The Last Supper—we’ve all seen Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of Jesus and his disciples sitting behind that long dinner table, posed in a way that each of them might be seen and identified. In our minds, when we think of that solemn meal which marked the beginning of several horrible episodes leading to the crucifixion of Jesus, we picture da Vinci’s rendering of this event that is chronicled in all four gospels.
But that painting does not show the true picture. The table was u-shaped just a few inches off the floor. Jesus was reclining in the center, and as the scripture progresses, we know John had to be next to Jesus on his right. With John on Jesus’ right who would have been at his left side. In the scripture, the gospel of John chapter 13, Jesus announces to the disciples, “One of you is going to betray me.” The disciples were shocked! Hurt and confused each of them began asking, “Lord, is it I?” They wondered which of them could it possibly be. Then Jesus tells them, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. This indicates that Judas must have been at Jesus’ left. As soon as Jesus had dipped his bread in the dish he gave it to Judas, and when he took the bread and dipped it in the dish Satan entered him.
The seating arrangement is important. Whoever is given the honor of sitting on the left of a king or the one who has the seat of greatest importance, that person is considered to hold the position of the second highest distinction. Judas, on the night of betrayal, was honored by Jesus. Later, when Judas led the mob to the place where they arrested Jesus, we see the Love that Jesus still had for his betrayer, “Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Jesus called Judas friend and had given him the seat of honor despite the cowardly act Judas had agreed to do for just thirty pieces of silver.
Why is this important to us? If Jesus could love a man like Judas the betrayer, the one who Jesus called the son of perdition, son of a wasted life, and if he would give him the seat of honor could he not love and honor us. Maybe you feel that you have wasted your life. Perhaps you have given up on yourself thinking you have made a mess of everything you do. You don’t feel important, or worthy. You don’t measure up to others. Your sin is too great, you think. You feel that there is no hope for you. Let me say as one who has been there, Jesus is not the one putting those thoughts in your mind. He loves you. He has already prepared for you a seat, an honorable seat, where he is inviting you to sit. Jesus has prepared a place for you in heaven where you can be with him forever. Believe in the name of the One who loves you so much that he died for you taking all your sin upon himself. That’s why this story is so important for us.
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