "One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish. For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” New Testament Narratives on the Passover Meal

While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.“ Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 26:1, 17-20, When Jesus finished all these words, he said to his disciples, "You know that in two days' time it will be Passover and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."... On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?“ He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.“’The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body.“ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.“ Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives..

Luke 22:7-20, 39 When the day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread arrived, the day for sacrificing the Passover lamb, he sent out Peter and John, instructing them, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” They asked him, "Where do you want us to make the preparations?“ And he answered them, "When you go into the city, a man will meet you carrying a jar of water. Follow him into the house that he enters and 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?"‘ He will show you a large upper room that is furnished. Make the preparations there.“ Then they went off and found everything exactly as he had told them, and there they prepared the Passover. When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles. He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it (again) until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.“Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.“

And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you. “... Then going out he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. John 13:1; 18:1 Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.... When he had said this, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

HOLY WEEK: 30 AD, 3790 THURSDAYFRIDAYSATURDAYSUNDAY Day of Preparation for Passover Day of Preparation for Sabbath PASSOVER begins/ eaten Friday begins with sundown Saturday begins with sundown Jesus dies at 3 PM; entombed DAY ONE SABBATH begins Jesus in the tomb; DAY TWO Jesus in the tomb; DAY THREE Jesus in the tomb; DAY TWO Sunday begins with sundown Resurrection anytime after sundown! Gethsemane, First Trial, Scourging, Crowning DAY ONE “Great” Sabbath First Day of the Week Nissan 15Nissan 16Nissan 17 DAY THREE

The Upper Room of the Last Supper and Pentecost

This is the End of The Last Supper--the First Mass Part IIa Go to The Last Supper--the First Mass Part IIb