Seven Days is a first-person account by John the Disciple of the final seven days before Jesus’ resurrection. Part 1 can be found here.
Thursday
The next day, Jesus sent us on an errand. Even now, it amazes me to think how he could know all that he knew—for example:
He sent James and me into Jerusalem to make the arrangements for Passover. Here were our instructions:
Jesus said, “As you are walking into the city, you will see a man coming toward you carrying a pot of water. Follow him. At the house he enters, tell the man in charge, ‘Our Teacher sent us to see the room you have made ready for us—where we’ll eat the Passover supper this evening.’
“He will take you upstairs to a large room that will be perfect for our needs. Prepare our Passover meal.”
You know, if Jesus had asked me to do this when I first started to follow him, I might have asked: “What if there is no man carrying water? And what if he doesn’t go into a house? And if he does go into a house, what if there is no upstairs?”
I’ve learned that it’s easier if I just do what he tells me to do.
So, we went into the city and found everything as Jesus had said, and prepared the Passover.
It was an amazing week.
That night we gathered together in that very room and took part in the feast of unleavened bread. During this part of Passover, the only bread to be eaten is unleavened. It is in remembrance of the unleavened Bread our ancestors ate as they hurried out of Egypt.
That evening, we were sitting at the table breaking and sharing the bread and remembering the powerful time of God’s deliverance of our forefathers from Egypt.
But when we prayed for the meal, it was different: Jesus told us that this bread was his body, which would be broken for us.
…I wasn’t sure what he meant then, but his body was broken today.
Then he poured the wine, and said that this wine was his blood—that it was the seal of the new covenant, which would be poured out for us.
And his blood was poured out today…
But what stunned all of us last night was when Jesus told us that one of us would betray him! I was shocked! “It’s not me, master, is it?” we all begin to say at once.
Andrew cried “It’s not me,” Nathaniel assured everyone of his honesty, and Peter said HE would never do something like that.
Then Peter challenged the rest of us: he wanted to know which of us would be cowardly enough to do such a thing?
One thing led to another and now we were arguing about who was the greatest among us. Again, Peter speaks up and mentions that, since Jesus had given the keys of heaven, that this counts for something!
I’m ashamed that we all joined in the argument.
But quietly, while none of us noticed, Jesus went into a corner of the room and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he brought a bowl of water over to where we were sitting, and he prepared to wash our feet.
This is a common custom in our land, but it is only done by the lowest of the low. He looked like a common slave! What was our Master doing?
He came up to Peter, and Peter said, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “What I’m doing may not make sense now, but later you will understand.”
“No!” said Peter. “You will never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
Peter’s expression instantly changed—“Well, then Lord, why stop at my feet? Wash my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus smiled and said, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; because his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”
As he washed Peter’s feet, he said, “This is how you are to treat others. If I being your master serve you, then you ought to serve others as well.”
Then Jesus spoke to Peter and said, “Peter, Peter, Satan has desired to have all of you and split you apart as men sift wheat to separate the kernel from the chaff. But I am praying for you. Here is my new commandment for you:
“Love each other. In the same way I have loved you, you must love each other.”
“Love each other. In the same way I have loved you, you must love each other.”
John 13:34
His words stung and I couldn’t catch my breath. Just moments before, each of us was comparing ourselves to the other—and now I felt so small.
It was an amazing week.
But then Jesus said again, “It’s true though, one of you is going to betray me.” We were at a loss for words, because no one knew who it was he was talking about.
I was leaning against Jesus, since I was sitting closest to him, and Peter motioned to me with his head, as if to say, “Ask him which one of us it is.”
I leaned back and asked Jesus. He said it is the one to whom he would give a piece of bread. He took the bread and gave a piece to…Judas Iscariot. Immediately, a shadow came over Judas.
Jesus said, “Go, quickly. Take care of your business.”
None of us knew what Jesus meant but, since Judas had charge of the money box, we thought he had to get something for Passover, or give an offering to the poor.
Judas, with his head down, got up and left immediately. And as the door opened we all noticed, for the first time, how dark it had become outside.
After this, Jesus led us outside the city and we walked into an olive grove called Gethsemane.
In Hebrew, Gethsemane means “The Olive Press”—a place of crushing.
This garden is at the foot of the Mount of Olives. When the olives come off the mountain for harvest, the oil is pressed out of them here in this garden.
All of us followed him into the Garden, and he asked us to stay in a certain place while he went to pray.
Then he took Peter, James and me with him into the garden and he began to be in terrible distress. I could tell by the way He shook and carried himself. His movements seemed slow and difficult. It was as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
He told us to stay here and keep watch. As we did, he moved a bit further beyond us and fell to the ground where he prayed.
I heard him ask his Father, if it were possible, to let this cup of sorrow be taken away from him. Then he said, “But, Father, whatever it takes, I want to do your will, not mine.”
It seemed only moments later that he walked over to Peter and James and found them asleep. He told us we ought to stay awake and pray. He went away to pray again, said the same thing, and came back and found all of us asleep this time — and then he went to pray again and found us asleep a third time!
If you were there, would you have slept?! I’m ashamed to say that we did. there was so much going on, and we were all exhausted.
But all of a sudden, a crowd arrived with torches, and weapons—I was awake now. They were a group of soldiers—a regiment—of Temple guards and Roman soldiers, about six hundred in all. I was never so frightened in all my life.
Jesus stood up and Judas made his way out of the crowd, walked over to Jesus and kissed him. Then Judas stepped back…as if to join them.
What was Judas doing with this angry mob?!
All of a sudden Jesus stepped forward and spoke in a loud voice, “Who are you looking for?”
Many of them said, at the same time, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
“I am.” Jesus said. When Jesus said, “I am,” the whole crowd drew back and fell to the ground.
I stood there with my mouth open!
Again Jesus asked them, “Who is it you want?” And some this time said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Now if I had not been so frightened, I might have laughed! It was a strange sight to see 600 soldiers and guards on their backs, struggling to get off each other, with Jesus asking them again, “Who are you looking for?”
“I told you that I am he,” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.”
I am telling you, it was an amazing week!
I did some quick math: it was about 50 to one—12 of us against 600 soldiers. I felt a surge of courage!
But before I could even move, Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and took a swing at the head of one of the men upfront, who was the servant of the high priest…the man’s name was Malchus.
Malchus dodged just in time, but Peter grazed his head, cutting his ear off.
But Jesus told Peter, “Put your sword away! I must drink the cup the Father has given me.” And then Jesus reached out and healed the man’s ear. Even in this dark hour, Jesus cared for other people—even those who despised him.
Then Jesus allowed the soldiers with their commander and the officials to arrest him. They tied him with ropes, cinching them tightly.
What cowards.
A man who was surrounded 600 to 1, bound and led away like a common criminal.
Jesus called my brother James and me Sons of Thunder.
I didn’t feel too thunderous just then.
Feelings are a funny thing, aren’t they? One minute you’re ready to take on the world—the next, you’re running for your life.
And that’s what we did.
Bill Herried is a pastor at CenterPoint Church in Tacoma, Washington and is married to the most extraordinary woman on the planet. Together they have 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren. He has been the lead pastor at CenterPoint Christian Fellowship in Tacoma since 2006.
Image by Florian Kurz from Pixabay
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