Chapter 71—A Servant of Servants
This chapter is based on
Luke 22:7-18, 24
;
John 13:1-17
.
In the upper chamber of a dwelling at Jerusalem, Christ was sitting
at table with His disciples. They had gathered to celebrate the Passover.
The Saviour desired to keep this feast alone with the twelve. He knew
that His hour was come; He Himself was the true paschal lamb, and on
the day the Passover was eaten He was to be sacrificed. He was about
to drink the cup of wrath; He must soon receive the final baptism of
suffering. But a few quiet hours yet remained to Him, and these were
to be spent for the benefit of His beloved disciples.
The whole life of Christ had been a life of unselfish service. “Not
to be ministered unto, but to minister,” (
Matthew 20:28
), had been
the lesson of His every act. But not yet had the disciples learned the
lesson. At this last Passover supper, Jesus repeated His teaching by an
illustration that impressed it forever on their minds and hearts.
The interviews between Jesus and His disciples were usually sea-
sons of calm joy, highly prized by them all. The Passover suppers
had been scenes of special interest; but upon this occasion Jesus was
troubled. His heart was burdened, and a shadow rested upon His coun-
tenance. As He met the disciples in the upper chamber, they perceived
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that something weighed heavily upon His mind, and although they
knew not its cause, they sympathized with His grief.
As they were gathered about the table, He said in tones of touching
sadness, “With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you
before I suffer: for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until
it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And He took the cup, and gave
thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: for I say
unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of
God shall come.”
Christ knew that the time had come for Him to depart out of the
world, and go to His Father. And having loved His own that were in
the world, He loved them unto the end. He was now in the shadow
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