The Last Supper and The Atonement
Within a few days of Christ's final entry into Jerusalem, the time for observing the Feast of the Passover was at hand. For faithful followers of Christ, this became known as The Last Supper. After the crucifixion there would be no need for a sacrificial passover because Christ was the fulfiller of the law. The apostles asked Jesus where He would go to partake of the feast. He appointed two of them to go into the city.
"And He said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.
And ye shall say unto the good man of the house, The Master saith unto thee, 'Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?'
And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished; there make ready.
And they went, and found as He had said unto them; and they made ready the passover. "(Luke 22:10-13)
As the disciples ate the feast with Jesus, He taught them many important things. Not soon after they began eating, He indicated that one among them would betray Him. Subsequently, Judas left the group for a time. Following his departure, the Savior taught the disciples about the sacrament by blessing both bread and water. He instructed them that the bread symbolized His body while the water symbolized His blood, that was shed for the sins of the world.
The Savior then continued to teach His disciples many great and important things; the most significant of these being the role of pure love in the gospel.
"A new commandment I give unto you: That ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34)
After Jesus had eaten the last supper with His Apostles, He removed his outer robe and put a towel around his waist. He then poured water into a basin and, one by one, began to wash and dry the Apostles' feet. Peter questioned the Lord's act of service.
Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus answered and said unto him, 'What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.'
Peter saith unto him, 'Thou shalt never wash my feet'. Jesus answered him, 'If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.'
Simon Peter saith unto him, 'Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.'
Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. (John 13:6-10)
Christ states that not everyone was clean amongst them, obviously referring to Judas, who would soon betray Him.
When Jesus finished washing the Apostles' feet, He said,
"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." (John 13:14-15)
Following the last supper and Christ's final teachings to the apostles, the group sang a hymn and left for the Mount of Olives, which lay eastward outside of the city walls of Jerusalem. At the entrance of the garden, Christ asked eight of the apostles to wait for him. Then taking three especially chosen ones--Peter, James, and John--He continued a little further. He led them to a spot where he asked them to sit and keep guard. Christ went on alone into a remote part of the garden. There He poured out His soul in a very sad and fervent prayer. At the conclusion of that prayer, Jesus added a guide to all men throughout the ages.
"...nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matthew 26:39)
Jesus returned to Peter, James, and John only to find that they had fallen asleep. After awakening them and again asking them to keep watch, He returned to the solemness of the garden and prayed some more. The scriptures indicate that His agony was so extreme that, "His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground." (Luke 22:44) He returned to His three disciples and, once again, found them sleeping. Once more He returned into the garden, repeating His prayer, each time asking that the cup might be taken from Him, and each time adding, "nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done."
"Having bled at every pore, how red His raiment must have been in Gethsemane, how crimson that cloak! No wonder, when Christ comes in power and glory, that He will come in reminding red attire (see Doctrine and Covenants 133:48), signifying not only the winepress of wrath, but also to bring to our remembrance how He suffered for each of us in Gethsemane and on Calvary!" Neal A Maxwell
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