Holy Week
This week is Holy Week, the week Jesus came into Jerusalem and was crucified to pay for our sins. And that's what I want to talk about. I know some of you aren't Christian, but I ask that you at least listen. Let's get started.
First off, this Friday is Good Friday, and we'll talk about Jesus's crucifixion on that day. But today I want to talk about something different. Jesus's entry into Jerusalem and the days before his crucifixion.
I'm not a pastor, so don't expect this to be pretty. Feel free to comment with any questions, feedback, suggestions, or corrections!
Palm Sunday
On Sunday, Jesus road a donkey into Jerusalem. The donkey was meant as a symbol that he was the King of Peace, because a horse was what a king would ride into war.
"Hosanna" is a Hebrew word meaning "save now, we pray". The people of Jerusalem were saying this because the Messiah (Hebrew for "Christ") was coming.
This is the first day of Holy Week.
The ESV Bible, in Matthew 21:1-11, reads:
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once." This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
"Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee."
The full story can be found in:
• Matthew 21:1-11
• Mark 11:1-11
• Luke 19:28-40
• John 12:12-19
Monday
On Monday, Jesus entered the temple and drove the buyers and sellers out. They had set up their shops in a holy place.
This is the second day of Holy Week.
The ESV Bible, in Mark 11:15-19, reads:
And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers." And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. And when evening came they went out of the city.
The full story can be found in:
• Matthew 21:12-17
• Mark 11:15-19
• Luke 19:45-48
Tuesday
On Tuesday, Jesus told a lot of parables. These include The Parable of the Two Sons, The Parable of the Tenants, The Parable of the Wedding Feast, The Parable of the Ten Virgins, and The Parable of the Talents. He also foretold his return, which is greatly elaborated on further in Revelation.
This is the third day of Holy Week.
The ESV Bible, in Matthew 22:34-40, reads:
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
The full story can be found in:
• Matthew 21:23-25:46
• Mark 11:20-13:37
• Luke 20:1-21:38
Wednesday
On Wednesday, Judas, one of Jesus's disciples, betrayed him. The priests paid him thirty pieces of silver to hand over Jesus, which I don't know the equivalent would be in USD.
This is the fourth day of Holy Week.
The ESV Bible, in Matthew 26:14-16, reads:
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
The full story can be found in:
• Matthew 26:14-16
• Mark 14:10-11
• Luke 22:1-6
Maundy Thursday
On Thursday, the Last Supper happened. Jesus also foretold Peter denying knowing him three times and his death. This is also when Jesus washed his disciples' feet.
This is the fifth day of Holy Week.
The ESV Bible, in John 13:21-30, reads:
After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, "Lord, who is it?" Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly." Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel, he immediately went out. And it was night.
The full story can be found in:
• Matthew 26:17-35
• Mark 14:12-31
• Luke 22:7-38
• John 13:1-17:26
Sources and Extra Information
Articles I used:
• https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/easter/what-is-holy-week.html
• https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holidays/a-time-line-of-the-passion-week.html
The story of Holy Week can be found in 4 books of the Bible. You don't have to read all of them, but you get different things from each one.
• Matthew 21-28
• Mark 11-16
• Luke 19-24
• John 12-21
I used the English Standard Version (ESV) translation of the Bible for the above stories.
