When was the Last Supper?

Trying to Solve a Debate about Chronology in the Life of Jesus

Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash

There is considerable debate over the date of the Last Supper which centers on differences between the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) and the Gospel of John.

In a nutshell, the Synoptic Gospels suggest that the Last Supper was a genuine Passover meal, held on the evening before Jesus' crucifixion. In contrast, the Gospel of John implies that the Last Supper took place before the Passover festival.

Several hypotheses have been proposed for how to solve this dilemma.

What do I think? Well, below is a summary of my argument about the Last Supper from my forthcoming book on the historical Jesus.

---

To read further, consider joining the “Aviary” by taking out a paid subscription, only $7 per month or $75 per year, supports me in my ministry and scholarship, and gets you 4-5 posts per week on biblical studies, Christianity and gender relationships, cultural commentary, book reviews, previews of my forthcoming books. Also, access to exclusive content in the Paideia Academy, which includes my video lectures on several topics.