A Letter: Jon Brown

Dear Pillar,

Read this short verse from Matthew:
“When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating…”

The context of Matthew 26 verse 20 is the Passover meal, what became the inaugural communion supper. Jesus just moments from the Judas’ betrayal and only a few hours from Peter’s denial. Judas and Peter were at the table.

“When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating…”

Apparently, there are three occasions in the Gospels when the disciples argue with one another. Each time the argument is inspired by a conversation around who is the greatest. All the while, Jesus is at the table with those same disciples breaking the bread and pouring out the cup for the sake of the world.

“When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating…”

Those were the same disciples, at least nine of them were there, who were unable to cast out the demon that had possessed the boy. When they asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast him out he said to them, “Because of your little faith.” But Jesus goes on ahead of them in faith to the cross, knowing there would be a grave.

“When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating…”

This very scene in Matthew 26 is when Jesus confronts the disciples by saying, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And all of them responded quickly, “Surely not I, Lord?” It wasn’t so inconceivable to them that Christ would be betrayed (I’m reading into the exchange just a bit) but each of them was sure it had to be the other, “Surely not I.” And yet, there is, at the table with a bunch of people pointing their finger at someone else.

“When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating…”

Albert Tate, one of the pastors of a church in CA, contributed to a book titled, “Letters to a Birmingham Jail” that urges the church to be agents of racial reconciliation. In the book he offered these provocative words, “Guess who is coming to church?” Ultimately the answer lies in how you respond to this question, “Guess who’s coming to dinner?”

“When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating…”

Jesus, with his life on the line, the cross just before him and the grave just a day away, had the remarkable capacity to make space, to hold space, to make time, to be with people who didn’t have it all together, didn’t have it together at all. And yet,

“When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating…”

I wonder what that might mean for you this Lent?

Pastor Brown