Ordinarily, washing feet was for slaves. Since
no one offered to perform this duty, Jesus took
to do it. It of course amazed the disciples that
Jesus would do such a task.

They were all quiet with shame until He got
to Peter. Peter hardly finding the words, said,
"Doest thou wash my feet?"

And Jesus told him that what He did he would
not understand now but he should know here-
after.

Jesus wanted to teach the disciples a lesson in
humility, and He did it in a unique way, one
that the disciples wouldn't forget.

He got up from the
table and after taking
off His robe, He took a
towel and wrapped it
around Himself.
Then He put
water in a basin and
began to wash their
feet.
Read John 13:3-5

It was a way of rebuking their selfish
ambitions.

Jesus said that the custom of the Gentiles was
to be dictators over those under them and that
they did it in the name of 'benefactors'.

But this was not to be so in the Church, that He
would build. Instead of being dictators, they
should find ways to serve one another. That
was the true way of greatness.

Christ, not man, was to be the head of the
Church.

There was strife among the disciples as to
where each one should sit. The spirit of the
Pharisees and their love for 'chief seats' at the
feasts had infected them.

This contention among them as to who was the
greatest showed even at this late hour how far
they were from understanding the nature of
His kingdom and the significance of what was
about to take place.

They were still thinking of an earthly kingdom
that Jesus was preparing to set up.

"And there was also a strife among them,
which of them should be accounted the greatest.
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles
exercise lordship over them; and they that
exercise authority upon them are called
benefactors.
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest
among you, let him be as the younger; and he
that is chief, as he that doth serve.
For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat,
or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat?
but I am among you as he that serveth."
Luke 22:24-27

Thanksgiving

When Jesus and His disciples arrived the meal
was ready.

Leonardo Da Vinci has portrayed it in his pain-
ting of the Last Supper, but it is doubtful that
the supper was anything like that picture.









They sat on cushions at a low table.

The disciples were to fetch and take the lamb
to the temple, to make the offering at the altar,
to get the unfermented juice spoken of as the
"fruit of the vine" and the unleaven bread.

When all was ready, they returned to Jesus,
and then they all went to the upper room.

The disciples were able to follow Jesus' instru-
ctions.

Carrying water was a woman's job and for a
man to be doing it would make him easy to
recognize.

By following this man the two disciples would
come to the right place. They met the master
of the house who prepared the chamber for
Jesus and His disciples.

Some may wonder why Jesus gave such myst-
erious directions and didn't name the man.

Judas was conniving, even then, to betray Him,
For Jesus to designate the place while Judas
was present would mean that he could have told
the rulers and they would have tried to arrest
Him in the middle of the supper.

So He withheld the details because of Judas.

In Matthew 26:17, the first day of the passover
feast of unleavened bread was near and the
disciples went to Jesus and asked Him, where
they should eat the Passover.

Jesus had already arranged with a man a place
in the city where they would eat the supper.

Some believe that he was John Mark [Colossians
4:10] and that he had a large upper room at his
home and let Jesus and His disciples use it.

Luke 22:8-13 tells that Jesus told two of His
disciples, Peter and John to go into the city and
they would meet a man bearing a pitcher of
water. They were to follow him.

"Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while
is the light with you. Walk while ye have the
light, lest darkness come upon you: for he
that walketh in darkness knoweth not
whither he goeth.
While ye have light, believe in the light, that
ye may be the children of light. These things
spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide
himself from them." John 12:35-36

These were the last words that Jesus spoke
to the men of Jerusalem. We are told that He
"departed, and did hide himself from them,".
Also that He "went out into Bethany with the
twelve."

Since His object was to be hidden, He more than
likely didn't go to Mary and Martha"s home. He
was often seen there. They must have slept out
in the open on the Mount of Olives.

Satan was totally defeated at the cross!

So as far as the believer is concerned the
devil is a defeated foe.

By Christ's death on the cross, Satan will
eventually be bound and cast into the Pit.

The world deserved judgment, but the judgment
was to fall on Jesus for everyone's sins.

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw
all men unto me" John 12:32. Here He was
fortelling His crucifixion, and how He would draw
Jew and Gentile, Greek and Roman all men to
Himself.

Jesus began to think about the events that were
coming up involving His death.

He prayed, "Father, save me from this hour: but
for this cause came I unto this hour." John 12:27

John tells us that a voice from heaven answered,
but it didn't sound the same to all. The disciples
heard the words that the Father had glorified
His name through Christ and would do it again.

Some thought that an angel had spoken. Others
thought it was thunder.

Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground
and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it
bringeth forth much fruit." John 12:24

He also made another strange statement
which the disciples could not at that time
understand, but which is a basic truth of
Christianity.

"He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he
that hateth his life in this world shall keep
it unto life eternal." John 12:25

Philip and Andrew gave the message to Jesus.

We are not told if these men were brought to
Jesus or not; but He saw their inquiry as a
new sign that the hour was getting nearer when
He would be glorified.

These men were Greeks, forerunners, of the
multitudes that were coming out of every
nation and of all tribes, peoples and tongues
that would believe in Him.

Jesus' miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead
was frustrating to the Sadducees. They said,
"Behold, the world is gone after him,".

People from all over the countries round about
had come to attend the feast and because they
had heard of Jesus and wanted to see Him.

They saw Philip, who found Andrew and they
both went to tell Jesus.

veterans day 2010

"The Pharisees therefore said among them
selves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing?
behold, the world is gone after him.
And there were certain Greeks among them
that came up to worship at the feast:
The same came therefore to Philip, which
was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him,
saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again
Andrew and Philip tell Jesus."
John:19-22

The Passover week was busy. The Pharisees
and the Sadducees come to Jesus and asked
Him many questions.

But they always brought shame and confusion
on themselves.

Some of Jesus' most important parables were
spoken around that time. His prophecy of the
fall of Jerusalem and the judgment that was
to come on Israel also.

In Nebuchadnezzar's vision, the tree still had its
roots and eventually it would grow again.

God's people were commanded to watch, and
when they saw the fig tree shooting forth again
they would know that the time of its fulfillment
was near.

"So likewise ye, when ye see these things come
to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is
nigh at hand" Luke 21:31

By Jesus cursing the fig tree, it us tells that the
Jewish nation had been weighed in the balance
and was found wanting.

Israel had been given every chance and it had
borne no fruit. So the axe was at the root of
the tree.

And of course that is what happened to Israel;
it was cut down and it ceased to be a nation.

Then Jesus gave the parable of the barren fig
tree.

He told of the man who had come to his vine-
yard three seasons in a row, each year looking
for fruit on the tree but found nothing each
time.

So he said to the dresser of his vineyard, "Cut
it down; why cumbereth it the ground?"
Luke 13:7 The vineyard dresser asked that
he be given one more chance to dig around
it and fertilize it, "and if it bear fruit, well"
and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it
down."

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever
ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive
them, and ye shall have them" Mark 11:24

"Believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have
them." There are conditions with the promise.

It is not for those who have vindictive spirits,
like when James and John wanted to call
fire down from heaven on their enemies.

It was for those who return good for evil, who
can give love for mistreatment, and who can
forgive the wrong that has been done against
them.

Many criticisms have been made of Jesus and
His cursing of the fig tree. But those who have,
have shown their ignorance.

The act was a demonstration of the power of
faith. Jesus was speaking of the faith of God.
And even the gift of faith or supernatural faith.

That faith where all things are possible. That
faith where a person can command and what-
soever he saith shall come to pass.

Jesus and

the

disciples

passed the

same fig
tree on

their way

to

Jerusalem

the next day.
Peter noticed it and called Jesus' attention
to what had happened.

The fig tree that Jesus had cursed had
withered away.

"And in the morning, as they passed by,
they saw the fig tree dried up from the
roots.
And Peter calling to remembrance saith
unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree
which thou cursedst is withered away.
And Jesus answering saith unto them,
Have faith in God.
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever
shall say unto this mountain, Be thou
removed, and be thou cast into the sea;
and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall
believe that those things which he saith
shall come to pass; he shall have whatso-
ever he saith."

Jesus and His disciples spent the day healing
the sick and teaching the people.

Others continued to cry, "Hosanna to the son
of David."

The religious ruler were bitter at the whole
scene and filled with rage. But because of the
people they didn't dare to anything but bided
their time for a better opportunity.

It was the custom in that country to plant fruit
trees along the side of the road. The fruit became
common property.

Although it was early in the year for figs to ripen,
the tree was covered with leaves looking like
there would be fruit on it.

When Jesus went over to the tree He found that
there was nothing on it. So He cursed the tree.
He said, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth
forever" Matthew 21:19

Jesus and His disciple went on to the temple and
left the fig tree to wither and dry up from its
roots.

"And on the morrow, when they were come
from Bethany, he was hungry; And seeing a
fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if
haply he might find any thing thereon: and
when he came to it, he found nothing but
leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And
Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat
fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples
heard it" Mark 11:12-14

A strange thing about the fig tree is that it forms
its fruit (figs) before the leaves appear.