I originally composed
this as part of my work The Gospel of Jesus Chrestos according to Chuck, but then realized that to be consistent
with what I have said elsewhere, I needed to redact it out since in that
context it did not belong. Essentially,
the ‘Pericope of the Last Supper’ became part of the gospel story in response
to the abuses such as those Paul talks about in Corinth, and also under the
clear influence of the Hellenistic mystery cults (of Mithras in particular).
However, since I had
already composed it, and because the myth has such a firm hold on the
imagination of Christians across the world, I am now presenting the story
separately.
When the hour had come, Jesus sat down with the
disciples. He received a cup, and gave
thanks, saying, ‘Blessed be Yahweh our
God, King of the Universe, who has kept us alive and preserved us and enabled
us to reach this season’. And the
disciples replied, ‘Amen’.
Then he raised the
cup, saying, ‘Blessed be Yahweh our God, King of the Universe, who creates the
fruit of the vine’. And the disciples replied, ‘Amen’.
He then said, ‘Take this, and share it among
yourselves, for I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine
until kingdom of God comes’.
When they had finished, he took bread, and gave thanks,
saying, ‘Blessed be Yahweh our God,
King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth’. And
the disciples replied, ‘Amen’.
Then he broke it, saying, ‘As this broken bread was
scattered upon the mountains but was brought together and became one, so let
your Israel be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your
kingdom’, and gave it to them.
Likewise, he took the cup after supper, and gave thanks,
saying, ‘Blessed
be Yahweh our God, King of the Universe, who sustains the
entire universe with his goodness, grace, and mercy. We give thanks to you, Yahweh our God, that
you prepared for our fathers a good land and brought us out of Egypt, and gave
to us the Covenant, Torah, and all the food we could want. Yahweh our God, have mercy upon Israel your people, upon Jerusalem your city, and upon
that house that is called by your Name.
May you restore the kingdom of the house of David your Messiah to its
rightful place’. And the disciples
replied, ‘Amen’.
‘May he who makes peace in the celestial heights create peace for us
and for all Israel’. And the disciples
replied, ‘Amen’.
He lifted up the
cup and said, ‘Blessed be Yahweh our God, King of the Universe, who creates the
fruit of the vine’. And the disciples replied, ‘Amen’.
He then gave it to them, saying, ‘This cup is the new
covenant in my blood’.
When they had finished it, he prayed, ‘Glorified and
sanctified be God’s great name throughout the world which he has created
according to his will. May he establish
his kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the lifetime of
the entire house of Israel, speedily and soon’.
And the disciples replied, ‘Amen’.
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