examining the most important week in the life of Jesus
SUNDAY
The crew walks through Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on what is now known as Palm Sunday. What do we need to know to understand what is happening here and how it sets the tone for the rest of Passion Week?
They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosannato the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Matthew 21:7-11
MONDAY
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
Matthew 21:12-13
As we move to the Monday of Passion Week, we see a few key moments here that our team discuss to help provide some context and spiritual insight into what was happening during this day. As well as expound on the anger that Jesus displays while in the temple.
Tuesday
In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.
Matthew 11:20-23
Jesus was very intentional in his final days as he prepared to leave his disciples. On Tuesday, a few key lessons emerge from his temple visit and the cursing of the fig tree. The team discusses how they see these events and the relevance for us today.
Wednesday
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Matthew 26:3-5
How could religious leaders of the day even consider killing Jesus? How would they be able to justify it morally or through their faith traditions? The crew discusses this question and more as we walk through Wednesday of passion week.
Thursday
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.
Matthew 26:39
So much happened on Thursday, from the last supper to the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. The team walks through the meaning and tradition of Passover and share some of their reflections from this prayer of Jesus.
FRIDAY
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split
Matthew 27:51
We call it Good Friday now, but on that day, it wouldn’t have seemed even close to good. The crew walks through these critical moments, including ones that stood out to them.
SATURDAY
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
Luke 23:55-56
It’s Saturday, Jesus is dead, the disciples have scattered, and there are literally no more Christians. What do we make of Saturday? Is there greater meaning here, being it was also the Sabbath? The team wraps up their time, looking at the final week of Jesus.
