Historical Events of Easter Week

Here is an interesting look at the events of Easter week:

Sunday ~ Jews traveled to Jerusalem for Passover, a religious event commemorating the "passing over" of the Hebrews' first-born sons during the death plague in Egypt centuries earlier. Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, and a large crowd of people placed their cloaks and palm branches on the road as a royal carpet (hence the name "Palm Sunday").

Monday ~ Jesus visited the Temple in Jerusalem and became enraged by the money changers' presence and practices, which involved usury in their exchange rates. He overturned their tables and told them they were making his house of prayer into a den of robbers.

Tuesday ~ Jesus went to the Temple again, to teach and preach. The religious leaders of the day (the chief priests, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees) challenged Jesus with questions designed to create political evidence they could use against Him. They were unsuccessful due to Jesus' wise answers. They withdrew to plot his death.

Wednesday ~ The story now focuses on Judas, one of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus. He went to the chief priests who paid him 30 silver coins to betray Jesus to them.

Thursday ~ The first day of Passover, celebrated with a special meal called the Feast of Unleavened Bread, was the night of the famous "Last Supper" of Jesus with the twelve disciples. Later that night, Jesus led them to the Garden of Gethsamane to pray. Jesus grew increasingly burdened, aware of what was coming. Judas arrived with soldiers, and identified Jesus by greeting him with a brotherly kiss on the cheek. Jesus was immediately arrested. The disciples fled.

Friday ~ Through the wee hours of the early morning hours, Jesus was beaten and put under trial before religious and political leaders. By sunrise, Jesus was declared guilty of political crimes (being called "King of the Jews"). Penalty was death by Roman crucifixion. At 9am, Jesus was nailed to the cross. From noon to 3pm, the sun went dark for three hours. At 3pm, Jesus died. A tremendous earthquake broke open graves and tore the heavy curtain in the Temple signifying we can enter the Holy of Holies (God's presence) directly. After Jesus died, His body was wrapped in a linen cloth and sealed in a tomb with a large stone.

Saturday ~ The friends and disciples of Jesus grieved over Jesus' death. After urging by the religious leaders, Pilate gave them authority to place his seal upon the stone and assigned guards to the spot to prevent anyone from stealing the body.

Sunday ~ The third day of Jesus' death. At dawn, two of Jesus' followers, women, went to the tomb. An angel appeared, causing such great fear among the soldiers they "fell as dead men." The angel rolled back the huge stone from the tomb. Jesus' body was gone, and the angel announced, "He is risen." For the next forty days, Jesus was seen by hundreds of people, all documented in the Bible (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).