Background on Maundy Thursday
The three major events of Maundy Thursday – and what they were a sign of from Jesus:
Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet – a sign of humble service
Although it only appears in John’s account of Jesus’ final night with the disciples, Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet has come to be synonymous with the ‘new commandment’ that Jesus gives to “love one another just as I have loved you” in John 13:34. Feet in the ancient world were, in a word, gross; most people travelled on dirt roads in footwear that paled in comparison to what we have today, and so it’s no wonder that people’s feet were considered ritually unclean. But despite the religious (and practical!) reasons why this shouldn’t have happened, Jesus – their leader and teacher – washed the disciples’ feet as a sign of humility and service. This example is a beautifully simple encapsulation of the sort of radical love that Jesus came into the world to witness to, though it would soon pale in comparison to the even larger sacrifice that he would make on the cross.
Jesus breaks bread and shares a cup – a sign of shared community
Although downplayed a bit in John’s gospel, the Last Supper (aka Communion, Eucharist, Lord’s Supper, etc.) is central in Mark, Matthew, and Luke’s Gospels to understanding this evening. Jesus lifts up a loaf of bread as his body and a cup of wine as his blood, both as a symbol of his impending death, but more importantly a symbol of God’s impending kingdom and how all people are “one body and blood” through Christ. The Sacrament of Communion was practiced from the earliest days of the church and was understood to contain layered meanings about past (Last Supper), present (our unity), and future (coming of God’s kingdom) – understandings that continue to inspire us weekly at our 8am and 4pm services, as well as once every few months at 9:30 and 11:00am.
Jesus goes out to a garden to pray, where he is arrested – a sign of self-giving love
John’s Gospel continues with Jesus’ final address to the disciples, but Mark, Matthew, and Luke’s Gospels recount Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before Judas arrives with a group of religious leaders and temple security to arrest him. Although heartbreaking, this part of the evening is important both for understanding Jesus’ betrayal by one of his own disciples, as well as how we arrive at the tragic trial and execution of Jesus on Good Friday. Jesus’ willingness to be taken into custody is an example and witness of the depth and love that he had for the disciples, as well as for us.
Digging Deeper
What is the connection between the Last Supper and the Passover meal?
Although there has long been confusion around the Gospel of John’s timeline of events, all three Synoptic Gospels link Jesus’ final meal with his disciples to the Passover meal. The Passover seder meal was eaten at the start of the Jewish Passover holiday – a day which remembers the events of the Exodus from Egypt, and in particular the “passing over” of Jewish households with the tenth and final plague in Exodus 12. This was perhaps one of the most sacred days within Judaism, and was one of three “pilgrimage” festivals in which those observing the holiday were commanded to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem.
While the Passover seder plate has several highly specific foods that invoke memories of various aspects of the Exodus, Jesus radically simplified this meal of remembrance down to two elements: bread and wine. Both these elements pointed towards Jesus’ imminent death – “my body given for you” and “the new covenant in my blood” – and they would later become known as the Eucharist (Greek for ‘thanksgiving’) even though the term does not appear in the Gospel texts. Although the Last Supper took place during Passover, the seder and communion practices seem to quickly become separate in subsequent generations of Christianity – the Gospel writers (John in particular) may have understood the connection more theologically (Jesus as the Passover lamb) rather than as related in practice.
Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet – a sign of humble service
Although it only appears in John’s account of Jesus’ final night with the disciples, Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet has come to be synonymous with the ‘new commandment’ that Jesus gives to “love one another just as I have loved you” in John 13:34. Feet in the ancient world were, in a word, gross; most people travelled on dirt roads in footwear that paled in comparison to what we have today, and so it’s no wonder that people’s feet were considered ritually unclean. But despite the religious (and practical!) reasons why this shouldn’t have happened, Jesus – their leader and teacher – washed the disciples’ feet as a sign of humility and service. This example is a beautifully simple encapsulation of the sort of radical love that Jesus came into the world to witness to, though it would soon pale in comparison to the even larger sacrifice that he would make on the cross.
Jesus breaks bread and shares a cup – a sign of shared community
Although downplayed a bit in John’s gospel, the Last Supper (aka Communion, Eucharist, Lord’s Supper, etc.) is central in Mark, Matthew, and Luke’s Gospels to understanding this evening. Jesus lifts up a loaf of bread as his body and a cup of wine as his blood, both as a symbol of his impending death, but more importantly a symbol of God’s impending kingdom and how all people are “one body and blood” through Christ. The Sacrament of Communion was practiced from the earliest days of the church and was understood to contain layered meanings about past (Last Supper), present (our unity), and future (coming of God’s kingdom) – understandings that continue to inspire us weekly at our 8am and 4pm services, as well as once every few months at 9:30 and 11:00am.
Jesus goes out to a garden to pray, where he is arrested – a sign of self-giving love
John’s Gospel continues with Jesus’ final address to the disciples, but Mark, Matthew, and Luke’s Gospels recount Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before Judas arrives with a group of religious leaders and temple security to arrest him. Although heartbreaking, this part of the evening is important both for understanding Jesus’ betrayal by one of his own disciples, as well as how we arrive at the tragic trial and execution of Jesus on Good Friday. Jesus’ willingness to be taken into custody is an example and witness of the depth and love that he had for the disciples, as well as for us.
Digging Deeper
What is the connection between the Last Supper and the Passover meal?
Although there has long been confusion around the Gospel of John’s timeline of events, all three Synoptic Gospels link Jesus’ final meal with his disciples to the Passover meal. The Passover seder meal was eaten at the start of the Jewish Passover holiday – a day which remembers the events of the Exodus from Egypt, and in particular the “passing over” of Jewish households with the tenth and final plague in Exodus 12. This was perhaps one of the most sacred days within Judaism, and was one of three “pilgrimage” festivals in which those observing the holiday were commanded to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem.
While the Passover seder plate has several highly specific foods that invoke memories of various aspects of the Exodus, Jesus radically simplified this meal of remembrance down to two elements: bread and wine. Both these elements pointed towards Jesus’ imminent death – “my body given for you” and “the new covenant in my blood” – and they would later become known as the Eucharist (Greek for ‘thanksgiving’) even though the term does not appear in the Gospel texts. Although the Last Supper took place during Passover, the seder and communion practices seem to quickly become separate in subsequent generations of Christianity – the Gospel writers (John in particular) may have understood the connection more theologically (Jesus as the Passover lamb) rather than as related in practice.