The last supper?

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Why did Jesus, and his disciples, not stand during the last supper if that is how a sadder meal is eaten?

Thanks and God Bless

Joe M
 
I didn’t know that sad meals were supposed to be eaten standing up. Where did you get this?
 
It is my understanding that one did not remain standing for the entire seder meal. Just because the Bible passages do not mention what went on during the hours that the seder took, but only to a few minutes here and there, does not mean that the tradition was not followed scrupulously, now does it?
 
Well, I don’t know for sure that is why I am asking. But God did command the People to eat the first passover with their loins girded and standing because they were leaving Egypt. I am trying to determine if that is still the custom, or more to the point, was it the custom of the sadder meal, passover, when Jesus walked the earth. If it was why did he not stand for it?

Thanks
 
Jim, I believe we have answered you. If you google, you will find many places which speak of the passover feast.

And there is absolutely nothing in the scripture that says that Jesus did NOT stand during at least part of the seder meal (which is a lot longer and involves a lot more than what is spoken of at the moment when Jesus took the bread and blessed it, and then the wine. The scriptures do not mention that a cup of wine is traditionally poured for the prophet Elijah, and a place set for him at table; nor do they mention the six specific passover foods including lamb shank and bitter herbs dipped in salt water, nor do they mention that wine is drunk at four separate times during the meal, nor do they mention the four questions asked by the youngest person at each seder. Does that mean that none of this was DONE at the last supper? Jesus was a devout Jewish man. Jesus was both true God and true man. Is it likely that He would have been less than perfect or less than faithful in following the commands of the Father?
 
since your question is more properly about customs and practice among Jews celebrating Passover now and in Jesus’ time, maybe this question should go on Non-Catholic Religions, and hopefully stillsmallvoice will answer, as he is our expert. I have been privileged to be a guest of Jewish friends at seder meals in the past and they are eaten sitting, which is a good thing since the meal takes a long time if all the prescribed readings and blessings are done. My hosts were kind enough to supply a booklet that has the format in both Hebrew and English, there is a name for this guide to the Passover, which I have forgotten.
 
Annie, it’s a haggadah, I believe. Mine is buried in the attic since our last move and I hadn’t meant to hunt it out until later in the winter. I’ll look for it over the weekend.
 
Ok, that makes since, that the scripture may have been focused on only a specific part of the meal, however I am looking for a deeper theological meaning or parallel here. If the Passover is eaten while seated today when did it change? Is this an option that each house can choose? Would the Cup of Blessing, the 3rd cup, have been taken while seated or standing? I have a feeling there is something more going on here than what the plain words of scripture may allude to, especially to a 21st century American. I looked up web sites that play out the Passover blow by blow but these sites do not talk about when they sit and when they stand. I believe that nothing in scripture arrived their by chance and when you stubble across something that seems contradictory that it often leads to some deeper insight and I was thinking this could be the case here. So, it may seem that I am fussing about the plain words on the page but I am not, I truly want to know if Jesus was trying to tell us something by his sitting when he should be standing or vice versa. I am probably way off but I have found tremendous insight into these little details in the past so I was hoping to find gold again. Thanks
 
The Mass is a reinactment of the Last Supper, and the Priest sits and stands appropriately during the Mass. That is my answer.
 
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