About Holy #Wednesday
Passion Wednesday is called the Jewish Council.
Today is the day when the Jews and the high priests gave advice on what to do with our Savior Jesus Christ. David said in his psalms, "They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones" (Psalm 83:3). In Psalm 2:2, he said, "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed."
In the past, the people of Israel were motivated by zeal to kill their brother Joseph. Saint Moses, the chief of the prophets, said, "And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him" (Genesis 37:18-19).
There was also a time when they rose up to kill Moses and Aaron, who were leading them on the road the promise land. "But all the congregation bade stone them with stones" (Torah Numbers 14:10).
The points agreed upon by the council for the prosecution to sue our Savior today are:
He made himself the Son of God (John 19:7).
He claimed to be the king (Matthew 2:1).
He said, "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58).
He said, "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30).
He claimed, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9).
He broke the Sabbath day (John 5:18).
He said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19).
For these reasons, they decided to kill him and make him die a bitter death on a cross. They agreed together that according to their law, a person who is crucified is not whipped, but a person who is whipped is not crucified. They whipped him 6666 times; they hung him on the cross and nailed him with 5 iron nails. They were mocking him with a rod saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They hung the innocent God in the midst of the crooked bandits. But the Lord is humble and merciful. There is no falsehood found in his mouth. Because of the gentleness of his speech, he does not quench a smoldering wick.
This day is also called called the day of good ointment. When our Lord Jesus Christ was sitting in Simon's house, and Mary of Bethany took expensive ointment and anointed his head. Luke 7:37-39 says, "And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment." This woman who ended her life in shame and sin but heard and understood God's divinity and received His mercy was forgiven for her sins because her tears and humility. She is an example to all of us that even the greatest of sinners can be saved through faith and repentance.
Today, we remember her tears of repentance and reflect on our own sins and shortcomings. We ask for God's mercy and forgiveness, just as the woman did, and strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him.
On this day, we also remember Judas, who betrayed our Lord for thirty pieces of silver. His actions serve as a reminder that even those who have walked with Jesus can fall into sin and turn away from Him.
#Holy #Thursday
This day holds great significance in the Orthodox church as it marks the beginning of the Lord's tribulation. This day is known by several names, each with a different significance.
The first name is the Thursday of Prayer. This name refers to the prayer that Christ, the savior of the world, made before his capture by his enemies, serving as an example to us. This event is recorded in Matthew 26:36-46.
The second name is the Day of Mystery. It refers to the event where Christ said, "This is my body that will be cut on the cross for you," and "drink from it, for this is my blood shed on the cross for you," while lifting the cup and thanking God.
The third name is the Thursday of the new testament. This name refers to the day when Christ revealed the end of the sacrifices in the old testament and offered himself as a beloved sacrifice for the salvation of the world. On this day, He made an eternal covenant with His own blood for Adam and all his children. Luke 22:20 records this event.
The fourth name is the Thursday of cleansing which signifies the day when Christ washed the feet of His disciples as a sign of complete humility. This act is recorded in John 13:5-15.
The fifth name is the Day of Preparation for "fasika" (ፋሲካ), which means to cross over, or traverse. This name is taken from the event where God sent his angel to rescue the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and they crossed over the Red Sea. On this day, the Savior became the beloved sacrifice and shed His blood for us and has taken us out of slavery from the devil and offered us to live in communion with Him. This is recorded in Matt. 26:17-19, March 14:1-16, and Luke 22:6-13.
The sixth name is associated with one of the twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. This event is recorded in Matthew 26:49 and Mark 14:44.
According to Aba Giorgis Zegasca, Christ started His suffering at one o'clock on Thursday night when he washed the feet of His disciples. At the second hour of the night, He blessed the bread and the cup, saying, "This is my flesh, this is my blood, eat it." From the third to the fifth hour of the night, He withdrew and prayed until He bled. When He returned to His disciples, He found them sleeping, and He urged them to pray so they would not fall into temptation.
In the sixth hour of the night, Judas came with the chief priests, Pharisees, and others to arrest Jesus. Christ told His disciples to leave with Him, but Judas kissed Him, betraying Him. They arrested Him and took Him to the elders and chief priests, and Peter followed.
They surrounded Him and took him to the elders and chief priests and Peter was following him from afar. He entered from one of the walls and sat down to see the end of the matter. The Jews brought two false witnesses against Christ. They accused him of saying, ""Destroy this temple and I will rebuild it on the third day." The high priest stood up and said, "Are you going to say nothing? What is it these men testify against you." But our Lord didn't answer him anything. The high priest said, "are you then the Son of God?." Our Lord said, "You rightly say that I am." Then the high priest got angry and tore his clothes. And they struck his head with an iron rod. This was the beginning of the torment of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
May the name of the Holy God be praised forever and ever in every tongue that He has created, today and always.
May the blessings of God's mother, the virgin, and the cross be upon us. Amen.
© John's Repentance
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