As we embark
on the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, I believe as Christians it’s
important to reflect on the events leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross on
Good Friday and rising from the dead two days later.
Halley’sBible Handbook has a nice overview of the life of Jesus. In Period 7 of 8, it provides summary
information regarding the events of his last week, movements on his last night,
the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection.
Below are
two excerpts:
The Last Week of Jesus’ Life on Earth1
Saturday: Arrives
in Bethany (John 12:1)
Sunday: The
Triumphal Entry as Jesus weeps over Jerusalem
Monday: The
fig tree cursed. Merchants are thrown
out of the temple
Tuesday:
Jesus’ last day in the temple, Judas bargains with the priests (or next day)
Wednesday:
Day of quiet at Bethany
Thursday:
The Last Supper and agony at Gethsemane
Friday:
Trial and crucifixion
Sunday:
Jesus rises from the dead
Jesus Resurrection2
If the four
accounts of the Resurrection had all been identical, we might suspect that the
four Gospel writers all used a single, agreed –upon story. As it is, the four accounts bear all the
marks of eyewitness accounts of an over-whelming experience.
A glance at the
accounts as presented in the four Gospels shows how different the perspective
of each is.
Matthew:
The women visit
the tomb
Jesus
appears to the women
The guards
are bribed
Jesus
appears to the Eleven in Galilee
Mark:
The woman
visit the tomb
Jesus
appears to Mary Magdalene
Jesus
appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Jesus
appears to the Eleven in Jerusalem on the first evening
The
Ascension
Luke:
The women visit
the tomb
Peter runs
to the tomb
Jesus
appears to the two; and to Peter
Jesus
appears to the Eleven in Jerusalem on the first evening
Final
appearance, 40 days later
The
Ascension
John:
Mary
Magdalene visits the tomb
Peter and
John run to the tomb
Jesus
appears to Mary Magdalene
Jesus
appears to the Eleven on the first evening; Thomas is absent
Jesus
appears to the Eleven a week later; Thomas is present
Jesus
appears to the Seven at the Sea of Galilee
God Bless,
Footnotes:
1: Halley’s Bible Handbook with the
New International Version p. 539
2: Ibid p. 542
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