JESUS' LAST WEEK IN JERUSALEM
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JESUS' LAST WEEK IN JERUSALEM Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany (John 12:1). The Jews used a lunar calendar. The day began at sundown, and they counted the days without the concept of a zero place-value. |
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Day #1: Saturday, 9 Nisan [called Abib in Ex 13:4] |
Jesus arrived in Bethany and had dinner with Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and the Apostles. Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus' feet (John 12:1-11). |
| Day #2: Sunday, 10 Nisan |
Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem
(Mt 21:1-11;
Mk 11:1-10;
Lk 19:28-40;
Jn 12:12-16).
He cleansed the Temple (Mt 22:12-17). The Passover victims were chosen for sacrifice on this date in the first Passover (Ex 12:3). |
| Day #3: Monday, 11 Nisan |
Jesus cursed the fig tree
(Mt 21:18-19;
Mk 11:12, 14),
cleansed the Temple again (Mk 11:15-18),* and continued to teach in the Temple (Mt 21:23). |
| Day #4: Tuesday, 12 Nisan | Jesus taught at the Temple: a day of controversy and parables (Mt 21:23-24:51; Mk 11:27-13:37; Lk 20:1-21). |
| Day #5: Wednesday, 13 Nisan |
Jesus' last day teaching at the Temple. Dinner with friends at Bethany at the home of Simon the Leper when an unnamed woman anointed Jesus' head in preparation for His burial (Mt 26:6-13; Mk 14:3-9). Judas betrayed Jesus to the Pharisees and chief priests (Mt 26:14-16; Mk 14:10-11; Lk 22:3-6). Nisan 14th = Passover began at sundown. |
| Day # 6: Thursday, 14 Nisan |
It is
the day of the Passover sacrifice. The combined festivals of Passover and Unleavened Bread lasted eight days as the ancients counted (14th - 21st), and the names of both feasts were used (Mt 26:17-18; Mk 14:12). Preparations were made for the sacred meal (Ex 12:10; Lev 23:5-8; Num 9:1-14; 28:16-25; Mt 26:17, 19; Mk 14:12-16; Lk 22:7). The Temple liturgy began at noon with the Tamid Sacrifice, having precedence, moved an hour earlier for enough time to sacrifice the thousands of Passover lambs and goat-kids from 3 - 5 PM (Mk 14:12; Mishnah: Pesahim). |
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Day #7: Friday, Nisan 15 Every Friday was "Preparation Day" because it was the day to prepare for the Sabbath rest (Mk 15:42; Jn 19:31). At Sundown on our Thursday, the Jewish Friday began. It was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread that lasted from Nisan 15-21 (Ex 12:17-20; Lev 23:5-8). |
The Feast of Unleavened Bread and eating of the sacred meal of the Passover victims began at sundown
(Ex 12:17-20; 13:3, 8;
Lev 23:5-8;
Num 9:1-14; 28:16-25). Jesus and His disciples celebrated the Last Passover and the First Eucharist (Mt 26:20-35; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:15-20; Jn 13:1-20). Jesus and the disciples withdrew to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mt. of Olives (Mt 26:36-46; Mk 14:32-33; Lk 22:40-46; Jn 18:1). Jesus was arrested (Mt 26:47-56; Mk 14:43-50; Lk 22:47-53; Jn 18:2-12). At dawn He was condemned by the Jewish court, the Sanhedrin (Mt 26:57-75; 27:1-2; Mk 14:53-65; Lk 22:54-55; 66-71; Jn 18:24). They took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor, at Dawn, which was the 6th-hour Roman time (Mt 27:1-2; Jn 18:28-32; Mk 15:1; Lk 22:66-23:1). Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas, who returned Him to Pilate (Lk 23:6-12). The Romans crucified Jesus at 9 AM (the 3rd-hour Jewish time) (Mk 15:25) as the priests sacrificed the 1st daily Tamid lamb of the morning liturgy at the Temple (Mishnah: Tamid; Antiq of the Jews,14.6.3 [65]). At noon (6th-hour Jewish time) the sky turned dark in a total eclipse that remained until 3 PM (the 9th-hour Jewish time) (Mt 27:45; Mk 15:33; Lk 23:44). At 3 PM, the 2nd Tamid lamb was sacrificed at the Temple's afternoon worship service as Jesus gave up His life on the altar of the Cross (Mt 27:46, 50; Mk 25:34, 36). The curtain covering the Temple's Holy of Holies was torn in half, there was an earthquake, and bodies of saints arose from tombs (Mt 27:51-53; Mk 15:37; Lk 23:45). |
| From the Tomb to the Resurrection | |
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Day #1 in the tomb Friday afternoon |
Jesus' disciples laid Him in the tomb of a rich man, and the Romans sealed the tomb (Mt 27:57-61; Mk 15:42-47; Lk 23:50-55; Jn 19:38-42). |
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Day #2 in the tomb Saturday |
Jesus descended to the abode of the dead and preached the Gospel of salvation (1 Pt 3:19-20; 4:6; Apostles' Creed). |
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Day #3 in the tomb Sunday until dawn |
The Jewish Feast of Firstfruits: Jesus rose from the dead (Lev 23:9-15; Mt 28:1-8; Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-10; Jn 20:1-10). |
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*Jesus' ministry covered three Passovers (Jn 2:13; 6:4; 12:1) with three Temple cleansings: 1. The first year of His ministry (Jn 2:13-16). 2. The last year on Sunday after He entered Jerusalem (Mt 21:12-16). 3. The last year on Monday after cursing the fig tree (Mk 11:15-17). |