Judas Iscariot: Part 4 The Last Supper

The Last Supper is also known at the Lord’s Supper, and is the final time Jesus eats with His disciples before His crucifixion.

All the Gospels feature this event, with Matthew, Mark and Luke showing how Jesus puts in place the Eucharist. John does not include this, but instead records how Jesus washed the Disciples’ feet and then continues to teach. This maybe because John already includes Eucharistic themes throughout the Gospel and therefore does not feel the need to reiterate the narrative. John’s Gospel is younger than the other three and so it is likely the Church already knew the story sufficiently well.

Judas Departs

I always thought that Judas leaves the meal halfway through. I think it is because I’ve seen dramatised versions of the Last Supper, without properly reading the Gospels.

In fact, he only leaves early in the Gospel of John, after Jesus washes the disciples’ feet.

In each Gospel, Jesus announces someone at the table will betray Him. In John, he records the private conversation he had with Jesus. Jesus directly indicates to John who will betray Him.

Judas then departs. John mentions that the other disciples all think that he leaves to buy more food or give money to the poor.

In Matthew, Mark and Luke, Judas stays for the whole meal. I find this shocking as he therefore partakes in the first Eucharist. No matter how dedicated we are to Christ, we can all betray Him and so we need to keep our hearts’ humbled in repentance.

Judas Betrays

In Matthew and John, we see Jesus quote a Psalm when talking about who will betray Him.

Psalm 41 v 9

Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

This is why Judas does not leave before the Eucharist, in order to fulfil this Psalm.

Satan Enters Judas

Luke 22 v 2-3

And the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.

John 13 v 27

As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

‘Satan entered Judas’ is a strange phrase. Does it mean that the Devil demon-possessed Judas, so Judas couldn’t help but offer Jesus up to the authorities? Was he literally taken over by the Devil?

I don’t think that is the case. I would say that the Devil was embodied in Judas’s actions and decision.

So as Lucifer betrayed God, Judas betrays God too. Just as the Devil partook in God’s Heavenly Hosts, Judas lived and partook in the presence of Jesus and His Disciples.

Judas is a type of Satan, similar as to how Adam and Melchizedek are types of Christ.

Judas embodies and acts within the scope of the betrayer archetype, the Devil. So I would say it is the Devil and Judas who both betray Jesus to the authorities.

Symbolism of the Upper Room

Mark 14 v 15

He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

By definition, the Upper Room gives the impression that you need to ascend to enter it.

Symbolically, this means they are moving towards God. We see the same idea when we read about Noah and the Ark rising on the flood waters or Moses climbing up Mount Sinai. They are coming closer to God.

At the Last Supper, Jesus and the Disciples ascend to the Upper Room. They are symbolically entering a holy space.

A few months later, the Disciples end up in another Upper Room.

Acts 1 v 12-13

Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying.

After Jesus dies, resurrects and then ascends to Heaven, the Disciples wait in an Upper Room. I like to think it was the same room where the Last Supper was eaten.

And this is where God then returns, in the person of the Holy Spirit.

And the Church begins.