This is the Day the Lord Hath Made

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.—Psalm 118:24

By Richard Kindig

If ever there was a time in Jesus’ earthly life when he could have felt justified in thinking about himself, it was this night—Friday, Nisan 14. His disciples had been arguing again about who the Master would choose to be greatest in the kingdom which now seemed so close. And Jesus had other burdens as well: the trauma of the cross, and the joy of redeeming the world. Not a detail of the immense task before him escaped his perfect mind.

The Last Supper

In this emotionally charged atmosphere Jesus and his disciples arrived at the upper room. With no women or children present to serve the water to the guests, the disciples may have looked around awkwardly for a volunteer to play the role of servant.1 Perhaps Jesus rose silently, as is customary in today’s Paschal hand washing service, and not only held the ceremonial water pot, but actually washed the feet of his men.

This act was most astounding. Only moments before, Jesus’ followers had been so selfish. Now they were forced to accept menial service from their Lord. Yet Jesus gave no hint of indignation. Instead, we are told he "loved them unto the end." As he considered what it must have taken for Jesus, the Creator and Heir of the Universe, to be able to so meekly give such an abject demonstration of humility, John seized on the fact that Jesus must have drawn strength from his own relationship of trust in the heavenly Father: "knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands . . ." (John 13:3). Yes, it was Jesus’ personal experience with God that gave him the dignity and humility to reach ever deeper into his heart for the infinite springs of divine love. On the eve of his own darkest hour, Jesus finds something that his disciples need and supplies it.

The men did not break the silence until impetuous Peter blurted out, "Lord, dost THOU wash MY feet?" It seemed so illogical for the Son of the living God to be so humbled. Yet the lesson is unmistakable: Jesus politely insisted, over Peter’s protests, that unless Peter submitted to Christ, and accepted this gift of love, he could be no part of his body (John 13:12-17; see also Matt. 25:31-46). Every gift comes from God, and all we can do is attempt to pass his gifts on to others. (Cf. James 1:17; Matt. 5:45; John 7:38.)

The Betrayer Identified

After the feet were washed Jesus commented to them, "you are not all clean." He was alluding to Judas. In John 13:18, he quoted David’s lament in Psalm 41:9—"He that eateth bread with me has lifted up his heel against me." Later Jesus stated explicitly: (vs. 21) "Truly, truly . . . one of you shall betray me."

John, leaning against Jesus’ bosom2whispered, "who is it Lord?" Jesus quietly whispered to John, "he it is, to whom I shall give a morsel, when I have dipped it." This would most likely have been the bittersweet mixture of charoseth3 and horseradish, carried to the palette on a piece of unleavened bread. The moment had great significance; for we are told that as he chewed that morsel from Jesus, Judas’ heart was filled with Satan’s spirit.

The lesson should not be lost In times of peril, brothers are in a unique position to hurt—or help—each other. As Jesus prophesied in a passage that seems to point with special force to the ends of the Jewish and Gospel ages, "brother SHALL deliver up brother to death" (Matt. 10:21). Let us pray that we be delivered from such temptations.

Judas left at Jesus’ urging about 9:00 p.m.4 It is interesting that the disciples assumed that Judas was supposed to buy something "against the feast" (John 13:29). This indicates that they still expected the band to celebrate the main Passover feast at the time of the rest of the nation, on Nisan 15.5 They still had no idea that this unusual Passover seder they were holding was the only feast they would observe that year.

After Judas left, Jesus began to tell them what to expect. "Now is the Son of Man glorified . . . whither I go you cannot come" (John 13:33). Jesus now gave the men a "new commandment:" that they love each the other as Jesus loved them—with unswerving commitment based on the fact that the Father had chosen them (John 17:6). And he predicted that this sort of love would be the characteristic which would distinguish his disciples from other men: not their claimed love of God; not their righteousness; not their knowledge—but their love of one another. John later reinforced the importance of love in 1 John 3:10-19. He asserts that love, active amongst us, is an evidence that we are "of the truth."

But that night, the message about love did not get through. They were still pondering Jesus’ earlier words about leaving them. Peter asked: "Where are you going? . . . Why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." Here Jesus did something wonderful: he helped Peter get through the coming trial by stating calmly that Peter would fail. Jesus could have scolded Peter and made him feel guilty about his upcoming failure, but Jesus did not place upon Peter a burden he could not shoulder. He simply accepted the fact that Peter would fail—and gave a little prophecy about the time of that failure, so that when it occurred, it would become an experience that would strengthen Peter’s faith. He was showing Peter that confidence in the flesh will not sustain our faith.

The Good News Emphasized

The disciples were troubled by this bad news of the departure of their master. Yet Jesus quickly consoled them. "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in me."

These were devout men. They identified God as their Creator. Jesus now urged that they believe also in him. As the Son of God, Jesus carried the Father’s authority. The disciples had seen this fact through Jesus’ miracles and gracious words. Jesus wanted them to see that hourly, daily, they could trust him—their friend, their brother, their co-worker (See John 14:2-4).

Thomas was a logical man, and he had a question: "Lord, we do not know where you are going: how can we know the way?" Jesus’ answer is profound: "I am the way."

The New and Living Way: Symbolized by Our Lord’s Memorial

THE BREAD: Bread, the staff or support of life, has from ancient times been a symbol of living truth, the word of God which sustains us and upholds all things. The Hebrew word for Leaven, chometz, means "bitter" or "sour." It is a fitting symbol of sin, which brings bitterness to life and distorts or corrupts truth. The Hebrew word for unleavened bread, matzo, means "sweet, without sourness"—signifying life without sin. In another sense, it symbolizes the Word of God personified—"The Truth"—Jesus. Significantly, matzo has always displayed burn marks and pierce-marks.

At this juncture Jesus introduced an important lesson to his disciples. "Take this bread. Eat it. This is my body, which is broken for you" (Matt. 26:26).

THE WINE: It was customary in the Jewish observance of the Passover in our Lord’s day to partake of four glasses of wine. The wine was red, and was diluted for the Passover Memorial with hot water. Thus it strikingly symbolized blood.

The first two cups were taken with prayer and thanksgiving earlier in the dinner. But the third and most important cup was called "The Cup of Redemption (Salvation)" or "Cup of Blessing," and it was served immediately after dinner. "Drink ye all of it," Jesus said. The lesson for each of us is that until we (by faith in his atonement) eat his body and drink his blood, we have no life in us.6

At this point (Matt. 26:29) Jesus announced that he would skip the fourth cup tonight. The third cup, the "cup of salvation," would be the last for the evening. The fourth cup, called the "Cup of Acceptance" or the "Cup of Elijah," would be reserved until "I drink it anew WITH YOU in my Father’s kingdom" (author’s emphasis)—when the antitypical Elijah is complete!

The Closing Song

Between the third and fourth cup, a song was always sung. It was the "Hillel" taken from Psalms 115-118, and since on this night Jesus had already announced there would not be a fourth cup, this hymn became the last event of the Last Supper.

One of the verses referred to what Jesus had just done with his disciples: "I will take (accept and drink of) the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD" Psalm 116:13.

The Way to Gethsemane

With the sounds of Hallelujah still echoing in their ears, the disciples wended their way toward the private garden among the olive groves where Jesus liked to come; "the olive press."

It was on this long walk that Jesus reassured his disciples of his nourishment and his Father’s cultivation (John 16:12). It all seemed so confusing to the disciples. Repeatedly Christ explained his departure and absence, until finally the disciples assured him that they understood (John 16:29-30). But Jesus knew, and warned them, that as yet their faith was very fragile. So he did the most important thing he could do, besides the cross: he prayed for them, and for us (John 17).

Jesus’ Response to Troubles

The pace of the evening was getting quicker. Jesus was concerned as he contemplated the rigors of the cross, the weightiness of his task, and the weakness of his disciples’ faith. We can learn much from Jesus’ actions. First, he was aware of his true feelings and did not choose glossy words to express it: "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death."

Jesus also asked his closest disciples to share with him in the hour of trouble. He was therefore not a stoic heroic figure but a brother, a companion who sought the help of others just as he earlier extended help. One important reason for this mutual sharing is that it is the process by which we all bear fruit (John 15:16).

While Jesus was sorrowful "even unto death," he did not succumb to depression. He turned to the heavenly Father in prayer. He asked for a blessing in harmony with the Father’s will. While the Father’s answer was, as Jesus knew and expected, that the trial must still be undergone (Luke 22:42), yet God still provided reassurance (Heb. 5:8; Luke 22:43). Since the disciples were groggy and unresponsive to Jesus’ need of encouragement, God sent an angel. The more severe our trials, the more demanding our tasks, the more we need to come before God with thanks and with requests. We are never alone.

The Allegory of Barabbas

As a result of Jesus’ trial that morning, another man whose trial was already past, went free— and Jesus was probably put to death on that man’s cross. Barabbas, an insurrectionist—a rebel leader who had been found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by crucifixion—languished in a Roman dungeon on the evening of Nisan 14. His name means "son of the father," and as such, he pictures Adam, the only other human son of the Father. What did Barabbas do? The same thing Adam did: he rebelled and was deserving of death. In the course of events that night, Barabbas found himself liberated by a surprising exchange; a just man for the ringleader of a revolt. What a striking corroboration of the Ransom!

All Were Guilty

Jesus’ trial demonstrates that he was unworthy of death. Because no sins could be ascribed to him, he died under the accusation that he was the king of the Jews—a true statement! Paul states that the charge nailed to his cross is our sins. The cross graphically demonstrated that all the world stands guilty before God.

First, there were the disciples. They knew Jesus, witnessed his miracles, and believed in him. They had left all to follow him. They were the hand-picked future leaders of the world, and yet as men the events of the night proved that they were utterly unworthy of the honors to which they were heir.

The High Priest and his servants occupied a position of sacred trust as the representatives of God upon earth. Yet they came to symbolize all those who have sold out for earthly power. They did not even pay faith the compliment of hypocrisy—everyone at the time knew that they did not believe in the resurrection, the spirit world, or the power of miracles. They were willing to cooperate with whoever could help them attain power.

The Pharisees represented all who attempted, with piety and dedication, to obey God. We should not peg them as merely formalists. They treasured God’s Word. They studied prophecy and knew much about the Messiah—even prayed daily for him to come. Yet they failed because their knowledge and righteousness, compared to that of other men, tricked them into an unteachable state of mind.

The duty of the Roman soldiers was to obey orders, to punish malefactors, to make war or keep the peace. They went well beyond the call of duty in mocking and persecuting Jesus. They scourged him so severely that he was unable to carry his cross. Though his garments may still have borne the aroma of perfume from Mary’s kindness, they callously divided them amongst themselves and made a game of stealing his robe.

Herod claimed to want to see a miracle. He pretended as though some dramatic act would make a believer out of him. Jesus knew otherwise; and so he bore Herod’s mocking in dignified silence.

Pilate was the natural man, the man of the world. He was repulsed by the transparent envy of the sanctimonious scribes. He was impatient with the religious technicalities of the devout. He was shocked at the screaming of the rabble, and the hard-heartedness of those who roused them. As a practical man, Pilate could not understand Jesus’ unwillingness to defend himself. While he believed Jesus innocent, and his wife’s dream made him nervous, the more important factor for him was the security of his career. To avoid rocking the boat, Pilate bowed to political pressure.

Only the women, perhaps, did not fail. Mary had spent a years’ wages, and her treasure or dowry at that, to show her devotion. The women stood by, braving the crudeness of the riffraff and the humiliating tragedy of the cross to weep for him. Only the women were out at sunrise, to anoint his body while the male disciples huddled in the upper room. The women were also the first to believe in his resurrection, and the first to obediently declare it to others. And yet it remains clear that, even if our faith and obedience were as nearly perfect as that of those women, it is still true as Paul stated, that our sins were nailed to his cross.

The Humiliation of the Cross

Roman crucifixion was designed to be a public humiliation, a frightful terror that no one would voluntarily endure. It was reserved for rebellious slaves, vicious criminals, insurrectionists, and other enemies of peaceful society.

According to archaeological evidence, the large nails used to impale crucifixion victims were driven through the wrists. The weight of the body, hanging by the wrists, would have made breathing shallow and speech quite difficult.7 Inhaling could only be accomplished by pulling the body up by the arms, and by pushing up from the similar wound in the feet. According to the doctors, the nails would have severed the median nerve to the hands—each breath only permitted by a rotary movement that would have resulted in "excruciating jolts of fiery pain in both arms."

Seven Statements from the Cross

Most of Jesus’ time on the cross was apparently passed in silence. But seven times during that six hours Jesus opened his mouth and spoke.

1. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Though perhaps spurious, it appears likely that the text is authentic. Therefore, Jesus’ first words were a prayer to God for mercy toward his persecutors. Why? Because that was why Jesus died—to seek and to save that which was lost. Jesus’ blood spoke peace, and God—himself severely pained by the anguish of his Only-Begotten—no doubt heard and appreciated Jesus’ prayer.

2. "Woman, behold thy son . . . Behold thy mother." Provision was made for his mother (John 19:26, 27). Jesus’ next act on the cross was to discharge his responsibility to his widowed mother. Jesus placed her under John’s watchful and loving care.

3. "Verily I say unto thee this day, thou shalt be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:39-43). Confronted by a glimmer of faith, Jesus encouraged the thief with a promise of the future kingdom.

4. At around 3:00 p.m., Jesus exclaimed: "My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?" (Reciting Psalm 22.) This statement was not lost on the devout Jews who were present. They would have recited this popular song in their heads, and undoubtedly called to mind many amazing prophecies now being fulfilled before their eyes: the dividing of the garments, the obvious description of a crucifixion, etc. This was the only time Jesus ever addressed the heavenly Father as "My God." If Jesus was to be tempted in all points as we are, he must surely experience the distance from God which seems so normal to us, most of the time. But God had not forsaken Jesus; by the darkness and disruption of the Passover ritual over at the temple, he was already showing his acceptance of the Son’s sacrifice.

5. "I am thirsty" (John 19:28). As Jesus considered the prophecies of his death, he no doubt remembered the prophecy in Psalm 69 about his thirst and the vinegar which was offered. The only way to fulfill this prophecy was for Jesus to tell the bystanders of his thirst— and he now did so.

6. "It is finished" (John 19:30). After he had drunk the vinegar, Jesus had completed every prophetic fulfillment. He now took the words that expressed his triumph directly from the last verse of Psalm 22.

7. He "cried again with a loud voice:" "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit." Jesus had triumphed. Despite the absence of any feelings of communication from God, Jesus continued to trust him who judges righteously(Matt. 27:50; Luke 23:46).

While Jesus’ earthly life was ebbing away, there was confusion on the temple mount. God had smitten the land with darkness, and no doubt the efforts to slaughter upwards of 250,000 lambs was encountering difficulty. Then, when Jesus expired at 3 p.m. the veil of the temple was torn asunder. Imagine the confusion of the priests and the fearfulness of the people! No wonder that within months, some of that confusion had given way to reconciliation; for we read that "a great company of the priests believed" (Acts 6:7).

And what of the others who failed their "trial" as above described? The Lord’s brethren, after Jesus’ appearance to James, were converted. Several of the Roman soldiers believed; a number of Priests and Pharisees; and thousands of the Jews answered the Lord’s call within a few short years. Jesus died for all; his death made victory possible for every man who does not fail to repent of even the most heinous crimes. In due time, after the "high calling" is complete and the message of the cross is testified to the entire world, "every knee shall bow" to the one whom God has graciously given a name above every name (Phil. 2:8-10; 1 Tim. 2:4-6).

"The Day" of his crucifixion will result in "The Day" of his reign!