Jesus Attended the Passover Feast of Unleavened Bread With His Disciples(mark 14:12-21; Matthew 26:17-29; Luke 22 :7-30)

This was the day of unleavened bread in the Passover feast. Late in the afternoon all devout Jews would eat the Passover meal. Jesus and his disciples were to eat together that evening as he had desired, and as he had carefully planned. Their place of gathering was a large upper room in the home of some sympathetic friend, probably Mary, the mother of John Mark. Before leaving the city on Tuesday Jesus had arranged for this. Accordingly on Thursday afternoon he sent his disciples on ahead to this upper room where the last details were tobe arranged. "And they went, and found, as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover."

(r) The Passover Meal—This meal consisted of a choice lamb roasted whole, unleavened bread, wine and bitter herbs. At sunset the trumpets would blast, and the meal would begin. Before the sunset hour arrived the disciples would have completed all arrangements and would await the coming of Jesus. In due time he arrived and they were ready to celebrate this memorial of the deliverance of their forefathers from Egyptian bondage.

What must have been the feelings of Jesus as he came among his disciples to find them in a bitter contention among themselves as to which of them was to be the greatest. "There is wrangling among them, when he had told them that after two days he would die, and now the two days were past. Peter wanted to get the seat of honor next to Jesus, for he was the leading talker; John because he knew him best; Judas because he was treasurer. John seems to have got the chief place."' How human and yet how far from what their master had taught them! He must teach them even now. He began by stating the world's evaluation of greatness which was based on "lordship" or authority. "But ye shall not be so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve."

(2) A Lesson on Humility (John 13:1-20) — John's gospel gives the beautiful story of Jesus teaching the lesson of humility at this Passover meal. The routine of observing the Paschal meal consisted of some thirteen different steps. The first was a benediction, then the cup of wine, and next the formal washing of the hands of the company. It was at this juncture that Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. It was an object lesson to impress upon them the quality of true greatness. He was their Lord, and yet he became their servant as he laid aside his garments, took a towel and girded himself, poured water into a basin, and stooped to wash the feet of his disciples. This was a menial task usually done by a servant, and this act of Jesus would arouse the interest of his followers. He finished his task, replaced his garments and sat down with them to explain his actions. "If I, your Master, have done this for you ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that ye also should do as I have done to you." We may understand, of course, that Jesus was not here instituting an ordinance like that of the Lord's Supper, but was giving an object lesson in true humility of spirit.

(3) Identifying the Traitor (Mark 14:18-31; Matthew 26:21-35; Luke 22:21-38; John 13:31-38) — As they were eating the Paschal meal Jesus startled them all with the statement that one of the twelve was going to betray him. They were all "exceedingly sorrowful and began every one to say unto him, Is it I, Lord?" Jesus then gave the sign by which they should know. According to John's account: "He it is, for whom I shall dip the sop, and give it him. So when he had dipped the sop, he taketh and giveth it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot." John further states that again Satan entered into Judas, and that Jesus told him to do quickly what he was to do. "He then having received the sop went out straightway; and it was night."

All knew then that Judas could not be trusted. When he had left Jesus spoke tenderly to these friends, expressing his love for them and warning them of the danger to which they would be exposed. Peter, in over-confidence, asserted that, though every one else should be offended and desert, he would not. He would go with him to death! Then it was that Jesus announced the sorry deed that Peter would do that very night: "This night before the cock crow thou shalt deny me three times." Again Peter most vehemently asserted that he would not, and that he would die with him. "Likewise also said all the disciples." Little did they know what was ahead.

(4) The Lord's Supper (Mark 14:22-25; Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 22:17-20; I Corinthians 11:23-26) — After the paschal lamb had been eaten with the bitter herbs, and the time for the explanation of this ancient feast arrived, Jesus instituted the memorial supper. He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them saying: "Take ye, eat it, this is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me." A little later he took a small cup of wine, gave thanks again and said: '"Drink ye all (all of you) of it for this is my blood of the covenant, which is shed for many unto remission of sins. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come."

"The Supper was a new institution. It, like baptism, is symbolic of the life in Jesus. Christ left us only two church ordinances; but the two cover symbolically the whole Christian life. Baptism stands at the beginning and symbolizes the spiritual transformation which takes place in the new birth the death to sin and resurrection to a new life. The Memorial Supper represents the means of continuation of the disciple's life through the continuous assimilation of Christ who is our bread of life —our Passover. The Supper commemorates theatoning death of Jesus, but at the same time symbolizes the life —flesh and blood which must be eaten by the disciple for the sus¬tenance of his spiritual life."'

(5) Farewell Discourse (John 14-17) — The paschal meal and the Lord's Supper together would consume about two hours or more. But since it was still early in the night Jesus used the remaining three or four hours before midnight Thursday for a long farewell discourse with these friends, who despite their weaknesses, were very dear to him. This conference began in the upper room and continued informally as Jesus and his friends walked through the streets out of the eastern gate, down into the valley of the Kedron and up the slopes of the Mount of Olives to his place of retreat, the Garden of Gethsemane. The reader should study carefully this long discourse with these disciples since it is one of the richest treasures of the Christian faith. Understanding the situation under which Jesus spoke these immortal words should give them a new meaning to us. Jesus opened his heart to his disciples as the great rush of emotions swept over him. The fourteenth chapter, so familiar to every devout Christian, was intended to console his disciples in view of his death. They are not to grieve too much for his death, for it is expedient — and they will have the Holy Spirit as their comforter, teacher and helper. And this is better.
Chapters fifteen and sixteen are devoted to exhortation. The disciples must be true to him; they must love each other; they must follow their new teacher, they must watch for his return, they must wait for further light. Chapter seventeen is the real Lord's prayer. In this deeply moving experience he prays: first for himself (1-5); for these disciples (6-19); and for the whole world — all believers in all ages (2o-26).

(6) In Gethsemane (Mark 14:26, 32-42; Matthew 26:3o, 36-46; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1) — The last event in the life of Jesus on this mo¬mentous day was his experience in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the way to Gethsemane they crossed the brook Kedron, now swollen with winter rains and tinged red with the blood of animals slain for the sacrifices of the Passover feast. Gethsemane, a garden of olive trees, was a favorite retreat of Jesus not more than half mile directly east of the Golden Gate. The present garden, about seventy yards square, is enclosed by a wall and contains about seventy-five gnarled olive trees which present-day guides erroneously claim are the same trees under which Jesus suffered that night.

Reaching the gate of the garden, Jesus left eight of his eleven disciples (Judas was no longer with them) to watch. He then took Peter, James and John and went a little distance inside. The strange and awful experience awaiting him caused him to be "amazed and sore troubled." "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even unto death." Com¬manding these three to abide there and watch, he himself went on a little further and fell on his face and prayed. These disciples could hear his cry of anguish, "0 my Father, if it be possible let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt." As he suffered his three friends, weary in body, fell asleep. He had counted on them for comfort and sympathy, but they failed him. Arising he went to them and said to Peter, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" He went back to his lonely retreat and prayed again. Then he came a second time to find his friends once more asleep. This time they were greatly embarrassed and knew not how to answer him. Still a third time he retreated and prayed again "using the same words." Returning to them he said, "Sleep on now and take your rest: behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed unto the hands of sinners." He had won his victory, but without their help.

Even as he spoke to them he saw the torches of the company led by Judas coming up the hillside to the garden. He knew the purpose of their coming. He then said to his disciples, "Arise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that betraycth me." The four of them went immediately to the gate to join the eight other disciples. It was now midnight or later. His enemies had come to take him.