A lenten reFlection - Key events of Holy Week
Since Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent we have been journeying with Jesus and his disciples to Jerusalem for the events of Holy Week and Easter. The events of Holy Week recount the Passion Narratives in the Gospels that describe the suffering (passio in Latin), death and burial of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week with Palm Sunday and with it our Lenten journey slows down and affords us a more detailed look at the last week of Jesus’ earthly life.
Here are the key events of Holy Week
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ ‘triumphal entry’ into Jerusalem where the Gospels tell us he was greeted with crowds waving palm branches and crying “‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’” (Mark 11:9-10).
In a few short days, these same voices that greet Jesus as Messiah and King will be the same voices that shout “Crucify him!” on Good Friday. Traditionally, worshipers will receive palm branches or palm crosses on Palm Sunday as a physical sign of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.
On Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about two miles east of Jerusalem. This is where Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead in last week’s Gospel lesson, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, lived. They were close friends, and probably hosted Jesus and his disciples during their final days in Jerusalem.
Monday
The following morning, Jesus and his disciples went back to Jerusalem. Along the way, he cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit. It is a curious story that has generated a lot of debate. Some scholars believe this represented God's judgment on the spiritually dead religious leaders of Israel. Others believe the symbolism extended to all believers, demonstrating that true faith is more than just outward religiosity; a living faith must bear spiritual fruit in our lives.
When Jesus arrived at the Temple, he found the courts crowded with money changers. He began overturning their tables and clearing the Temple, saying, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves" (Luke 19:46). This act generates even more dislike of Jesus among the religious leaders.
Tuesday
On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. They once again passed the withered fig tree, and Jesus spoke to his disciples about the importance of faith.
At the Temple, the religious leaders were angry with Jesus for establishing himself as a spiritual authority. They organized an ambush with the intent to place him under arrest. But Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them.
Later that afternoon, Jesus left the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which sits due east of the Temple mount and overlooks Jerusalem. Here Jesus shared an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the present age. He speaks in parables about the end of the age, His Second Coming and the final judgment. The Gospels tell us that this was also the day Judas Iscariot negotiated with the Sanhedrin, the rabbinical court, to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16).
After a day of confrontation and warnings about the future, Jesus and the disciples returned to Bethany to stay the night
Wednesday
The Bible doesn't say what Jesus did on the Wednesday of Holy Week. Scholars speculate that after two days in Jerusalem filled with controversy and confrontation, Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of the coming Passover.
What follows is the core of Holy Week – Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
Maundy Thursday
Maundy (Holy) Thursday marks the Last Supper that Jesus shares with his disciples, his betrayal by his disciple Judas Iscariot, and his arrest at the Garden of Gethsemane. Often Maundy Thursday services will include an act of foot washing, which commemorates Jesus washing the feet of his disciples as an act of service on the night of his arrest as recounted by the gospel of John (13:1-20).
The day reminds participants of the ‘new commandment’ (mandatum in Latin) that Jesus gave his disciples to love one another as he has loved them (John 15:12) – a love that is seen in Jesus willingly giving up his life on the cross on Good Friday.
Good Friday
Good Friday commemorates Jesus’ trial before Pilate, his sentence of death, his torture, and his crucifixion and burial. It is called ‘good’ Friday in the more ancient sense of the word ‘good’ – indicating something “holy” or “pious.” There is some irony in this since this day is the most somber day for followers of Jesus, when the suffering, death and burial of the Lord is remembered.
For many, Good Friday is a day of fasting and is marked with a church service which focuses on the key aspects of Jesus' last hours of his earthly life and his last words. The service is often called “Tenebrae” (Latin for ‘darkness’ or ‘shadows’), marked by the hearing of scripture readings while candles on a candelabrum are gradually extinguished, creating the sense of growing darkness. This darkness symbolizes the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples and the anguish and tragedy of his death.
Holy Saturday
On Saturday, which was the Sabbath, Jesus' body lay in the tomb, where it was guarded by Roman soldiers. When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Jesus’ body was treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus: "He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth." (John 19: 39-40)
Nicodemus, like Joseph of Arimathea, was a member of the Sanhedrin, the court that had condemned Jesus to death. Both had lived as secret followers of Jesus, afraid to make a public profession of faith because of their prominent positions in the Jewish community. Both were deeply affected by Christ's death. They came out of hiding, risking their lives because they had come to realize that Jesus was the Messiah. Together they cared for Jesus' body and prepared it for burial.
While his body lay in the tomb, Jesus paid the penalty for sin by offering a perfect sacrifice. He conquered death and in the process secured our salvation.
Easter Sunday
On Easter Sunday we reach the climax of Holy Week. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundational event of our faith.
Early Sunday morning, several women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Salome, and Mary the mother of James) went to the tomb and discovered that the large stone covering the entrance had been rolled away. They encountered an angel who announced: "Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen." (Matthew 28:5-6)
On this day, Jesus made at least five appearances. Mark's Gospel says the first person to see him was Mary Magdalene. Jesus also appeared to Peter, to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and later that day to all of the disciples except Thomas, while they were gathered in a house for prayer.
Christians mark Easter with celebratory worship services, some of which begin at sunrise in memory of the women who went to the tomb of Jesus when it was still dark and heard the angelic pronouncement. In worship we declare our joy at Jesus’ resurrection with an abundance of music and the celebration of Holy Communion.
There is a sacred rhythm to Holy Week as it moves from the enthusiastic shouts of ‘Hosanna’ to the somberness of Maundy Thursday, the horrors of
Jesus’ death on Good Friday, to the joyous celebration of the resurrection on Easter. It is a journey I hope you will make with us at St. Matthew’s.
In Christ,
Pastor John