Jewish context

• The Last supper was a passover meal
• passover remembers how God freed the Israelistes from slavery in Egypt
• passover symbolism

  • bread= women couldn't rise the dough before fleeing
  • wine= restoration from exile
• Jesus added further symbolism to the bread and wine in passover
• Jesus's extra symbolism

  • bread= not just freedom from slavery but also freedom from sin
  • wine= not just restoration from exile but also the restoration of the relationship between God and humanity
• "this is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me"

  "this cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" - Luke 22: 19-20
• The new covenant is symbolised through the breaking and sharing of the bread, remembers God's restored relationship with humanity
• some believe communion symbolises

  • freedom from slavery
  • freedom from sin
  • restoration from exile
  • restoration of the relationship between God and humanity
• others believe the Last Supper was an uncomplicated meal that Jesus shared with his disciples to understand his sacrifice