Maundy Thursday
image: “Maundy Thursday Foot-Washing” by Cara B. Hochhalter, (Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Mary Luti’s Excellent Holy Week Note:
As Christians, we live under the burden of a sad and violent history of anti-Semitism, in the sobering shadow of the Shoah (Holocaust). It is critical for us to be clear about what our sacred texts mean when they make reference to “the Jews,” especially during Holy Week, when we contemplate Jesus’ death.
When the crucifixion narratives speak of “the chief priests and leaders of the people,” they are referring to officials who collaborated closely with the Roman systems of oppression, and were viewed with contempt by much of the Jewish community in their time. They should not be identified with the Jewish people of the past as a whole, and certainly not with Jews in the present.
It may be helpful to recall the cultural context of our Christian scriptures, emerging as they did from a small, originally Jewish community of believers in Jesus as the Messiah. All of the Gospels originated from Jewish communities. Jesus himself, was born, lived, and was crucified, a Jew. Any criticism of Jews from Gospel writers should be understood as the expression of differences of opinion among or about their fellow Jews. The gospels’ use of the term “the Jews” therefore, should not be read as a criticism of the Jewish religion, and especially not as a condemnation of an entire people, either then, or now.
It is one of the bitter ironies of history that our sacred texts have been used to justify the persecution of the covenant people, from whom our Savior came, and who are created, as we all are, in the precious image of God.
John 13:1-17
Initial Thoughts
Maundy Thursday!
John’s timeline is much more muddied.
Explicitly NOT the Passover supper “Now before the festival of the Passover”
Beginning of a 4 chapter section called “The Farewell Discourse” which the NL will completely skip.
Next week is the trial
Bible Study
Connections to John 12:1-11, when Mary anoints Jesus.
Same verb that is used to describe Mary “wiping” Jesus’ feet is used when Jesus “washes” the feet of the disciples.
Objected to by Judas
Jesus reassures that it is the right thing.
“Mary anoints Jesus’ feet rather than his head. [This] anticipates the footwashing in John 13:1-20. There are two dimensions of the foot washing: it models service and discipleship, but service and discipleship are possible because to participate in the foot washing is to participate in the expression of Jesus’ love that leads to his death. Mary’s anointing of Jesus anticipates both of these dimensions. It is an act of service, but it also participates in the events of Jesus’ death. Mary does for Jesus now what Jesus will do for his disciples later.” (Gail O’Day, Women’s Bible Commentary, p. 525)
Beginning of the Farewell Discourse (John 13-17) which will lead into the Passion (John 18-19)
This is the only Farewell Discourse passage in Narrative Lectionary
John’s Passion is different from other gospels in some key aspects. This story is one of them
The meal is not Passover.
There is no bread broken and cup shared.
Foot washing
No agony in the garden
No “let this cup pass from me…”
No tears
No sleepy disciples
Trial before Pilate much more extensive
Pilate extremely reluctant to crucify Jesus
Carries cross “all by himself”
Care of his mother
“It is finished.”
Dies on “The Day of Preparation”- which is the day before the great Passover meal. In synoptics the Last Supper is the Passover Meal and he dies the next day.
“The chronology of the Passion - the sequence of events from betrayal to the crucifixion - therefore differs from that of the Synoptics. Given that it’s unlikely that the Jewish authorities would have interrupted their celebration of the Passover in order to try Jesus, John’s chronology is seen by many as more plausible.” (Adele Reinhartz, The Jewish Annotated New Testament, p. 205)
Foot washing
Linen towel - some traditions trace the pastoral stole this moment- that the stole is a sign of loving servitude.
“Foot washing is a service customarily rendered by a slave. But the Gospel of John avoids the language of slavery to descirbe discipleship, and Jesus explicitly rejects slavery as a metaphor… Jesus is not an obedient slave; he is an obedient Son. His followers are not his slaves; they are his ‘little children.’” (Allen Dwight Callahan, True to Our Native Land: An African American New Testament Commentary, p. 202)
“Loving his disciples to the end does not mean only his crucifixion, his death. It means the entirety of his life, the whole witness of the Word made flesh.” Karoline Lewis, Fortress Biblical Preaching Commentaries: John, p. 179
Peter
Peter misunderstands the sign (not surprisingly as most of the signs are misinterpreted) - he fails to see the connection betweens service and love
Peter’s refusal, but then fast and total reversal seems in line with other stories of Peter’s impetuous nature.
Peter’s overwhelming response is not only similar to Peter’s other stories, but also to literal misunderstandings of the other signs - the Woman at the Well wanting to never go back to the well, Nicodemus trying to figure out how to crawl into his mother’s womb, etc.
Jesus responds to Peter’s refusal, not with offering to wash his feet, but to “wash you”. He goes on to discuss the nature of those who are clean and those who are unclean
This can be troublesome especially with the emotional and spiritual damage inflicted by pseudo-Christian purity culture.
What does it mean to be washed clean? Given this story, perhaps to be washed clean means to be open to receiving the freely given, unconditional love of God enfleshed in Jesus.
When the blind man “washed” (John 9:7, 11, 15) in the pool at Siloam, he was able to “see”/recognize who Jesus is.
Even though Judas’ feet may have been washed, he clearly (as evidenced by his betrayal) is unwilling to enter into a relationship of love with Jesus. Instead of choosing the way of life and love, he chooses death - for both Jesus and, ironically, for himself.
“The washing makes possible having a share with Jesus, being in relationship with him, in his community, in the fold, as opposed to being cast out, like the blind man or going out, like Judas.” Lewis, p.180
Judas
Judas responds to the invitation of deep intimacy with leaving in the night after he ate a piece of bread.
Recall Ash Wednesday reading - The difference between the good shepherd and the thief. Here, Judas literally steals bread in the night - or at least accepts it under false pretense.
His sin is rejecting this incredible act of friendship and relationship.
“The phrase ‘Satan entered into him’ in 13:27 reflects idiomatic Semitic speech. That Satan ‘entered into’ Judas does not mean that Judas was possessed; the Gospel of John, which has neither exorcisms nor demonology, does not appeal to the ideation of spirit possession to understand Satan’s work in the world. The verb ‘enter into’ also means ‘share in,’ ‘have a part in’; the Adversary had a share in what Judas would do henceforth… One in whom Satan is at work takes the bread shared in intimate fellowship, then deserts the community, and walks in darkness.” (Callahan, p. 202-3)
Might be tempted to make a call abc to the Temptation of Jesus cf. Luke 4:13, “After finishing every temptation, the devil departed from him until the next opportunity.”) - but that is not in this Gospel. In John we have allusions to the temptations, (Stones into Bread: John 6:26, 31 to make bread in the wilderness; Jump from the temple: John 2:18 to perform a Messianic sign in the temple; Kingdoms of the World: John 6:15 to take the kingdom by force) but not the traditional 40 days in the wilderness temptation story.
Closing words
Jesus’ command is faith in action. Acknowledgment that Jesus is teacher and Lord, but also to do as Jesus did. If Jesus is willing to serve us (and we are not as great as Jesus, much less God), then how much more willing should we be to serve one another.
V. 17 - “you will be happy if you do them” calls back to John 10:10 - Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly. An abundant joyful life is what Jesus hopes for us.
Thoughts and Questions
Jesus washed Judas’s feet and shared bread with him. Jesus knew that he was the betrayer, but still submitted himself to this act of service. Judas rejected the relationship, not the other way around. What does it mean for our relationship with God - and with others - to know that Jesus washed Judas? If Jesus could kneel at the feet of his betrayer, who could we kneel before to serve?
If we follow Jesus’ example/model/pattern of being, then we too are called to serve and share with those whom we might consider our enemies - we cannot control their actions only our own. Jesus asks us to model our lives, our actions after his.
13:15 - “‘Example’ can be translated as ‘model’ or ‘pattern’. To what extent might Jesus be referencing the entirety of his ministry here? That is, Jesus the Word made flesh, has established a pattern of being, God fully present, witnessing to God’s presence in the world, that the disciples [and we] will now need to take on?” Lewis, p.181
John 13:31-35
Initial Thoughts
Maundy Thursday...part 2
I’ll take glorify for 800...cue John Legend
Bible Study
Literary Context: Within the farewell discourse
Passage immediately before this is Jesus tells Judas he will betray him, then they dip bread together. Then Judas leaves
“It is at this dark moment that our text begins, ‘When he (Judas) had gone out, Jesus said …’ We might expect a speech about how evil Judas is and how awful the consequences of his actions will be for him. But Jesus instead focuses on his mission and preparing his disciples for what is to come.” (Elisabeth Johnson, Working Preacher)
Passage immediately after this is prediction of Peter’s denial.
Glorify
Jesus’ glory comes in the midst of betrayal- both of Judas and Peter
Not the glory we might expect
Connect his life and his public ministry to his death and this farewell discourse
“Now”...interesting since Jesus has not yet been crucified.
Jesus is glorified as much through his life as through his impending death
“God is glorified in Jesus’ death. The cross, rather than bringing shame, brings glory to God. This shows the evangelist’s reversal of the cultural values of the time as well as his subtle -- or not so subtle -- criticism of the power of Empire. The purpose is to assure his community that its origins are rooted in an honorable event, because through it, God showed God’s love for the world. Here, John joins the rest of the New Testament writers who emphasized the overcoming of shame through weakness.” (Osvaldo Vena, Working Preacher)
Little Children
Tenderness, love, compassion for these whom he has told repeatedly what will happen and yet still do not understand
patience
New Commandment - Love
Go back to the beginning of the chapter, the start of the meal: “Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” (John 13:1, NRSV)
Go back to Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won't perish but will have eternal life. God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17, CEB)
"[This] new command is simple enough for a toddler to memorize and appreciate, and it is profound enough that the most mature believers are repeatedly embarrassed at how poorly they comprehend it and put it into practice.” D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John (Leicester, England: APOLLOS,1991), 484.
“That’s what this verse is about. Jesus reminding us of just how much he loves us – and of how much God loved and loves us through him – that we might be empowered to love others, extending God’s love through word and deed, and in this way love others as Jesus has loved us. We don’t have to do this perfectly to do it meaningfully, of course. Indeed, even as we remember those who have loved us, we probably acknowledge that while their love was not perfect, it was nevertheless powerful.” (David Lose, In the Meantime)
What is the ONE test by which people will know if you are Christ’s disciples? LOVE
Love is all you need
Love as I have loved you:
“Get behind me Satan”
“O Ye of little faith…”
Love does not equal nice, but authentic and honest
About belief or life?
Jesus is not concerned about orthodoxy but orthopraxis - no creed or scripture but a way to live: love.
Karen Armstrong "Religion,” is not about having to believe or accept certain difficult propositions; instead, religion is "about doing things that change you.” quoted by Gary Jones in Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 2: Lent through Eastertide.
What is New about this commandment? Joseph Bessler (Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 2: Lent through Eastertide.)
Augustine: Different kind of love - a spiritual love distinguished “from all carnal affection” , Tractates on the Gospel of John 65.1, in John: 11-21, 114
Cyril of Alexandria: Different degree of love - Leviticus commands us to love others as ourselves. Jesus loves us far more than he loved himself. Jesus self-giving love which led to the cross is far greater than love for oneself. Commentary on the Gospel of John
Who is one another?
Are Christian called only to love one another (i.e. the elect or fellow Christians) or called to love everyone (i.e. Good Samaritan style)
Thoughts and Questions
Joseph Bessler- the command is to continue to love one another in the midst of the fear and awfulness which is to come. Do not give into fear or self-preservation - love one another, even if it means giving up your own life.
What would it mean for each of us or our churches to be glorified? What does that mean in our culture? What is an example of a glorified church?
Can any of us be glorified while our brothers and sisters are not?
1. Do we take seriously that love is at the center of faith?
2. Why is it so hard to love? Who is it hard to love?
3. How does it feel to be loved?
Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com,@pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music (“Miserlou”), Nicolai Heidlas (“Sunday Morning”,"Real Ride"and“Summertime”) and Bryan Odeen for our closing music.