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Maundy Thursday, April 17
... When this corruptible body shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality, then will come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Corinthians 15:54)
On this day, Jesus shared his Last Supper with his disciples. During their meal, Judas Iscariot left to bring the authorities who would arrest our Lord. Jesus knew what Judas was doing and had every opportunity to fl ee Jerusalem before his enemies' arrival. Instead, he went to the one place where he knew Judas could find him — a private garden outside the city walls where he often retreated for prayer. This was also so far from the city that the authorities could arrest him without fear of the crowds. And it was at night, where their illegal actions would not be known.
Imagine Jesus praying and waiting in that Garden of Gethsemane as a procession of soldiers begins from the Eastern Gate of the city. He watches their torches as they proceed down into the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives. This would take at least 45 minutes, with Jesus watching them the entire time. The Mount of Olives is covered in trees — he can fl ee in any direction and not be found. Instead, he waits. When the soldiers nally arrive, his disciples try to defend him, but he refuses. They scatter and leave him to his fate.
He is taken to the Jewish high priest, who can fi nd no witnesses whose testimony can convict him. So he convicts himself, testifying that he is the Son of God and bringing their condemnation for blasphemy (Matthew 26:63-66). From there he will be led on Good Friday to Pilate and to his death.
What God's word means
Paul has assured the Corinthians that when the "last trumpet" sounds, they will exchange perishable, mortal bodies for imperishable immortality (1 Corinthians 15:52-53). Now he looks forward to that glorious moment when this corruptible body must put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality.
In that moment, the prophecy of Isaiah will come to pass ("will come true, will be ful filled"). Isaiah 25:8 states that God "will swallow up death forever." The apostle paraphrases this great proclamation: Death is swallowed up ("devoured, made to disappear") in victory. Later he would rejoice in that day when "what is mortal may be swallowed up by life" (2 Corinthians 5:4).
Why Easter matters
Note the present tense: Death is defeated in victory now, today. Even though the Lord's return may delay for another decade or millennium, our victory in him is assured. Jesus' past resurrection is present proof of our future resurrection. Because God's nature does not change (Hebrews 13:8), he can do today anything he has ever done. If he could raise Jesus' body from corruption to immortality, he can do the same with ours.
Paul explained this miracle:
You, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him (Colossians 2:13-15).
Jesus' triumph at Easter is our triumph today. How should we respond to his gift?
How to respond
"Maundy Thursday" comes from the word for "mandated." Here's why it's an appropriate name for today. Before his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus did a very strange thing. After the Last Supper, he took o his outer robe and wrapped a slave's towel around himself. He then crawled on his knees to his rst disciple. He took the man's dirty, smelly, mud-caked feet in his hands. He poured water over them and dried them with the towel wrapped around his waist. He then crawled to the next, and the next, and the next. He washed the feet of Peter, who would deny him, and Judas, who would betray him, and the other disciples who would abandon him (John 13:1-11).
Here's the "mandated" part of Maundy Thursday: Jesus told them, "If I, then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet" (v. 14). He explained that we are to follow his example: "Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (v. 34). Then our Master concluded: "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another" (v. 35).
What Jesus did for us, the victory over death he won for us at Calvary, is a gift we cannot repay. But it is a gift we can share with others. When we wash their feet as he has washed away our sins, demonstrating his love in ours, we respond to Maundy Thursday grace with Maundy Thursday gratitude.
Do the people who know you best know that you are Jesus' disciple?
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