The time from Palm Sunday to Easter is known as “Holy Week.” Not only do we see a great turn of events in those days, from crowds celebrating Jesus’s arrival into Jerusalem to crowds calling for Jesus’s death, but we also see the ultimate turn of events that changes the course of all of history, including our lives – Jesus being dead and then being alive again!
The importance of the events that transpired in those days is reflected by the amount of space devoted to it in the New Testament. For example, the Gospel of Mark is 16 chapters, and six of those 16 chapters recounts what happens in the span of eight days (with the other 10 chapters covering the three years that Jesus ministered). While all four gospels discuss the events of this week, the Gospel of Mark is unique by essentially giving a day by day account. Here’s an overview of the events using Mark’s “day-by-day” account as the outline and drawing in additional details from the other gospels as we seek to remember not just what happened then but also the significance of these events.
Psalm Sunday
Mark 11:1-11 – also see Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19
One of the few events in Jesus’s ministry that all four gospels describe is what is known as his “Triumphant Entry,” when he enters Jerusalem on a colt with his disciples as the crowd puts cloaks and palm branches on the road and cry out for Jesus. Jesus’s arrival on this donkey is in contrast to those who thought he would come in on a warhorse and stand as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 (Matthew 21:5; John 12:15). The crowd’s exclamation declares Jesus to be the one who comes from the line of David, as the promised king. After his arrival, Jesus goes to the temple, looks around, and returns to Bethany where he will stay during this week (see Mark 11:11).
Holy Monday
Mark 11:12-19 – also see Matthew 21:12-19; Luke 19:45-48
While Mark, Matthew, and Luke all tell us about the events that transpire on Monday, Matthew tells it in a little different order and Luke only focuses on one element. Mark notes that when Jesus travels from Bethany back to Jerusalem on Monday, he sees what appears to be a fruit-bearing tree, but it actually has no fruit (Mark 11:12-13). He then says that no one will ever eat from this tree again (11:14). When Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, he halts traffic in the temple and drives out those who were buying and selling – overturning the tables of the money changers and pigeon vendors (11:16). Jesus defends his actions by quoting the Old Testament, saying the people have distorted the purpose of the temple since it was no longer a place of prayer but now a place of commerce (11:17). These two events (cursing the fig tree and making a mess of the temple) are connected, as Jesus shows that the temple rituals are like the fig tree – all “show” but no real fruit. The fig tree will no longer grow fruit, and Jesus will replace the temple sacrifices with the sacrifice of his life. After all this, Jesus and the disciples leave the city (11:19) while the chief priests and scribes look for a way to get rid of Jesus without causing a commotion (Mark 11:18; also see Luke 19:47-48).
Luke talks about the incident in the temple but does so only briefly (Luke 19:45-46) and doesn’t note the fig tree. Meanwhile, Matthew talks about the temple incident first (Matthew 21:12-17), noting many of the same details as Mark but also mentioning that Jesus heals those who could not see or walk (Matthew 21:14) and the indignation about the chief priests and scribes in connection to these actions and those of the previous day, including Jesus’s words defending their cries (Matthew 21:15-16); Jesus’s words of their defense have some similarity to what Luke tells us he said in their defense at the entry itself (see in Luke 19:39-40). Here we see how Matthew at times brings incidents that have happened on different days into the same account; this was a common way history writers would recount events to offer a more cohesive and clear narrative of what happens. Matthew does something similar concerning the fig tree, as he will link together the events that Mark notes happened on Monday and Tuesday into one account (see Matthew 21:18-22).
Holy Tuesday
Mark 11:20-13:37 – also see Matthew 21:20-25:46; Luke 20:1-21:28; maybe John 12:12-50
Mark notes that on the way back to Jerusalem, the disciples notice the tree that Jesus cursed withered overnight (11:20-21). Jesus uses this occasion to teach his disciples about faith and prayer (11:22-25) and then goes to Jerusalem (Matthew describes the cursing of the tree and its lack of fruit and Jesus’s teaching all together in Matthew 21:18-22). Here the authorities try to trap Jesus by asking him various questions (see Mark 11:27-12:34, Matthew 21:23-22:46; Luke 20:1-21:28). Most of these questions and incidents are found in Matthew and Luke as well as Mark (e.g., paying taxes to Caesar, whose wife a woman would be at the resurrection, David’s son), but there are also some parables that Jesus tells in this time that only appear in Matthew (21:28-32, 22:1-14). A parable that is included in Matthew, Mark, and Luke is the story about a master who sends out his “beloved son,” but that son is rejected and killed – this story points to Jesus’s death as the Son of God sent to his people (Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19). One incident that is in Matthew and Mark is the question about the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34); while this event is not in the book of Luke, the teaching of it is shared earlier in his gospel that features this call to love God and love your neighbor when he records the parable of the Good Samaritan (which is only in Luke).
Each gospel features some unique elements of Jesus’s teaching here, but all three of these gospels note that Jesus answered questions in a way that causes them not to ask him anymore (Matthew 22:46; Mark 12:34; Luke 20:40). All also note how Jesus then speaks out against the scribes, with Matthew noting that the Pharisees are included in this group in his much longer rebuke of them (see Matthew 23:1-36; Mark 12:37-44; Luke 20:45-21:4). That rebuke of their hypocrisy is then followed by the disciples’ talking about the temple, which leads Jesus to speak about its destruction and his return on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 24:1-25:36; Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36). Of these, Matthew’s is the longest as he includes a number of parables that Jesus spoke on this subject. Luke notes that this might not be the only day Jesus is teaching in this week (Luke 21:37-38). Potentially on this day (or earlier or later in the week), John tells us that some Greeks came to speak to Jesus and Jesus said words about his death (12:20-50). So, this day seems to be a day filled with teaching.
Holy Wednesday
Mark 14:1-11 – also see Matthew 26:1-16; Luke 22:1-6
After Jesus says these things (Matthew 26:1), the religious leaders plot to kill Jesus but recognize the challenge of it during Passover (Matthew 26:2-5; Mark 14:1-2; Luke 22:1-2). It was at this time that a woman comes to the house in Bethany where Jesus is staying and anoints his head with oil (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9). This odd event is preparation for Jesus’s burial (see Matthew 26:12-13; Mark 14:8-9). At this time, Judas decides he will betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6). There are not many other events that clearly happen on this particular day of this week, but it is likely that Jesus spent it in Jerusalem teaching (see Luke 19:47).
Maundy Thursday-Resurrection Sunday
We’ll explore what happens on these days in the next post.
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