Exploring Communion

A Passover Meal in Jesus day like the one he shared with his disciples at the last supper would have run something like this:

a. Preliminary course
· word of dedication by head of group/family at first cup of wine.
· Preliminary dish is shared (green herbs, bitter herbs, fruit puree)
· Meal is served, second cup of wine is mixed and put in place.
b. Passover liturgy
· Passover story told by head of family/group
· First part of Passover Psalm is sung (Ps113-114)
· Second cup is drunk
c. Main Meal
· Grace spoken by head of family/group over unleavened bread
· Meal eaten (lamb, unleavened bread, bitter herbs, fruit puree, wine)
· Grace is said over the third cup (cup of blessing) last of bread blessed, broken and eaten
d. Conclusion
· Second part of Passover Psalm is Sung (Psalms 115-118)
· Praise is offered over the fourth cup.
At each stage a verb is said from Ex 6:6-7, one at a time.

It is interesting to look at what Jesus takes and reinterprets, and what emphasise there are which we miss in our practice of the Lord's Supper.