Passion Week

The final days before Jesus’ death are filled with action, intrigue, drama, teaching, compassion, and passion. We know from the Gospels much of what Jesus did and said during the week preceding his crucifixion.

Jesus Final Six Days before His Crucifixion[1]

Saturday marked the end of a grueling ministry for Jesus as he journeyed from Galilee to Jerusalem for the Passover. His encounters with people, miracles, and prediction of his crucifixion during this are detailed in the four gospels, beginning in Matthew 19:1, “When Jesus had finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea ….. The corresponding passages from the other three gospels begin in Mark 10:1, Luke 18:15 and John 10:22.

Saturday. March 28, AD 33.

As he neared the end of his journey to Jerusalem, on Saturday evening, March 28 AD 33, Jesus was honored at a dinner given by a Pharisee. [Matt 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 7:36-50 and John 12:1-8]

·       Hosted by a Pharisee

·       In the home of Simon, the Leper.

·       Lazarus was present.

·       Martha served.

·       Mary (probably the Mary from whom Jesus removed the evil spirits earlier) anointed His feet with expensive perfume.

Some of the attendees at the banquet complained about Mary “wasting the expensive perfume” on Jesus' feet – “She should have sold the perfume and given the money to feed the poor.” Judas, who was the treasurer of the Apostles voiced these sentiments. The Bible reveals that Judas was skimming money from the treasury for his benefit. Jesus rebuked the disciples and Judas, telling them, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial.  For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” John 12:7-8'

This incident convinced Judas that Jesus was not the Messiah, and he went to the chief priest to make a deal to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Judas, who had no conscience, returned to the disciples and remained a part of the group through the early evening the following Thursday.

Also, on Saturday, the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus, whom Jesus had earlier raised from the dead.

Prayer

Father, thank you for including the story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet in the Bible. I pray that each of us is reminded of the glory of Jesus when we read this story because he is worthy of everything we claim as our own. Keep us from becoming greedy and inward-focused like Judas. Do not let us deny your Son who is our Savior and Lord.

---