CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The Last Supper: John 13: 1-17, Matthew 26:17-35

John 13

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
The Last Supper
 17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
 18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
 20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.21 And while they were eating, he said,“Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
 22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
 23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
 25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
   Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
 30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
 31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:
   “‘I will strike the shepherd,
   and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’[b]
   32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
   34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered,“this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
 35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.





The first thing that comes to mind is, "EWWWW FEET!!" thehehe  was foot washing some kind of Jewish party game? Ummmmmmm no. In this culture of dusty roads and sandaled feet, it was customary for a servant to wash the guests' feet when they arrived. It was a dirty gross, lowly-job! Sweaty feet= most beautiful thing ever right?!?! NO! Not attractive at all. It points out how humble Jesus us, and shows us his humility. When Jesus wrapped the towel around his waist and  began to perform the task for his disciples, he sent a message to them and to us. If the Son of God himself could serve like that, surely none of us is too good to serve others in whatever way we can.

In the Last Supper passage, here we see the first communion! One thing that came to mind was how we like to give Judas a bad name, for the whole thing, but other disciples did things too. they all had weaknesses. ... Peter had shaky faith, James and John had big tempers, which we learn in Mark 3,  Simon was a zealot(similar to a terrorist) Judas was greedy, and the list of things go on and on. Having seen this, we must realize that we are human, like these apostles were. We have weaknesses, shortfalls, and tempers, and that is normal for a human to have. The difference is how we treat those weaknesses. We will deny/ betray Christ occasionally. How we react to our mistakes is what divides Peter from Judas. Peter denied Christ three times out of fear. Yet he preached the first gospel sermon and was the first to bring the gospel to the Gentiles as well. Judas betrayed Christ out of greed, but only once. He even tried to take back what he did. However, he could not get past his mistake and he committed suicide.

What do you think you would have done?
Anne

No comments:

Post a Comment