The Last Supper and the New Passover
Maundy Thursday is the least well-known of the Holy Week services. It is a celebration of the Last Supper, Communion, and the Passover meal that Jesus and his disciples were sharing together on the night before he died. Now, you may be asking why it is called Mandy Thursday. It’s kind of an interesting story. Maundy comes from the Latin from the Vulgate translation of John 13:34, where Jesus says, "A new commandment I give to you," and the word for commandment is the Latin word mandatum. So, over time, it became "maundy," and now we celebrate on Maundy Thursday remembering the new commandment that Jesus gave his followers. For more on this theme, see Sam Hitchcock's post, "Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled."
As we've done in the past, I thought it would be great to celebrate Maundy Thursday with probably my favorite thing we do each year: listen to Terry Feix's communion message, which he teaches each year at Crossings Community Church. I’ve probably heard it 10 times, and each time, I've come away with something impactful.
This message basically ties your whole Bible together, starting with the communion story, moving back into the Exodus, the Passover, the covenant with Abraham, and even the Jewish wedding festivals. You'll never read your Bible the same way again after you listen to this message.
Dr. Cole Feix is the founder and president of So We Speak and the Senior Pastor of Carlton Landing Community Church in Oklahoma.
