We are celebrating a Maundy Thursday meal with our community group tomorrow night and I was doing some research for the devotional.

What is Maundy Thursday? I’m so glad you asked, because I didn’t know either! It’s mostly agreed that the “maundy” comes from the Latin “mandatum” which comes from the words spoken by Jesus on the night He celebrated the Passover with His disciples, the same night He was betrayed by his friend and later turned over to the Romans.

Jesus washed their dirt-caked feet Himself that night. Then He led them in celebrating the traditional Passover meal, but with a new twist. He told them that the cup now represented His blood poured out for them, and the bread, His body broken for them (see Matthew 26 & Luke 22). Later, He spoke these words:

 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

“A new commandment” is “mandatum novum” in the Latin. Kevin DeYoung in this article writes, “What makes the command new is that because of Jesus’ passion there is a new standard, a new examplar of love. There was never any love like the dying love of Jesus.”

This is what we will celebrate tomorrow night–the great love of Jesus, a love that so transforms those who belong to Him that we can live out His “mandatum novum.” 

I made a coloring page based on this verse and the events of John 13 (and also Matthew 26 and Luke 22). You can download it here or by clicking the image below:

*I’m so happy for you to enjoy my coloring pages and printables for your personal (not commercial) use! All artwork and photos are copyright Marydean Draws. If you share this, you’re awesome (!), and as a courtesy,  please link back to this post and not the PDF file. Thank you!!