MAUNDY THURSDAY
Worship
Scripture Notes
For use with Common, Lutheran and Roman Catholic Lectionaries
What an interesting selection of texts we have for Maundy Thursday in Series A! We do not follow the calendar commanded in our Bibles in Exodus 12:1-14, the First Lesson for this day. Instead, we follow the calendar of the Roman Empire, the Roman Empire that crucified Jesus and the top leaders of the early church. Neither do we observe the Passover, even though we are commanded to do so forever also in this Exodus 12:1-14 text that we read on Maundy Thursday. When we turn to the Gospel reading for this occasion, we find that we are commanded to wash each other's feet as Jesus washed his disciples' feet. We do not do this either, except for the Pope in Rome washing the feet of a poor man each year on this night, and for a few small Christian groups maintaining this practice. Fortunately, our pericope-selectors saved us from batting .000 this night by providing for us the Words of Institution of the Eucharist in Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians! What does all of this tell us about change and development within the People of God over the ages? Perhaps we can share some of this quite candidly within the Maundy Thursday Service this year, and then move on to express meaningfully what the institution and the celebration of the Eucharist mean to us on this special night. This also provides for us an opportunity to talk about changes in the frequency with which various Christians in various times and places have celebrated the Eucharist (once each year on Maundy Thursday, four times each year in much of Protestant America, the first Sunday of each month, the first and third Sunday of each month, every Sunday, every Sunday plus every major additional festival, and once or more each day for Roman Catholic priests and some members of religious orders). Regardless of the frequency where we are, the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday should be special, different in some way from every other Eucharist during the year.
Common:
Psalm 89:20-21, 24, 26
According to this psalm, Yahweh established an everlasting covenant with David and with his descendants who would reign after him forever. David and his descendants are to call upon Yahweh as Father and God, the Rock of their salvation. The use of this text on the Christian Maundy Thursday indicates that we consider our Eucharistic covenant to be an extension of the covenants established through Moses and through David, religious and political agreements between God and us for the preservation of God's People. In this connection, two recent books that recognize the reality and integrity of Israel's continuing covenant with God are most helpful. We shall have a better understanding of who we are as Christians if we read Paul M. van Buren, A Christian Theology of the People Israel (New York: Seabury, 1983), and Franz Mussner, Tractate on the Jews: The Significance of Judaism for Christian Faith (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1983). See also the excellent review of both books by Harold H. Ditmanson in Word & World 6 (Winter, 1986), 105-108.
Lutheran: Psalm 116:10-17
Roman Catholic: Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18
It should be noted that Psalm 116:10-17 in the Lutheran Book of Wors/up Psalms section is 116:12-19 in the RSV. The Roman Catholic 116:12-13, 15-18 listing corresponds to the RSV rather than to the Lutheran Book of Worship Psalms section.
The "cup of salvation" may have been intended as a reference to the cup used in the Passover ceremony, but much more likely refers to the cup used in solemnizing the vow mentioned in the next verse. Most of us who are Christians probably think about the Eucharistic cup when we hear these Psalm portions read within a Christian worship service on Maundy Thursday.
Common, Lutheran: Exodus 12:1-14
Roman Catholic: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Since this is the primary text of the Institution of the Jewish Passover, a comment may be appropriate here about the partial celebration of the Jewish Passover by Christians in Christian churches during Holy Week, a practice that became fairly popular a few years ago. First of all, we notice that Passover is to be celebrated within Jewish homes. The purpose of the Jewish Seder is to remember God's great act of redemption from Egyptian bondage and to reactualize the Exodus experience for the benefit of Jewish children and for new adults, who may by this experience become Israelites. It is a prime opportunity for Jewish children to ask questions about the meal and to come to a greater appreciation of their identity. It is also a time for Jewish parents to teach their children not to gloat over the suffering of their oppressors and enemies, for the Passover joy of redemption is always to be tempered by sadness because of the death of the Egyptian firstborn who lost their lives on Passover night. Because of the intrinsically Jewish nature of the Passover, perhaps we should be reluctant to encourage a partial celebration of the Jewish Passover by Christians, especially in a church setting and particularly when it is used as a kind of background for a Christian Eucharist that is said to have replaced and superseded the Jewish Seder. If we engage in a partial Seder in a Christian setting, are we partially celebrating it as Jews? If we must have a Seder, should we not have a Jewish woman lead us in the celebration? If we participate partially in the Jewish Seder with her, will we then invite her to participate partially in a Christian Eucharist that will follow it? If we have no Jewish person present to lead us in the Jewish Seder, is it appropriate for us to celebrate a significant religious observance of another religion? How would we feel about people who are members of a "spin-off" group from Christianity partially celebrating a Christian Eucharist?
The best way that we as Christians can participate in a Seder observance is as guests of Jewish families in their homes. For those who are not close friends of Jewish families, it is appropriate to invite Jews, particularly Jewish women, to come to congregational study and discussion groups to explain the significance of the Seder for Jews today. Then we shall see that
just as the Seder is a meal that symbolizes deliverance for the Jews, so also in many respects the Eucharist is a meal that symbolizes deliverance for us. Many points of comparison between the two meals can be made.
Common, Roman Catholic: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Lutheran: 1 Corinthians 11:17-32
These Words of Institution of the Eucharist in their 1 Corinthians 11:17-32 context are a strong admonition by Paul for Eucharistic unity within the Christian fellowship in Corinth, and by implication within the Christian fellowship at all times and in all places. Although this text does not require uniformity within the Christian fellowship, it does require Eucharistic unity and as such it strongly encourages us to continue boldly on the path of table and altar fellowship with more and more other Christian groups until Eucharistic unity is achieved. The text requires that the "bread of the Lord" be one bread, and that the "cup of the Lord" be one cup. When we refuse fellowship until each group perceives every aspect of our faith and life exactly as we perceive it, we are guilty of profaning the body and blood of our Lord. The "eating and drinking unworthily" in 11:27 is not an unworthy eating and drinking because of a lack of intellectual maturity, but because of an attitudinal problem of selfishness and snobbishness among adult Christian groups. When we eat and drink without Eucharistic fellowship throughout the church, we eat and drink judgment upon ourselves. 1 Corinthians 11:29 calls us to proclaim this on Maundy Thursday this year.
Common, Roman Catholic: John 13:1-15
Lutheran: John 13:1-17, 34
The most adequate response that we could make to this text would be to include a sacramental action of footwashing in the Maundy Thursday Eucharist. This would perhaps be most meaningful if just before the sharing of the Eucharistic elements we and other leaders of the congregation would gently wash the feet of each person present, using words such as, "As our Lord Jesus has done for us, so also we do for one another." This would certainly make the Maundy Thursday Eucharist distinctive and different from all other Eucharists during the year.
A less adequate, but still meaningful, response to this text would be to initiate the practice of placing a basin filled with water and a towel draped over one edge of it on the floor of the chancel on Maundy Thursday each year as a reminder of this text and of the command expressed in it.
Common:
Psalm 89:20-21, 24, 26
According to this psalm, Yahweh established an everlasting covenant with David and with his descendants who would reign after him forever. David and his descendants are to call upon Yahweh as Father and God, the Rock of their salvation. The use of this text on the Christian Maundy Thursday indicates that we consider our Eucharistic covenant to be an extension of the covenants established through Moses and through David, religious and political agreements between God and us for the preservation of God's People. In this connection, two recent books that recognize the reality and integrity of Israel's continuing covenant with God are most helpful. We shall have a better understanding of who we are as Christians if we read Paul M. van Buren, A Christian Theology of the People Israel (New York: Seabury, 1983), and Franz Mussner, Tractate on the Jews: The Significance of Judaism for Christian Faith (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1983). See also the excellent review of both books by Harold H. Ditmanson in Word & World 6 (Winter, 1986), 105-108.
Lutheran: Psalm 116:10-17
Roman Catholic: Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18
It should be noted that Psalm 116:10-17 in the Lutheran Book of Wors/up Psalms section is 116:12-19 in the RSV. The Roman Catholic 116:12-13, 15-18 listing corresponds to the RSV rather than to the Lutheran Book of Worship Psalms section.
The "cup of salvation" may have been intended as a reference to the cup used in the Passover ceremony, but much more likely refers to the cup used in solemnizing the vow mentioned in the next verse. Most of us who are Christians probably think about the Eucharistic cup when we hear these Psalm portions read within a Christian worship service on Maundy Thursday.
Common, Lutheran: Exodus 12:1-14
Roman Catholic: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Since this is the primary text of the Institution of the Jewish Passover, a comment may be appropriate here about the partial celebration of the Jewish Passover by Christians in Christian churches during Holy Week, a practice that became fairly popular a few years ago. First of all, we notice that Passover is to be celebrated within Jewish homes. The purpose of the Jewish Seder is to remember God's great act of redemption from Egyptian bondage and to reactualize the Exodus experience for the benefit of Jewish children and for new adults, who may by this experience become Israelites. It is a prime opportunity for Jewish children to ask questions about the meal and to come to a greater appreciation of their identity. It is also a time for Jewish parents to teach their children not to gloat over the suffering of their oppressors and enemies, for the Passover joy of redemption is always to be tempered by sadness because of the death of the Egyptian firstborn who lost their lives on Passover night. Because of the intrinsically Jewish nature of the Passover, perhaps we should be reluctant to encourage a partial celebration of the Jewish Passover by Christians, especially in a church setting and particularly when it is used as a kind of background for a Christian Eucharist that is said to have replaced and superseded the Jewish Seder. If we engage in a partial Seder in a Christian setting, are we partially celebrating it as Jews? If we must have a Seder, should we not have a Jewish woman lead us in the celebration? If we participate partially in the Jewish Seder with her, will we then invite her to participate partially in a Christian Eucharist that will follow it? If we have no Jewish person present to lead us in the Jewish Seder, is it appropriate for us to celebrate a significant religious observance of another religion? How would we feel about people who are members of a "spin-off" group from Christianity partially celebrating a Christian Eucharist?
The best way that we as Christians can participate in a Seder observance is as guests of Jewish families in their homes. For those who are not close friends of Jewish families, it is appropriate to invite Jews, particularly Jewish women, to come to congregational study and discussion groups to explain the significance of the Seder for Jews today. Then we shall see that
just as the Seder is a meal that symbolizes deliverance for the Jews, so also in many respects the Eucharist is a meal that symbolizes deliverance for us. Many points of comparison between the two meals can be made.
Common, Roman Catholic: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Lutheran: 1 Corinthians 11:17-32
These Words of Institution of the Eucharist in their 1 Corinthians 11:17-32 context are a strong admonition by Paul for Eucharistic unity within the Christian fellowship in Corinth, and by implication within the Christian fellowship at all times and in all places. Although this text does not require uniformity within the Christian fellowship, it does require Eucharistic unity and as such it strongly encourages us to continue boldly on the path of table and altar fellowship with more and more other Christian groups until Eucharistic unity is achieved. The text requires that the "bread of the Lord" be one bread, and that the "cup of the Lord" be one cup. When we refuse fellowship until each group perceives every aspect of our faith and life exactly as we perceive it, we are guilty of profaning the body and blood of our Lord. The "eating and drinking unworthily" in 11:27 is not an unworthy eating and drinking because of a lack of intellectual maturity, but because of an attitudinal problem of selfishness and snobbishness among adult Christian groups. When we eat and drink without Eucharistic fellowship throughout the church, we eat and drink judgment upon ourselves. 1 Corinthians 11:29 calls us to proclaim this on Maundy Thursday this year.
Common, Roman Catholic: John 13:1-15
Lutheran: John 13:1-17, 34
The most adequate response that we could make to this text would be to include a sacramental action of footwashing in the Maundy Thursday Eucharist. This would perhaps be most meaningful if just before the sharing of the Eucharistic elements we and other leaders of the congregation would gently wash the feet of each person present, using words such as, "As our Lord Jesus has done for us, so also we do for one another." This would certainly make the Maundy Thursday Eucharist distinctive and different from all other Eucharists during the year.
A less adequate, but still meaningful, response to this text would be to initiate the practice of placing a basin filled with water and a towel draped over one edge of it on the floor of the chancel on Maundy Thursday each year as a reminder of this text and of the command expressed in it.
