Ever visited the Upper Room?
What was the Upper Room? A room or chamber on the flat roof of a Palestinian house. Sometimes it was no more than a tent (2 Sam. 16:22) or a booth (Neh. 8:16–17), but it might be built as a second story (Judg. 3:20; Jer. 22:13–14; Dan. 6:10). Such rooms were often used for guests (e.g., 1 Kgs. 17:19; 2 Kgs. 4:10). It was in such an upper guest room in Jerusalem that Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his twelve disciples (Mark 14:15; Luke 22:12;Matt. 26:18 “at your house”); it was a chamber large enough for thirteen guests to enjoy the Passover meal, reclining on cushions or carpets. This room and house have been variously identified with the house where Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection (Luke 24:33, 36; John 20:19, 26), the upper room where the twelve apostles and others gathered following Jesus’ ascension (Acts 1:13; hyperṓon), and the home of Mary the mother of John Mark (12:12). Two memorial meals were observed as they sat (lit. reclined) and ate.