Thursday of Holy Week was a day of agony for our Lord. The day started with him sending two of his disciples to prepare the upper room in Jerusalem for the Passover meal. In the evening He took a towel and basin and washed the feet of his disciples, demonstrating how believers should humble themselves and love one another. He shared the feast of Passover with disciples. As the Lamb of God, He was fulfilling the meaning of Passover by giving his body to be broken and blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from sin and death. He instructed His followers to continually remember His sacrifice by sharing elements of bread and wine.
.After dinner he led the disciples into the Garden of Gethsemane at the Mount of Olives where He prayed. Luke 22:44 states that as He prayed “his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” His time of prayer was interrupted when Judas and a mob armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people came and arrested him. He was taken to the home of Caiaphas the high priest where members of the Sanhedrin gathered to bring their accusations against him. There are twelve reasons why his arrest, trial and conviction were illegal.
- He was arrested without any formal charges presented against him.
- His trial was at night, when the law required it to be held during daylight.
- The Jewish law prohibited the Sanhedrin from originating changes.
- No witnesses were permitted to testify on his behalf.
- Jewish law did not permit the trial of a capital offense to begin on the day before the annual Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
- His trial was concluded in one day, when Jewish law stated that if a sentence of death was to be pronounced, the case cannot be concluded before the following day.
- Two false witnesses charged him with saying he would destroy the temple made with hands, yet the court condemned him on another false charge – blasphemy. According to the Jewish law, a person could not be condemned on his own testimony.
- The merits of His defense were not considered. Instead, the court pronounced sentence instantly and unanimously.
- Members of the court made sure the trial was completed before members like Joseph of Arimathea who would have voted against condemnation were present.
- The sentence was pronounced in the home of the high priest, when the law stated a death sentence could be pronounced only in the court’s appointed place.
- Most of the judges were known enemies of Jesus, when Jewish law called for judges to be impartial.
- The court legally switched the charges from blasphemy to treason before Pilate, a Roman crime, so the Romans would be responsible for his death. No evidence of treason was presented.
It was the immeasurable love of Christ that drove Him through the day of agony. I love, He washed the feet of the one who would betray him, and the one who would deny him. In love He gave himself over to the sentence of death, to die for the sins of all men including those who worked feverishly to have him killed. He was driven by His love for you and me.
Let’s sing: “For me it was in the Garden, He prayed “Not my will but Thine.” He had no tears for His own griefs but sweat drops of blood for mine. How marvelous, how wonderful! And my song shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful, is my Savior’s love for me.”
Scripture reading for Thursday: Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38.