The Story - Passover Week
God loves his people. And a long time ago, back in the days of Egypt, he made a way to protect them from the angel of death.
"Take a lamb," he had Moses instruct the people, "a firstborn lamb, spotless and pure. Then kill it, and paint the blood on your doorposts, so that when the Lord goes through in judgement, he will pass over the houses of those who love him."
Israel did, and their children were spared. Ever since then, they have celebrated the Passover feast as a way to remember the great and wonderful deeds of the Lord. Over the years, it has become tradition to celebrate the feast in Jerusalem itself, and hundreds and thousands of people flock to the city every year.
This entrance to the city of Jerusalem is accompanied by a crowd of people hailing Jesus as their king. They have heard about the signs that he’s done, and are excited for him to bring about the downfall of Rome, their earthly oppressors. But that isn’t what Jesus intends to do.
Over the next week, Jesus is going to show his disciples what his true purpose is. Instead of military might or huge displays of power, Jesus’s work is more humble. He tells them on the next few days leading up to Passover that soon, he will be delivered up to his enemies, humiliated, and crucified on a Roman cross of wood—the most ignominious form of execution.
His disciples can’t believe it. They can’t understand it—how could the Son of God die? And so, they don’t fully register what Jesus is saying, and their eyes remain blinded to the shock of what’s going to happen.
Meanwhile, Jesus is preparing himself for the coming events. He prays constantly to his Father for strength, and prays above all that God’s name would be glorified. We see Jesus’s humility on bold display here, and it becomes clearer by the chapter.
By Thursday of the Passover week, it’s time for the feast. Jesus and his disciples prepare a place in Jerusalem to eat of it, and they enter to celebrate the sacred feast of remembrance, to kill the firstborn sacrificial lamb and let it take the death that they deserve to be given. But before the supper, Jesus does something striking—John 12 says that he “laid aside his outer garments and, taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”
Washing feet isn’t exactly the most stunning work for the Messiah to be doing. His disciples are naturally shocked—Peter especially exclaims, “You shall never wash my feet!” But Jesus is further humbling himself. The Son of God has become a man, and then becomes a servant to all, taking on the lowest tasks to prove his love for us.
Meanwhile, one of the disciples is seething inside. Judas Iscariot has had enough of Jesus and his nonsense. The Messiah was supposed to be a great king, not this strange vagabond of a man who speaks in riddles, Judas thinks; Jesus does not fit Judas’s picture of the Christ. And so, he’s turned away from following Jesus in his heart. Later that night, he plans to go to the Pharisees and betray Jesus’s location to them, in return for a reward.
Jesus knows it. As he's washing the feet of his disciples, he sees Judas, and knows his heart. He is well aware that Judas plans to betray him, and he knows what will come of Judas's betrayal.
And yet, he washes Judas's feet anyway.
He shows Judas love, in a way that humbles him. Though Jesus should be mighty, and should be exalted beyond all human recognition—and though Judas's sin is going to leave Jesus bloodied beyond human recognition—Jesus washes Judas's feet.
Because he loves him. And he knows that what's going to happen is for the good of all humankind.
Jesus’ humility AMAZES me. It makes me strive to be humble, too, although I will never reach His standard. It was so timely how you posted this near when the Passover was supposed to be back then!
ReplyDeleteJesus was so unbelievably humble, amen. And yeah—it's a good goal to aim for, and even if we won't succeed 'til heaven we'll still grow!
Delete