Jesus faithfully observed the religious customs and festivals of his community, including the festival of Passover, which marked the end of slavery in Egypt for his people. So it happened that one year Jesus decided to go to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.

As he entered Jerusalem, the people welcomed him with songs of praise. They covered his path with flowers, and waved green palm fronds in the air, and formed a great procession to lead him into Jerusalem. The Pharisees were afraid and angry when they saw the welcome he received from the people of Jerusalem. Jesus went to the Temple in Jerusalem, where he drove out the moneylenders. This annoyed the priests further. They decided that the time had come to rid themselves of this carpenter's son from Nazareth, who wielded such tremendous power over the hearts of the people. The Pharisees, the priests and the Romans plotted to arrest and execute Jesus.

A few days later, Jesus celebrated the Feast of the Passover with his twelve disciples. While they were eating, the disciples began to argue among themselves as to who was better than the others. Jesus listened in silence, and then taking a basin of water, began washing the feet of his disciples. When he came to his disciple Peter, Peter protested. But Jesus explained why he did what he did - to tell them that no one was better than the other, that if he, whom they called Lord and Master, could wash their feet, then they too could wash each other's feet.

Jesus then told his disciples, that before the night was out, one of them would betray him, and give him up to those who would kill him. The disciples were horrified, and asked Jesus to tell them who it was who would turn traitor. But Jesus only said that it was one of the twelve who ate with him that night.

The Story of Easter cont'd... 
1   2   3   4   5