Holy Week: Maundy Thursday

Yesterday, I wrote about Palm Sunday. 

Today is Maundy Thursday. It's the remembrance of the night when Jesus washed his disciples' feet. It's the remembrance of the Last Supper.

Maundy Thursday is the night of the Jewish Passover. It's the night when the Israelites remember how God delivered them from Egypt -- when God brought a final plague to the Egyptians: the death of the firstborn, but God spared those who sacrificed a lamb, smeared its blood over the doorposts, and ate the Passover meal. (You can read about that story in Exodus 12.)

Jesus and his disciples (his inner circle, his students, his closest friends) ate the meal together in remembrance of how God saved their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. 

Before they reclined to eat, someone needed to clean their feet. The task was meant for a slave, but there was no slave with Jesus and his friends. So this is what happened (from John 13:1-17):

13 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.[a] 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas,[b] son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet,[c] to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked,“Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

They ate their supper (Luke 22:14-20). 

14 When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table.[a] 15 Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. 16 For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”17 Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said,“Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.”19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.”20 After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.[b]

They did this all in community. Together.

John continues the story (we're jumping back into John 13):

18 “I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’[d] 19 I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the Messiah.[e] 20 I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”21 Now Jesus was deeply troubled,[f] and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”22 The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23 The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table.[g] 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” 25 So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”26 Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.”And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27 When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him,“Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” 28 None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29 Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30 So Judas left at once, going out into the night.

Jesus washed Judas's feet. Jesus included Judas in his meal.

31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man[h] to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son,[i] he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Verse 34 is where the "Maundy" part of today comes from. "Maundy" comes from "mandatum" the Latin word here known as "commandment."

On Maundy Thursday, Jesus gave his close friends a new commandment: that they would love one another, that they would serve one another, that they would selflessly take the position of a servant and wash one another's feet.

Jesus continues to speak with them. He tells Simon Peter, his main sidekick, that even Simon Peter will betray him. Sidekick says he won't. (John 13:36-38). Tomorrow, we'll read how he does. 

Jesus continues to teach them, to prepare them for his departure. He makes it clear that he is the way to the Father (John 14:1-14). 

He promises they won't be left alone; he's sending the Holy Spirit soon. It's gonna be good (John 14:15-31).

Jesus uses the image of a vine to explain to them how they need to remain in him, abide in him, dwell in him (John 15:1-17).

He tells them how the world will hate them. He doesn't want them to be caught off-guard here (John 15:18-27).

He continues by explaining why he's saying all of these things (John 16:1-4):

16 “I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. 2 For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. 3 This is because they have never known the Father or me. 4 Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.

Jesus reminds them that the Holy Spirit is indeed coming. Through the Spirit, they'll still be connected to Jesus (John 16:5-15).

He gives them hope. He reminds them that after the coming sadness, there will be much joy. Jesus says all of these things for a great purpose (John 16:16-33). 

33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” 

And in a few days, they'll see how true that statement is. Until Sunday, we too can rest in the goodness of Jesus' comforting words and final big conversation with his friends before his journey to death.