An extraordinary event. A final meal. But so much more.
Jesus identifies the betrayer
Matthew 26:20-25, Mark 14:17-21, John 13:18-30
Jesus’ new commandment
John 13:31-35
He institutes the Lord’s Supper
Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-23, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
The disciples’ argument
Luke 22:24-30
Jesus washes the disciples’ feet
John 13:1-17
He foretells Peter’s denial
Matthew 26:31-35, Mark 14:27-31, Luke 22:31-38, John 13:36-38
In the past few days I’ve described Jesus as reckless, having a death wish, trying to provoke the authorities into killing him. But today we get a sense of his real pain. He didn’t want to die, but he felt he had to.
Jesus knew that Judas had decided to betray him. We don’t know how he knew that, but we sense that he was deeply hurt but the knowledge. As he and his friends sit down for the wonderful thing that is the Passover, Jesus hints to them all that one of them is going to betray him.
John tells us how he teaches them about love, about serving one another and not thinking that such things are beneath them. But behind it all is a deep undertone of sadness. There is something very solemn about what he does, breaking bread and sharing it, passing a cup round and saying, do this in remembrance of me. Did they understand his words, “This is my body, this is my blood”? I doubt it. Maybe the next day they began to realise. But they’re still arguing about who is the greatest, still promising undying devotion when Jesus knows they will all run away and leave him alone.
Jesus may be in the company of his best friends, but he feels incredibly lonely.
Jesus identifies the betrayer
Matthew 26:20-25, Mark 14:17-21, John 13:18-30
Jesus’ new commandment
John 13:31-35
He institutes the Lord’s Supper
Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-23, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
The disciples’ argument
Luke 22:24-30
Jesus washes the disciples’ feet
John 13:1-17
He foretells Peter’s denial
Matthew 26:31-35, Mark 14:27-31, Luke 22:31-38, John 13:36-38
In the past few days I’ve described Jesus as reckless, having a death wish, trying to provoke the authorities into killing him. But today we get a sense of his real pain. He didn’t want to die, but he felt he had to.
Jesus knew that Judas had decided to betray him. We don’t know how he knew that, but we sense that he was deeply hurt but the knowledge. As he and his friends sit down for the wonderful thing that is the Passover, Jesus hints to them all that one of them is going to betray him.
John tells us how he teaches them about love, about serving one another and not thinking that such things are beneath them. But behind it all is a deep undertone of sadness. There is something very solemn about what he does, breaking bread and sharing it, passing a cup round and saying, do this in remembrance of me. Did they understand his words, “This is my body, this is my blood”? I doubt it. Maybe the next day they began to realise. But they’re still arguing about who is the greatest, still promising undying devotion when Jesus knows they will all run away and leave him alone.
Jesus may be in the company of his best friends, but he feels incredibly lonely.
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