The Last Week of Christ's Life

The Last Week of Christ’s Life

*While each of the gospels contains accounts of most of the events, only certain references are used here.

Palm Sunday

This is celebrated on the Sunday before Easter. 

Christ rode on a donkey into Jerusalem. This was symbolic because kings rode donkeys into cities. The people praised Jesus by waiving palm leaves, throwing down their coats for him to walk on, and shouting Hosanna (Matt 21:1-11), 

(John 12:12-19).

Monday

Jesus presents the parable of the fig tree (Matt 21:18-19). He cleans the temple and casts out the Money Changers for the second time during his ministry (Matthew 21:12-16).

Tuesday

Jesus went into the temple to teach the final public sermons of his mortal ministry. The Pharisees asked, “Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” Jesus shows them, a gold coin and says “Render what is Caesar’s unto Caesar, and render what is God’s unto God” (Luke 20:19-26).

Jesus presents these parables: 

Wicked Husbandmen (Matt 21:33-46, (Mark 12:1-12), (Luke 20:9-18).

The Parable of the Royal Marriage Feast (Matt 22:1-14).

The Widow’s Mite ( Mark 12:41-44), Luke 21:1-4).

The Ten Virgins (Matt 25:1-13)

The Entrusted Talents (Matt 25:14-30)

On this day Christ declares the purpose of His mission. 

(John 12:37-50), and gives the Great Commandment

(Matt 22:34-40), and Laments over Jerusalem (Matt 23:37-39). 

Jesus also foretells of his own betrayal and crucifixion-but no one, not even the disciples understood. The pharisees plot against Jesus, and Judas arranges the betrayal (Matthew 26:1-5 and 14-16).

Wednesday

There is no scripture record of Christ’s activities on this day.

Thursday

Arrangements are made for the Last Supper. 

During the Last Supper, Jesus washes the apostles’ feet

(John 13:1-20). Jesus then indicates the Betrayer, (Matthew 26:21-25, (Mark 14:18-21), (Luke 22:21-23) and his apostles ask, “Is it I, Lord?” Christ acknowledges that it’s Judas, but all the apostles, except Judas don’t understand who it is, or what is to come. Judas then leaves the room and the others think nothing of his leaving (John 13:27-30). Jesus then foretells his own death, but the apostles don’t understand (John 13:31-35).

Christ and his disciples have the fulfilling meal where Jesus introduces the sacrament (Matt 26:26-29)

& (Luke 22: 15-20). After the sacrament Jesus gives the disciples a new commandment, “...that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” 

(John 13:34-35).

Jesus and the apostles sing a hymn and then proceed to the Mount of Olives.

Then comes the Atonement in the garden of Gethsemene (Matthew 26:36-46) & (Luke 22:40-46). After

the Atonement, in the garden, Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss. Then Peter cuts off an ear of a guard,

Jesus heals it back instantly. Jesus is then arrested (Matt 26:47-56), (Mark 14:43-52), (Luke 22:47-53),

(John 18:2-12).

Friday

Once Jesus is arrested he is taken to the House of Annas for questioning for a small amount of time, then He is taken and questioned by Caiaphas. Around this time Peter denies knowing Jesus, just as Jesus predicted (Luke 22:55-62) and Judas Iscariot commits suicide by hanging himself from a tree.

The 30 pieces of silver (about the price of a slave) that he received for betraying Christ are on the ground.

Jesus then goes before Pilate then Herod, and then Pilate again (Luke 23:2-23). Pilate finds no wrong in Jesus and does not want to put Jesus to death, but the people cry out, “Crucify him!” Jewish tradition enables the releasing of one prisoner during Passover. 

Instead of releasing the innocent Jesus, they decide to set Barabbas, a murder and insurgent (Matt: 27: 26-30). Pilate washes his hands and sentences Jesus to be scourged and crucified (Matt 27:11-30), (Mark 15:20-23), (John 19:1-18).

To complete the abuse, Pilate prepared a sign and had it nailed on the cross above Jesus’s head. It was written in three languages: Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, with these words, “Jesus of Nazareth The King of the Jews” (John 19:19-22).

Once on the cross, Jesus speaks his first utterance from the cross, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34).The soldiers divide Jesus’s clothing while they mocked him. Then the second utterance (Luke 23: 39-43), and the third utterance (John 19:25-27). At this point darkness covers the earth.

Then Jesus speaks his fourth statement from the cross (Mark 15:34-35). Then the fifth (Matthew 27:48-49), and the sixth statement (John 19:30).Then around 3:00 in the afternoon Jesus says his final statement, “Father, into Thy Hands I commend my spirit...” and Jesus dies (Matthew 27:50).

A centurion then gives testimony by saying that Jesus was truly the Son of God (Matt :27:51-56).

After Jesus died his side was pierced with a sword to ensure that he was dead. Normally blood would

have come out, however, instead, water came out. This was fulfilling a prophecy (John 19:31-37). Jesus

was then taken to a tomb supplied by Joseph of Arimithia (John 19: 38-42).

Saturday

Guards were placed at the tomb. D&C 138 gives an account of what happened in the spirit world between His death and resurrection.

Easter Sunday

Early in the day Mary Magdalene and other devoted women brought spices and ointments for the body. They found the stone of the tomb was rolled away, and the guards gone. Jesus's body was also gone from inside the tomb. An angel appeared unto the women (Mark 16:1-18) and told them that he had risen, and to tell the disciples what had happened. 

Mary was the first to tell Simon Peter and John about the events. Peter and John then came to the tomb and saw the empty tomb (John 20:3-10).

After Peter and John went home, Mary wept outside the tomb. She saw two angels, and then Jesus.

Mary thought that Christ was the gardener and didn’t recognize him at first, but after recognizing him,

she called him “Rabboni”, which means master. Jesus told her to go and tell the apostles what she had seen (John 20:11-18). Christ then appeared to other women, while the chief priests were told of the resurrection by the guards guarding the tomb. (Matt 28:9-15).

Then comes the story of the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32). 

Shortly after Christ appeared to all the apostles except Thomas (Luke 24:33-49). Thomas saw Christ a week later. Forty days after his resurrection Jesus was taken up to heaven on a cloud accompanied by two angles dressed in white.

Not long after being in the middle Eastern part of the world. Christ goes and visits the Nephites in the Americas. A full account is given in 3rd Nephi in the Book of Mormon.