Body of Christ
Nicodemus beheld Jesus in a dream saying, “On the afternoon of the feast of the unleavened bread, you will have need of water. When your servant walks to the well, two of my disciples will follow him to your home. They will ask you to show them the guest room, where they will make preparations for the Passover that I will share with the apostles.”
Mathias and Amos did not attend the sermon in the temple. They were tasked with preparing the Passover meal. They found the home according to the prophecy of Jesus, but there was little for them to do, as Nicodemus and his servants were happy to perform the necessary tasks to prepare for the master and the twelve.
The household of Nicodemus grew worried as the sun neared its setting, and the master had not yet arrived. They had no choice but to wait. Nicodemus decided against sending servants out to find the master, as sunset was near. For an hour all waited, and the sun did not set.
Jesus and the twelve finally arrived. Nicodemus knew something of importance had occurred, but did not ask further. Nicodemus then showed the men to the upper room where all was waiting.
Nicodemus saw the blood stained garments that Jesus wore and called for a basin of water and new garments. These were brought and Jesus thanked the servant. Jesus removed his outer garments, remaining in only a loin cloth, and began to wash.
Jesus was slow in his movements and turned inward to his thoughts. He finished cleaning himself and turned to the apostles. Jesus said, “The Son of God needs no further washing, but all others do. Even if I were to clean the dust from your feet, you would still not be clean enough to enter the palace of Heaven. You must be clean of soul to share in Heaven who is the Messiah.”
“You have sin that you do not even know about — the sin of Adam — and it keeps you from Heaven. I will not clean the sin of Adam with a cloth, but with my own blood. You yourselves will bring this sin to me, and it will in turn bring death to me. Yet one of you will betray me, by withholding the sin of Adam from me. Now the master will wash the dust from your feet. Stay where you are, I will remove your sandals.”
It became the time for Simon Peter to be washed, but Simon objected.
Jesus said, “Unless I wash you Simon, you will have no share in me.”
Simon Peter drew his lips tight, then exclaimed, “Master, then I beg you to wash not only my feet, but my head and hands also!”
After washing, Jesus arose, pulled the fresh tunic over his shoulders and said to the apostles, “Do you understand what I have done for you. Do you understand what you must do for others, and what you must teach others to do?” Surveying his apostles he said, “No, you do not, but later you will understand.”
Jesus looked sorrowfully at the apostles and said, “Just as I wash you of your sins, so too must you and all disciples wash others. I did not serve you at table. I did not serve food for the body. I washed your souls of sin; now by humility, and tomorrow on a cross of wood.”
“And for what purpose do I clean you? It is so the two may become one. I have told this to the children of Israel for three years. This night God will join his life to his children. I will not be with you much longer, but you will bring the Messiah to many others. Do so with great humility, as you yourselves are not greater than those you serve. Now hear the parable of the healing wine.”
“The people of a great kingdom had fallen ill, the king sent his son, the prince to heal those who were ill. The prince produced a healing wine that had great healing powers; every wound it was poured upon was restored. To better distribute the healing wine in the large kingdom, the prince trained physicians to use the wine to restore the people to health. The prince even gave the people the opportunity to join with him in producing the wine that restored so many to health.”
“The wine was the product of sacrifice, skill, and patience of workers in many disciplines; some tended the grape vines, some watched late into the night for thieves, others rid the vineyard of weeds, suffering the heat and dust of the day. Others plowed or planted, some spun flasks to hold the wine or transported it. Many did all this work while raising a family or caring for parents. The physicians, so as to devote themselves to distribution of the healing wine, did not take upon themselves the great tasks of family life.”
“The king was very pleased with the results. He called for the physicians in order to thank and honor them. The physicians accepted the honors of the king, and told the king of the other workers who were equal partners in the enterprise of the healing wine. The king insisted that they too be called in that he might also honor them.”
“The king was very pleased with the assembly of the workers, many of whom had themselves benefited from the healing wine, and went on to produce it themselves. The king made each of them a governor over the people that they had healed, and the workers governed with great humility, having themselves once been in need of healing. There came a time when all sickness was eradicated from the kingdom, and the king, the prince, the physicians and all the workers were united in the great kingdom of peace.”
Jesus continued, “You are to be priest-physicians in the new kingdom, the New Covenant which God makes with man. As in the parable you will be my instruments in restoring the souls of the people. The New Covenant is to be offered to all people. Until now it is offered first to the eldest children of the Father, but very soon I will send you out to deliver to all peoples their invitation into the kingdom of God.”
“You will offer in sacrifice my very body, and use the restorative efforts of the entire Messiah in the sacred act of forgiveness. Be my instruments, but do not be hollow men, giving graces to others but doing little to acquire them yourselves.”
“Know this my friends, the share in the divine life of the Father is not given in exchange. It is a gift that cannot be earned. Yet to ask for and to accept this gift requires effort of faith and resolve. Recall also that the good prayers and efforts of the many, restore faith in this world. You are to encourage many to this effort, and to set a high example yourself. Leadership of the New Covenant will be taken away from Jerusalem. Will it scandalize you to hear that Rome will rule over you, at my command?”
The Passover feast, and all feasts were events of celebration; meat, wine and music was served, stories told and dance was made. Jesus knew this was his last night before death, he also knew that the twelve would follow the mood that he set. Jesus had all recline and the servants poured cups of wine.
For two hours the men celebrated. It was humor of sorts, that among the many Jewish dietary rules was a tradition requiring several cups of wine to be drank at the Passover meal. At past meals, Jesus had shared in the wine, but not tonight, there was just too much going through his head and his heart. As always, he had no pretense, but his emotions were bi-polar. He knew what the communion cup meant.
Jesus spoke, “Your communion with the Messiah tonight will not be the first. The Father’s first communion with mankind was limited, and could not extend to you. My mother and myself alone participated with the Holy Spirit of God, in humanities first communion with the God of Creation. In this way the Virgin and her Son remained free of sin. But now I will exchange sinless virtue for your failings.”
“Soon I will be in communion with you, my sinful friends. I am happy to do so, but not so immediately. In our communion, I will take on your sins, and they will not lie dormant, I will mediate them into virtues of faith and purity. In exchange for your sins given to me, I will allow you to share in my very being — all of it, even to the point of divinity. You will acquire these gifts as your soul is able to accept them.”
Nicodemus had gotten word that all temple Pharisees were to report immediately to the temple, by command of the High Priest Caiaphas. No further details were given. Nicodemus and Judas were both Pharisees of the temple and had to leave at once, or so it was relayed to the master.
Jesus did not dispute the order and said to Judas, “Go and do quickly what you must do.”
The two men left, and the Passover commemoration continued. A hymn was sung, all kept rhythm by palming their chests or the table, and Philip worked his flute. When the hymn was completed Jesus said, “Friends, sit up and listen to me. Your God calls you to himself in communion. I have often spoken of a man becoming Messiah, and of the necessity of this. Now, this event is upon you.”
Jesus surveyed the elaborate room and table setting provided by Nicodemus. Jesus gave no importance to wealth or lack of it, but it was now somehow proper that the finest ornamentation be present at the inaugural of the New Covenant.
Each year Nicodemus celebrated the Passover with much joy and generosity, and he would free a servant-slave each year in commemoration. Such a slave was usually purchased for the event, as none of his own servants desired to leave the house of Nicodemus.
Nicodemus had provided gold wine goblets for each guest, and for the master of the feast — Jesus — was provided a larger chalice inlaid with gems. The thought came to Jesus that the chalice was indeed a worthy vessel for the libation of blood, even more so than the apostles. Yet his heart cared nothing for the fine wine goblets, but only for his children. He would now make the poor apostles worthy of union with their God.
Taking the unleavened bread, he gave thanks, broke it and gave it to the disciples saying, “Take and eat, this is my body, which is given up for you.”
Then taking a cup of wine, he blessed it, and gave it to his disciples saying, “This is my blood, which is poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sin. Drink of it, and do so again, in memory of me.”
The apostles were aware that this breaking of bread was different, very different, but this awareness was still mostly theory. They consumed the bread and the wine, which was somehow the body and blood of the master. Nothing was felt. They searched their souls for a deeper meaning but could not yet find it.
Jesus likewise had not yet felt the full effects of this communion. But he knew what must now happen. He had now consented to his own death at the hands of the apostles.{104} Jesus knew that the produce would be greater than the labor. The apostles had gained unending life as the Messiah himself. First however...the labor. Until the produce, the wine would be exceedingly bitter, poisonous even. Jesus was overcome by emotion and stumbled among his many thoughts. He wanted to warn the apostles of his death by poisoning that he must now undergo, but also of the glory that was to be had.
Jesus said, “I shall not drink the fruit of the vine until the day that I drink it with you, new in the kingdom of my Father. Until that day this wine I must drink will be bitter. You yourselves make it so. I am the vine and you are the branches that bear the fruit of the vine. This fruit will become sweet only if I first taste its bitterness.”
“Each new Messiah will at first think the sweetness of the vine is bitter, but with effort it will grow sweet. Every branch that produces bitter fruit and sap will be pruned away. Later you will understand all of this. It is enough now that you remain united and steadfast in faith.”{105}
The apostles were at a loss of understanding. The master had just told them that the wine was his own blood, but he now said it was bitter. Jesus looked about. He did not have the heart to do any teaching or explaining. Teaching the apostles seemed trivial compared to what was now happening. This was the very heart of the New Covenant. It was happening now.
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