1. Holy Week - overview
● Palm Sunday
● Cleansing of the Temple
● The Last Supper
● Prayer and Betrayal in Gethsamane
● Trial and mockery
● Crucifixion
● Resurrection
2. Jerusalem
● capital of the Jewish state, and holy city of the Jews
● site of the Hebrew temple and council of Jewish priests and leaders
● under Roman rule
in J’s time
3. Palm Sunday — Jesus’ triumphal entry
● J. arrives in Jerusalem, knowing he will be killed
● arrives on a donkey — humble and peaceful, not proud and war-like
● crowds cheer, hail him as the Messiah (chosen leader)
● palms and cloaks thrown down for him to ride on
4. Jesus cleanses the Temple — Mark 11:15-19
1. What happens?
○ throws out corrupt, greedy
traders
2. Why might it be important?
○ reforming the religion - Israel has
lost its way
○ moral challenge to religious
leaders
○ shows J. angry
Caravaggio, 1610; Source
5. The Last Supper — Mark 14:12-25
1. What happens?
○ farewell to friends
○ foretells J’s betrayal by Judas
○ foretells his sacrifice
○ uses symbols - bread and wine
2. Why might it be important?
○ food - essential to life
○ the completeness of J’s sacrifice for us
○ J’s acceptance of his betrayal
Leonardo da Vinci, 1520; Source
6. Prayer & Betrayal in Gethsemane - Mark 14:32-50
1. What happens?
○ J. and disciples pray in garden
○ disciples sleep - J. confronts his
future suffering
○ Judas and soldiers arrive, J
arrested
2. Why might it be important?
○ shows J. deeply human - afraid
and alone
○ weakness of disciples - sleep
○ J doesn’t fight
Veronese, 1584; Source
7. Jesus’ trial and mockery - Mark 14:53-65; 15:1-20
1. What happens?
○ J. interrogated by council of Jewish priests
○ J. accused of the worst blasphemy (saying something that is
intolerable in a religion) — demand crucifixion
○ Roman governor, Pilate, tries to understand why priests want J.
executed (rather than Barabas, a murderer) — can’t.
○ Pilate keeps the crowd happy — ‘washes his hands’ of the matter
○ mocked, humiliated, beaten
2. Why is it important?
○ J. does not try to persuade, or back down - courage, dignity
○ J’s suffering — God has experienced what we experience
Grunewald, 1505; Source
8. Jesus’ crucifixion
1. What happens?
○ J. carries cross through city to Golgotha
○ nailed to cross, mocked by crowd
○ dialogue with crucified thieves
○ dies - earthquake, darkness, temple veil
torn
2. Why is it important?
