Throughout church history Christians have referred to
the day prior to Good Friday as Maundy Thursday.
How did it get that name?
It comes from the ‘New Commandment’ — or New Mandate — Jesus gave his disciples the night before His crucifixion.
Specifically…
the new commandment He gave was that His disciples would love one another, just as He had loved them (J.13:34-35).
But how was this commandment new? Hadn’t God already commanded His people to act in love?
Indeed, He had… (Lev.19:18).
But Jesus modeled this love in a new way — as a form of sacrificial service — by washing the disciples feet… and, of course, offering Himself on the cross.
This new mandate fits right in with the earliest of mandates God gave his people… the dominion mandate.
Contrary to the misunderstanding of many, the dominion mandate is not fulfilled with force or oppression…
It’s carried out in loving, sacrificial service… as the grace of the gospel works in the hearts of believers… empowering them to lay down their lives for
others.