In Blomberg chapter two, various biblical texts contradicted the sequence of the last supper. Each redaction criticism is meant to provide a true story. Both Mathew and Mark agree on the way Jesus distributed bread and wine. That Jesus distributed bread and cup in a chronological order which symbolized his coming death. In Luke 22:15-19a, the bible contradicts the earlier version of both Mathew and Mark. It tells of a story when Jesus first describes the cup then the bread.
In synoptic gospels, Paul narrates how Jesus took the bread while affirming to his disciples that the bread was a symbol of his life. Luke 22:15 adds that the bread is a remembrance of Jesus. Paul concurs with Luke but leaves the word "broken" in his narration. Luke offers more contradiction in how Jesus presented a cup first while Mark, Mathew, and Paul argue that Jesus presented the bread first. Smith (1991) argued that the majority of scriptures pointed out that the cup was referenced as the blood of the covenant between Jesus and the disciples. There is more contradiction from the book of Mathew, Mark, and Luke as they agree that the cup was poured out.
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Many scholars have tried to truly reconcile the sequence of the last supper. Chesnutt (1990) contented that Paul placed a cup into the table after the last supper had happened. In 1st Cor. 11:25, Paul calls out that the cup is a blessing in a total contradiction from Mathew, Luke, and Mark's point of view. Luke contradicted himself because he said that Jesus took a cup then bread then another cup. Chesnutt further viewed this as a deeper contradictory remark from Luke because ancient biblical manuscripts omitted the referencing and the importance of the second cup.
There is also a contradiction like bread used in the last supper. In Luke 22:14-25, the scripture says that the bread was unleavened while the Mark never talked about the nature of bread during the last supper (Andrejevs, 2017). Also, Luke said that Jesus broke the bread before giving it to his disciples, while Mark does not elaborate on how the bread was taken by the disciples. Rosik (2020) argued that Paul and Luke were more accurate from their narration about the Passover feast. Paul received direct revelation from Jesus and he was also a close companion of Luke. Therefore, Paul and Luke's narration is more concise compared to others.
Passover meal was also used in Mathew 26:19, Mark 14:16, and Luke 22:15. Contrary to this, Paul referred to the last supper in 1st Corinthians 11:20 (Hart, 2020). There is a difference between the two terms. Passover feast is an event marked in Israel on the 14th month of Nisan. On this day, they sacrifice a lamb where they consume it on the next day. They also consume bread and drink wine on the 15th day. On the other hand, the last supper was the last meal Jesus consumed with his disciples before his death.
The book of Mark 14:22-23 narrates how Jesus gave his disciples the wine for them to drink. In Luke 22:15-17, there is an inconsistency as Jesus instructed the disciples to share the wine amongst them. Mark omitted the sharing of the wine by the disciples. Chesnutt (1990) disagreed with Luke because the disciples drunk from one cup. Each disciple passed the wine to one another after sipping the wine. Chesnutt finds symmetry of the last supper chronology in the book of Mark 14:22-25. Mark wrote that Jesus took the bread, and breaks it. Mathew and Luke also narrated how Jesus broke the bread and shared it amongst the disciples.
All the biblical synoptic contradict the way Jesus drunk the wine. In the book of Mathew, Jesus said that "I will drink with you in heavenly father". In Luke, Jesus said that "I will drink from the cup when the Kingdom of God comes". In another contradiction, the book of Mark concluded that Jesus will only drink the wine when he reaches the new Kingdom of God. King (2013) concluded that Jesus drunk the fermented wine during the last supper event, but in moderation (Luke 7:33-34). While drinking the wine, Jesus affirmed that, unlike John the Baptist, he was tasked to observe the customs and rules with his disciples by drinking a little wine during the last supper.
Mark, Mathew, and Luke reference the cup of wine as a blood covenant while Paul does not agree on the reference. Also, the three argue the cup poured out while Paul also rejects this notion of the cup pouring out. Only Mathew describes the pouring out of the cup as a sign of forgiveness of sins. Other scriptures (Mark and Luke) never mentioned the symbol of the pouring out of the cup. Perna (2015) refuted and agreed with the book of Mathew as he termed the pouring out of the wine from the cup as a blood covenant that symbolized forgiveness of sins even to those who would betray Jesus after the last supper.
In conclusion, synoptic biblical scriptures differed significantly on the sequence of the last supper. Various peer-reviewed articles have tried to reconcile and resolve the contradiction. They have critiqued the significant and absolute discrepancy amongst the biblical scriptures on the true picture of the last supper. Until today, the event has been marked and celebrated by all Christians all over the world. The scripture contradiction has not deterred them from celebrating the event
References
Andrejevs, O. (2017). Jesus and the Last Supper. By Brant Pitre. The Journal of Theological Studies , 68 (1), 288-290.
Chesnutt, R. (1990). Passover, Last Supper, and Lord’s Supper: Jewish Elements for Christian Reclamation. Issue 1 Worship Article , 1 , 1–1. https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=2083&context=leaven
Hart, T. (2020). Table Talk with Jesus: An Exploration of John's Account of The Last Supper . Christian Faith Publishing, Inc..
King, N. (2013). The Mystery of the Last Supper: Reconstructing the Final Days of Jesus. By Colin J. Humphreys. Pp. xiii, 244, Cambridge University Press, £14.99. The Heythrop Journal , 54 (3), 444–445. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2265.2012.00790_4.x
Perna, T. (2015, April 2). The Four Cups, the Last Supper, and the Cup of Consummation . TOM PERNA. https://tomperna.org/2015/04/02/the-four-cups-the-last-supper-and-the-cup-of-consummation/
Rosik, M. (2020). When Did the Last Supper Come to an End: Polemic with the Thesis of S. Hahn. Wrocławski Przegląd Teologiczny , 28 (2).
Smith, B. (1991). The Chronology of the Last Supper. Westminster Theological Journal , 53 , 29–45. https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/wtj/chronology_smith.pdf
