THE PASSION WEEK OF CHRIST

THURSDAY OF THE PASSION WEEK

THURSDAY we wake up to the second of the feast days known as the "Lord's Passover." This feast was first observed by the Jewish people in Egypt the night the plague killed all of the Egyptian firstborn sons, while death "Passed over" the Jewish firstborn because they were saved by the "Covenant blood" placed above the doors of their houses. This feast is also prescribed by God in Leviticus chapter 23.

We will follow Jesus to Jerusalem to eat the Passover dinner and celebrate it with the disciples in an upper room made ready by some friends. As we come into the upper room in the early afternoon prior to the Lord's Passover feast, we see that Jesus and the disciples have just finished eating a lunch/supper. Jesus tells the disciples that God the Father has given all authority in heaven and on earth to Him.

Before we can comprehend the enormity of the kingdom of Jesus, we see King Jesus lay aside His garments, pour water into a wash basin and begin to wash the disciples feet.
We are in total agreement with Peter when he says to Jesus "Thou shall never wash my feet." Kings of the earth do not wash their followers’ feet, so much more the reason that the King of the universe should not wash our feet.

It is now evening and time for the Lord's Passover Supper. All of the disciples are seated around Jesus [Matthew 26:20]. Jesus begins to explain how one of the disciples will betray Him. We join the other disciples wondering if we will betray Jesus.

Jesus, speaking up, tells the disciples that He will identify the one who will betray Him by dipping His bread in the sauce at the same time the betraying disciple dips his bread. As Judas dips his bread Jesus also dips His [Matthew 26:23]. We now know why, after the foot washing that Jesus said "not everyone is clean" [John 13:10] because Judas is a betrayer.

Judas then departs the room to proceed to betray Jesus. The disciples wonder where Judas has gone. Some think he is going to make arrangements for the next feast, the "Feast of Unleavened Bread" which begins tomorrow [John 12:29]. Unfortunately, as Judas leaves the presence of Jesus, Satan then enters into Judas and demonically possesses him [John 13:27].

Jesus then takes the unleavened bread of the "Lord's Passover Feast" Matthew [26:26, Mark 14:22] and giving thanks, Jesus breaks the bread explaining that this is His body broken for us, speaking of the cross that is to come tomorrow. He then passes the bread for the disciples to eat.
Next Jesus takes a cup of wine. It is the third cup of the four prescribed cups of the feast. The third cup is known as the cup of redemption. The first cup is the cup of Sanctification, meaning to be set apart to God for the feast. The second cup is the cup of instruction, instructing that there were many plagues on the land of Egypt, yet the children of God could not go free from slavery until there was a death of the firstborn.

Then Jesus takes the cup [Mark 14:23] of redemption and like the bread, gives thanks, passes the cup to the disciples and says, "Take drink all of it.” This cup is the New Testament in His blood: do this, in remembrance of Jesus.

Jesus then mentions that He will not drink again of the wine until He drinks it anew with us in His Father's Kingdom. The fourth cup of wine that Jesus is postponing to drink is called the "cup of Rejoicing." After the feast, the cup of rejoicing is to be drunk as we rejoice in all that God has done in our lives in setting us free and reuniting us with Him in the promise land of Heaven. Jesus says that He will drink that next cup with all of us for real heaven. Jesus and the disciples then sing a Psalm in the closing of the "Lord's Passover Feast."

Arising they depart the room. Now during a short walk, Jesus talks to the disciples about Himself being the vine, the source of life and that the disciples are the branches and that the disciples are to abide in Jesus for life. He also teaches about the persecution that will come to all of His followers. Then Jesus instructs them some more about the Holy Spirit who the Father will send.

Jesus then prays His "Priestly High Prayer" to the Father, asking the Father to receive all of His followers including us, His future followers and to unite us all with Himself in Heaven with the Father. After His priestly prayer of intercession for us to the Father, Jesus commits to His crucifixion and then crosses over the brook of Cedron [John 18:1] as He proceeds on to the garden of Gethsemane, the Garden of destiny.

We follow and see that Jesus is separated from His disciples and engaged in prayer to the Father. Jesus asks for the third time for the Father to remove "this cup" [Matthew 26:42] but there is no other "cup" of redemption available to mankind. Either Jesus gives His life for us or mankind will never be reunited to God.

Angels come and minister to Jesus. He arises. Judas can now be seen leading a group of Temple soldiers intent on arresting Jesus. Judas then betrays Jesus with a kiss [Matthew 26:49]. Jesus in turn calls Judas "friend." Jesus is arrested, bound with ropes and led off as all of the disciples abandon Him and flee.

2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold All things are become New.