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Lectionary Notes - Maundy Thursday
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Readings for
Maundy Thursday, 4/5/07:
Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10), 11-14, Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19, 1
Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10), 11-14
- God describes to Moses and Aaron
the Passover, which is the festival that centers Jesus' meal with his
disciples as we celebrate Maundy Thursday.
- "this is how you shall eat it:
your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and
you shall eat it hurriedly" Ready to go. Ready to move. Prepared. Imagine if
this was always the way we were, in terms of readiness to respond to God's
call.
- The Passover is a hard one to
stomach (no pun intended.) It is hard to imagine a plague of killing
firstborns all through the land, isn't it? But it is a festival, a
"remembrance" that becomes so crucial in the identity of Judaism, and even in
the events that shape Christ's last days. Death, blood, lamb, sacrifice. The
ways the symbolism of the Old Testament events and New Testament events
overlap and tie in here is important.
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19:
- "I love the Lord, because he had
heard my voice." I wish I knew Hebrew - I'm curious about the "because" word
here. Do we love people "because" of something? Or does our love, even for
God, go deeper and beyond a "because."
- "I will pay my vows to the Lord"
This phrase is repeated in this Psalm. It seems the Psalmist feels he must pay
God back for hearing his voice, his supplications. Does God need to be paid
back? Want to be paid back? I don't think God wants to feel "owed" as much as
loved.
- "loosed my bonds" - what has you
bound up?
1 Corinthians 11:23-26:
- Remember that Corinthians is
written before the gospels are written, so Paul's account here is actually an
earlier account of the "Last Supper" than we find in the gospels.
- "as often as you drink it" - I
think Jesus had in mind even more than our communion ritual, though I find
that meaningful. "As often as you drink it" says to me that we are to remember
and be guided by Christ as frequently as our daily task of eating: all the
time.
John 13:1-17, 31b-35:
- "having loved his own who were
in the world, he love them to the end." I like this editorial sentence of
John's. He seems to emphasize the close bond shared by Jesus and his
disciples. How painful these last days must have been for him, knowing that
even his closest friends would not seem him through his ordeal.
- "the devil had already put it
into the heart of Judas" Poor Judas. I've mentioned before my Jesus
Christ Superstar inspired love of Judas. I always wish I could get inside
his head. What would make you betray Jesus?
- "you also ought to wash one
another's feet." Serving one another. I've tried, in a small group, to do
a foot-washing before. I find people pretty resistant: either embarrassed to
have someone touching their feet, or worried about hygiene, clean towels,
clean water, etc. Guess we're not willing to get Jesus' point anymore.
- "by this everyone will know that
you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." If this is true,
how many of us can be identified as disciples by our actions? Not as many as
should be...
Pastor’s Note: (I use the Greek-English
Lexicon from Liddell and Scott, the “little Liddell”
and the Metzger et. al Greek New Testament in my translation work.)
Lectionary
Notes are from the Lectionary Chat Group Bible Study of St.
Paul's UMC, Oneida, NY, Rev. Beth Quick.
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