Jesus’ Final Friday

The story is told concerning Leonardo da Vinci’s  famous painting, “The Last Supper.”  As he was nearing completion he   invited a friend to offer his opinion concerning his work.  After several minutes, da Vinci asked what he noticed first when he looked at the painting.  His friend without hesitation said the first thing to catch his eye was the beautiful red goblet Jesus was reaching for with his right hand.   Upon hearing that Leonardo proceeded to paint out the challis.  When his friend enquired why, he said,  “There will be nothing in my painting that takes one’s eyes off of Jesus.”  If you examine that painting you will notice how Jesus appears to be reaching for something with his right hand.  Something that is not there.  Something removed by the artist because it compromised his intension to honor Jesus.

Had da Vinci read carefully the Biblical accounts of the last supper,  he might have concluded that in that original meal very few eyes were actually focused upon Jesus.  The distraction, however, was not a red goblet.  The distractions were dishonesty, disputes, and divergent levels of devotion.  This upper-room-gathering intended to celebrate Israel’s freedom march out of Egypt, was anything but “Christ-focused.”

In this lesson we look at what Scripture says happened in that upper room.  We fill find this was anything but a peaceful, calm, celebrative meal remembering deliverance.

We can learn so very much from this short moment of Jesus’ final week.

Click on the arrow below to begin this lesson.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________