Weighty instruction from the Son of Man. Jesus revealed his knowledge of his betrayal and coming crucifixion. “Lord is it I?” We each have a price. Follow diligently every day to develop self-control. Jesus moved resolutely to prepare his disciples through instruction, example and obedience. “Follow my example.” Be a subjective servant to have joy. Aspire every day to become a better servant.
***
108: Jesus At The Last Supper
Matthew 26:14-30; Mark 14:10-26; Luke 22:3-39; John 13:1-17:26
Judas’ Bargain
EVIL HAD entered Judas Iscariot, and he had gone to the chief priests secretly and had said to them:
“What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?”
When they promised to pay him thirty pieces of silver, he conspired how he could betray Jesus. From that moment he watched to see how he could deliver Jesus to the authorities in the absence of the multitude.
Preparation For The Passover
When the day for the sacrifice of the Passover arrived, Jesus called Peter and John to him and said to them:
“Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat.”
Peter and John replied, saying:
“Where wilt thou that we prepare?”
Jesus answered:
“Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in, And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, ‘The Master saith unto thee, “Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ And he shall show you a large upper room furnished. There make ready.”
Peter and John did as Jesus requested and made the preparations.
Jesus Pronounces This His Last Meal
When evening came, Jesus sat with his twelve disciples at their Passover Meal. Jesus said to them:
“With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, ‘I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’”
And Jesus took the cup and gave thanks, and said:
“Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I say unto you, ‘I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.’”
Jesus Washes The Disciples’ Feet
Jesus arose from the meal and poured water into a basin and washed the feet of his disciples, drying them with a towel.
Simon Peter said to Jesus:
“Lord, dost thou wash my feet?”
Jesus answered, saying:
“What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”
Peter replied:
“Thou shalt never wash my feet.”
Jesus said to him:
“If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.”
Simon Peter answered him, saying:
“Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.”
Jesus answered, saying:
“He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit and ye are clean, but not all.”
For he knew who was going to betray him. Thus Jesus said:
“Ye are not all clean.”
The Servant Is Not Greater Than His Lord
After he had washed all their feet and had resumed his seat again, Jesus said:
“Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me ‘Master’ and ‘Lord’ and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily I say unto you, ‘The servant is not greater than his lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.’ If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
“I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen. But that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.’
Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.’”
The Betrayer Identified
Later Jesus said:
“But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined. But woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!”
The apostles began to question among themselves as to who the traitor might be.
Then Jesus said:
“Verily I say unto you, ‘One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.’”
At this the apostles were very sorrowful, and each said:
“Lord, is it I?”
Jesus replied:
“He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him. But woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born.”
Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed him, said to Jesus:
“Master, is it I?”
Jesus replied:
“Thou hast said.”
Who Is The Greatest?
An argument arose among the disciples as to which of them would be accounted the greatest. Jesus replied to them, saying:
“The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so. But he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For which is greater: he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth?
Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jesus Establishes Communion
Jesus took the bread and blessed it; then broke it and gave it to them, saying:
“Take, eat: this is my body.”
Thereupon Jesus took a cup, gave thanks, and passed it to the disciples, who drank from it. Then he said to them:
“This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.”
Farewell Advice
As Jesus sat with his disciples in the upper room, he said to them:
“Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”
Thomas said to Jesus:
“Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?”
Jesus replied:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also; and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.”
Phillip said:
“Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.”
Jesus said:
“Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, ‘Show us the Father?’
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself; but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. Or else believe me for the very works’ sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father.’ And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.
“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me. Because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”