The First Supper

Mark 2:15 – “And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.”

How many times have you seen pictures, paintings or heard accounts given of the Last Supper? This was of course the last meal that Jesus shared with His Apostles before He was crucified for the sins of the world. Indeed it is a story worthy to be celebrated and repeated. 

Now please consider the First Supper illustrated below from Mark 2:14-17:

“14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 

This is such a beautiful picture. Here you had the social lepers of the day. They were the people the Jews judged and condemned as being unclean and filthy sinners, and yet they were being welcomed with open arms of non-judgmental love and acceptance by this Rabbi, Master Teacher, Prophet, King of kings and Lord of lords, the very Son of God—Jesus. Not only did Jesus accept them and speak to them, but He visited with them, fellowshipped with them and invested time in them. Wow, what a treat that must have been for those people that had felt cut-off, judged and condemned by their peers for so long.

The religious Jews of the time, whom Jesus referred to as the Synagogue of Satan, were like an exclusive country club. In order to join in, you had to be ‘approved’ in their sight. One of their sins was that they were respecters of persons. Anyone they judged as a sinner, was put out of fellowship.

So these people, that had come to realize their sin and been put out of fellowship with the religious folk of the day, now had Jesus, a man that did mighty works of God, accepting them. What joy and elation they must have felt. Especially when the Jews would confront Jesus about the character of the company He was keeping. They were envious…this exclusive good ‘ol boys club was suddenly being excluded (from His fellowship) for a change, and they did not like it at all. Notice their attitude: Luke 15:1,2 - “1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” (Note that Murmurings usually result from jealousy and envy.)

This is how we should feel. When we recognize just how wretched we are in our sinful nature, and then realize that God still desires fellowship with us, how amazing does that Grace become? I think of a little child crippled in his feet named Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson. His nurse thought David would slay all of Saul’s children and grandchildren, so she grabbed the child and ran. In the course of running away, he fell and became crippled in his feet. So some time later, David sought a remnant of Saul’s family to show favor to. When he heard of Mephibosheth, David summoned him. Notice how Mephibosheth responded, “Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence.” 2 Samuel 9:6

David then tells him why he was summoned, “And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.” (vs. 7) To which Mephibosheth responded, “And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?” (vs. 8)

That should be our attitude towards God’s saving Grace and offer not only of fellowship, but sonship. We have to attend the First Supper before we get an invitation to the Last Supper, and then the Eternal Supper.

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