The Final Week of Jesus' Life, a Chronology

NewTheologicalMovement.blogspot.com ^ | Mach 2012 | Father Ryan Erlenbush

[Salvation]

The final week of Jesus' life, a chronology

Father Ryan Erlenbush

Mach 2012

 

As the Church prepares to enter into Holy Week, we do well to consider the final week of Jesus’ life, from Friday to Friday. In a later post, we will look at the last twenty-four hours (from the Last Supper to the death of Jesus on the Cross) in greater detail.

It will be helpful to review the Gospel accounts given by Sts. Mark and John, the two who offer the most explicit chronology of Holy Week. See Mark 11:1 – 15:37 and also John 11:54 – 19:30.

 

The Friday before the Passion

Jesus was in the city of Ephraim, in hiding since the Jewish authorities desired to kill him. On this day (before evening), Jesus and his disciples went up to Jerusalem, before the pasch to purify themselves (John 11:55).

They spent the night in Bethany, which is very close to Jerusalem.

Saturday before the Passion

Jesus therefore, six days before the pasch, came to Bethania, where Lazarus had been dead, whom Jesus raised to life. And they made him a supper there: and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that were at table with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. (John 12:1-3)

The pasch (i.e. Passover) was on a Thursday that year (beginning Thursday eve with the Passover Meal), and so six days before, that is, on Friday, Jesus came to Bethany.

The next day, which is to say, Saturday, Jesus came to the feast there and was anointed by Mary of Bethany (that is, Mary Magdalene [here]). In this first anointing, Mary pours the oil over the Savior’s feet.

This meal and anointing occurred, most probably, at the house of Lazarus known as the Lazarium.

Our Savior spent the night in Bethany.

Palm Sunday

And on the next day, Sunday (John 12:12), Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem upon an ass and upon a colt, the foal of an ass. This was the first Palm Sunday, when the children of the Hebrews bearing olive branches went forth to meet the Lord, crying out and saying, “Hosanna in the highest!”

Our Lord returned to Bethany for the night.

Monday of Holy Week

On the way into Jerusalem, Jesus sees a fig tree which has born no fruit – which tree he curses in the presence of his disciples.

Upon entering the city, our Lord goes up and cleanses the Temple for the second time (he had cleansed it once already, two years ago – cf. John 2:13ff [see our article, here]).

That eve, Jesus returned to Bethany (cf. Mark 11:19).

Tuesday of Holy Week

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus’ disciples notice that the fig tree which he had cursed the morning before has now withered. They are amazed.

Entering the Temple area, Jesus preaches extensively and answers the questions of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

It is on this day that our Lord tells the parable of the vineyard workers who kill the owner’s son who is the heir to the vineyard. Also, on this occasion, the Lord answers the questions regarding the tribute to Caesar, the resurrection of the body, the greatest commandment, and whether the Christ will be the son of David.

Further, while in the Temple, our Lord sees a widow offer two small coins and declares her gift to be greater than those of the others.

Finally, Jesus foretells the destruction of the Temple and speaks of the final judgment.

He returns that night to Bethany.

Spy Wednesday

Now the feast of pasch and of the Azymes [i.e. Unleavened Bread] was after two days [i.e. in two days' time] ... and when [Jesus] was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, and was at meal, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of precious spikenard: and breaking the alabaster box, she poured it out upon his head. (Mark 14:1,3)

Spending the day in retirement, our Lord attends a feast at the house of a certain Pharisee, Simon the Leper. During this meal, Mary of Bethany (i.e. the Magdalene [here]) again anoints our Lord, but this time upon his head.

Update: I am aware of the fact that there is a good deal of diversity among the Church Fathers on whether Mary anointed Jesus on Spy Wednesday. I side partially with Origen, Chrysostom, and Theophylus (against Augustine and Gregory) in affirming that there were two anointings, one on Saturday and another on Wednesday; but then agree with Augustine and Gregory (against Origen and Chrysostom) insofar as I claim that there was one and the same woman, Mary of Bethany who is the Magdalene. St. Thomas Aquinas did not come down on one side or the other of the question, so there is clearly room for doubt.

Update II: As I consider this further, I am beginning to lean more toward the side of Sts. Augustine and Gregory. Perhaps there was only one anointing (which would then be on Saturday) and Sts. Matthew and Mark mention it here as a way of connecting the betrayal of Judas more clearly with the incident.

Judas is now set against our Savior, and so goes to the priests to betray Jesus. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, to betray him to them. (Mark 14:10)

Because it was this evening that Judas conspired against Jesus, the day is called “Spy Wednesday”.

Holy Thursday

Now on the first day of the unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the pasch, the disciples say to him: Whither wilt thou that we go, and prepare for thee to eat the pasch? (Mark 14:12)

Because the Passover meal would be consumed Thursday evening, Jesus sent his disciples to make the preparations for the pasch. They went from Bethany to Jerusalem and prepared the upper room.

On this evening, Jesus offered the Last Supper in which he instituted both the Eucharist and the Priesthood. Upon finishing the meal, our Lord and his apostles (excepting Judas, who left early) sang a hymn and then went forth to the Mount of Olives.

On this night, our Lord suffered the agony in the garden and was arrested. Jesus spends the night locked in the dungeon of the house of Caiaphas, after undergoing a secret night-trial by the Sanhedrin.

Good Friday

It was on Friday that our Lord suffered and died. Condemned to death at 10am, nailed to the Cross at noon, and dying at 3pm.

Christ was buried before 5pm and, the stone being rolled across the entrance, all departed.

 

[editor-surveyor]

>> “How do we get two Sabbaths with what our Sovereign says to Ezekiel above?” <<

Passover is technically not a “Sabbath,” but a “High Day.”

Passover after the crucifixion was on the 5th Biblical day of the week, and he was embalmed on the 6th Biblical day, after being in the tomb for the entire 5th day. He arose at the end of the 7th day as the sun set.

[fatima]

What about the Passion of Our Lord.

[editor-surveyor]

The new moon was 14 days earlier.

[editor-surveyor]

What does the scripture say about it?

[delchiante]

Passover is on the 14th day of the first month.

This actually is good timing as the Jewish feasts tie with a Gregorian calendar month of April this year..

New moon was sighted on mach 31 2014- that makes the next day, the new moon day.. so, with Ezekiel 46 and the word as our guide
April 1 2014- new moon day- day one of God’s month. (This was a gregorian Tuesday)
April 2-7th - six working days.
April 8- seventh day sabbath.. (eight day of month) a Gregorian Tuesday
April 9-14- six working days- passover was on the 14th at evening
April 15- seventh day sabbath and feast of unleavened bread (15th day of month) a Gregorian Tuesday
April 16-21- six working days
April 22- seventh day sabbath (22nd day of month) a Gregorian Tuesday
April 23-28- six working days
April 29- seventh day sabbath (29th day of month) a Gregorian Tuesday

.. what you are witnessing this Gregorian April is God’s calendar... every new moon begins a new month..

You can see the 14th is a prep day.. every month, and the 15th is a sabbath... every month...

No cancellations.. no postponement rules...

If the sabbath is a Gregorian Tuesday for four weeks, it could a Gregorian wednsday the next...

Question for all.. if you truly worship in sprit and truth, can you see how the Gregorian pollutes His holy days and His feasts..

Have you been working on His sabbath? Or enjoying your own sabbath?

There is a choice.. and it may cost you a job, church life, maybe a career or failing some classes in school.
How much vacation time does one get to take five tuesdaya off at one time and then five wednesdays or thrusdays the next..

The world system is not His... and you get a glimpse of it... right here wthbthis Gregorian April, mapped out perfectly because of the next moon day being April 1... April fools day on the Gregorian calendar..

Conterfeitting time is one of Satan’s greatest achievements.. even the veryelect follow after the beast..

I pray all can see this as an opportunity to actually read and understand His timekeeping..
And flee the counterfeiting that has occurred with the gregorian and any other calculated calendar..
Sun, moon stars.. same today... same tomorrow... same always..

I am not saying the Jews are accurate on their timing of this feast as their is some evidence that it should be next month.but the days are in Leviticus and are the same,e next month too..14th day of the month is always preparation day..
15th is always a sabbath..

And there is a reason He never names days, but numbers them...

Ask, seek and knock...

[Errant]

Passover is on the 14th day of the first month.

This can be confusing to those who don't understand that the next day begins at sundown. So while its true that Passover begins on the 14th day in our western way of thinking, sundown begins the next day (i.e., the 15th day), and when Passover begins. :-)

[Errant]

I am not saying the Jews are accurate on their timing of this feast as their is some evidence that it should be next month.

There are thirteen months in the Hebrew calendar this year. It's how the leap year is done.

[delchiante]

My thought is with Aries, the Ram/lamb constellation. The sun is still in Pisces and won’t be in Aries until later this month..

Jewish folks like Josephus and philo have noted that passover was always when the sun was in Aries., the Ram
And that would mean the seventh month would be in Libra, the scales.

The wobble of the earth has changed the constellation sign’s timing now with Pisces holding the equinox..

Could very well be God’s design or maybe the growing seasons have changed a little so that their is more harvesting done in late October/november...
Seems odd that feast of tabernacles could be over and the Jewish famers are out in the fields a month or two after it, bringing in their ‘ingathering’ after celebrating it...

[verga]

What we know for sure is that Yeshua rose at sundown, at the beginning of the first day of the Biblical week. protestants don't read the Bible.

Fixed it for you.

[verga]

Did you miss the whole word “Gutenberg” in my question? LOL!

Answering you question would prove the Catholic Church correct, and that can never be allowed to happen, on even one single item.

[Biggirl]

....You really mean Friday’s crucifixion of Jesus.

[Biggirl]

Thank-you and God Bless.

[Iscool]

You really mean Friday’s crucifixion of Jesus.

If Jesus was buried for 3 days and 3 nights, that would be impossible if he rose on Sunday...How do you account for that???

[Biggirl]

Here is your answer, done:

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/when-precisely-did-jesus-die-the-year-month-day-and-hour-revealed

[null and void]

Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Eh? He was crucified where???

[Iscool]

Here is your answer, done:

That's a non answer...It says nothing about 3 days and 3 nights...

Apparently the Catholic religion has to ignore the scriptures to continue on with its customs...

[Biggirl]

I go with Mr. Akin’s position in which he goes into in-depth study on this subject. Any thing else is just pure speculation.

[Biggirl]

This is the full answer to this question, from last year:

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/when-precisely-did-jesus-die-the-year-month-day-and-hour-revealed

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

that’s crazy talk??

LOL, i notice no quotes are given from anyone claiming to be a Christian in the first few hundred years in Church history claiming Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday. the silence is deafening....................

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

i asked for one, and wasn’t given any.

please tell me chapter and verse where anyone was told to keep the sabbath after Jesus rose from the dead or chapter and verse of any Christian keeping the sabbath.

chapter and verse - _________________________

something tells me that line will stay blank, we’ll see.