I’ve always found the time before Easter Sunday to be such a great time of praise and worship. I also find it to be heart wrenching when I actually think about what Jesus went through during this week which started on Friday when He arrived in Bethany.
He knew He would die at the appointed time. Two months before the Passover Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead and they knew that the chief priests and Pharisees wanted to kill them both. (John 11:18-57). Even though Jesus knew He would die on the cross eventually, He also knew this wasn’t the appointed time and so stayed away from Jerusalem until the time of Passover. He started out for Jerusalem six days before Passover (John 12:1). He had dinner at Simon’s house and this was the evening that Mary anointed Jesus on His head and feet.
Saturday was the Sabbath and so nothing is recorded of Jesus’ activity that day. On Sunday Jesus, Peter and John are headed to Jerusalem. Jesus asks them to go to Bethphage to bring Him a colt of a donkey that had never been ridden. Riding on a colt was a statement of meekness. Jesus even kept the mother of the colt was with them so the colt could stay with his mother!
All of the events of the triumphal entry on Sunday (Palm Sunday) correspond with the symbolic events of Passover. He is the Lamb of God being set aside for sacrifice.
On Tuesday, the last day of His public ministry and His last day in the Temple, he arrived early in the city and didn’t leave for Bethany until late that night. This was the day that the fig tree withered – which is said to represent the barrenness of Jerusalem. On this day, His authority is challenged by the chief priest, scribes and elders. He is rejected by the Jews, foretells of the destruction of the Temple, the destruction of Jerusalem, the signs of Christ’s coming and the last judgment. He gives parables of warning – the fig tree and young leaves, the household and porter watching, the ten virgins, the talents. He gives a description of the Last Judgment and the chief priests and Judas conspire on this day.
Today, Wednesday, the record of the day for this week is silent.
lindaville 