The Holy Week of Easter
As Easter approaches, let us look past the Easter baskets filled with pastel-colored eggs, fluffy peeps, and bunny shaped chocolate treats. Let us delve into the profound events of Holy Week, a sacred period in the Christian faith that culminates in the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
This week holds immense significance, serving as a time of deep reflection, spiritual renewal, and commemoration. Buckle up as we journey through the pivotal moments that unfolded during this extraordinary week.
Palm Sunday – The Triumphal Entry to Jerusalem
On the Sunday before His crucifixion, Jesus embarked on a momentous trip to Jerusalem. As He approached the village of Bethphage, He instructed two disciples to find an unbroken colt and its mother donkey. Fulfilling the biblical prophecy,
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9 nkjv
Jesus humbly rode into Jerusalem on the young donkey while the anticipant crowd took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of
Israel!” John 12:13 nkjv
Later that evening, Jesus went to Bethany likely with his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. These events are chronicled in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Holy Monday – The Lesson of the Withered Tree & Jesus Cleanses the Temple
The following morning, Jesus returned to Jerusalem. Along the way, He cursed a fig tree by declaring,
“Let no fruit grow on you again. ” Matthew 21:19 nkjv
The fig tree immediately withered away as a symbol of God’s judgement on spiritually dead religious leaders and the emptiness believers that present themselves as a follower but live out their life without spiritual fruit.
Upon reaching the Temple, Jesus found it overrun by corrupt money changers. He overturned their tables, saying to them,
“It is written, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ” Luke 19:46 nkjv
On Monday evening, Jesus returned to Bethany. Monday’s events are chronicled in the Gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Holy Tuesday – Jesus Teaches Parables and Went to the Mount of Olives
Throughout the week, Jesus challenged the religious leaders at the Temple, teaching in parables, earthly stories with a heavenly meanings. He explained the greatest of the commandments, the widow’s offering, and the lawfulness of paying taxes. And he said to them,
“Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s ” Matthew 22:21 nkjv
The Pharisees and Sadducees tried to trap Him in His words and plotted against Him. Monday’s events are chronicled in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Holy Wednesday – Spy Wednesday
Scripture is quiet about what Jesus and the disciples did on Wednesday, but it is widely believed they rested from the previous days events and prepared for the Passover. It is also speculated that Judas agreed to betray Jesus at this point. The one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said,
“What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of Silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. Matthew 26:14-16 nkjv
Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. And the
chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the
people. Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered
among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and
captians, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to
give him money. Luke 22:1-5 nkjv
This is why some come to refer to Holy Wednesday as Spy Wednesday. Wednesday’s events are chronicled in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Maundy Thursday – The Last Supper, Betrayal, Prayer in the Garden
On Thursday, Jesus gathered with the disciples to share the Passover meal, known as the Last Supper. There Jesus said to them,
“With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Luke 22:15-16 nkjv
During the meal, He established the first Communion, teaching the disciples to take in His memory.
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:19-20 nkjv
After the Last Supper ended, Jesus sends Judas Iscariot off to complete the betrayal and to fulfill the
prophesy,
Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who at my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me. Psalms 41:9 nkjv
“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ John 13:18 nkjv
After dismissing Judas, Jesus starts washing the feet of each of the disciples, a humble service that
demonstrated the love each of them should have for each other.
Later, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane. Burdened with anticipation of His agony and suffering, He prayed fervently. His sweat fell like drops of blood as He surrendered to God’s will.
And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. Luke 22:44 nkjv
As Jesus exited the garden , Judas betrayed Him with a kiss for 30 pieces of silver. Thursday’s events are chronicled in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Good Friday - Trial, Crucifixion, and Burial
Early Friday morning, Judas so stricken with guilt over his actions, hangs himself. Jesus was put on trial under false accusations, under the watch of the governor, Pilate.
Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” And While He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Matthew 27:11-12 nkjv
He was mocked, whipped, ridiculed, and scourged. Pilate while not finding Jesus guilty of any crime, sided with the chief priests, the elders and the multitude they had persuaded to ask for Barabbas’, a notorious prisoner, release in exchange for Jesus’ persecution.
The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to
release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!” Matthew 27:21 nkjv
He was given a painful crown of thorns to wear as he was made to carry His cross to the skull, Calvary. There he was stripped of his clothes and nailed to the cross along with two criminals. Even as Jesus hung on the cross in agony, he still loved all mankind.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
Luke 23:34 nkjv
Joseph of Arimathea, secretly requested the body of Jesus from Pilate to which he was granted. Joseph and Nicodemus laid His Body in a tomb that had been hewed out of rock. Friday’s events are chronicled in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Silent Saturday - The Day of Silence
Holy Saturday-the day of silence-finds Jesus’ followers in grief and confusion. Jewish leaders request that Pilate to post guards so that Jesus’ followers cannot steal his body.
Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you
know how.” Matthew 27:65 nkjv
As His body rested in the tomb under the guard of Roman guards, Nicodemus brought a mixture of
myrrh, aloe and spices to prepare the body. The tomb was sealed with a stone. Saturday’s events are chronicled in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Resurrection! – The Empty Tomb and He is Risen, Indeed!
The dawn of Easter Sunday brings unimaginable joy. The Mary Magdalene finds stone that sealed the tomb rolled away and no body in the tomb. She fears his body has been stolen.
But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that
you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:6-6 nkjv
Shortly afterward near the tomb, Jesus reveals Himself to Mary Magdalene and hope bursts forth.
And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni” (which is to say teacher). John 20:12-16 nkjv
Next, Jesus revealed Himself to Mary the mother of James, Salome, and Joanna.
And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Matthew 28:9 nkjv
Jesus appears to Simon, Peter, in reassurance despite Peter’s denials of Jesus.
Saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Luke 24-34 nkjv
Again, He appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus.
So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and
went to them. Luke 24:14-15 nkjv
Later in the evening, Jesus made His last appearance of the day to eleven of the disciples. Only Thomas was missing.
Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. John 20:19-20 nkjv
The grave could not hold Him! Over the next 40 days, He appeared to others including a group of over 500. Without the resurrection, Christianity would have no meaning. The empty tomb reverberates through history, declaring that death is not the end. It declares that each person who professes their belief in Jesus as God’s only son will have eternal life.
In these sacred days, we get a glimpse of the depth of God’s love, the cost of redemption, and the promise of eternal life. Holy Week invites us to pause, reflect, and embrace the profoundness of the cross and the empty tomb.