Passion Week Day 5
This is the day Jesus’ final meal with His disciples is celebrated. It is the day when Judas concludes his betrayal of Jesus. And the day the Peter swears he will DIE before denying Jesus.
When reading all four accounts of the Lord’s last Passover meal I noticed several things. I noticed that Matthew and Mark use VERY similar accounts, even nearly identical verbiage. They aren’t quite word for word but they both cover the exact same events. Luke covers much of the same events but he includes a little more in his description. He speaks of a debate regarding who is the greatest. John’s account also includes the mention of Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial but does not include a focus on communion. John does, however, bring us an event that punctuates Luke’s debate conversation.
This final night, all four gospels identify this last meal with Jesus as their Passover observance. All four mention that Jesus will be betrayed and identify Judas’ plot against Jesus. All four mention Jesus’ confrontation of Peter regarding his denial of Jesus. And all four mention ‘one of His disciples’ striking out with a sword against those who came to arrest Jesus. Three highlight the observance we now keep as Communion. Three bring us Jesus’ prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke and John deal with ‘servant’ and ‘leader’ concepts. And John goes into great detail regarding the teachings Jesus did at that final table. (We will get to the rest of the events of this night in our next time together.)
The differences in the accounts of this last meal are not because one is ‘making something up’ or ‘following along with the party line’ but because of the audience that is intended to receive the individual accounts and what the Holy Spirit impresses upon the author to highlight. John’s account all the way through is a more personal account. He takes a look at deeper things, even from the first stroke of his pen. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1-5). The Holy Spirit spoke deeply into John’s spirit. Deeper than just the surface events but of the truth buried within. And He brought to John’s mind the events and circumstances that HE wanted to highlight.
John’s account of Jesus washing His disciples feet brought home the lesson Luke tells us about. Jesus didn’t just tell His disciples to serve one another but He demonstrated what that service might look like. I seriously doubt there was another discussion of ‘who is the greatest’ after this demonstration.
This is a ‘rollercoaster’ night! From relaxing with Jesus at table, to listening and partaking in His lessons, to singing songs, to hearing Him refute EVERY assertion of ‘loyalty even unto death’, to praying and sleeping in the garden, to being confronted by an armed and angry group of soldiers. SO MUCH has gone into this evening. It has gone WAY beyond the preparations set out for the Passover dinner. That meal itself is almost lost in the noise of the night.
But Jesus’ heart was set on having that one last meal with His disciples. One last time to sit together and enjoy one another’s company. One last time to impress upon His disciples something important. Jesus didn’t often use physical demonstrations but when He did, the message really sunk in. Is it any wonder that we are still partaking in His ‘body’ and ‘blood’ today, not to mention serving one another by washing one another’s feet? The second observance is partaken in a LOT less than the first but it is NOT forgotten.
Lord Jesus, THANK YOU for ALL Your examples. I want to follow Your two physical examples this Passover Season. I don’t know exactly what that will look like or even how it will be received. I feel Your Holy Spirit nudging me to do it. Not as a display but as a gift of love; for YOU and for those You call Your own. Give me wisdom and guidance in this demonstration of love. Let me honor You and ALL You gave for me.
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A Place at the Table – looks at Jesus’ last supper with His disciples.
