Maundy Thursday
Posted on April 17, 2025 by under
Scripture: St. John 13:1-15 (NKJV)
13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”
7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”
8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”
12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”
Devotion
Judas may have betrayed the Lord Jesus for money, but the other disciples are also sinful men. Before the events of this narrative they had been arguing about who was the chief among them (see Luke 22:24). It is our Lord Jesus who sets the example that they should follow. He who is their Teacher and Lord humbles Himself to perform the duties of a servant. This is why St. Peter refuses to be washed at first. His Lord should not be like a servant.
But our Lord humbles Himself not only as a servant to wash feet, but humbles Himself to offer His life as a ransom for all mankind. It is in this meal of His Body and Blood given in bread and wine that we remember and proclaim how He humbled Himself, even unto death, so that we might have through this meal the remission of our sins. We come before the altar and kneel with one another in humble confession that we are poor, miserable sinners; that we need our Lord Jesus to wash and cleanse us from our sins. There is no need for self-glorification at the Lord’s Table, for we are all sinners in need of the Lord God’s grace and mercy.
Collect: O Lord God, Who hast left unto us in a wonderful Sacrament a memorial of Thy Passion: Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may so use this Sacrament of Thy Body and Blood, that the fruits of Thy redemption may continually be manifest in us; Who livest and reignest with the Father 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 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.
