The Holy Week is filled with all sorts of activities for those in the Christian faith. Maundy Thursday, or “Great Thursday” as it’s often called, is the day that’s used to commemorate the Last Supper. Jesus knew that his time on earth was drawing to a close, so He shared one last meal with His beloved disciples.
This meal was called Passover, and it’s where they took communion one with another. Easter is thought of as a time of celebration as Christ arose from the tomb. While most of the festivities are joyful, Maundy Thursday tends to be slightly different, as it’s more solemn in nature.
Understanding the Meaning of “Maundy”
Maundy is a term that’s used from Latin roots. It simply means commandment. Jesus gave very specific instructions to His disciples at the Last Supper, as He wanted to ensure that they continued to love and serve one another even in His absence. The disciples didn’t truly understand what was going on at this time, and they were listening intently and trying to take it all in.
Maundy Thursday is more of a solum time of remembrance of the great betrayal that Jesus experienced from Judas and the others who crucified Him. Numerous denominations celebrate this Holy Day as part of this sacred week. However, two biblical events make this day special to observers, which is foot washing, and communion.
Foot Washing
Some churches still observe foot washing, though it’s a time-honored tradition that many have gone away from over the years. When Jesus ate and drank with His disciples, as an act of humbleness, He also washed their feet. Why would the Lord of all get down and wash someone’s dirty feet?
Jesus used this to show the depth of His love for the disciples. These were men He handpicked to follow Him and carry on the ministry. Sadly, Jesus knew that He didn’t have long left on this earth, and He would soon return to His Father in heaven.
The meal was prepared and served to all the participants, and Satan was already beginning to work through Judas. Jesus got up and removed the outer clothing from His body, and He covered His midsection with a towel. John Chapter 13:1-5 demonstrates that He filled a basin with water and washed each of the men’s feet one by one.
The towel wrapped around His waist was used to dry each of their feet. The significance of this act was that it was a role reversal. Jesus became humble and washed the feet of those He loved, which stunned the disciples. Most would think that He would expect the disciples to wash His feet instead.
Jesus took the lowest role on the totem pole to wash the feet of others, which just showed His humility towards mankind. Given that He would soon be tortured and put to death, shouldn’t the disciples have carried out such kind acts towards the Master?
However, everything Jesus did had significant meaning, even this lowly foot-washing service. Since He was the ultimate example, He showed others that their love should be agape. Ironically, no one washed the feet of Jesus this night.
Washing someone else’s feet is a humble service where great sacrifice is involved. During the Maundy Thursday services, it’s common to observe foot washing. These ceremonies are genuinely humbling and show that the dirtiest part of the body can often be cleansed by water and love.
If Jesus could stoop to the ground and wash the feet of the men who walked beside Him, then it’s an example for the Christians to do the same.
The First Communion
The Passover meal was memorable. It was the first-time Communion was ever celebrated, and in Luke 22:19, Jesus told the disciples that they should continue this celebration in the future and do this in remembrance of Him.
There were two food elements as part of the communion service: bread and wine. Jesus picked up the bread and asked His Father to bless it. He broke the unleavened bread into many pieces to share it with His disciples. He stated that it represented His body.
Now, there is some debate about Communion in some churches as they believe that in today’s celebrations, the bread and wine become the blood and body of Christ. However, most believe that it’s purely for symbolism and remembering Him, as stated in Luke. In Luke 22:17, Jesus picked up a cup of wine and told the disciples that His blood would be a sacrifice for them and all the people of the world.
He stated that drinking from this cup formed a new covenant between the people and the Heavenly Father. Today, these passages found in Luke are still widely used to help celebrate the practice of communion.
Maundy Thursday celebrations often include communion and foot washing, and it’s not uncommon for some faiths to also have the Passover meal, also known as a Seder, as part of their celebratory acts.
The Liberation from Slavery Through Passover and Communion
The Jewish people celebrate this season as the liberation of their people from slavery during the time in Egypt. In the book of Exodus, Moses rescued these children who were in bondage from Pharaoh by asking the Lord to send plagues upon the land.
He was insistent that Pharaoh let the children go, but Pharoah was just as persistent that he wouldn’t free them. Each plague became increasingly more severe until the final one asked for every firstborn child’s head in the city. Thankfully, the Almighty made provisions for the Hebrew children, as they were asked to put blood on the doorposts that entered their home for protection.
The death angel would pass by, see the blood, and spare this home. The blood of the Passover lamb provided supreme protection. Ironically, these specific instructions were the last ordinance that the Heavenly Father gave during the feast of Passover.
On this night, He freed the people of Egypt from their slavery, and God’s great deliverance from the clutches of Pharaoh should be celebrated for generations to come. To free the children from Egypt would take supernatural powers that could only come from above.
The only way out was through the Red Sea, which seemed impossible. One of the greatest miracles in the Old Testament happens in Exodus 1.
The bible says that God breathed through his nostrils and parted this mighty sea. The Passover meal reminds everyone of this miracle that occurred and the slavery and deliverance of the Jewish people.
The final act of the Passover was fulfilled when Jesus became the supreme sacrifice. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and the mortal took on immortality. The Lord’s Supper should be done as often as you like to remember him and his sacrifice, but it should especially be done during the Easter season.
Prayer
Lord, as we approach Holy Week and celebrate your death, burial, and resurrection, let us never forget the great sacrifice you made on Calvary. You allowed your son to become the supreme sacrifice and atone for our sins.
Thanks to Your son Jesus, we no longer need a high priest to go into the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice, as we can boldly approach the throne for ourselves. As we celebrate, let us not so easily forget that it’s not about the Easter bunny or coloring eggs with our family, but we should honor this season in memory of You. Amen