New Testament Class, Week 8, Student Choice Assignment

Choice 1: Overview of the Last Week of the Savior’s Mortal Ministry

Read the information in the institute student manual about “The Last Days of Jesus’ Mortal Mission” (pgs. 135–37). Then fill in the following chart with key events that took place during the Savior’s final week of mortality:

Day 1: Jesus rode a donkey through Jerusalem. A “very great multitude” who knew him to be “the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee” placed palm branches in his way and greeted him with a hosanna shout: “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” He went directly to the temple, and took note of what he saw and retired to Bethany for the night. 
Day 2: Jesus went again to the temple and challenge the Jewish religious leadership. He drove from the outer court area of the temple those who were trading and making money exchange from foreign currency. As he cleared the temple courts, he said, “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” That evening Jesus returned to Bethany.

Day 3: Jesus came to the temple. The priests challenged him. Jesus responded by relating a series of parables that offended the religious leaders of the Jews. The scribes and Pharisees challenged him again; Jesus openly denounced them and condemned them as hypocrites. From this point on, Jesus did not teach the public, but only the Twelve. The Jewish leaders consulted together how they might bring about Jesus’ death. One of Jesus’ own disciples offered to betray him.

Day 4: Jesus knew of the plot. He spent the day outside the city, perhaps at Bethany. 

Day 5: Jesus held the Passover meal in a home privately reserved for him and the Twelve. Following the Passover meal, Jesus introduced the sacrament, which presaged his atoning sacrifice. He then prophesied of his death and indicated who would betray him (Judas). Jesus offered his great intercessory prayer. Then, with the eleven (Judas had left), Jesus led them outside the walls to Gethsemane. Then he took Peter, James, and John with him, he went further into the Garden where he then left those three and went off by himself to pray. Jesus suffered “the pain of all men”, he bleed from every pore. He rejoined his apostles. An armed band led by Judas approached Jesus to seize him. Jesus was brought to an illegal trial that night.

Day 6: The Jewish leaders were not content that Jesus should be put to death; they also wanted to discredit him before his own people. The leaders arranged to have Jesus charged with two crimes. The first was blasphemy, a capital offense under Jewish law. He was unanimously convicted of this charge because he said he was the Son of God. The second charge was of sedition against the state, because he claimed to be a “king of the Jews.” Though Pilate’s examination found Jesus guiltless of the charge, the Jewish leaders had incited the crowd to “destroy Jesus.” Fearing a demonstration, Pilate gave in to the clamor to crucify Jesus, and the death sentence was pronounced. Jesus was executed by the brutal Roman practice of crucifixion. Later that afternoon he voluntarily gave up his spirit. Since the next day was the Passover, before nightfall, Jesus’ body was removed from the cross and buried in a sealed tomb by two revering disciples.

Day 7 (Sabbath):  Jesus’ body remained in the tomb, but in spirit he ministered in the realm of departed spirits.

Day of the Resurrection: Jesus was risen and was seen again by many witnesses. The testimony of these witnesses constitutes the gospel story, the “good news.” Had the gospel ended with Jesus’ burial, there would be no gospel story, no “good news.”