Latter-day Saint Life

Watch: Video on the Last Supper will deepen how you understand Christ’s final lesson to His apostles

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This video was originally shared in March 2018. We highlight it again to coincide with our  Come, Follow Me study.

During the last week of our Savior's life, Jesus Christ gathered with His apostles in an upper room of a home in Jerusalem. As a video created by Daniel Smith of Messages of Christ in 2012 explains, the Last Supper as depicted in many famous paintings does not always give the most accurate view of what transpired the last night Christ ate with and taught His apostles. By understanding some of the more subtle details of this historic event, we can deeper understand the final messages Christ wanted to share with those closest to Him.

Based on Roman practices that were adopted by the Jews, the video is able to explain, using scriptural clues, that Jesus Christ was most likely seated on the left side of a triclinium, a dining table used in ancient Rome. Seated on His right—the place reserved for a trusted friend—was John the Beloved, and, interestingly enough, the place on Christ's left—reserved for a guest of honor—was most likely filled by Judas Iscariot while Peter sat in the place reserved for servants or guests of lowest standing.

At this time when the apostles often questioned who was greatest among them, Christ taught both through example, by washing the apostles' feet, and through the physical setting this important principle, "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him" (John 13:13-16).

The video also states, "It seems that to the very end Jesus loved Judas and desired to teach Him of this love by placing Him in this most important seat." What a beautiful testament of our Savior's constant love for all of us. Learn more interesting facts about the Last Supper in the video below:

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Video Companion
The Setting of the Last Supper

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