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By David d'Lima
Ahead of the forthcoming Easter commemoration, please allow me to share the following often overlooked civic and political implications of the Last Supper.
Appreciation of the profound civic implication of the Last Supper requires a recognition of the meal's basis in the Passover. That commemoration from the time of Moses recollects God's judgement on a pagan nation whose leaders resisted the divine plan and persecuted Israel.
In part the meal should remind us that God is angry with rebellious nations and will bring judgement to them.
Strange that our civic and church leaders are unwilling to at least raise the possibility of divine chastisement in relation to the current corona virus.
But if the leaders and people of the nations would repent and respond in faith, sinceChrist, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed(1 Corinthians 5:7), the judgement applicable to personal and national sins would be relieved.
The civic dimension to the Last Supper is further appreciated as we recognise Jesus speaking about civic authority and servant-leadership directly after the Passover meal, by referring to the Roman emperor in four ways, noted in the Gospel of Luke:
The civic dimension to the Last Supper is further appreciated as we recognise Jesus speaking about civic authority and servant-leadership directly after the Passover meal, by referring to the Roman emperor in four ways, noted in the Gospel of Luke:
- Jesus highlightedthe kings of the Gentileswholord it over them(22:25); (some Roman coins have fire on the emperor's head to assert his divinity).
- Jesus referred to those whoexercise authority over the people(22:25).
- He used the termBenefactors(22:25) - a title of emperors as noted by Philo (Flaccus10) who wrote aboutour saviour and benefactor Augustus.
- Jesus referred tothe one who rules, and required him to be like himself -one who serves(22:26); (hence a cross on the crown of monarchs in our inherited Westminster tradition and other Christian-based systems).
His call for servant-leadership has greatly influenced nations that uphold the Christian worldview. Heeding that call, the builders of the Westminster system gave Britain and her daughter nations, including many in the Commonwealth, the ambition towards civic service - provided by ministers (servants) of State who administer departments that facilitate ministry, not bureaucracy.
Their vocation is refreshed as parliaments in the Westminster ethos open each daily sitting with prayer that God's kingdom come and his name be hallowed.
Their vocation is refreshed as parliaments in the Westminster ethos open each daily sitting with prayer that God's kingdom come and his name be hallowed.