Thoughts for the Day

A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But Jesus said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Luke has this little incident occurring at the end of Jesus' last supper in the upper room. Judas has already arranged to give up Jesus to the authorities, and Jesus mentions that the one who will betray him "is at the table". So it seems almost obscene that the disciples are arguing about who should take precedence over the other, and why at this particular moment? It seems the disciples have continued an argument about who should sit where around the table.

I remember once sitting around low tables in a re-creation of the Last Supper, in Israel. There are two schools of thought about this. One is that the triclinium (the table) was U shaped, and the other that it was a square with one side missing, which is how Da Vinci's painting of the Last Supper appears. The host in the former sat low down on the left hand side, and in the latter at the very centre of the top table. Those present sat on cushions lying on their side using their right hand to eat and with their feet behind them. The most prominent guest would be put on the right of the host, and the next on their left, with the lowest guest at the ends of the table.

So who sat either side of Jesus was important! If we put the different accounts together this was likely to be John and Judas, with Peter at the very lowest position. This person would be expected to wash everyone's feet, and we know Peter refused to do this, leaving Jesus to do the work - as a visual image of the service he expected his disciples to carry out for others.

We too are called to carry out the humblest of tasks for others and to serve them as our Lord served his disciples.

Lord Jesus,
may we never forget
that we are called to the
humblest of tasks
for the sake of our
brothers and sisters,
and in doing this
that we follow Your example
of service to others.
Amen.