Next week is Holy Week, the church’s annual commemoration of Jesus’ life just before the Resurrection. This year, the Bishop’s Blog will feature a guest post each day. Each writer will provide a short devotional thought for each day of Holy Week. All the devotionals will be linked from this post, so you can bookmark it if you like.
If you’d like to coordinate your reading of the Gospel accounts for each day, one harmony of the events with the Scriptures is below.
Palm Sunday
Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, to the praise of the crowds. He spends the night with Lazarus and his sisters, in Bethany.
Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:1-14
Holy Monday
Jesus returns to the city from Bethany. He curses the fig tree on the way, and he weeps for Jerusalem. When he arrives in the city, he visits the Temple and clears out the moneychangers and merchants.
Matthew 21:12-20; Mark 11:11-33; John 12:1-14
Holy Tuesday
Jesus teaches the disciples about faith, using the withered fig tree as His object lesson. He pronounces a series of woes before leaving the city. On the way to Bethany, he delivers the “Olivet Discourse.” Judas bargains with some of the Jewish leaders to betray Jesus.
Matthew 21:20-23:39; Mark 11:20-12:44
Holy Wednesday (sometimes called Spy Wednesday)
The Scriptures are silent about this, but Judas likely planned his betrayal on this day (which is why some call the day “Spy Wednesday”).
Luke 22:1-6; Mark 14:1-11
Maundy Thursday (from the Latin mandatum, “command; Jesus gave a “new command” to His disciples)
Jesus eats the Passover meal with His disciples (the Last Supper). He prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, and then Judas arrives to betray Him. Jesus’ first trial takes place at the High Priest’s House. Peter denies Jesus.
Mark 14:12-72; Luke 22:7-52; John 13-17, 19:1-16
Good Friday
Jesus is tried before Pilate, who condemns Him to scourging and crucifixion. Jesus is crucified, speaks “seven last words” from the Cross, and dies in the afternoon. He is buried by Joseph of Arimathea.
Holy Saturday
Scripture is silent, other than the guard set at the tomb. Jesus’ disciples go into hiding.
Matthew 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; John 19:38-42
Easter Sunday (Feast of the Resurrection)
Jesus’ disciples find the tomb empty. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, the Ten, and then again to the Eleven (including Thomas)
Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-7; John 20:1-21:31
