This small group deep study guide draws directly from Charles Scheffe's sermon “7 Days: Maundy Thursday” so you can keep engaging with the message all week. Read, reflect, and share it with your small group or friends.
Deep Study Guide: The Upper Room — Passover Reimagined
A Comprehensive Small Group Bible Study
Based on the Sermon: "Maundy Thursday — Jesus Redefines the Meal"
Series: Seven Days (The Final Week of Jesus)
"I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." — Luke 22:15
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
This guide is designed for small groups who want to move beyond surface-level discussion into serious engagement with the biblical text, its theological depth, and its transforming implications for daily life. Each section builds on the previous one, so groups are encouraged to work through the material sequentially rather than skipping ahead.
Estimated Study Time: 90–120 minutes (or can be split across two sessions)
Materials Needed:
- Bible (ESV, NIV, or NASB recommended for word studies)
- Notebook or journal
- Optional: Concordance or Bible study app (Blue Letter Bible, Logos, or Accordance)
A Note on Depth: Some questions in this guide are deliberately difficult. They are designed not to produce easy answers but to generate honest wrestling with the text. Resist the temptation to rush toward resolution. Some of the richest group conversations happen in the tension of a question that doesn't resolve quickly.
PART ONE: SETTING THE SCENE
Historical and Cultural Background
1.1 | The Passover: What It Was and Why It Mattered
Before opening a single New Testament text, we must understand what the disciples expected when they sat down for this meal. The Passover was not simply a religious observance — it was the central, identity-forming event of the entire Jewish calendar. To miss its weight is to miss the full force of what Jesus was doing when he redefined it.
The Historical Foundation: Exodus 12
The Passover originated in one of the most dramatic moments in Israel's history. After nine devastating plagues, Pharaoh still refused to release the Hebrew people from slavery. God announced a tenth and final plague: the death of every firstborn in Egypt. But God provided a way of escape — a substitutionary lamb whose blood, applied to the doorposts of a home, would cause the angel of death to "pass over" that household.
Read Exodus 12:1–14 slowly and carefully.
Key details to observe:
- The lamb had to be without blemish (v. 5) — perfection was required
- The blood had to be applied — the lamb's death alone was insufficient without the application of its blood (v. 7)
- The meal was eaten in haste, with sandals on and staff in hand (v. 11) — they were a people on the move
- God called this a memorial to be observed forever (v. 14) — it was designed to be perpetually re-enacted
The Ongoing Practice
By the time of Jesus, the Passover had been observed for roughly 1,400 years. The Seder (meaning "order") had developed into a structured liturgical meal guided by the Haggadah (meaning "telling"), a text that walked participants through the story of the Exodus using specific foods, questions, psalms, and prayers. The meal was not merely commemorative — it was participatory. Each generation was to experience the Exodus as if they themselves had been brought out of Egypt.
The Mishnah (Pesachim 10:5) records this remarkable instruction:
"In every generation, each person is obligated to see himself as if he personally left Egypt."
This is crucial context. When Jesus sat down at this meal, every element on the table was already loaded with centuries of meaning. The disciples were not passive observers at a dinner party. They were active participants in a living story.
1.2 | The Seder Elements and Their Symbolic Meaning
| Element | Hebrew Name | Symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter herbs (horseradish) | Maror | The bitterness of slavery in Egypt |
| Salt water | — | The tears of the enslaved people |
| Sweet paste (apple, nuts, wine) | Charoset | The mortar used by Hebrew slaves |
| Unleavened bread | Matzah | The haste of departure; no time for bread to rise |
| Lamb | Korban Pesach | The substitutionary sacrifice that brought deliverance |
| Four cups of wine | — | The four promises of God in Exodus 6:6–7 |
| Reclining posture | — | The posture of free people (slaves stood) |
The Four Cups of Wine (Exodus 6:6–7)
The four cups correspond to four divine promises:
- "I will bring you out" — Cup of Sanctification
- "I will deliver you" — Cup of Plagues/Judgment
- "I will redeem you" — Cup of Redemption
- "I will take you as my people" — Cup of Restoration/Praise
Most scholars believe the cup Jesus took in Luke 22:20 — the cup he called "the new covenant in my blood" — was the third cup, the Cup of Redemption. This is deeply significant.
1.3 | The Timing: Nisan 14 and the Synoptic Question
The sermon referenced "Nisan 14" in the Jewish calendar. This is worth understanding more deeply, as it sits at the heart of one of the most debated chronological questions in New Testament scholarship.
The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) appear to present the Last Supper as a Passover Seder eaten on the evening of Nisan 14 (the beginning of Nisan 15 by Jewish reckoning, since the Jewish day began at sundown). John's Gospel, however, places the crucifixion at the time when the Passover lambs were being slaughtered in the temple — suggesting Jesus died before the Passover meal was eaten.
Two major interpretive approaches:
The Synoptic View: Jesus ate the Passover meal on the traditional night and was crucified the following day. The apparent contradiction in John is explained by different calendar systems in use (some scholars suggest the Galilean calendar and the Judean calendar differed by a day).
The Johannine View: Jesus deliberately ate an anticipatory Passover meal one night early, knowing he would be dead before the official Passover. He then died as the Passover lambs were being slaughtered — a stunning theological alignment that John emphasizes intentionally.
Either way, the theological point is unmistakable: Jesus is the Passover Lamb. John the Baptist announced it at the beginning of Jesus's ministry ("Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" — John 1:29), and the entire Passover narrative finds its ultimate fulfillment in his death.
PART TWO: SCRIPTURE ANALYSIS
Deep Exegesis of the Key Texts
2.1 | Luke 22:7–20 — The Passover Reframed
Read Luke 22:7–20 in full before proceeding.
Verse 15: "I have earnestly desired"
The Greek phrase here is epithumia epethumesa — a Hebraic construction that uses the noun and verb of the same root together for intensification. It could be rendered: "With desire I have desired" or "I have longed with longing." This is the language of deep, aching anticipation.
This same construction appears in the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) in moments of intense emotion. Jesus is not casually looking forward to a meal. He is expressing something that has been building in him — a profound desire to share this particular moment with these particular people before what was coming.
Verse 15b: "before I suffer"
The Greek word is pathein — to suffer, to undergo. Jesus is not surprised by what is coming. He is walking toward it with clear eyes and a full heart. The meal is not an escape from the suffering — it is the gateway to it, and he has been longing for it.
Verse 16: "until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God"
Jesus introduces a future dimension into the meal. The Passover always looked backward — to the Exodus. Jesus now gives it a forward orientation. There is a fulfillment coming. This connects directly to what Paul will later call the eschatological dimension of Communion: "you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). Every time the church gathers at the table, it stands between two moments: the cross behind and the Kingdom ahead.
Verse 19: "Do this in remembrance of me"
The Greek word for "remembrance" is anamnesis — and it carries more weight than the English word suggests. Anamnesis in Greek thought was not merely cognitive recollection. It was a making-present of a past reality. In Jewish liturgical practice, the Passover anamnesis meant that the Exodus event was genuinely re-presented to each generation — not just remembered but re-entered.
When Jesus says "do this in anamnesis of me," he is not asking for a mental exercise. He is inviting his followers into a living participation in his death and resurrection — a genuine encounter with the reality of what he accomplished, not merely a historical footnote.
2.2 | John 13:1–17 — The Foot Washing
Read John 13:1–17 carefully.
Verse 1: "Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end"
John opens this entire section of his Gospel (chapters 13–17, often called the "Upper Room Discourse") with this sweeping statement. The phrase "to the end" (eis telos) carries a double meaning:
- To the uttermost — completely, without reservation
- To the end — until the last moment, all the way through
This same word (telos) appears on the lips of Jesus from the cross in John 19:30: "It is finished." John is bookending the entire Passion narrative with this word. The foot washing is not a standalone act of humility — it is the opening chapter of a love story that culminates at Calvary.
Verse 3: "knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands"
This detail is theologically explosive. John tells us that Jesus washed feet precisely because he knew who he was. His act of service did not flow from insecurity, desperation, or a need to prove something. It flowed from the settled confidence of a person who knew his identity, his origin, and his destination. True servant leadership is never self-deprecating. It is the overflow of security.
Verses 6–9: The Peter Interchange
Peter's initial refusal ("You shall never wash my feet") reflects a genuine theological instinct — it seemed wrong for the Master to serve the servant. But Jesus's response reveals something profound: receiving his service is not optional for belonging to him.
"If I do not wash you, you have no share with me" (v. 8).
The word "share" (meros) means portion, inheritance, participation. Jesus is saying: you cannot participate in what I am doing if you refuse to receive what I am offering. This is a word about grace. Many people who have no problem serving others have enormous difficulty receiving grace, care, and love. Jesus insists that both are required.
Verse 14–15: "You also ought to wash one another's feet"
Jesus explicitly frames the foot washing as an example (hupodeigma — a pattern, a model to be followed). He is not instituting a new sacrament (though some traditions, such as Anabaptists and some Pentecostals, do practice foot washing liturgically). He is establishing a posture of community — one defined by mutual, self-lowering service.
The question is not whether we literally wash feet. The question is: what is the equivalent act of humble service in our context that we are most tempted to avoid?
2.3 | John 13:34–35 — The New Commandment
Read John 13:34–35.
Why "new"?
The command to love one's neighbor was not new — it appears in Leviticus 19:18. So what makes this commandment new?
Jesus provides the answer in the standard he sets: "as I have loved you." This is the newness. The standard of love has been radically elevated. It is no longer "love your neighbor as yourself" (a horizontal standard). It is now "love one another as I have loved you" (a vertical, incarnational standard).
What does that look like? Jesus has just shown them. He got up from the table, took off his outer garment, and washed feet. And he is about to show them even more definitively — by laying down his life.
The Community Witness
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (v. 35).
Jesus does not say they will be known by their doctrine (though doctrine matters), their worship style, their building, or their programs. The identifying mark of his community is love — specifically, the kind of love that looks like service, sacrifice, and genuine care.
This is both an extraordinary promise and a sobering responsibility. The church's witness in the world is inextricably tied to the quality of love within the church.
2.4 | Isaiah 53 — The Prophetic Foundation
The sermon referenced Isaiah 53 in connection with the matzah — the striped, pierced, broken bread. Read Isaiah 53:1–12 in full.
This passage, written approximately 700 years before the crucifixion, is one of the most remarkable prophetic texts in all of scripture. It describes a "Suffering Servant" who:
- Is despised and rejected (v. 3)
- Carries our griefs and sorrows (v. 4)
- Is pierced for our transgressions (v. 5)
- Is crushed for our iniquities (v. 5)
- By his stripes we are healed (v. 5)
- Is led like a lamb to the slaughter (v. 7)
- Makes his soul an offering for sin (v. 10)
The physical characteristics of the matzah — striped, pierced, broken — are a stunning visual echo of Isaiah's prophetic portrait. Jesus, in taking the bread and saying "this is my body," was not improvising. He was completing a picture that had been in preparation for centuries.
A Note on Interpretation
Isaiah 53 is the most quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament in relation to the death of Jesus. It appears or is alluded to in Matthew 8:17, Luke 22:37, John 12:38, Acts 8:32–33, Romans 10:16, 1 Peter 2:22–25, and many other places. The early church did not invent the idea that Jesus was the Suffering Servant — they found it embedded in the text of their scriptures, waiting to be recognized.
2.5 | 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 — Paul's Transmission
Read 1 Corinthians 11:23–26.
Paul's account of the Lord's Supper is actually the earliest written record of the institution — earlier than any of the Gospels. He writes to the Corinthian church approximately 20 years after the crucifixion, and he explicitly states that he "received" this tradition — meaning it was handed to him from those who were there.
Three temporal dimensions of Communion (v. 26):
- Past: "you proclaim the Lord's death" — looking back to the cross
- Present: "whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup" — present participation
- Future: "until he comes" — looking forward to the consummation of the Kingdom
Every celebration of Communion is a three-dimensional act of worship — memorial, encounter, and anticipation simultaneously.
PART THREE: THEOLOGICAL DEEP DIVE
Key Themes and Doctrinal Insights
3.1 | Typology: The Old Testament as Shadow, Christ as Substance
The sermon beautifully illustrated how the Passover was designed to point forward to Christ. This is the biblical hermeneutical principle of typology — the idea that certain people, events, and institutions in the Old Testament are "types" (Greek: typos) that prefigure and are fulfilled in Christ.
The Passover as Type, Christ as Antitype:
| Passover Type | Christ as Antitype |
|---|---|
| Lamb without blemish | Christ, sinless and perfect (1 Peter 1:19) |
| Blood applied to doorposts | Christ's blood applied to our lives by faith |
| Death angel passes over | God's judgment passes over those covered by Christ |
| Lamb eaten in community | Christ received in community at the Lord's Table |
| Liberation from Egypt | Liberation from sin and death |
| Haste of departure | Urgency of the new life in Christ |
Paul makes this typological connection explicit in 1 Corinthians 5:7: "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed."
The principle of typology does not diminish the historical reality of the Exodus. It reveals that God was, from the beginning, writing a story that would find its ultimate meaning in Jesus. The Exodus was real — and it was also a preview.
3.2 | Covenant Theology: Old and New
The sermon emphasized the word "covenant" in connection with the cup. This deserves careful theological attention.
What is a covenant?
A biblical covenant (berith in Hebrew, diatheke in Greek) is a solemn, binding agreement between parties, typically sealed with blood. Unlike a contract (which is transactional), a covenant is relational — it creates a bond of belonging between the parties.
The Major Biblical Covenants:
- Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9) — God's promise to preserve creation; sign: rainbow
- Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15, 17) — God's promise of land, descendants, and blessing; sign: circumcision
- Mosaic/Sinaitic Covenant (Exodus 19–24) — God's covenant with Israel mediated through the Law; sign: Sabbath
- Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7) — God's promise of an eternal kingdom through David's line
- New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20) — God's promise of inner transformation, full forgiveness, and direct relationship
Jeremiah 31:31–34 is the Old Testament foundation for what Jesus announces at the table. Read it carefully. Note what makes the New Covenant new:
- The law written on hearts, not stone tablets
- A direct, personal knowledge of God for all — not mediated through priests
- Complete forgiveness: "I will remember their sin no more"
When Jesus takes the cup and says "this cup is the new covenant in my blood," he is announcing the fulfillment of Jeremiah's 600-year-old promise. The New Covenant is not simply an upgrade of the Mosaic Covenant — it is a qualitatively different kind of relationship with God, made possible by the once-for-all sacrifice of the perfect Lamb.
3.3 | The Theology of the Lord's Supper: Major Views
The church has debated the precise meaning of the Lord's Supper for centuries. A mature believer should be aware of the major positions:
1. Transubstantiation (Roman Catholic) The bread and wine are literally transformed into the body and blood of Christ. The substance changes, though the appearance (accidents) remains the same. Based on a particular reading of "This is my body."
2. Consubstantiation / Real Presence (Lutheran) Christ is truly and bodily present "in, with, and under" the bread and wine — not by transformation, but by a mysterious union. Luther famously insisted on the literal "is" in "This is my body."
3. Spiritual Presence (Reformed/Calvinist) Christ is truly present at the table, but spiritually rather than physically. The elements are signs that truly convey what they signify to faith. Calvin's view is often called "virtualism" — the virtue or power of Christ's body and blood is genuinely received.
4. Memorial View (Zwinglian/Baptist) The bread and wine are symbols that commemorate Christ's death. Their primary function is to help believers remember and proclaim the gospel. Christ is present in the gathering of believers, but not in the elements themselves.
Most evangelical and Protestant churches hold some version of the memorial or spiritual presence views. What all traditions agree on is this: the Lord's Supper is not merely a ritual — it is a proclamation, a participation, and a promise.
3.4 | Servant Leadership: A Theology of the Towel
The foot washing scene in John 13 is one of the most theologically rich moments in the Gospels. Several principles emerge:
Identity precedes service. Jesus served from a position of secure identity (John 13:3). He did not wash feet to earn love, prove worth, or gain status. He washed feet because he already knew who he was. Insecure service — service done to earn approval or maintain control — is not what Jesus modeled.
Receiving is as important as giving. Peter's refusal to receive was actually a form of pride — a subtle insistence on maintaining the hierarchy that made him more comfortable. Jesus insists that his community is built on mutual vulnerability: giving and receiving, serving and being served.
The cross-shaped community. The foot washing is not a standalone ethical example. It is a preview of the cross. Jesus's willingness to get low, to take the posture of a slave, to make himself nothing — this is the same movement described in Philippians 2:5–11. The towel and the cross are cut from the same cloth.
PART FOUR: CROSS-REFERENCES AND RELATED PASSAGES
For personal study or group reference
| Theme | Key Passages |
|---|---|
| The Passover institution | Exodus 12:1–14; Deuteronomy 16:1–8 |
| The Suffering Servant | Isaiah 52:13–53:12 |
| Jesus as the Lamb of God | John 1:29, 36; Revelation 5:6–14 |
| The New Covenant promise | Jeremiah 31:31–34; Ezekiel 36:25–27 |
| The Lord's Supper accounts | Matthew 26:17–30; Mark 14:12–26; Luke 22:7–23; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 |
| The foot washing | John 13:1–17 |
| The New Commandment | John 13:34–35; 15:12–17; 1 John 3:16–18; 4:7–12 |
| Servant leadership | Mark 10:42–45; Philippians 2:5–11 |
| Typological fulfillment | 1 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 9:11–28; 1 Peter 1:18–21 |
| Eschatological dimension | Matthew 26:29; 1 Corinthians 11:26; Revelation 19:6–9 |
PART FIVE: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
For Deep Group Engagement
Note to group leaders: Not all questions need to be answered in a single session. Select those most relevant to your group's needs. Questions marked with ★ are especially recommended for first-time use of this guide.
Section A: Understanding the Text
1. The sermon noted that the Passover was a "community-forming event" that Israel had practiced for over 1,000 years. What does it mean for an event to form a community? How does repeated, shared practice shape identity? Can you think of examples from your own experience — family, cultural, or religious — where a repeated practice has shaped who you are?
2. ★ Read Exodus 12:1–14 and Luke 22:14–20 side by side. Make a list of the specific elements that appear in both passages. What does Jesus keep? What does he transform? What do those changes tell us about how he understood his own mission?
3. The sermon pointed out that anamnesis (remembrance) in Jewish practice meant more than cognitive recollection — it meant a re-entering of the story. How does this understanding change the way you think about Communion? Does your experience of the Lord's Supper feel more like a mental exercise or a genuine encounter? Why?
4. John 13:3 tells us that Jesus washed feet knowing who he was and where he was going. How does secure identity enable humble service? What happens to service when it is disconnected from a secure sense of identity in Christ?
5. The "new" commandment in John 13:34 raises a question: the command to love one's neighbor already existed in Leviticus 19:18. What specifically makes Jesus's commandment new? What is the difference between "love your neighbor as yourself" and "love one another as I have loved you"?
Section B: Theological Reflection
6. ★ The sermon traced a four-part structure through the Upper Room: the Lamb (how we are saved), the Towel (what we are becoming), the Command (how we are to live), and the Covenant (what makes it all possible). Take each element and discuss: which of these four do you find most natural to embrace? Which is most challenging for you personally, and why?
7. The sermon suggested that "we like to take some of the lamb without the towel" — meaning we want the salvation without the servant community. Do you think this is a fair critique of contemporary Christianity? What does it look like in practice when a church community has the cross without the towel? What gets lost?
8. Covenant language is central to this passage. Read Jeremiah 31:31–34 carefully. What are the specific promises of the New Covenant? How do they differ from the Mosaic Covenant? In what ways do you experience the New Covenant as a present reality in your life, and in what ways does it still feel like a future hope?
9. The sermon emphasized that Jesus "redefined" the Passover meal — reorienting it from looking backward (to the Exodus) to looking forward (to the Kingdom). What does it mean for the Lord's Supper to be an eschatological meal — one that points toward the future consummation of God's Kingdom? How does that forward orientation affect the way you participate in Communion?
10. Peter's initial refusal to have his feet washed was rooted in a kind of reverence — it seemed wrong for Jesus to serve him. But Jesus reframed it as a condition of belonging. Are there ways in which we refuse to receive from God or from others out of a misguided sense of self-sufficiency or false humility? What does it cost us when we refuse to receive?
Section C: Deeper Exegetical Questions
11. Compare the four Gospel accounts of the institution of the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:17–30; Mark 14:12–26; Luke 22:7–23; John 13 — noting that John does not include the institution narrative but includes the foot washing). What details does each Gospel emphasize? What does each writer seem most concerned to communicate about this night? What do the differences tell us about each author's theological purpose?
12. Isaiah 53 describes the Suffering Servant as "pierced for our transgressions" and "crushed for our iniquities." The sermon noted that matzah is physically pierced and striped. How do you evaluate the claim that the physical characteristics of Passover bread were a divinely designed visual prophecy pointing to Christ? What is the difference between legitimate typology and reading too much into physical details?
13. The four cups of the Passover Seder correspond to the four promises of God in Exodus 6:6–7. Most scholars identify the cup Jesus used in Luke 22:20 as the third cup — the Cup of Redemption. If this is correct, what is the significance of the fourth cup (the Cup of Restoration/Praise)? Some scholars suggest Jesus deliberately did not drink the fourth cup, pointing to Matthew 26:29 ("I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom"). If so, what does this suggest about the eschatological nature of Communion?
14. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:27–29 about eating and drinking "in an unworthy manner" and "not discerning the body." This passage has sometimes been used to create anxiety around Communion. Read it carefully in context (vv. 17–34). What was the specific problem Paul was addressing in Corinth? What does "discerning the body" actually mean in context? How does understanding the original context change the pastoral application of this passage?
Section D: Personal and Community Application
15. ★ The sermon argued that Jesus was forming a "brand new community" in the Upper Room — and that this community is expressed most fully not in large gatherings but in intimate small groups. What does genuine Christian community require that cannot happen in a crowd? What is your small group currently doing well in embodying the kind of community Jesus was forming? Where is there room to grow?
16. The New Commandment — "love one another as I have loved you" — is given in the context of Jesus having just washed feet. What is one specific, concrete act of service you could offer to someone in your group or community this week that reflects the posture of the towel? Be specific — not "be more loving" but a particular action toward a particular person.
17. The sermon described three phases of Israel's experience in the Passover story: the bitterness of slavery, the tears of crying out, and the hard work that preceded deliverance (the mortar/charoset). Is there a season in your own spiritual journey that mirrors one of these phases? Where are you currently? What does the Passover story suggest about God's presence and purpose in that season?
18. The sermon closed with three questions Jesus asks each of us:
- Do you want to be a part of what I am doing?
- Are you willing to receive what I am offering?
- Are you willing to live the way I am calling you to live?
Which of these three questions is most pressing for you personally right now? What would saying "yes" to that question look like in your daily life?
19. The sermon noted that the name "Maundy Thursday" comes from the Latin mandatum — command. The day is named not for the meal but for the commandment. What does it say about Jesus's priorities that the day of the Last Supper is defined by a command to love? How does this reframe the way you think about what Christianity is fundamentally about?
20. ★ Consider the four-part framework from the sermon as a personal diagnostic:
- The Lamb: Do you have a clear, personal understanding of how you have been saved? Is this something you live in daily, or has it become background noise?
- The Towel: In what ways are you actively being formed into Christlikeness? Where is the Holy Spirit currently doing the most significant work in your character?
- The Command: What does love for the specific people in your life currently require of you? Who is hardest to love, and what would it look like to love them as Christ has loved you?
- The Covenant: Do you live with a daily awareness of the New Covenant — that you are in a binding, permanent relationship with God sealed by the blood of Jesus? How would living in that awareness change your day-to-day experience?
PART SIX: GOING DEEPER
For Individual Study Between Sessions
6.1 | Lectio Divina Exercise
Lectio Divina ("sacred reading") is an ancient practice of slow, meditative engagement with scripture. Use this method with John 13:1–17 this week.
Step 1 — Lectio (Read): Read the passage slowly, aloud if possible. Notice which word or phrase stands out to you.
Step 2 — Meditatio (Meditate): Read again. Sit with the word or phrase that caught your attention. Let it turn over in your mind. Don't analyze — simply receive.
Step 3 — Oratio (Pray): Read a third time. Respond to God in prayer based on what you have received. What is the text stirring in you? Gratitude? Conviction? Wonder? Longing?
Step 4 — Contemplatio (Contemplate): Rest in silence. Allow God to speak beyond words.
6.2 | Journaling Prompts
Write out Jeremiah 31:31–34 in your own words — as if you were explaining it to someone who had never read the Bible. What promises does God make? What do they mean to you personally?
Reflect on a time when you, like Peter, resisted receiving something from God or from another person. What was behind that resistance? What did it cost you? What might have been different if you had said yes?
The Passover meal was designed to make the past real in the present. When you take Communion, what practices or postures help you genuinely encounter what it represents? What gets in the way?
6.3 | Recommended Resources for Further Study
Books:
- The Last Week by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan — A detailed day-by-day account of Holy Week (note: from a more progressive theological perspective; read critically but valuable for historical detail)
- Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant Pitre — An outstanding scholarly yet accessible exploration of the Jewish background of the Last Supper; highly recommended
- The Meaning of the Millennium by Robert Clouse — For those interested in the eschatological dimension of Communion
- Knowing God by J.I. Packer — Excellent theological grounding for the covenant themes in this study
- The Cross of Christ by John Stott — Definitive evangelical treatment of the atonement, deeply relevant to the Passover/sacrifice themes
- Community and Growth by Jean Vanier — A profound exploration of Christian community that resonates with the Upper Room themes
Bible Study Tools:
- Blue Letter Bible (blueletterbible.org) — Free online tool for word studies, cross-references, and commentaries
- Bible Gateway (biblegateway.com) — Multiple translations side by side
- The Bible Project (bibleproject.com) — Excellent video overviews of biblical themes and books; search "Passover," "Covenant," and "Sacrifice and Atonement"
Commentaries:
- The Gospel of Luke by Darrell Bock (Baker Exegetical Commentary) — Scholarly and thorough
- The Gospel of John by D.A. Carson (Pillar New Testament Commentary) — Excellent on John 13
- 1 Corinthians by Gordon Fee (New International Commentary) — Outstanding treatment of the Lord's Supper passage
PART SEVEN: CLOSING LITURGY
For Use at the End of Your Group Session
This responsive reading can be used to close your time together, especially if your group shares Communion.
Leader: Why is this night different from all other nights?
Group: We were slaves, and God delivered us.
Leader: But more than this — we were lost, and God found us.
Group: We were dead, and Christ made us alive.
Leader: The lamb showed us how we are saved.
Group: Covered by his blood, the judgment passes over us.
Leader: The towel showed us what we are becoming.
Group: A community shaped by service, not status.
Leader: The command shows us how we are to live.
Group: Love one another as he has loved us.
Leader: The covenant makes it all possible.
Group: His body broken, his blood poured out — for us.
Leader: We proclaim his death.
Group: We live in his resurrection.
Leader: We wait for his return.
All: Come, Lord Jesus.
Optional: If your group shares Communion together, this is an appropriate moment to do so, using 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 as the words of institution.
LEADER'S NOTES
Preparing for This Study
- Encourage group members to read Exodus 12:1–14 and John 13:1–35 before gathering
- Consider having the group watch The Bible Project's video on "Passover and the Lord's Supper" as pre-reading
- If your group is open to it, consider hosting this session around a meal — even a simple one — to recapture the communal dimension of the Upper Room
- Be prepared for emotionally significant moments. The questions in Section D can surface deep personal material. Create space for silence and for prayer
Managing the Depth
This guide contains far more material than any single session can cover. Recommended approaches:
- One session: Focus on Sections 2.1–2.2, and questions 6, 15, and 20
- Two sessions: Session 1 covers background and text (Parts 1–3); Session 2 covers application (Parts 4–5)
- Four sessions: Work through one major theme per week (Lamb, Towel, Command, Covenant)
A Word on Disagreement
The theological section on views of the Lord's Supper (3.3) may surface different perspectives within your group, particularly if members come from different denominational backgrounds. This is an opportunity, not a threat. Encourage curiosity and charity. The goal is not uniformity of view but depth of engagement with the text and with one another.
"This is no longer a story about a people who are being rescued from Egypt by God. This is now a story about us who've been rescued by Jesus."
— From the sermon
Guide prepared for small group use | Series: Seven Days All scripture quotations from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted