Maundy Thursday

(What the heck is "Maundy" ???   It's an old timie term that means "Holy")

This is a big day!  Passover Supper, Betrayal, A New Covenant, Prayers in the Garden, and Arrest!

Passover Feast:   (Remember, this is the Jewish Remembrance of when the Angel of Death "passed-over" their homes just prior to their Exodus from enslavement in Egypt)

Many of us are familiar with "The Last Supper" and this very famous portrayal by Michelangelo.

During the Passover Feast,  A Traitor is Revealed:

Mark 14:17-23 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said,  “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”

They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?”

He said to them,   “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

And that, of course, was Judas, who then left to meet with the
Pharasees and Roman Soldiers to plan for Jesus's arrest.

Then the New Covenant:

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said,

“Take; this is my body.”

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them,

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

And from this action we have Communion.

During Communion service you are to Remember This Covenant and Reflect on 

Jesus's suffering and sacrifice; and our personal need of Him to be our Savior.

But Moving Along:

It is During this Time that we Get His Final Commandment as recorded in John 15:13

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 

***

Later this evening Jesus goes to Gethsemane to Pray.

Matthew 26:36-46

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples,  “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”

And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them,  “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying,   “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.   And he said to Peter,    “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed,   “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.

Then he came to the disciples and said to them,  “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

******

Judas enters the Garden, followed by Roman Soldiers.  

They are not certain which man is Jesus, so Judas say he will identify him with a kiss.   

 Judas greets Jesus with a kiss after which the soldiers descend upon Him and arrest Him.

Jesus is taken to the Pharisees who immediately Trial him and Pronounce Him guilty of Blasphemy and to be punished by Death.