Thursday

Thursday of Holy Week

We are rapidly approaching the final conflicts that will define Holy Week. Thursday is the day of preparation. This was a time that the lambs would be slaughtered for sacrifices. Remember that for Jewish holidays they begin at sun set and continue to the next sun set. The Passover would begin Friday at sun set and continue to Saturday sun set. In the Gospel of John the writer makes a comparison between the slaughter of the lambs that would occur at noon on Friday to the crucifixion of Jesus at the same time.

Originally there were two different feasts that over time became one main feast that lasted most of the week. The two feasts were the feast of Unleavened bread and Passover. To best understand the importance of this feast, read Exodus 12:1-32. The gospel writers would see similarities between the release of the Israelites from slavery and what Jesus was releasing us from our slavery to sin and death.

Readings one: Read Matthew 26:17-35; Mark 14:12-32; Luke 22:7-38.

Readings two: John 13-17. The writer of John spends a great deal of time with the events of that Thursday. You can break down this long discourse into three days. Read chapter 13 first, 14-15 next, and 16-17. These passages have some of the most familiar verses that we hear over and over.