The Last Supper

by William H. Willimon

Experience Lent through the lens of Jesus's most powerful mealtime parables.

Travel with Jesus on the road to Jerusalem in this profound six-week Lenten study that explores the parables and stories Jesus told at tables along the way to his final meal. Will Willimon invites readers to experience how these table stories—about searching shepherds, welcoming hosts, prodigal sons, and rejected invitations—illuminate the deeper meaning of the Last Supper and Christ's sacrifice.

Through engaging biblical exploration and Willimon's characteristic storytelling wisdom, readers
Discover how Jesus used meals to reveal the surprising nature of God's kingdom
Explore how stories of mercy, invitation, and radical hospitality prepare us for Holy Week
Understand why sharing bread and wine became the central ritual of Christian faith
Experience Maundy Thursday's profound significance in fresh, meaningful ways

Each chapter concludes with thought-provoking questions for personal reflection or group discussion that connect these ancient stories to contemporary Christian life.

This Lenten season, gather at the table with Jesus and his disciples to experience the journey from Palm Sunday to the cross through the stories that prepared the way. Willimon's accessible yet profound insights will transform how you understand both the Last Supper and your own place at Christ's table.

In addition to the book, other study components include a Leader Guide and DVD.

144 pages, Paperback

Published December 2, 2025

About the author

The Reverend Dr. William H. Willimon is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at the Divinity School, Duke University. He served eight years as Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he led the 157,000 Methodists and 792 pastors in North Alabama. For twenty years prior to the episcopacy, he was Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.