Wednesday in Holy Week
Posted on March 27, 2024 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 22:1-23 (NKJV)
22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. 4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.
7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”
10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”
13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.
14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
21 But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. 22 And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”
23 Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.
Devotion
Our Lord’s parents had celebrated Passover in the city of Jerusalem every year, as we are told from the story of when He was twelve years old (Luke 2:41-42). The feast would have been important throughout His life, but this year was particularly significant because the shadow that was the image of the Passover lamb would be fulfilled by the Body of Christ.
Jesus no doubt had been looking forward to this night since He was a boy: “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” Everything in Christ’s life, His incarnation, baptism, and ministry, had been leading up to the events of this week. “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me” (Heb. 10:5). Christ instituted the Sacrament of His own Body and Blood to teach His disciples that He was the sacrifice that was prefigured in the Passover meal.
Today, we have this testament confirmed to us each week in the Lord’s Supper. Every time it is celebrated, we are given that same true Body and Blood which was sacrificed for the sins of the world, and we are reminded of the fact that thousands of years of prophecy and promise have indeed been fulfilled. Every time we come to the Lord’s altar, we should hear the same words to us: “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Supper with you,” knowing that Christ had our Redemption in mind that night, as well.
Collect: Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds are continually afflicted, may mercifully be relieved by the Passion of Thine Only-begotten Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
