The Historical Jesus

by John Dominic Crossan

The first two verbs, took and blessed, and especially the second, are the actions of the master; the last two, broke and gave, and especially the second, are the actions of the servant. Jesus, as master and host, performs instead the role of servant, and all share the same food as equals. There is, however, one further step to be taken. Most of Jesus’ first followers would know about but seldom have experienced being served at table by slaves. The male followers would think more experientially of females as preparers and servers of the family food. Jesus took on himself the role not only of servant but of female. Not only servile but female hosting is symbolized by those four verbs. Far from reclining and being served, Jesus himself serves the meal, serves, like any housewife, the same meal to all including himself. Later, of course, and quite legitimately, it would happen that just as the female both serves food and becomes food, so Jesus would both have served food here below and would become food hereafter (Bynum). But long before Jesus was host, he was hostess.