The Last Supper Model
I remember when our professor in my Bible Study Methods class at CBS diagrammed for us the correct interpretation of the table of the Last Supper. It was one of those wide-eyed memorable lessons that left me in awe, knowing the true depiction verses the “Last Supper” painting by Leonardo da Vinci that so many of us are familiar with.
Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper painting
In my recent trip to Israel, our group stopped by an olive tree wood shop in Bethlehem to check out some souvenirs. They sold hundreds of items carved from olive tree wood including crosses, saints, angels and nativity scenes. But, there was one item that caught my eye! When my professor and I saw it, our eyes got real big and our jaws dropped. We were like two little kids looking at the most amazing toy. I had never seen an actual model of the correct interpretation of the last supper.
Olive tree wood model of the Last Supper
Here, the disciples and Jesus sit at an “n” shaped table. The first seat on the lower left is John. He is looking back at Jesus, who is seated next to him in the place of honor. Yes, the seat of honor is the second on the left, not in the middle of a long rectangular table like da Vinci’s famous painting. On the other side of Jesus is Judas. Peter would probably be the last disciple across the table on the right.
In that time period, the tables for eating were not high off the ground like they are today, but they were low to the ground. People didn’t use chairs but rather they reclined to eat. Leaning on their left arm for support, their legs were to the back, and they used the right hand to eat. To talk to the person next to you, one would lean back onto the others chest. For example, John would lean back onto Jesus’ chest to speak to him. Jesus would lean back onto Judas to speak with him. This really gives a new perspective on the meaning of “being stabbed in the back” doesn’t it? As Jesus’ back was to Judas, who just a short while after the supper would stab him in the back with betrayal.
