THE FINAL DAYS OF CHRIST’S MINISTRY

The Order of Events Culminating in the Death of Christ:
1. Jesus anointed at Bethany (Mt. 26:6-13)
2. The Triumphal Entry (Mt. 21:1-11)
3. The Passover meal is eaten with the disciples (Lu. 22:14-16; 24-30)
4. Jesus washes the feet of the disciples (Jn. 13:1-20)
5. Judas leaves the Upper Room (Jn. 13:21-30)
6. Jesus institutes the memorial Supper (Lu. 22:17-20)
7. The disciples accompany Jesus to Gethsemane (Mk. 14:26, 32-42)
8. Judas betrays the Lord (Jn. 18:2-12)
9. Annas, the former High Priest, examines Jesus (Jn. 18:12-14, 19-23)
10. Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin condemn Jesus (Mk. 14:53, 55-65)
11. Peter denies the Lord three times (Jn.18:15-18, 25-27)
12. Jesus is formally condemned by the Sanhedrin (Lu. 22:66-71)
13. Jesus appears before Pilate (Jn. 18:28-38)
14. Jesus appears briefly before Herod Antipas (Lu. 23:6-12)
15. Pilate sentences Jesus (Lu. 23:13-25)
16. Soldiers scourge and mock Jesus (Jn. 19:1-14)
17. Jesus is placed on the cross after refusing to drink the wine and myrrh (Mk. 15:23-32)
18. The veil of the temple is torn (Mt. 27:51-56)
19. The side of Jesus is pierced (Jn. 19:31-37)

THURSDAY or FRIDAY CRUCIFIXION?
Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. John 19:31a (NIV)

Most people believe the crucifixion took place on Friday since the resurrection occurs the day after the Jewish Sabbath. But John 19:31 clarifies that the forthcoming Sabbath was a “special Sabbath” which always occurs the day after Passover.

So a Thursday crucifixion would have as much validity as Friday.

Footprints of Jesus During His Last Days
1. From Bethany to Jerusalem.
In Jerusalem, the Last Supper (Lu. 22: 14-20)
2. From the Last Supper to the Garden of Gethsemane (Mt. 26:36)
In the Garden of Gethsemane
Jesus in Prayer
The Disciples Asleep (Luke 22: 40-50)
3. From Gethsemane to the Palace of the High Priest (Mt. 26:57)
Jesus before the Council (Mt. 26:57-68)
4. From the Palace of Caiaphas to Pontius Pilate’s Judgment Hall (Lu. 23:1)
5. From Pilate to Herod’s Palace (Lu. 23:7)
Jesus before King Herod (Lu. 23:8-11)
6. From Herod’s Palace to Pilate (Lu. 23:11)
In Pilate’s Judgment Hall
Jesus receiving sentence (Mt. 27:26)
7. From Pilate’s Judgment Hall to Golgotha, or Calvary (Lu. 23:33)

FRIDAY

Jesus anointed at Bethany Mt. 26: 6-13
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." Mat. 26:6-13 (NIV)

SATURDAY: The Sabbath

SUNDAY
The Triumphal Entry Mt. 21: 1-11; 14-17; Mk. 11:1-11; Lk. 19:29-44; Jn. 12:12-19
The Colt
The Crowd
The Celebration
The Cries
The Critics
The Children
The Christ Weeping
The Christ Warning
The Christ Working
The Triumphal Entry
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" 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." Mat. 21: 1-11 (NIV)

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zech. 9:9 NIV

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem fulfilled the prophecy of Zech. 9:9, but it was not understood by the disciples until after His resurrection. By entering in this manner, Jesus demonstrated the true nature of His messiahship. Rather than making a royal or military entrance, which was what the Jews expected, He comes peacefully, "having salvation."
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Four days before the Passover, the people would select a young, male lamb, without blemish. They were to examine it carefully over those days.

Jesus completed this symbol when He came into Jerusalem riding the donkey four days before Passover. The people examined Him and many said, "Hosanna..." ("Save us!")
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John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus, declared, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."

When we think of a lamb, the picture that comes to mind is a gentle, meek, cute little animal.
But the people understood what John was saying. The Jews knew that the lamb had been
God's preferred sacrifice since Abel. But sacrificial lambs had only covered their sins. This Lamb, as John detailed, was sufficient to take away the sin of the whole world!
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MONDAY

The Barren Fig Tree Judged Mt. 21:18,19; Mk. 11:12-14

The Second Temple Cleansing Mt. 21:12,13; Mk. 11:15-18; Lk. 19:45-48


Prior Confrontations With The Pharisees
That He violated the Sabbath Mt. 12:9-12; Lk. 14:3; Jn. 5:1-10; 9:1-16
That He transgressed the traditions of the fathers Mt. 15:1-9; Mk. 7:1-16
That He refused to observe the many fasts Mk. 2:18-20
That He ate and associated with sinners Mk. 2:15-17
That He was a blasphemer Mt. 9:1-3; Jn. 10:31-33
That He was actually energized by satan Mt. 12:22,24

Most of the religious leaders of that time distrusted Jesus. They considered Him a dangerous and revolutionary figure who wanted to stir up the masses. These men accused Him of breaking the rules of the Jewish religion, and had begun to plot against Him.


TUESDAY

Confrontations with the Pharisees Concerning the source of His authority Mt. 21:23-27; Mk. 11:27-33; Lk. 20:1-8
Concerning paying tribute to Caesar Mt. 22:15-22; Mk. 12:13-17; Lk. 20:20-26
Concerning the resurrection Mt. 22:23-33; Mk. 12:18-27; Lk. 20:27-40
Concerning the greatest commandment Mt. 22:34-40; Mk. 12:28-34
Concerning the deity of the Messiah Mt. 22:41-46; Mk. 12:35-37; Lk. 20:41-44

His Condemnation of the Pharisees Mt. 23:1-39; Mk. 12:38-40; Lk. 20:45-47
He Observes the Widow and Her Mite Mk. 12:41-44; Lk. 21:1-4
He Weeps Over Jerusalem for the Final Time Mt. 23:37-39
He Delivers the Mt. Olivet Discourse Mt. 24-25

(Somewhere in Jerusalem) Caiaphas Calls a Secret Meeting to Plan Christ’s Death Mt. 26:1-5; Mk. 14:1,2; Lk. 22:1,2


WEDNESDAY Day of Silence (So says tradition)

A Passover Sabbath
Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. John 19:31a (NIV)

John 19:31 indicates that the Jews, during the week of Christ’s crucifixion, were observing a Passover Sabbath, which some say fell on Friday of that week. Mark 15:42 tells us that Christ’s crucifixion took place on the day before the Sabbath. This was not Friday--the day before the weekly Sabbath, but Thursday--the day before the Passover Sabbath.

If this was the case, then actually Wednesday was not a “day of silence” as indicated above, but everything that tradition shows happening on Thursday actually happened on Wednesday, etc.

Thus Christ would have been in the grave for three days and three nights.


WEDNESDAY NIGHT THE UPPER ROOM (Traditionally Thursday night)

Judas Makes Final Arrangements with the Pharisees to Betray Christ Mt. 26:14-16; Mk. 14:10; Lk. 22:3-6
The Preparation for the Passover Meal Mt. 26:17-19; Mk. 14:12-16; Lk. 22:7-13
In The Upper Room Mt. 26:20-35; Mk. 14:17-31; Lk 22:14-38; Jn. 13:1----14:31

The OLD Covenant Meal (the Passover supper)
He shares His heart
He answers their questions
He describes their future roles
He washes their feet
He announces his betrayal
He dips the sop

The NEW Covenant Meal (the Lord’s table)
The death of Christ predicted
The death of Christ pictured

On The Route To The Mount of Olives Jn. 15-16

The Upper Room and The Passover
And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. Mark 14:12-13

When Jesus sent the disciples to find the upper room to eat the Passover, he knew they would have no trouble finding it. One man carrying a pitcher of water would be very unusual. This man would stick out above all others, because he alone would be carrying a pitcher of water. Carrying water was considered woman’s work, and thus a man doing so would be easily identified.

Joshua 9:3-27 gives us some background on this subject. The Israelites were in the process of conquering the land promised to them. When the Gibeonites knew they would soon be next, they sent men to meet with Joshua. Although they lived close by, they convinced him that they were from a distant land by dressing in old, dirty clothes and by carrying stale bread and water. Therefore Joshua made a treaty with them. Upon learning of the deception, Joshua passed judgment on them and made them servants to chop wood and carry water. This punishment may seem mild to us, but it was humiliating for a man to carry water in public----that was a woman's job.


Judas: His Love of Money:
For the love of money is the root of all evil (I Timothy 6:10)

Judas was the treasurer--the one who held "the bag" (John 13:29). He felt, as many in this position do, that this money was his, and was jealous of how it was spent.

Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. (The price of a slave.)

Judas Agrees to Betray Christ
Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. Luke 22:1-6 (NIV)

Jesus was paid for out of the temple treasury, with silver that had been marked for the purchase of sacrifices.

The Jews were expecting their Messiah to set up an earthly kingdom when He came to earth. Judas followed Jesus, waiting for Him to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of Rome. In this new kingdom Judas felt that he would have a high position, since he was presently the keeper of the money.

In reading John 12:3-6, we can wonder if that is the point when Judas decided that Jesus was not going to overthrow the Roman government, but would continue as a ministering servant to the people.

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. {4} Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, {5} Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? {6} This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. John 12:3-6

Rumors had begun to circulate. Judas was afraid that he and all the followers would be included in what would soon happen to Jesus at the hands of the authorities.

Judas thought he could save his own life by treachery (or cowardice): thus his betrayal of Christ.

Judas led the mob to Gethsemane where Christ had gone after the Passover meal. The last words Christ spoke to him began with "Friend,......."

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. Mat. 26:50

WEDNESDAY NIGHT (Traditionally Thursday night)

At The Mount of Olives Jn. 17
His prayer for himself (17:1-5)
The reminder
The report
The request
His prayer for His disciples (17:6-19)
What the Son had already done
What the Father should do
His prayer for the church (17:20-26)

In The Garden of Gethsemane Mt. 26:36-56; Mk. 14:32-52; Lk. 22:39-53; Jn. 18:1-12

The AGONY
First ordeal
Second ordeal
Third ordeal

The ARREST
The traitor
The mutilator
The conciliator

The ABANDONMENT
By the eleven
By a young man


Before Judas came with the authorities, Jesus was prying so intensely that “his sweat was as it were great drops of blood.”

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. Luke 22:39-45 (NIV)

As they were arresting Jesus, one of his disciples cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest. Jesus touched the man’s ear and healed him.

While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him. Luke 22:47-51 (NIV)

Then Jesus was led away to be tried.

Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. Matthew 26:57 (NIV)