Last Supper
by Plautilla Nelli
Italy

John 13:18-27 (TPT)

“I don’t refer to all of you when I tell you these things, for I know the ones I’ve chosen—to fulfill the Scripture that says, ‘The one who shared supper with me treacherously betrays me.’ I am telling you this now, before it happens, so that when the prophecy comes to pass you will be convinced that I AM. “Listen to this timeless truth: whoever receives the messenger I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives the Father who sent me.”

Then Jesus was moved deeply in his spirit. Looking at his disciples, he announced, “I tell you the truth—one of you is about to betray me.”

Eyeing each other, his disciples puzzled over which one of them could do such a thing.

The disciple that Jesus dearly loved was at the right of him at the table and was leaning his head on Jesus. Peter gestured to this disciple to ask Jesus who it was he was referring to.  Then the dearly loved disciple leaned into Jesus’ chest and whispered, “Master, who is it?”

“The one I give this piece of bread to after I’ve dipped it in the bowl,” Jesus replied. Then he dipped the piece of bread into the bowl and handed it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And when Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus looked at Judas and said, “What you are planning to do, go do it now.”

Lean In

This was one of the last moments of intimacy that Jesus had with his disciples before his crucifixion. Though brief in time, it was jam-packed with drama, tension, and emotion.  Jesus had just washed the disciples’ feet and helping them to be informed of what was about to happen in the hours to come.  Overcome by the depth and breadth of this journey he announces a betrayal by one who eats at the supper table.  Immediately the attention turns from feeling the weight of Christ’s impending sacrifice to putting energies into claiming their innocence.

John, “the disciple that Jesus dearly loved”, was prodded and pushed to get full disclosure of who the guilty party was and to clear their own names.  We envision John leaning into the chest of Jesus and listening to the heartbeat of the Messiah, as if they are the only two in the room.  He quietly asks, “who is it?”.  As the drama and chaos swirls around him, John remains in this cradled position resting on Jesus’ chest.  That was his safe place.  It is for us too.

“There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God;
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.

Refrain:

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God;
Hold us, who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of comfort sweet,
Near to the heart of God;
A place where we our Savior meet,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of full release,
Near to the heart of God;
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God.”

                                                Cleland B. McAfee

Reflection

What is swirling in your life today?  Release it into the hands of Jesus as you quiet yourself nestled close to him.  Hear his heartbeat for you.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, may I walk so closely to you today our hearts will beat as one.  Amen.