The Last Supper
The event of the Last Supper is described in all four Gospels: Matthew (26:17–30), Mark (14:12–26), Luke (22:7–20), and John (13:1–30). In accordance with the Old Testament Law (Exodus 12:6–18), the celebration of the first day of Passover required a special meal. Jesus Christ instructed His disciples Peter and John to prepare everything necessary (Luke 22:8–13). In the evening, marking the start of a new day according to Jewish custom, they gathered for the meal (Luke 22:14). Before the meal, Christ demonstrated humility by washing the feet of His disciples (John 13:4–17). During the supper, He foretold the betrayal of one of the apostles (John 13:21–30) and instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist (Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19–20).
An important feature of this event is that the Last Supper took place a day earlier than the traditional Passover celebration. While skeptics perceive this as a discrepancy in the Gospel accounts, theologians and historians offer alternative explanations. One theory suggests that due to miscalculations in the lunar calendar during the Babylonian exile, two Passover observances coexisted in Jewish tradition: the official one according to the Law and a popular observance held a day earlier. Christ, aware of His imminent arrest, conducted the Passover meal in advance, symbolically identifying Himself with the Passover lamb sacrificed in the Temple on the day of His crucifixion (John 19:14; Exodus 12:46).
Iconography
The iconography of the Last Supper is primarily based on the description in the Gospel of Matthew (26:21–28):“And as they were eating, He said, ‘Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.’ And they were very sorrowful and began to say to Him one after another, ‘Is it I, Lord?’ He answered, ‘He who has dipped his hand in the dish with Me will betray Me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.’ Judas, who would betray Him, answered, ‘Is it I, Rabbi?’ He said to him, ‘You have said so.’ … Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”
Icons often depict the moment of blessing the bread and the chalice. Christ is seated at the center, surrounded by the apostles. The apostle John, as described in the Gospel of John (13:23), reclines on Christ’s chest. Judas Iscariot is typically portrayed separately, often holding a money bag (John 13:29) or reaching for the bread. His gaze is sometimes directed toward the viewer, seemingly questioning or accusing: “Are you the one who betrays Christ at this table?”
The iconography of the Last Supper reflects the cultural and domestic aspects of the era when it was created. Although meals in Jesus’ time were customarily eaten reclining (Luke 22:14), icons often feature tables and furnishings typical of the artist’s contemporary period. Depicted tableware includes jugs, plates, spoons, and knives, with simple foods such as bread, wine (Matthew 26:29), and occasionally fish or vegetables. A notable detail is the depiction of a turnip among the dishes in the frescoes of the Holy Trinity Chapel in Lublin.
This iconography serves not only as a symbolic representation of a central New Testament event but also as a significant historical source that reveals the cultural, domestic, and spiritual dimensions of various epochs.
Mykhailo Skop
