Publishing Prophecy Today this week on Maundy Thursday rather than on Friday gives us the opportunity of reviewing the whole message of Easter, beginning with Jesus reclining at supper with his disciples. I want to focus upon John’s Gospel, but among academic scholars there is some discussion about whether Jesus and the disciples ate the Passover together,1 or whether it was an ordinary meal at the end of a working day. For Jesus it marks the end of his public ministry when he meets with his close disciples and gives his final teaching.
Jesus knows that his hour has come; the hour determined by his Father, and he is the obedient Son preparing his disciples for his departure from the world. In the seclusion of the upper room he commits to them the depth of the Father’s love and his purpose of salvation that will be accomplished on the Cross, laying down his life for the forgiveness of their sins and the sins of the world.
Expression of Love
Before putting into words his final teaching, Jesus performs three actions of immense significance; two are recorded in John 13. The first is an amazing expression of love for Judas, one of his beloved disciples who has already been seduced by the evil one. Jesus, knowing the intention to betray him, takes a morsel of bread, dips it in the cup and gives it to Judas. This is something that still happens in Jewish families at the Shabbat meal when someone who has been sick, or away from home, returns to the family table. Whoever is presiding at the meal takes a piece of bread, dips it in the cup, and gives it to that person saying, “This is for the one I love”.
For Jesus to do this to Judas is an incredible expression of love. Knowing what he is about to do, Jesus is only thinking of Judas and the devastation in his life that his action will bring. So, Jesus reassures him of his unbreakable love – even to the worst of sinners.
Before putting into words his final teaching, Jesus performs three actions of immense significance – the first is an amazing expression of love for Judas.
A New Order
Next, Jesus strips to the waist and wraps a towel around him and begins to wash his disciples’ dirty feet – the lowliest task usually performed by the humblest slave. Of course, the disciples protest - Peter is the loudest, which is reminiscent of when Jesus first began to speak about going to the Cross and Peter cried, “Oh No, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” (Matt 16:22), which brought the terrifying rebuke “Get behind me, Satan!”
Jesus’ response is “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me” (John 13:8). Peter’s reaction is fully in line with all normal human behaviour. It is right and proper that the disciple should wash his master’s feet; but if the master performs the menial task of washing his disciples’ feet, it turns upside-down the proper order of human relationships in the world. It is the total subversion of normality and the smooth operation of human affairs. Human management procedures require chains of authority. We all have a vested interest in maintaining these chains, because as long as we submit to those above us, we are free to exercise power over those below us. The action of Jesus subverts this order and threatens to destabilise the whole of secular society.
Jesus says that Peter cannot understand what Jesus is doing, but that he would understand it later. The foot washing is a sign that Jesus, in going to the Cross, is about to turn upside-down the whole order of human power and authority that rules this present age.
It is impossible for the natural man to understand the wisdom and power of God in the Kingdom that God has established through the Cross of Jesus. The natural man makes gods in his own image, so it is impossible for him to recognise the Supreme God of Creation in the lowly figure of a slave dressed only in a loin cloth. As Paul describes it, “He humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:8). But, “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Cor 5:19).
Peter’s response to Jesus’ statement is to ask for more than his feet to be washed: “Not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”, which showed he had not understood what Jesus was doing. To accept the action of Jesus and its consummation on the Cross, is to accept the radical change in our human nature that is essential if we are to enter the Kingdom. A simple act of acceptance is sufficient. We do not need to try to add degrees of holiness to our salvation. A U-turn is sufficient. If we try to increase the efficacy of a U-turn by turning from 180° to 360° we simply remain in conformity to the world.
The foot washing was a sign that Jesus, in going to the Cross, was about to turn upside-down the whole order of human power and authority that rules this present age.
Importance of Unity
For the third action of Jesus at the Last Supper we have to turn to the Synoptic Gospels as John does not include this. For John, no doubt, it was all part of the meal which in itself was a sacrament; his concern was to record the two outstanding events that were not recorded in the other Gospels.
Matthew, Mark and Luke all speak of Jesus breaking a loaf of bread and saying that this symbolised his body,2 which they should remember each time they shared a meal with other believers. This was intended to create love and unity.
I feel at this point that I have to say something of my grief in reading some of the comments at the foot of last week’s Editorial. It really grieves me to see believers criticising each other, even over such things as the Holy Communion which was intended to unify believers. I recognise that there is a difference between having different interpretations of Scripture and holding heretical views. And I respect the right of anyone to expose heresy. But I am pleading for a little more respect for one another.
Surely, Christians should be closing ranks in these days, not opening up unnecessary wounds. All Bible-believing Christians should recognise that God is allowing the pandemic as a judgment upon the old order of our sinful humanity and pointing us towards the Kingdom of God, that we can only enter through repentance and accepting salvation through Jesus. It is a 180°-U-turn that is required.
Surely, Christians should be closing ranks in these days, not opening up unnecessary wounds.
The Gospel
Every day, hundreds of precious human beings are going to an unknown eternity because they do not know Jesus. How can they know unless someone tells them the simple truth of the gospel, that in Jesus our sins are forgiven and we are brought into a right relationship with God our Father? That is the Easter message that is wonderfully proclaimed on Easter Sunday in the words of the angels to the women at the empty tomb: “He is Risen!”
That’s what we should all be seeking to proclaim – not squabbling amongst ourselves – but actively sharing our faith with other human beings in the sure and certain knowledge that even on our deathbeds, if we accept Jesus, we will be fully embraced by his love unto all eternity.
As Charles Wesley beautifully expressed it:
Love Divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down, fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus, Thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art; visit us with Thy salvation, enter every trembling heart.
Finish, then, Thy new creation: pure and spotless let us be; let us see Thy great salvation, perfectly restored in Thee, changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place, till we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Notes
1 According to all four Gospels the crucifixion took place on a Friday. The Synoptics say this was the 15th of the month of Nissan and the first of the seven-day festival of Passover. But in John's Gospel it appears to be the 14th of Nissan, the day during which the Passover lambs were slain to be eaten after sunset that same day. For John this was important as he sees Jesus as the Paschal Lamb slain that day. Biblical scholars are divided on this issue although all four Gospels may be in harmony, depending what time of day the meal took place. It may have started while it was still daylight but by the time Judas left it was night (John 13:30) - so it was already the next day – 15 Nissan.
2 Some celebrants include the words "This is my body, broken for you". This is not scriptural as it is not found anywhere in the New Testament, and not a single bone in Jesus’ body was broken.
