The Final Days of Jesus’ Life

FIRST DAY

·      Jesus arrived at Jerusalem and rode through the city on a donkey. Those who knew Him greeted with shouts of “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Matthew 21:9)

·      He also went to the temple.

SECOND DAY

·      Jesus went to the temple again and made a lasting impact on Jewish religious leadership. He prevented merchandizing which challenged the leadership and said, “It is written My house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13).

THIRD DAY

·      Jesus went again to the temple but this time the priests challenged him by saying, “By what authority doest thou these things? (Matthew 21:23) but Jesus responds with parables and announces them as hypocrites.

·      At this point the Savior only teaches the 12 not the public.

·      The priests begin plotting to bring down Jesus to prevent a riot against them.

FOURTH DAY

·      Jesus is aware of the plot against him and stays away from the priests. This day is silent in the scriptures (not written).

FIFTH DAY

·      Jesus introduced the Sacrament to the twelve and announced that someone would betray him. He offered the intercessory prayer and later went to the Garden with Peter, James, and John.

·      He pleaded with the Father and suffered the pain of all men.

·      Judas approached Jesus and seized him to an illegal trial that night.

SIXTH DAY

·      Jesus was charged on two crimes. The first blasphemy for saying He was the Son of God. Second was sedition of the state for claiming to be the “king of the Jews” where Pilate examined Jesus. He found Jesus guiltless but the crowd was so insistent that Pilate gave in and agreed to crucify Jesus.

·      He was crucified and buried later that night because the next day was Sabbath.

SEVENTH DAY

·      This was the Jewish Sabbath. Jesus’ body remained in the tomb, but in spirit he ministered in the realm of departed spirits. (See 1 Peter 3:18–20.)

DAY OF RESURRECTION

·      Had the gospel ended with Jesus’ burial, there would be no gospel story, no “good news.” The great message of these testators is that Jesus was risen and was seen again by many witnesses. On the first day of the week, the most memorable Sunday in history, Jesus Christ emerged alive from the tomb, and appeared before Mary. The testimony of these witnesses constitutes the gospel story, the “good news.”

·      “These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” (John 20:31.)