Who is Jesus? Chapter 45 Jesus prepares for Pass-over and Washes the Disciples Feet

 

Who is Jesus? Chapter 45 Jesus prepares for Pass-over and Washes the Disciples Feet

You will remember that one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver Jesus over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.  And from that moment Judas waited for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

You may wonder why one of Jesus close followers would betray Jesus? First Judas loved money more than he loved Jesus. He was also a politician and having the praise of the religious leaders made Judas feel important.  But again, he hoped that Jesus would escape, and all would be well.

Judas and the other disciples had often been there when Jesus disappeared from a crowd as the people were attempting to throw Him over a cliff, so it was possible what Judas hoped would happen, and Jesus would escape and that he, Judas would keep his ill-gotten gain.

So, Judas was now looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus to the Chief Priests and the Scribes when the crowd was not present.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” Jesus replied, go into the village and there you will see a man carrying a picture of water. (Now it was unusual for a man to carry water, as this was the woman's job.)

Jesus said, follow the man to the house he enters and there ask the owner where his guest room is because your master desires to eat the pass-over at his house. He will then show you a furnished upper room, there is where you shall make ready for our meal.

You must understand that Jesus could see into the future, including things that were out of the ordinary, and he knew what and where the preparation was to happen and he was foretelling this event, so that His disciples might believe.

When the disciples entered the village, all was just as Jesus had said it would be and they followed the man, found the house, and the room as Jesus had told them, and they prepared for the supper.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

When Jesus came to Simon Peter, - Peter said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”  Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash your feet, you have no share with me.”  Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”  Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?  You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 

After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”  The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.  One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side,  so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?”  Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” 

So, when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.  Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into Judas. Jesus said to Judas, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, to give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, Judas immediately went out.  And it was night.

Jesus continued; Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the messenger that I send, receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” Jesus was saying that it is good to show respect to the teacher, Pastor, and Prophets of God, who bring you good news. As you listen to your ministers, preachers and teachers and open your hearts to receive truth, you will grow spiritually, and you will mature in God.

When you are listening and receiving from the ministers of God - - it is as if you are hearing from Jesus?  Are you listening?