Day 5 of Passion Week is traditionally known as Maundy Thursday. It also has been known as Holy Thursday.

The word “maundy” comes from the Latin and means “command.” On this day, Jesus spends several hours with the disciples in the Upper Room. They celebrate the Passover Meal but during the meal, Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper. He also commands them to “love one another as He had loved them” and He demonstrates what it means to be humble and to be the servant of all.

This will be a little different than the previous Passion Week writings, but I hope and pray you will be challenged by it.

We know from Scripture that Jesus kept the Jewish holy days. From the time He was a child, He would travel to Jerusalem to keep the feasts. In some ways it makes sense because they were all about Him.

This day of the Passion Week was the time spent in the Upper Room, the Passover Meal which became the pattern for the Lord’s Supper was instituted.

 Perhaps the most impactful lesson was when Jesus demonstrated what it meant to be a servant to all. He put on the servant’s apron, took the basin and towel, and proceeded to wash the feet of each disciple. You can read about this in John 13.

While I think this was hugely impactful, it is obvious that this too zoomed over their heads because just a little later, they broke out in the old argument about who among was or would be the greatest.

Earlier, Jesus sent two disciples to prepare the “Upper Room” for their celebration of the Passover Meal. Tradition says the man they encountered was the young man Mark, and the home they ate the Passover Meal was his mother’s Mary upper room.

It was during this time at the meal, Jesus announced that one of them would betray Him.

I’ve always been intrigued over the concern that each one expressed about who the betrayer would be. In Matthew’s account of this, Matthew 26:22, it appears that each of them asked1 the question, “Surely not I, Lord?” They were appalled at the thought of one of them would betray Jesus. But they all asked if it was going to be them.

It appears Judas was not part of this conversation because it was several minutes until Judas addressed the issue by saying, “Surely, not I, Rabbi?”

In John’s account of this, John 13:27, this was when Jesus told Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

They finished the meal, Jesus taught on the ministry of the Holy Spirit John 14-16. He also prayed His High Priestly Prayer, the actual Lord’s Prayer in John 17. They sang a hymn, probably one of the Hallel Psalms (perhaps Psalm 116, 117 or 118), and left for the Garden of Gethsemane where His arrest took place.

Before moving on, I’d like to make an observation regarding the disciples. The evening started with Jesus taking the servants apron and performing the act of washing the feet of the disciples. This would have normally been done by the youngest servant, or the lowest servant of the house.

An interesting thing happens here in Luke’s account. Luke 22:24 tells us that at this point in the evening, the disciples once again began arguing among themselves as to which one of them was the greatest. This was not the first time an argument like that had broken out.

I realize they were young, but they just witnessed their “Lord” and “Master” put on the servant’s apron and wash their feet. They missed it. It “zoomed” right over their head. Jesus’ response was to teach how they were to all be like the youngest, assuming nothing. He also taught that the one who rules, also serves.

The commands of the evening were to love one another; serve one another; and never forget the broken body and the shed blood of Christ, who willingly gave Himself, as a ransom for all.

What areas of your life do you see yourself as a servant? Are there areas of your life where you see yourself as “being served?” How do you think that would fit into the teaching of Jesus to His disciples? Could it be there needs to be a change in your thinking?

Always in Pursuit!

Don