Bible Questions Answered:
Can you please tell me why the “Eucharist,” is also called the “Last Supper?”
Benton H./ Durban, South Africa
Bible Answers:
The answer is the following, it was the last of our Lord's
Public Ministry (John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.”
Nazarite Vow (it was the end of His Nazarite Vow.)
The Lord Jesus Christ was a Nazarene, having grown up in the town of Nazareth.
Peculiar to Nazareth, was the “Nazareth Vow.”
The Nazareth Vow, was a vow of an individual to separate themselves unto the Lord.
It may have been for a set time, or a vow for life.
Three acts of separation are mentioned, of the Nazarite Vow.
Numbers 6:1-8; 13-15 KJV
[1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[2] Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:
A)
[3] He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
[4] All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
B)
[5] All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no rasor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
C)
[6] All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.
[7] He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.
[8] All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.
[13] And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
[14] And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings,
(Our Lord became the burnt, sin, and peace offerings for us, at Calvary.)
[15] And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
(The bread and wine were given at the last supper, emblems that would represent His shed blood and broken body.)
The Nazarite Vow is reminiscent of the consecration of High Priests, which Jesus Christ is.
Hebrews 4:14-16 KJV
[14] Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
[15] For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
[16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Leviticus 21:10-12 KJV
[10] And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
[11] Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
[12] Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
Wine:
In John chapter 2:1-11 we find the story of the wedding of Cana.
When they had run out of wine, Mary told the Lord....
John 2:3 “...They have no wine.”
Christ's reply was...verse 4
“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”
Mary had intended that He help them.
But Christ, insisted that the hour ....”the hour of ending His Nazarite Vow, had not yet come.”
And because it hadn't, He wanted nothing to do with grapes or wine.
The Pharisee's had called the Lord a “Winebibber.”
But, Jesus was not a “winebibber (Matthew 11:18,19).”
[18] For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
[19] The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
When some one does not wish to believe, or to repent of their sins, nothing can convince them!
The Pharisees, were just such people, their religion was only open show, with no inward presence.
They condemned John the Baptist, because he “came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.”
Christ came as an ordinary man, eating and drinking, the opposite of John and would the Pharisees be pleased?
[19] The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Long Hair:
Contrary to some of todays “contemporary artists,” the Lord Jesus Christ, did not have short hair, or look like some kind of modern day hippie!
How well, we would do, if only, we would study the word to see if those things are so.
Like Samson of old (and Samuel), no razor had come upon his head.
Our Lord, never, true to His vow, had His hair cut.
This was also true of Christ's beard.
Isaiah 50:6 “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.”
Could not touch a dead body:
Of the miracles of Jesus, three distinct times, He raised some one from the dead.
Widows only son Luke 7:11-16
Daughter of Jairus (Ruler of the Synagogue) Luke 8:41,42,49-56
Lazarus John 11:32-44
When Jesus spoke the word, or touched them, they were alive!
Isaiah 8:20 KJV
“To the law and to the testimony (of the power of God): if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
Matthew 17:1-8 KJV
[1] And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
[2] And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
[3] And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him.
[4] Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
[5] While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.
[6] And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
[7] And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
[8] And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
