The Seating Plan at the Last Supper

[Eucharisted]

Most of us who live now think of the Last Supper in terms that are familiar to us. In our imagination Jesus and his apostles sit around a square table on chairs. Jesus is a the center and his apostles arrayed around him. The famous painting of Leonardo Da Vinci (See right) is uppermost in most modern minds when thinking of the Last Supper.

But the real Last Supper was different in many significant ways. Some of the following I am about it present is still a matter of debate other aspects of it are undisputed.



Jesus and the Apostles did not sit on chairs at a table. Rather they reclined on ground or on mats and pillows, leaning on their left elbow and eating with their right hand. Their legs were stretched out behind them. (See picture at left, click to get a bigger size) This was the typical fashion for eating in the ancient world. That they reclined to eat is made plain in the Gospel of Mark: While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me–one who is eating with me(Mk 14:18). It also explains some things that seem strange to us moderns. First of all why did John lean back on Jesus’ chest to ask him a question? (Jn 13:25; 21:20) This would be strange and physically awkward in a modern upright table setting. But reclining on one’s side on a mat meant you had to lean back to talk to the person next to you. There is also another strange scene where Jesus is reclining to eat in the home of a Pharisee and and a woman begins to anoint his feet (Luke 7:38). In a modern upright table setting this would mean she’s have to be under the table. Strange indeed! But in the ancient setting the posture was such that one’s feet were behind and thus the woman could approach Jesus from behind and begin to anoint his feet without his prior knowledge.


The Seating Plan at the Last Supper | Archdiocese of Washington

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Eucharisted;

Jesus and the Apostles did not sit on chairs at a table. Rather they reclined on ground or on mats and pillows, leaning on their left elbow and eating with their right hand. Their legs were stretched out behind them. (See picture at left, click to get a bigger size) This was the typical fashion for eating in the ancient world.

But the Last Supper was the Seder Meal, where Jesus would've been at the center. I don't agree with the pic in the link, which has Jesus at the end.

Also, if the Shroud of Turin happens to be the authentic burial cloth, there is a team of Archaeologist who believe that it was actually a table cloth, perhaps the one used at the Last Supper. They point out food stains at the center of the table cloth, which are in a semi-circle, as the Seder meal would've have been laid out by Jesus.

The movie, "Jesus of Nazareth," probably had the closest depiction of how they sat at the Last Supper. Again, Jesus was at the center, as the Seder meal would've dictated.

The "Last Supper," by Leonardo DaVinci, was done with the Western European mindset, just as paintings of the Crucifixion were done. They are
historically flawed.

Jim

 

[Eucharisted]

Eucharisted;



But the Last Supper was the Seder Meal, where Jesus would've been at the center. I don't agree with the pic in the link, which has Jesus at the end.

Also, if the Shroud of Turin happens to be the authentic burial cloth, there is a team of Archaeologist who believe that it was actually a table cloth, perhaps the one used at the Last Supper. They point out food stains at the center of the table cloth, which are in a semi-circle, as the Seder meal would've have been laid out by Jesus.

The movie, "Jesus of Nazareth," probably had the closest depiction of how they sat at the Last Supper. Again, Jesus was at the center, as the Seder meal would've dictated.

The "Last Supper," by Leonardo DaVinci, was done with the Western European mindset, just as paintings of the Crucifixion were done. They are
historically flawed.

Jim

Good argument