Was the “Last Supper” a Passover Seder?
Debunking the “Artuo” Argument
By
James Scott Trimm
Some have argued that the so-called “Lord’s Supper” could not have been a Passover Seder based on the appearance of the Greek word artos (ἄρτος) in the Gospel accounts of the event—specifically in passages like Matthew 26:26. They claim that since artos typically refers to leavened bread, its use in the Gospels supposedly proves that the meal could not have been a Seder, where only unleavened bread (matzah) is used.
This claim simply does not hold up under scrutiny.
The Greek word artos has a broad semantic range. While it can refer to leavened bread, it can also refer to unleavened bread or even food in general. For example, in Luke 15:17, the term refers broadly to “food,” not specifically to bread. Similarly, in 2 Thessalonians 3:8, artos refers to sustenance in general. This broader usage is well-documented in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature by Bauer, Arndt, and Gingrich.
Moreover, artos is the Greek word used in the Septuagint (LXX)—the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures—to translate the Hebrew word lechem (לחם). In Isaiah 65:25, for example, the Hebrew has lechem, and the Greek renders it as artos. This is significant because lechem, like artos, is a flexible term. It can refer to leavened or unleavened bread, and even more broadly to food in general.
This linguistic overlap carries into Aramaic as well. The Aramaic equivalent of lechem is lachma—a term that appears in the traditional Passover Haggadah. Even today, at the Passover Seder, the blessing over the matzah (unleavened bread) is:
ברוך אתה יי, אלהינו מלך העולם, המוציא לחם מן הארץ.
Baruch ata YHWH, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.
Blessed are You, YHWH our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
Notice that even though the bread in question is clearly unleavened, the word used is still lechem—and by extension, the Greek artos and Aramaic lachma.
In short, the use of artos in the Gospel narratives does not disprove a Passover context for the Last Supper. Linguistically and culturally, artos is entirely compatible with matzah. Therefore, the argument based on the Greek terminology fails to overturn the overwhelming evidence—both from the Synoptic Gospels and from Jewish tradition—that the Last Supper was indeed a Passover Seder.
Help Us Keep the Vision Alive
If this message stirred something in your heart—if you believe, like we do, that the voices of the ancient Nazarenes deserve to be heard again—we invite you to partner with us.
Your support helps us research, write, and share these forgotten treasures with a new generation. Whether it’s uncovering lost texts, translating forgotten sources, or creating educational resources rooted in the original faith of Yeshua, every gift makes a difference.
Please consider making a donation today. Together, we can restore the ancient paths and light the way for those seeking the truth.
