Holy Week

Hello all! As I think about what this week represents in the life of a Christian I thought it would be interesting to give a brief run-down of what Jesus' week looked like. This is the week according to Mark. The reason I chose Mark is because so did Matthew and Luke. Biblical scholars believe that Mark was the first of the Synoptic Gospels to be written. The Synoptic Gospels are Matthew, Mark and Luke. We refer to these books in this way because of their extreme similarity. Scholars also believe that Mark served as the primary reference for Matthew and Luke, making it the primary historical account. It was almost as if the authors of Matthew and Luke read Mark's gospel and it triggered more events and more memories to be recorded.

Anyway, this is how Jesus' week went down. Take a few minutes to read over this and thank Jesus for all He accomplished during this week.

Sunday

This is the first day of Holy Week. It is on this day that Jesus began his journey into Jerusalem for the very last time. As Jesus was preparing for his journey, he sent two of the disciples into Jerusalem to find a donkey to ride in on. As Jesus mounted the donkey and began his trek from the Mount of Olives, the people began to line the streets shouting “Hosanna in the Highest!” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Jesus began his last week on Earth by being recognized as the one who was sent from Yahweh. 

Monday

                Why does it seem that whenever we have a big week planned, something always happens on Monday to get us off on the wrong foot? This is a universal truth that even applies to Jesus. As Jesus was making His way to teach in the temple he stopped to have some fruit off of a fig tree. Seeing no fruit, Jesus was frustrated and told the tree it would never produce fruit again. So after missing His morning breakfast Jesus arrives at the temple and sees chaos. People are buying and selling items, cheating and taking advantage of one another. I’m sure that this did not help Jesus’ mood. Immediately he began to drive the merchants out of the temple. This is where the story begins to turn. Until this time the Pharisees just plain didn’t like Jesus. Now, Jesus was cutting into their pocket books and they began looking for a way to kill him.

Tuesday

                Jesus primarily spent Tuesday teaching within the temple. He began his day with the chief priests and elders questioning His power and authority. He went on to teach on taxes, marriage, the importance of loving one another, offerings and what would happen during the end times. Jesus had a full day of teaching on many subjects while in the temple.

Wednesday

                Wednesday was an interesting day. We don’t know what happened during the day but we do know that evening Jesus and his disciples were at Simon the Leper’s house having dinner. It was at this dinner party an unnamed woman anointed Jesus' head with perfume that would have cost a year’s wages. The way Mark records this event, it is almost as if this is the last straw for Judas. It is directly after Jesus rebukes those who were speaking against this woman that Judas gets up and leaves to meet with the chief priests.

Thursday

                Thursday is the beginning of the end. This is the first day of Passover and the day Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples. It was on this night Jesus predicts Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial. It was on this night Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to ask the Father to allow this cup to pass, if it be His will. This is the night that Jesus was arrested and the disciples fled. It was also on Thursday night that Jesus went before the Sanhedrin and the chief priests tried to bring false charges against Jesus. 

Friday

                This was the longest day of Jesus life. After staying up all night praying, being arrested, and in court it is now time for Jesus to go and meet with Pilot. After meeting with Pilot, Jesus is sent to Herod who was also in Jerusalem that day. Finding no basis for death, Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate then offered to release either Barabbas or Jesus and the crowd chose Barabbas to be released. The crowd then demanded Jesus be crucified. Pilate’s men took Jesus and beat him with a cat o’nine tails. This whip as laced with leather chords and tied into the leather were sharp pieces of rock, metal, and glass to inflict the maximum amount of pain. After this beating the Bible describes Jesus’ body as not recognizable as a human being. After being beaten within an inch of his life, Jesus was then required to carry his own cross with the help of Simon the Cyrene to Golgotha, where he was crucified. In those days death by crucifixion could take up to several days.  With the Sabbath only a few hours away the guards stuck a spear into Jesus' side to increase rate at which Jesus was dying. Not long after, Jesus breathed His last words and went to be with the Father. Jesus body was given to a man named of Joseph who placed Jesus body in his personal tomb. 

Saturday

                The only events we have recorded for this day is the sealing of the tomb by Pilate. In order to stop the disciples from stealing Jesus body, Pilate put a seal on the tomb and put guards on watch.

Sunday

                The first day of the new week. This week begins differently than last week. This is the day Jesus raises from the dead. As Mary and Martha went to the tomb to spread spices on Jesus body they found the stone rolled away, the guards had disappeared and the body of Jesus was no longer in the tomb. There was this man present though. The women did not recognize this man. It was only through a conversation with this man that they realized it was Jesus! Jesus body had been restored, and he was no longer dead. Jesus had overcome sin and death and was alive in the flesh. The tomb could not contain Him. Death had no power over Him. He won the battle, once and for all.