This week we’re celebrating the last Passover meal with Jesus and His disciples.

Where is Peter? If you and I were determining the seating arrangement for the last Passover meal that

Jesus had on earth, we would no doubt have placed Peter in one of those honored spots. We can

certainly look back at a previous conversation from Matthew’s gospel to validate our placement of Peter

at the table:

‘“But what about you?” he [Jesus] asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are

the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this

was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are

Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.”’ (Matthew 16:15-18)

But we find that Peter, the chief apostle, is not seated to Jesus’ right or to His left. He is seated across

the room from His Master – in the seat called the servant seat. Why on earth would Jesus put him there!

Well, it seems that the disciples had been having a bit of disagreement about who among them was the

greatest. And Jesus, always teaching, wanted to make a strong point by putting the chief apostle in the

servant seat – the seat of the person who would normally wash the feet of all the guests.

“For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the

table? But I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:27)

Then Jesus began to wash the disciples’ feet – taking on the responsibility of the person sitting in the

servant seat. And then He said:

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:14-15)

Jesus was giving the disciples a visual demonstration of servant-leadership. He was not telling them that

they were to run around washing everyone’s feet. He was telling them that no task was too large or too

small for the servant-leader that He expected them to become. That was the lesson, and they learned it

well.

If I were in the room, I hope I would be honored to just be breathing the same air as Jesus and His

friends. I hope I would not be arguing over where I had to sit! Where would you be? Praise God –

because of Christ, you and I do have a seat at the table -- forever!

By Judy Shrout