Passion Week
[Mat 21-28]
The triumphal entry and events that follow
[Mat 21:1-26:58]
When
they
approach
Jerusalem
and
are
at
Bethphage
on
the
Mount
of
Olives,
Jesus
sends
two
disciples
to
a
nearby
village
to
fetch
a
colt
for
him.
He
uses
this
colt
to
ride
into
Jerusalem
where
many
recognise
him
for
who
he
is,
crying
out
Hosanna
to
the
Son
of
David
.
As
many
more
gather
to
hear
what
the
commotion
is
about,
they
enquire
who
he
is
and
are
told
he
is
the
prophet
spoken
of
by
Moses.
Jesus
then
goes
to
the
temple
Court
of
the
Gentiles
where
he
creates
havoc
with
those
selling
animals
for
sacrifice,
and
overturns
the
moneychangers’
tables
telling
them
It
is
written,
My
house
shall
be
called
the
house
of
prayer;
but
ye
have
made
it
a
den
of
thieves.
The
blind
and
lame
are
then
brought
to
the
temple
and
are
all
healed
by
Jesus.
All
the
while,
children
repeat
the
cry
of
their
parents,
Hosanna
to
the
Son
of
David
.
This
is
all
to
the
considerable
displeasure
of
the
chief
priests
and
scribes.
Jesus
then
leaves
and
goes
to
Bethany where he stays the night.
The
next
morning,
as
they
return
to
the
city,
Jesus
is
feeling
hungry.
He
sees
a
fig
tree
that
has
leaves
but
no
fruit,
and
says
to
it
Let
no
fruit
grow
on
thee
henceforward
forever.
The
tree
withers
and
the
disciples,
seeing
it
the
next
morning,
marvel
at
how
it
had
withered so quickly. Jesus tells them that they will be able to do much more than this if they ask in prayer and believe.
Jesus
goes
to
the
temple
to
teach,
and
while
he
is
teaching
he
is
approached
by
the
chief
priests
and
elders
questioning
his
authority.
He
replies
with
a
question
concerning
the
authority
of
John
the
Baptist,
which
they
are
unable
to
answer
without
entrapping
themselves.
Jesus
then
relates
the
parables
of
the
two
sons
and
of
the
tenants.
They
realise
he
is
speaking
about
them,
and
at
that
point
want
to
deal
with
him,
but
are
afraid
of
the
reaction
of
the
crowds
who
would
all
be
for
Jesus.
Jesus
relates
another
parable,
the
parable
of
the
wedding
feast.
Their
reaction
to
hearing
yet
another
parable
that
offends
them
is
to
leave
and
plan
how
they
might
entrap
him
with
his
own
words.
They
send
their
own
disciples,
along
with
the
Herodians,
to
question
Jesus
whether
it
is
lawful
to
give
tribute
to
Caesar.
This
attempt
fails
and
is
later
followed
by
the
Sadducees
attempting
to
ridicule
any
idea
of
a
resurrection,
since
they
don’t
believe
in
it.
They
asked
whose
wife
a
woman
would
be
in
the
resurrection
if
seven
brothers
had
married
her,
one
after
the
other
following
each
one’s
death.
Jesus
tells
them
that
they
don’t
understand
the
scriptures,
pointing
out
that
the
God
of
Abraham,
Isaac
and
Jacob
is
the
God
of
the
living.
The
Sadducees
and
Pharisees
then
jointly
send
a
lawyer
to
ask
Jesus
which
is
the
greatest
commandment
of
the
law,
since
between
them
they
see
conflicts
within
the
law
as
to
which
part
might
be
considered
to
be
of
greater
priority.
Jesus
responds
with
the
laws
of
love
for
God
and
their
neighbours,
telling
them
that
the
whole
of
the
law
and
the
prophets
hangs
on
these
two
commandments.
He
then
turns
to
the
Pharisees
and
asks
them
who
they
thought
Christ
might
be
the
son
of,
to
which
they
naturally
replied
the
Son
of
David
.
Jesus
then
asks
them
how
it
was
that
David,
in
the
Spirit,
referred
to
Christ
as
his
Lord
(as no man would refer to a son as his lord). This confounds them and they dare not challenge Jesus again after this exchange.
Jesus
then
addresses
his
disciples
and
the
crowds
and
berates
the
scribes
and
Pharisees,
giving
numerous
examples
of
their
hypocrisy
as
religious
leaders.
He
concludes
this
attack
on
them
by
prophesying
the
destruction
of
the
temple
and
that
they,
the
Jews,
would not see him again until the time they acknowledge him as the Messiah.
Leaving
the
temple,
his
disciples
remark
on
its
magnificence
and
Jesus
again
prophesies
its
destruction.
When
Jesus
and
his
disciples
are
alone
on
the
Mount
of
Olives,
his
disciples
ask
him
what
the
signs
of
his
second
coming
will
be.
Recorded
in
what
we
know
as
the
Olivet
Discourse
[chapters
24-25]
,
Jesus
warns
of
persecution,
predicts
the
fall
of
Jerusalem,
and
teaches
about
his
second
coming,
referring
to
the
abomination
of
desolation
spoken
of
by
Daniel
the
prophet.
At
this
time,
Jesus
says,
all
in
Judea
must
flee
to
the
mountains.
He
then
uses
the
parable
of
the
fig
tree
to
show
that
signs
will
be
recognised,
but
tells
that
the
hour
will
not
not
be
known.
We
must
be
prepared,
as
demonstrated
by
the
parable
of
the
ten
virgins.
Meanwhile,
we
are
required
to
bear
fruit
as
told
by
the
parable
of
the
talents,
for
when
he
returns,
there
will
be
a
judgement
and
a
separation
of
those
worthy
of
eternal
life
and
those
who are not.
Jesus then tells his disciples he will be betrayed in two days time, at Passover, and will be crucified.
Meanwhile,
the
chief
priests,
scribes
and
elders
have
assembled
before
the
high
priest,
Caiaphas,
to
discuss
how
they
might
kill
Jesus, but avoiding doing so on the feast day.
Now
Jesus
is
in
Bethany
at
Simon
the
leper’s
house
with
his
disciples
when
Mary,
the
sister
of
Martha
and
Lazarus
(who
Jesus
had
earlier
raised
from
death),
anoints
his
feet
with
nard,
a
very
expensive
perfume,
and
wipes
his
feet
with
her
hair.
Judas
Iscariot
objects
saying
that
the
perfume
could
have
been
sold
and
the
money
given
to
the
poor,
but
Jesus
tells
them
she
did
it
for
his
burial.
Judas
then
leaves the house and makes an arrangement with the chief priests to deliver Jesus to them for thirty pieces of silver.
Jesus
sends
his
disciples
to
prepare
a
room
where
they
will
meet
to
share
the
Passover
meal.
In
the
evening,
while
they
are
eating,
he
tells
them
one
of
them
will
betray
him.
He
takes
some
bread,
blesses
it
and
breaks
it,
offering
it
to
his
disciples
telling
them
it
represents
his
body.
He
then
passes
around
a
cup
of
wine,
saying
it
represents
his
blood
of
the
new
covenant,
shed
for
many
for
the
remission
of
sins
,
and
tells
them
that
they
are
to
do
all
this
in
remembrance
of
him.
They
then
sing
a
hymn
and
leave
for
the
Mount
of
Olives. It is while they are on the mount that Peter is told he will deny Jesus three times before the cock crows.
When
they
get
to
Gethsemane,
Jesus
takes
Peter,
James
and
John
aside
and
asks
them
to
keep
watch
while
he
prays.
Jesus
returns
to
them
three
times
after
praying,
each
time
finding
them
asleep.
In
these
prayer
sessions
he
asks
his
Father
if
there
is
another
way
remission
of
sins
can
be
accomplished,
but
there
is
not.
Then
Judas
arrives
with
armed
men
from
the
chief
priests
and
identifies
Jesus
with
a
kiss.
The
disciples
scatter
and
Jesus
is
taken
to
Caiaphas
where
the
scribes
and
elders
are
assembled
waiting
for
him.
Peter
follows and goes to sit amongst the servants to see what is happening.
Jesus’ trial, death and resurrection
[Mat 26:59-28:20]
Witnesses
are
called
to
testify
against
Jesus,
but
no
testimony
is
given
sufficient
to
condemn
him.
Jesus
doesn’t
answer
any
accusations,
so
the
high
priest
asks
him
under
oath,
which
he
is
bound
by
law
to
respond
to,
whether
thou
be
the
Christ,
the
Son
of
God.
His
admission
in
front
of
all
those
assembled
enables
them
to
claim
he
has
blasphemed
before
witnesses
and
can
be
condemned
to
death.
They
then
spit
on
him,
buffet
him
and
strike
him.
It
is
at
this
time
that
Peter
is
challenged
three
times
as
being
one
of
Jesus’
disciples,
each
time
denying
he
is,
then
the
cock
crows.
Peter,
remembering
that
Jesus
had
predicted
his
denials,
leaves
and
weeps
bitterly.
Now
the
Jews’
authority
to
execute
anyone
had
been
taken
away
by
the
Romans
some
years
earlier,
so
they
now
need
to
take
Jesus
to
Pontius
Pilate,
the
Roman
procurator
of
Judea,
to
be
tried.
Seeing
that
Jesus
had
been
condemned,
Judas
goes
and
tells
the
chief
priests
and
elders
he
betrayed
innocent
blood,
but
they
are
not
interested.
He
throws
the
thirty
pieces
of
silver
before
them
and
leaves
and
hangs
himself.
Unable
to
put
blood
money
in
the
temple
treasury,
the
priests
use
it
to
buy
a
potter’s
field
for
the
burial
of
strangers.
Jesus
is
taken
before
Pilate,
who
is
unable
to
find
any
reason
to
condemn
him
under
Roman
law,
but
learning
he
is
a
Galilean,
sends
him
to
Herod
who
happens
to
be
in
Jerusalem
at
the
time.
Herod
questions
Jesus
while
the
chief
priests
and
scribes
vehemently
accuse
him,
but
Jesus
remains
silent.
Because
he
says
nothing,
Herod’s
soldiers
take
him
to
be
a
fool,
mock
him,
put
a
robe
on
him
and
he
is
returned
to
Pilate.
Although
Pilate
is
unable
to
find
anything
against
Jesus
according
to
Roman
law,
he
fears
the
mood
of
the
people
and,
as
is
the
custom,
offers
them
a
choice
of
whom
he
should
release,
Jesus
or
a
notable
prisoner
called
Barabbas.
Prompted
by
the
chief
priests
and
elders,
the
crowd
called
for
Barabbas
to
be
released
and
Jesus
to
be
crucified.
Pilate
publicly
washes
his
hands,
declaring
his
innocence
concerning
the
blood
of
Jesus,
before
handing
him
over
to
his
soldiers
who
take
him
away
to
be
scourged.
They
then
mock
Jesus,
put
a
scarlet
robe
around
him
and
place
a
plaited
crown
of
thorns
on
his
head.
When
they
have
finished
mocking
him,
they
replace
the
scarlet
robe
with
his
own,
then
lead
him
away
to
be
crucified.
On
the
way,
a
man
of
Cyrene,
called
Simon,
is
made
to
carry
Jesus’
cross.
They
reach
Golgotha
where
Jesus
is
crucified
between
two
thieves.
When
Jesus
gives
up
his
spirit,
the
temple veil is torn from top to bottom and the earth quakes.
In
the
evening,
Joseph
of
Arimathaea,
a
rich
man
who
is
also
one
of
Jesus’
disciples,
begs
Pilate
for
Jesus’
body,
to
which
he
agrees.
Joseph wraps Jesus in a clean linen cloth, lays him in his own sepulchre and rolls a great stone in front of it.
On
the
Sunday
morning
at
dawn,
Mary
Magdalene,
Mary
(the
mother
of
James)
and
Salome
go
to
the
sepulchre
taking
spices
to
anoint
Jesus’
body.
An
angel
had
rolled
away
the
stone
so
they
are
able
to
go
in,
but
Jesus
is
not
there.
The
angel
tells
them
that
Jesus
has
risen
and
they
are
to
tell
his
disciples
and
Peter
that
he
will
see
them
in
Galilee.
They
run
and
tell
the
disciples
what
they
have
seen, then Peter and John run to the sepulchre to see for themselves.
Now
those
who
had
been
guarding
the
tomb
went
and
told
the
chief
priests
what
had
happened.
The
chief
priests
gave
them
money
to
say
that
the
disciples
had
come
and
stolen
the
body
while
they
slept,
and
gave
them
assurances
they
would
persuade
their
superiors
not to punish them for falling asleep whilst on guard.
That
same
day,
two
disciples
are
making
their
way
to
Emmaus
when
Jesus
comes
alongside
them
and
asks
them
why
they
are
troubled.
Not
recognising
him,
they
relate
all
that
had
happened.
Then
Jesus
explains
how
the
scriptures
had
foretold
all
these
events.
It
wasn’t
until
they
arrive
at
the
village
and
are
all
eating
together,
that
they
realise
it
is
Jesus
who
has
been
talking
to
them,
but
he
then vanishes from their sight.
They
quickly
return
to
Jerusalem
and
report
their
experience
to
the
eleven
disciples,
confirming
Jesus
has
indeed
risen.
As
they
are
speaking, Jesus appears to them, eats with them, and then imparts on them an understanding of the scriptures.
In
the
evening,
while
the
disciples
are
behind
locked
doors
in
fear
of
the
Jews,
Jesus
again
appears
to
them,
but
Thomas
is
not
there and consequently refuses to believe he has risen.
Eight
days
later,
Jesus
appears
to
his
disciples
while
they
are
again
behind
locked
doors.
This
time,
Thomas
is
with
them
and
is
invited by Jesus to touch his wounds. Thomas then acknowledges Jesus as his Lord and God.
Later,
the
eleven
disciples
go
to
Galilee
where
Jesus
meets
them
for
the
last
time.
Here
he
commissions
them
to
go
and
teach
all
nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
before ascending to heaven.
Hierarchical Précis