As we reread the passages for today it became so clear to us that so many things in Scripture are read with a surface understanding when the meanings are so much deeper.

The last supper…not THE Passover supper, simply the last supper the disciples would have with Jesus before the crucifixion. During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, meals together were called Passover meals. Notice in this passage the disciples are now called apostles. Disciples are learners. Apostles are the “sent out ones”. They are being prepared by Jesus to be sent out.

Jesus says that He will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.  When we read about the interaction between Jesus and His disciples after the resurrection, He never once asks about drinking anything.  He asks for food and eats bread and fish but He does not ask for drink.  The true kingdom of God on earth will not be in place until the millennium.  However, we should live our lives as best we can as if we were living in the kingdom of God on earth.  It's living our lives as "caterpillars" with a "butterfly" mindset.

When Jesus picked up the cup He told His disciples that the cup represented the new covenant in His blood which is poured out (at the crucifixion).  At Jesus' circumcision, when He was 8 days old. a new blood covenant began in fulfillment of the prophecies of the old covenant.  No longer did the blood covenant mean circumcision in the flesh but a circumcision of the heart.  The new covenant as represented by the cup of blood poured out means that the animal blood sacrifices were no longer in place as the temporary covering of sin.   Jesus took the place of animal sacrifices as atonement for sin.  Jesus replaced the blood sacrifice of the animals with His permanent sacrifice for complete forgiveness of sins.

When Jesus announces that one of them would betray Him, the disciples didn’t automatically think of Judas. This lets us know they didn't suspect Judas of any wrongdoing or at least they didn't suspect him of anything this wrong.

The passage about washing the disciples’ feet is so much deeper that just Jesus setting the example of servitude. That would be the surface meaning.  Jesus had just said that the Father had put all things under His (Jesus') power.  Jesus is telling them that He has the power but He is telling them that humility is what's being illustrated by His servant action of washing the disciples' feet.  It’s about humility, service, and forgiveness. Jesus set the example of all these things. He placed Himself in a servant's place and He forgave their sins, they were in turn to serve and forgive each other. Later on the disciples would be given the power and authority that the Father gave Jesus.  Jesus is telling them that they will do these signs and wonders but they must do these things with humility.  Another illustration for the washing of feet:  We need to come to Jesus daily for the removal of the dirt of sin from our lives. If we are saved we are clean but our feet get dirty living in a sinful world.

John 14:1-4 is a very familiar passage that is quoted often.  In these verses Jesus tells His disciples and us that He is going to prepare a place for them.  For information about the significance of some of the Greek words in this passage, see the book These Last Days Second Edition, available on Amazon.  There is a connection also to Jude 24.

John 14:13
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
We may think if we end our prayers with "...in Jesus' name" we are asking for things in His name. "In my name" means we will ask Him for whatever is in His nature and character, in His will. And whatever prayers we lift up should bring the Father glory!

Jesus tells the disciples that "the prince of this world is coming."  He is referring to Judas who has been inhabited by Satan, but also Satan will be there in the Garden where Jesus prays before He is arrested.

Mark 14:26
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

They may have sung from the Great Hallel composed of Psalms 113-118. These psalms are very prophetic in nature and point to the Messiah.

More information concerning the significance of these psalms can be found in the book The Journey of Jesus from the Manger to the Mansion.

Jesus warns His disciples about forsaking Him.  Peter adamantly responds that he will never forsake Jesus. He even says that he will die with Jesus if necessary. And all the other disciples said the same thing.  How about all of us as Believers in Jesus?  Are there times when we have forsaken Him? Praise God that even in our weakness of forsaking Him, we have the assurance that He will never forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)