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.

 

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

hmm, i didn’t call you a liar, that is not allowed by the RM on this site.

i merely asked if anyone worships Dagon today? and if not, is accusing someone of doing it bearing false witness?

i can’t research continuation of pagan rituals if they aren’t going on, can i? if pagan rituals are going on, let’s see the proof.........

finally, i am happy to discuss the observance of Easter, what do you want me to say?

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

I have never read the NT, where do you get that from?

but since you have read the NT, you should be able to show me just ONE VERSE, that shows anyone was instructed to keep the 7th day sabbath AFTER Jesus rose from the dead or anyone claiming to be a Christian kept the 7th day sabbath AFTER Jesus rose from the dead.

Just one verse, just one.......

cue the crickets..............

[LurkingSince'98]

They never wrote about anything else but the sabbaths and the feasts.

ahem, all through Acts they didn’t say ‘sabbath’ they said ‘the Lord’s day’ for example if Paul said ‘sabbath’ they would have all scratched their collective noggins.

AMDG

[delchiante]

they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his CUSTOM was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures.

And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.”

And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.”

 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”[a]

Blessed are those who do His commandments,[b] that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.But[c] outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

But pray you that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day:”

If you love me, you will keep my commandments..

And one from a prophet popular with christias, Isaiah:

Isaiah 66:22-23 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.”

[editor-surveyor]

>> ahem, all through Acts they didn’t say ‘sabbath’ <<

.
Totally wrong!

Here are a few that come to memory from Acts:

Acts 1:12

Acts 13:14

Acts 13:42

Acts 13:44

Acts 15:21

Acts 16:13

Acts 17:2

Acts 18:4

Don’t those count?
.

[editor-surveyor]

There are hundreds of verses, but Acts 15:21 is where the council of Jerusalem advised that the new converts would hear Moses read “every Sabbath Day” in their synagogue.

That was the specific reason given why the apostles shouldn’t lay a long list of commandments on them, but the daily basics of avoiding blood and food offered to idols.
.

[LurkingSince'98]

in those versus they were preaching to Jews to convert them - of course those say ‘sabbath’ when else would they have met the men in the synagogue? on Wednesday night for Mah-jong?

When they were speaking about themselves meeting together they said ‘they met on the Lord’s Day’ and I believe if you go back to the original Greek - they never referred to their own meeting for the Eucharist on the ‘sabbath’.

AMDG

[editor-surveyor]

The Gutenberg was not for the people, but the wealthy and powerful.

A years wage wouldn’t have bought a Gutenberg for a working man.

That situation didn’t change until the KJV and Douay were produced, at which time a year’s wage would just about do it.

[Salvation]

Nevertheless, what Bible was printed?

[editor-surveyor]

You really don’t get it, do you!

They almost always were preaching to either Jews, or to Israelites. That was who Yeshua came to save (Matthew 10:6, 15:24)

The only others that would be preached to would be “those that sojourn with them” (the House of Israel).

That is the whole story, whether you like it or not.

In all liklihood, you are one of the lost sheep of the house of Israel yourself.
.

[editor-surveyor]

If I remember correctly, it would have been the Vulgate, which the ‘church’ had often tried to supress.

[Salvation]

LOL! Those all talk about Paul and his companions speaking with the Jews — not the Christians.

[LurkingSince'98]

whatever

[editor-surveyor]

All of the “christians” were either Jews (as all of the apostles were) or Israelites from Asia Minor to Spain at that time.

Also, the followers of Yeshua never called themselves “christians.” That moniker was hung on a few of them later in a pagan town where Christos might have been substituted for Messiach, as the apostles called him.
.

[editor-surveyor]

You really didn’t know to whom Yeshua was sent?

What could possibly be more significant?
.

[Alex Murphy]

Listen this thread was started by a Catholic in honor of Holy Week until you decided to come and pee in the soup. Not interested in what a protestant who probably Home Churches himself thinks. You may be confusing me with someone who cares what you think.

You still here?

[Iscool]

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.

No, anything else is actual bible study...

And even Akin can't deal with the 3 days and 3 night...He doesn't even bother to mention it...

So apparently no Catholic can deal with what the scriptures say about the issue...Why not just admit it???

And this from your Catholic expert:

There are a number of ways of resolving this. For example, some have suggested that Jesus and his disciples used a different calendar than the Jewish authorities, and we know that there were different calendars in use in first century Judaism.

It's also possible that Jesus just advanced the date of the Passover celebration for him and his disciples. I mean, they were already convinced he was the Messiah and the Son of God. If he says, "We're celebrating Passover today," and it's a day earlier than most people, they'd just go with that.

Why doesn't he just admit that his theory doesn't line up with scripture and he has no idea how to work it out...Pitiful...

[Iscool]

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.

If you Catholics would bother to read the scriptures, and believe them, you would see that everyone still kept the Sabbath after the Resurrection of Jesus...

It was with Paul's revelation of the church that the Sabbath wasn't spoken of again in the church Epistles...What was said is:

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Col 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

I don't even have to comment on these scriptures because they are so plain and clear that no one could misunderstand what it says...

[Iscool]

ahem, all through Acts they didn’t say ‘sabbath’ they said ‘the Lord’s day’ for example if Paul said ‘sabbath’ they would have all scratched their collective noggins.

Not in my bible they didn't...Point us to a scripture not in Revelation that says Lord's day...