Thursday, April 1
Maundy Thursday
Last Supper
Jesus Washes Disciples Feet
History and Etymology for “Maundy”
Holy Week 2021 Online Devotional #6 “Now the Passover of the Jews was near…”
John 11:55 (NASB)
Matthew 26:17-35; Mark 14:12-31; Luke 22:7-30
John 13:1-20
The word “maundy” comes from the Latin mandatum, which means command, or order. This sense is taken from the words spoken by Jesus to his disciples after washing their feet at the Last Supper:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35 (NASB)
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Resurrection Sunday when Jesus traditionally celebrated Passover (and the Last Supper) with His disciples the night before He went to the cross. On Maundy Thursday, in an upper room, Jesus and His disciples gathered to celebrate their last Passover together. After the celebration of Passover, Jesus surprised His disciples by doing something completely new and different – He instituted what is commonly referred to today as the Last Supper (or Lord’s Supper or also Communion). On this day, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, and broke bread with them for the last time. Still celebrated today as a part of many congregational traditions, the bread and the wine represent the body and blood of Christ, to be broken and shed for all sinners and believers everywhere and for all time. During the meal, Jesus predicted His betrayal by one of them, as well as Peter’s denial.
After the meal, the disciples accompanied Jesus to the Garden at Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel came to strengthen Jesus in the garden. There, He taught His disciples, and us, what to do when we come to the end of our own strength and need God to help us press on.
Key Text – Matthew 26:17-29 (NASB excerpts)
“Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?’ And He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, ‘My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.’” The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. As they were eating, He said, ‘Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me…’
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’”
Holy Week 2021-6
Maundy Thursday – Passover and the Last Supper
Key x-References – Parallel passages with additional details
Mark 14:12-13 (NASB) *Mark’s account contains a few additional details e.g. the lamb “On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, ‘Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?’ And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him…’”
Luke 22: 7-9, 14-15, 17-20 (NASB) *The Feast of Passover lasts 8 days
“Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.’ They said to Him, ‘Where do You want us to prepare it?…’ When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer…” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, ‘Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.’ And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.’”
John 1:13-38 (NASB) *The washing of the disciples’ feet recorded only in John’s gospel “Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. During supper…Jesus…got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, ‘Lord, do You wash my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.’ Peter *said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’
Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.’ Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.’”
1 Corinthians 11:23-29 (NASB) *Paul provided the model for our celebration
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’
In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.”