HOLY WEEK | HOLY THURSDAY

HOLY THURSDAY

The Last Supper | Matthew 26:17-30

'Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?” He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.” And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.'
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On Holy Thursday, we see Jesus preparing to celebrate the Passover with His disciples, fully aware that it would be His final meal before the cross. The disciples ask where they should prepare for it, and Jesus tells them to go into the city to a certain man and say, “The Teacher says, ‘My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.’” Even in these final hours, Jesus is fully in control of the timing and the plan.

When evening came, Jesus sat down with the twelve. As they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” The disciples were deeply grieved, and each one asked Him, “Lord, is it I?” Even Judas, who had already set his heart to betray Him, asked the same question. Jesus answered, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.” He follows it with a sobering warning: “Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

Even here, at the table of fellowship, betrayal was close. Judas had walked with Jesus, heard His teaching, seen His miracles—and yet chose to sell Him for thirty pieces of silver.

But Jesus doesn’t stop at revealing betrayal. In the middle of this heavy moment, He establishes something new. He takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to the disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He takes the cup, gives thanks, and gives it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Through this, Jesus points them (and us) to the greater work He was about to accomplish through His death: the new covenant of grace, purchased by His blood.

Jesus ends the evening by telling them that He will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until He drinks it new with them in His Father’s Kingdom. After singing a hymn, they go out to the Mount of Olives, where Jesus will ultimately be arrested.

Holy Thursday reminds us that Jesus willingly chose the path to suffering for our sake. He was not caught off guard by betrayal or death. He embraced the Father’s will with full knowledge of the cost. As we remember the Last Supper today, we should examine our own hearts: Are we living in gratitude for the body broken and the blood shed for us? Are we walking faithfully, or are we allowing the cares of this world to lead us away from Him?

May we follow the example Jesus set—not shrinking away when hardship comes, but clinging to the promises of our salvation bought by His blood.

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