Lesson 5 Unit 1 Events Leading Up to the Crucifixion

This assignment was to record the important events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. My source was "The Life and Teachings of Jesus & His Apostles".

Day One     Jesus arrives in Jerusalem.

He rides through the city gate on a donkey.

Large multitude that believed him paved his way with palm branches and greeted him with the Hosanna shout.

He went to the temple, took note of activity and retired to Bethany.

Day Two     Jesus arrived at the temple to challenge Jewish leadership by clearing the grounds of money ex-changers.  He told them his house was a house of prayer.

Jesus retired to Bethany for the night.

Day Three      Upon arrival at the temple Jesus is confronted by priests questioning his actions and authority of the previous day.

Jesus responds with parables which offend the Jewish religious leaders.

Scribes and Pharisees challenge him. Jesus openly denounces them as hypocrites.

From this point forward Jesus teaches only the Twelve.

The Jewish leaders continued to conspire to put Jesus to death.  They realized it would be tricky, they did not want a riot during the Passover. The problem was solved when Judas, one of the Twelve offered to betray him.

Day Four     Jesus knows o f the plot to kill him.

Gospel writers do not mention the activity of Jesus on this day. He was probably outside the city.

Day Five      Jesus and the Twelve are together for the Passover meal in a home. Jesus introduces a new ordinance, the sacrament. He foretells of his death and indicates the one who will betray him.  

Jesus offers the intercessory prayer. Then he leads them to the Garden of Gethsemane, which is outside the city walls. He takes Peter, James, and John further into the Garden, then leaves them to go further by himself to pray. He prayed to his Father that the cup might be passed from him, but would drink the bitter cup if need be. Jesus suffered the pain of all men, the agony so intense he bled from every pore.

Sometime later he rejoined the apostles.

An armed band led by Judas came to arrest Jesus.

He did not resist arrest. In the dark of night he was taken to an illegal trial.

 Day Six     The Jewish leaders wanted to put Jesus to death, at the same time discredit him in front of his believers. To accomplish this they charged him with two crimes. First was blasphemy, which was a capital offense. He was convicted of this for stating he was the Son of God. This conviction would discredit him, but did not carry the death sentence, only the Roman governor to levy that punishment. To accomplish this he was charged with sedition against the state for claiming to be “king of the Jews”. Pilate found Jesus guiltless, but the Jewish leaders led the crowds to desire his destruction. Pilate feared a riot and gave in to the pressure and pronounced the death sentence, “Crucify him”. Jesus was brutally executed by crucifixion.  In the afternoon he voluntarily gave up his life. Passover began as sundown and the Jewish leaders did not want a body on the cross on the Sabbath. Jesus was taken from the cross and sealed in the tomb by two disciples.

Day Seven     It is the Jewish Sabbath. Jesus body is in the tomb. His spirit is visiting the spirit world.

Day of Resurrection     Jesus is resurrected from the dead and is seen by many witnesses. The testimony of the witnesses is that he lives. This is the good news of the gospel.