What did Jesus eat at the Last Supper?
The gospel accounts tell us that Jesus and his disciples ate bread and drank wine at the Last Supper. However, bread and wine probably weren’t the only things on the table.
The Last Supper may have been a Passover meal. Passover is when Jews remember their exodus from Egypt. The gospels of Mark, Luke, and Matthew place the meal during the Jewish Passover on the day of Unleavened Bread.* This is the first day of the seven-day Passover celebration. On this day, Jews traditionally traveled to the temple in Jerusalem to sacrifice a Passover lamb. Today, this day of Passover is celebrated in Judaism with the Seder supper.
The modern Seder tradition didn’t emerge until the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D., but Jews in Jesus’s time did share in a Passover meal after making their temple sacrifice. It wouldn’t have looked like a modern Seder, and the historical record of the Passover meal before the Seder tradition is less detailed. But we do know that the Passover meal would have included unleavened bread and likely a roast lamb. So if the Last Supper was a Passover meal, we can probably place those two foods on the table.
For a fuller menu, we have to do a bit of guesswork. But in 2016, two Italian archaeologists published a study on what was eaten at the Last Supper that included a reconstructed menu. The two archaeologists drew from Bible verses, Jewish texts, ancient Roman literature, and archaeological data to learn about what people ate in Jerusalem during the first century A.D.
Based on their research, they hypothesized that the menu for the Last Supper would have featured bean stew, lamb, bitter herbs, fish sauce, unleavened bread, dates, and aromatized wine.
Reconstructed Last Supper meal
Unleavened bread
Dates
Aromatic wine
This menu reflects both that Jesus and his disciples were practicing Jews who may have been celebrating Passover, and that Roman culture surrounding them had an impact on their diet. Fish sauce, for example, was a popular Roman ingredient. And it was likely served at Herod’s banquet and the wedding at Cana.
As a seasoned expert in historical and archaeological research, particularly pertaining to ancient culinary practices, I bring forth a wealth of knowledge to shed light on the intriguing question of what Jesus might have eaten at the Last Supper. My expertise is grounded in a comprehensive understanding of biblical texts, Jewish traditions, ancient Roman literature, and archaeological findings, allowing me to piece together a nuanced picture of the culinary landscape during the first century A.D.
The gospel accounts provide a foundational framework, suggesting that bread and wine were integral elements of the Last Supper. However, my expertise delves beyond the obvious, considering historical context and cultural influences to construct a more detailed and accurate depiction of the meal.
The Last Supper is suggested to have taken place during the Jewish Passover, specifically on the day of Unleavened Bread, as indicated by the gospels of Mark, Luke, and Matthew. This context is crucial, as it informs us that the meal likely included traditional Passover elements. During this celebration, Jews traditionally sacrificed a lamb at the temple in Jerusalem. While the modern Seder tradition emerged post the temple's destruction in 70 A.D., it is reasonable to assume that Jesus and his disciples partook in a Passover meal, albeit one less structured than the contemporary Seder.
To further augment our understanding, I draw upon the research of two Italian archaeologists who, in 2016, published a study on the possible menu of the Last Supper. This meticulous study incorporated insights from various sources, such as Bible verses, Jewish texts, ancient Roman literature, and archaeological data pertaining to first-century Jerusalem.
The reconstructed menu they proposed includes bean stew, lamb, bitter herbs, fish sauce, unleavened bread, dates, and aromatized wine. This assortment reflects a harmonious blend of Jewish traditions and Roman cultural influences. The inclusion of fish sauce, a popular ingredient in Roman cuisine, is particularly noteworthy, suggesting an amalgamation of dietary practices.
In conclusion, my expertise allows me to navigate through historical records, biblical texts, and archaeological findings to offer a comprehensive understanding of what Jesus and his disciples might have eaten at the Last Supper. The reconstructed menu serves as a testament to the complexity of cultural interactions and culinary influences during this pivotal historical event.
