It was a nice day when my master, carrying a large water jug, came into the house. Behind him trailed men who called themselves disciples of Jesus. I went to my master to help him carry the jug and he told me to show them to the large furnished upper guest room that we had for special occasions. These men wanted to celebrate passover there! I showed them to the room, and shortly, their leader came. He called himself Jesus of Nazareth.
As I was bringing to them the bread and the wine, Jesus was quiet, not speaking much to anyone. I found him to be a bit odd, perhaps sad, but there must have been a reason to follow him. I came in and out of the room often to see if all were satisfied. When the bread and the wine was ready, I sat in a dark corner so that I could be there if they needed anything.
Then, he stood up. He said to his friends, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat is again until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God." I wondered what his suffering would be, why he wouldn't eat bread again, and what the fulfillment of the kingdom of God meant.
The man who called himself Jesus was serious, his face had a strange glow to it. He looked over and grabbed a large cup of wine. He gave thanks for that wine and said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you that from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." I was taken aback. This man is not going to eat and drink until the kingdom of God comes? That could take quite a long time! Everytime this man spoke, I found him to be stranger and stranger, yet there was something about him that was entirely serious and maybe even believable.
Then, he took the bread in his two hands. He held it in front of him, said the blessing, and broke it. He handed the bread to his friends who in turn broke off a piece for themselves. He spoke as they ate, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." I thought to myself, "This man is crazy. That can't be his bread!" How could it be? Just a moment ago it was a measly piece of bread, but now it was his body?
He did likewise with the cup of wine saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you." I was quite confused. The bread was his body, the wine is blood. Nope. It's not possible. I don't understand why these men were believing him.
Then the man named Jesus spoke, after the meal, of a betrayer. One of his close friends would betray him. I wondered why someone would betray him, and betray him to what force? This caused a great disturbance among the men, though. For whatever reason I didn't know why. The conversation turned until each one of them until each one of them had said, "Surely, it is not I, Lord." except for one dark little man wearing red. He said, "Surely, it is not I, rabbi."
After this commotion, Jesus began to speak. He predicted that the man named Peter would betray him three times the next morning before the cock crowed. Peter assured him he wouldn't. I kept turning these things over and over; the betrayal, the denial. Something big was going to happen, but how could Jesus know all these things? I thought he was crazy. This man named Jesus seemed misled and troubled. He confused me so much. I couldn't understand why he would tell his friends all this. Why would he tell them that they would betray and deny him?
They left in the late evening and the whole place cleared out. They walked off towards the Mount of Olives. I tried to go to sleep and hours seemed to pass. I looked out the little window that I had and saw the man dressed in red running down the street toward the Temple. He came back with a group of high priests. The man in red was betraying Jesus to the Jewish priests? That didn't make sense!
Shortly, the man came back. Jesus was in the center of the priests. They prodded him and pushed him. I saw them walk into the Temple. I was troubled by this and wanted to do something, but to turn against the Jewish Law was sinful and disrespectful. I sat and turned the events over and over in my mind. Why?
On the next day, I found out that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, Pontius Pilate being influenced by the high priests and the almost riotous crowds. When I found out, I realized that Jesus is our savior!
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