The Holy Week In A Nutshell
The Holy Week...
The Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday and ends with Easter Sunday.
During the Holy Week, many biblical prophesies were fulfilled. The Holy Week includes important and significant events like Palm Sunday, Last Supper, Christ’s Crucifixion, and His Resurrection.
Throughout the Holy Week , Christians reflect on all the events leading to Jesus’ death by Crucifixion and His subsequent Resurrection.
Jesus came to earth to save humanity. God had promised the New Covenant from Old Testament times. The New Covenant was fulfilled by Christ’s death and sacrifice on the cross. That means, now we can go directly to God through Christ for the forgiveness of sins. This is the foundation of Christianity.
Palm Sunday..Last Supper..Christ’s Crucifixion..Resurrection
PALM SUNDAY
Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ descent from Mount Olives and His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. He rode on a donkey, into the city , while his followers spread palm branches at his feet and shouted joyfully “Hosanna” or “Savior.” This was prophesied years ago in Zechariah 9:9
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your kings comes to you, righteous and victorious, low and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” ~Zechariah 9:9
Christ entered Jerusalem knowing full well, that in a matter of 5 days, the people who are shouting Hosanna would soon be shouting Crucify Him! The events of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem are recorded in these 4 Gospels…
HOLY MONDAY
Jesus went to the temple on Monday and drove out the traders and money changers and overturned their tables.
“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
Then Jesus taught and healed the sick which angered the temple high priests and scribes and they plotted to kill Jesus.
Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words. ~ Luke 19:48
HOLY TUESDAY
Holy Tuesday was a day of controversy and parables. The chief priest and temple leaders, laid traps and challenged Jesus’ knowledge of the scriptures and questioned His authority .
Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?” Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. Matthew 21: 23-27
Then Jesus taught the three parables:
Jesus warned his disciples about the Pharisees..
Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” Luke 20: 46-47
HOLY WEDNESDAY
The Holy Wednesday was supposed to be a day of rest for Jesus. But the Gospel of Luke states, “every day he was teaching in the temple.” He spoke of the destruction of the temple, of the end times, and shared more parables. Luke 21:1-37
This continued to anger the Jewish leaders and they were looking for ways to kill Jesus. Later, Jesus rested in Bethany at Simon’s house, when a woman came and anointed Jesus with expensive perfume. She was rebuked for wasting money.
“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14:6-9
Then Satan entered Judas, and he met with the chief priests and agreed to betray Jesus and deliver Jesus into their hands in exchange for money. Yet another prophecy from the Old Testament which was predicted years earlier was fulfilled.
I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. Zechariah 11:12-13
MAUNDY THURSDAY
On Maundy Thursday, Jesus and his disciples celebrated the Passover, also known as the Last Supper in an upper room. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and gave them a new commandment…
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.” ~John 13:34
Then He broke the bread and drank the wine with them for the last time.
Jesus gave this Passover meal a new meaning. The loaf of bread and the cup of wine represented His body soon to be sacrificed and His blood soon to be shed. This tradition of breaking of the bread and sharing the wine is still followed in churches as the Holy Communion.
Through the meal, Jesus predicted that one of disciples would betray him and Peter would deny knowing Jesus three times. After supper, Jesus and his disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane where He prayed in agony…
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42
An angel came down to strengthen Jesus in the garden. He advised his disciples, what to do when He is gone but promised that he would send a helper to guide them- the Holy Spirit.
This is where Judas finds Jesus. He betrays Jesus and hands Him over to the chief priest, and temple leaders. Jesus was arrested and tortured. As Jesus predicted, Peter denied Him three times.
GOOD FRIDAY
Good Friday was the last day of Jesus’ life on earth before His resurrection. Following the betrayal and arrest, the Jewish leaders with the help of Pontious Pilate held a mock trial and sentenced Jesus to death. He was tortured ,mocked and beaten.
The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. Mathew 27:29
Jesus was made to carry his cross to ‘Golgotha’ or ‘Calvary’ where he was crucified with two other prisoners. They stripped Him of His clothes and cast lots for them, fulfilling another prophecy.
I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” (Psalm 22:17-18)
While on the cross…
While on the cross, one prisoner mocked Him, but the other said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” Luke 23:39-43.
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother’” John 19:26-27
It is Finished! His Father’s will was done and accomplished.
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. Luke. 23:44-46
By His finished work on the cross, we are rescued from eternal damnation and rewarded with eternal life.
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us ,for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” Galatians 3:13
After that, Jesus was taken down from the cross, wrapped in linens, and placed in a tomb.
HOLY SATURDAY
On Holy Saturday, since it was the day before the Sabbath, Jesus’ body was placed in a nearby tomb. It was a rich man’s tomb, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah 53:9.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah53:9
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
The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate requesting an order for the tomb to be made secure with a guard until the third day. Then they went and made the tomb secure by placing a large stone in front of the entrance and posting a guard outside.
EASTER SUNDAY
On Easter Sunday, a couple of women went to the tomb where Jesus’ body was kept to anoint Him with oil for burial. But when they arrived, He wasn’t there. The tomb was empty and an angel greeted them with the news that Jesus was alive and gave them a message.The women hurried back to tell the others .
Eventually,Jesus appeared to Mary Magdelene in the garden,then to Peter and two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and later that day to all the disciples but Thomas. His resurrection was established as a fact.
The Week that
changed the world
continues to change our lives.
Holy Week
Rejoice In The Lord!
During the Holy Week, obey Jesus and Forgive others, so that Christ forgives your sins. Without the act of forgiveness, you cannot have Jesus in your life!
Reflect on the 12 Lenten bible verses that are powerful and helpful during this scared week.
Do tell us if this was helpful..
Laila,
Again beautiful!
Thank you for your ministry.
Diana
Thank you so sooo much Diana.Glad you found it beautiful. I am humbled. Thnx.
Hi Ms. Laila,
Thanks for your very condensed , yet very accurate chronological Timeline that highlights the last week of our Dear Savior’s Life on earth as a man. Your information made my sermon notes and research very stress free and much easier. I’m very grateful to God for the time that You Invested into putting this all together. Stay Blessed. And may the goodness of the Lord Continue to follow you all the days of your Life. Thanks again. Your Brother in Christ,
Pastor Bryant Andrews Sr.
Thank you very much Pastor Bryant Andrews.Your appreciation means a lot to me and will motivate me to spread God’s word in my own small way. Thank you.