Lent Day 38 [4.17.2025] / At the Table

Scripture: Matthew 26:14-20, John 13:1-17 / 마태복음 26:14-20, 요한복음 13:1-17

Psalm 23:5 - You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Overview:

There is no greater moment of intimacy and no greater shock of betrayal than at the table that Jesus shared with His disciples during the festival of the Passover. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 shows us this contrasting scene:

“The Lord Jesus, on the night that He was betrayed, took break, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

At the table, Jesus would take off His outer clothing, wrap a towel around his waist, pour water into a basin and begin to wash His disciples’ feet. After He had done this, He commands His disciples to do the same for others. Peter asks Jesus to wash his hands and head as well, but Jesus declares that those who have had a bath only need to wash their feet referring to the work of salvation but our continuous need for repentance. Yet, in saying this, Jesus also mentions that not every one of His disciples was clean, referring to Judas Iscariot who had already been prompted by the devil to betray Jesus.

The Remembrance:

Jesus was reclining at the table with His disciples in the final moments before He would stand trial. At the table, Jesus reveals the identity of His traitor and the evidence of His great love. Jesus took bread and when He had given thanks, broke it and gave them to His disciples. In doing so, Jesus told them to eat for this was symbolic of His body that would be given up for them. In the same way, Jesus took the cup and after He had given thanks, gave it to them saying that this is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins. When we partake in the Lord’s sacraments known as communion, we are to remember the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior; that He would become sin so that we could become the righteousness of God. He was the perfect lamb without blemish who died on the cross as if He lived our lives, and we who were the blemished and condemned stand in redemption as if we had lived His. Not a single person has earned salvation, but we have received it by believing in the meaning of the Lord’s sacraments and in remembering His great love for us.

The Intimacy:

Traditionally, first century roads and footwear made foot washing a requirement when entering homes. After a long weary day, their feet would have been polluted with dirt, waste, and even manure. This task was given to the lowliest of servants due to its shameful and sullied nature, but here in scripture, Jesus recreates and redefines the meaning of the task by washing His disciples’ feet. While it would have been easy to request a servant to wash their feet, Jesus Himself prepares the garment, water, and posture to wash the feet of His disciples. He reserved this task for Himself redefining this previously sordid task as a ceremony of intimacy. According to Jesus’ response to Peter’s request we learn that receiving salvation is to cleanse the entire body, and foot washing is Jesus’ never-ending love and forgiveness for our sins. This action of humility was Jesus’ deep reminder that He will always be willing to wash our feet after a long day; and no matter where we had walked that day, what we had done that day, what our feet would show about our hearts, Jesus would always wipe away the dirt and waste; all we need to do is come to Him in repentance and ask Jesus to wash away our weariness and sins.

Conclusion:

Despite all that will happen to Jesus in the next hours, Jesus spends His last moments loving those that were closest to Him. He shared this moment with even the one who would betray Him. Could you imagine Jesus’ heart break in washing Judas’ feet? Yet, Jesus loved them all to the very end and His faithfulness remains with us today. No matter what we do or where we go, we can find our refuge, relief, and restoration in Jesus Christ at the table of His great love and sacrifice for us. Not only this, but we are to also share this good news and love with all those around us.

Prayer:

1. God, thank you for teaching of the meaning behind the Last Supper.

2. Jesus, thank you for your promise of forgiveness through your intimate act of foot washing.

3. Holy Spirit, help me to follow Jesus’ example and love others as you have loved me.

   
   

개요:

예수님께서 제자들과 함께 유월절을 지키며 식탁에 앉으신 그 순간만큼 친밀함이 깊고 배신이 충격적인 장면은 없을 것입니다. 고린도전서 11장 23-25절은 이 대비되는 장면을 이렇게 전합니다:23내가 너희에게 전한 것은 주께 받은 것이니 곧 주 예수께서 잡히시던 밤에 떡을 가지사 24축사하시고 떼어 이르시되 이것은 너희를 위하는 내 몸이니 이것을 행하여 나를 기념하라 하시고 25식후에 또한 그와 같이 잔을 가지시고 이르시되 이 잔은 내 피로 세운 새 언약이니 이것을 행하여 마실 때마다 나를 기념하라 하셨으니

예수님께서는 식탁에서 겉옷을 벗고 수건을 허리에 두르신 후, 물을 대야에 부어 제자들의 발을 씻기기 시작하셨습니다. 이 일을 마치신 후, 제자들에게도 서로의 발을 씻으라고 명하셨습니다. 베드로는 자신의 손과 머리도 씻겨달라고 요청했지만, 예수님은 이미 목욕한 자는 발만 씻으면 된다고 말씀하시며 이는 구원의 은혜와 우리가 계속해서 회개가 필요한 삶을 살아간다는 것을 비유하신 것입니다. 그러나 예수님은 제자들 중 한 명은 깨끗하지 않다고 말씀하셨는데, 이는 이미 사탄의 마음을 받아 예수님을 배신하기로 한 가룟 유다를 지칭한 것입니다.

기억함:

예수님은 재판을 받기 직전 마지막 순간에 제자들과 함께 식탁에 앉아 계셨습니다. 그 자리에서 예수님은 자신의 배신자를 밝히시고, 동시에 자신이 보여주신 사랑의 증거도 드러내셨습니다. 예수님은 떡을 드시고 감사 기도를 드린 후 떼어 제자들에게 주셨습니다. 이것은 자신이 제자들을 위해 내어주실 몸을 상징하는 것이었습니다. 같은 방식으로 예수님은 잔을 드시고 감사하신 후에 제자들에게 주시며, 이는 죄 사함을 위한 자신의 피로 세운 언약이라고 말씀하셨습니다.우리가 ‘성찬’이라 불리는 주의 성례에 참여할 때마다, 우리는 예수님의 희생을 기억하고, 그분이 죄가 없으셨음에도 불구하고 우리의 죄를 대신해 죽으신 그 사랑을 되새기게 됩니다. 예수님은 흠이 없으신 완전한 어린 양이셨으며, 우리 죄인들을 위해 우리 삶을 대신하여 죽으셨고, 우리는 오히려 그분의 의로움을 입게 되었습니다. 구원은 그 누구도 스스로 얻은 것이 아니며, 오직 주님의 성찬이 의미하는 바와 그분의 위대한 사랑을 믿는 믿음으로 받은 것입니다.

친밀함:

1세기 당시, 먼지와 오물로 뒤덮인 길과 샌들로 인해 발 씻기는 집에 들어갈 때 꼭 필요한 행위였습니다. 하루 종일 피곤하고 지친 발은 흙과 배설물로 오염되어 있었고, 이 일은 종들 중에서도 가장 낮은 자가 맡는 수치스럽고 더러운 일이었습니다. 그러나 성경에서 예수님은 이 일을 새롭게 정의하시며 제자들의 발을 친히 씻기십니다. 종에게 시킬 수도 있었던 이 일을 예수님은 직접 겉옷을 벗고 수건을 두르고, 물을 준비하여 제자들의 발을 씻기셨습니다.이로써 예수님은 부끄럽고 천한 행위였던 발 씻김을 친밀함의 의식으로 바꾸셨습니다. 베드로가 온 몸을 씻겨달라고 말했을 때 예수님의 응답은, 구원은 온몸을 깨끗이 하는 것이고 발 씻김은 매일의 죄와 피로를 씻어주시는 예수님의 끊임없는 사랑과 용서를 의미한다고 해석할 수 있습니다. 예수님의 이 겸손한 행동은 우리에게 다음과 같이 말씀하시는 듯합니다: 하루의 여정이 얼마나 고되고 발이 어디를 지나왔든, 예수님은 언제나 기꺼이 우리 발을 씻기시며 우리 죄와 피로를 닦아주시기를 원하신다는 것입니다. 우리는 그저 회개하며 예수님께 나아가기만 하면 됩니다.

결론:

예수님은 앞으로 자신에게 닥칠 고난을 아시면서도 마지막 순간까지 제자들을 사랑하셨습니다. 예수님은 심지어 자신을 배신할 자인 유다와도 이 사랑의 순간을 나누셨습니다. 유다의 발을 씻기며 예수님의 마음은 얼마나 아프셨을까요? 그러나 예수님은 끝까지 제자들을 사랑하셨고, 그분의 신실하심은 지금도 여전히 우리와 함께합니다. 우리가 무엇을 하든, 어디로 가든, 예수님의 식탁에서 우리는 피난처와 위로, 회복을 찾을 수 있습니다. 그리고 우리는 이 복된 소식과 사랑을 세상 모든 이에게 전해야 합니다.

기도:

1. 하나님, 마지막 만찬의 의미를 가르쳐 주셔서 감사합니다.

2. 예수님, 발을 씻기시는 그 친밀한 행동을 통해 용서의 약속을 주셔서 감사합니다.

3. 성령님, 예수님의 본을 따라 나도 다른 사람을 사랑할 수 있도록 도와주세요.