Maundy Thursday, April 1 Holy Week Day Seven

The New Mandate of Love: Service and Sacrifice

Scripture Reading: Luke 22:14-65; John 13

For most of us the celebration and remembrance of Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday is understood. Depending upon one’s faith tradition, however, the celebration of Maundy Thursday might not be familiar. For those who have not been exposed to this historical practice, the very sound of the day’s title may seem gloomy, foreboding, and a bit odd. When understood in its biblical and theological context, it offers the believer yet another way to reflect upon the deep significance of Christ’s passion and the profound implications they present to us.

“Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum” meaning mandate. The challenge of Jesus to His disciples in John 13 is described in Latin as the “mandatum novum” or the “new commandment.” This new commandment of Christ to love one another as Christ has loved (John 13:34,35) was issued on the Thursday before Jesus was crucified, at the Passover meal. Hence, this day has come to be known as “Maundy (mandate) Thursday.” The context of this new mandate is the most sordid night of human history. On that very day Judas would betray Him, His inner circle would fall asleep while He experienced the most excruciating night of His life in Gethsemane, Peter would deny Him, the disciples would scatter in fear, the priests would question, beat, illegally try Him, and then pass Him off to Pilate who would cave to the political pressure of the crowds and turn Him over to be crucified. This Thursday in human history was all about the ways that humanity can fail God. So what would Jesus do? He had every right to give the disciples the tongue lashing of a lifetime, kick Judas out of the upper room, exercise His divine power to escape the hands of the heathen soldiers, and wash His hands of the thankless responsibility of being a Redeemer. But, instead, He modeled His new commandment, His “novum mandatum.” He placed Judas next to Him at the supper table, told Peter He would pray for Him after he failed, washed the feet of all the disciples who would disown Him, and then offered to them through the symbol of the bread and wine, the sacrifice of His very life. The new commandment of love was to be lived out in SERVICE and SACRIFICE.

That’s what Maundy Thursday is all about. It’s not some strange medieval tradition with an odd name that has no contemporary relevance. Instead it is a reminder that believers today are still called by their Lord to live out the “novum mandatum,” the new commandment, and this kind of life can only be demonstrated when we are willing to serve one another and offer our very lives as living sacrifices to the One who gave Himself for us.

Prayer: Father, enable me to see clearly the depth of Your love for me, the profound humility you expressed in coming to this earth to wash my feet, and the amazing sacrifice of Yourself so that I might enjoy eternal life. Then, empower me to live that same kind of life, a life of service and of sacrifice.