Was the Last Supper a Passover Seder?

[OlPet]

I was discussing with my brother-in-law the Last Supper. I was comparing the New Testament Passover Seder with the original Passover and its implications when he pointed out to me that in the Gospel of John, he has the Last Supper on the day before Passover. How do we explain this when the Synoptics clearly state the Last Supper was a Passover meal, but John clearly says it was on the day before the feast?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

By virtue of his authority as God, Jesus could have chosen to celebrate the Passover a day early since he knew he would die on the Passover itself. Although John does not explicitly indicate that the Last Supper was a Passover Seder, I think there are clues even in John that it was.

For centuries in Jewish literature, rabbis have urged Seder leaders to “mix up” the ritual to surprise people and thereby force them to ask questions. For example, one such rabbinic authority suggested even removing the Passover table if it would prod the participants to say “What’s going on?” and provide the leader with a chance to explain. Let’s look at what happens during the Last Supper:

During the Passover Seder – at least in the form that we have today (there is no way to be sure of the form observed in Jesus’ day) – there are two ritual hand washings. Inserted into John’s description of the Last Supper is a foot washing. And the disciples ask, “Why? What’s going on here?” (cf. John 13:1-20).