Holy Week Timeline: The Biblical scholars have deliberated the exact order of events during Holy Week. This timeline signifies an estimated framework of main events. So let’s follow along with the steps of Jesus Christ from Palm Sunday through Resurrection Sunday, discovering the main events that happened on every single day.
Day 1: Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday
Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem on the Sunday before his death, knowing that he has to lay down his life soon for our sins. Approaching towards the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his followers in advance and told them to look for a donkey and its unbroken colt. The followers were instructed to bring together the animals and then bring them back to him.
Jesus then sat on the young donkey and gradually, respectfully, made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, accomplishing the early prediction in Zechariah 9:9:
“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
By waving palm branches in the air, the crowds welcomed Jesus. The crowd shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
Jesus’ triumphal entry is documented in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19.
On Palm Sunday, Jesus and his followers spent the night in Bethany, a town which is around two miles east of Jerusalem. This is where Lazarus, whom Jesus had upturned from the dead, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, lived. They were very close friends of Jesus, and perhaps hosted Him and His followers all through their final days in Jerusalem.
Day 2: On Monday, Jesus Clears the Temple
The next morning, Jesus comes back with his followers to Jerusalem. Coming along the way, he cursed a fig tree for the reason that it had failed to bear fruit. A number of specialists are certain of this cursing of the fig tree signified God’s judgment on the sacredly dead spiritual leaders of Israel. On the other hand, some others consider the representation extended to all devotees, representing that honest faith is more than just external religiosity; true, living belief must bear divine fruit in a person’s life.
When Jesus reached the Temple, he found that the courts were full of dishonest money changers. He instigated turn over their tables and clearing the Temple, saying, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves” (Luke 19:46).
Monday’s events are documented in Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-17.
Day 3: On Tuesday, Jesus Goes to the Mount of Olives
On the next morning that is on Tuesday, Jesus and his followers came back to Jerusalem. On their way, they passed the weakened fig tree, and Jesus spoke to his companions about the significance of belief.
“Blind guides!…For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness…Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?” (Matthew 23:24-33)
Jesus left the city and went with his followers to the Mount of Olives later that afternoon, which sits because of east of the Temple and watches Jerusalem. Here Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse, an intricate prediction about the demolition of Jerusalem and the conclusion of the age.
The unrestrained events of Tuesday and the Olivet Discourse are documented in Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and John 12:20–38.
Day 4: Holy Wednesday
The Bible doesn’t state what the Lord did on the Wednesday of Passion Week. Various Intellectuals guess that after two fatiguing days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his followers spent this day relaxing in Bethany is looking forward of Passover.
Day 5: Passover and Last Supper on Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday honors and memorializes the foot washing (Maundy) as well as the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, as referred in the canonical gospels.
Jesus sent Peter and John from Bethany ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to check the arrangements for the Passover Feast. That same evening after sundown, Jesus washed the feet of his followers as they ready to part in the Passover. By carrying out this humble act of service, Jesus established an example that how devotees should love each other. It is considered to be the fifth day of Holy Week, headed by Holy Wednesday as well as followed by Good Friday.
In the meantime, as a part of the Maundy Thursday services many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies.
After feet washing, Jesus shared the feast of Passover with his followers and said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15-16, NLT)
Thursday’s events are documented in Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38.
Day 6: Trial, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial on Good Friday
The toughest day of Passion Week was Good Friday. Christ’s journey turned unfaithful and very painful in these final hours leading to his death.
The Trials of Jesus Christ
The first trial, earlier Annas [nightime hours]; Annas is looking for an allegation, biding time till Sanhedrin is get together at High Priestly villa
Second [and primary] trial in advance Sanhedrin, Jesus is condemned, abused
Third trial, instantly at dawn [in the meantime, Peter disagree with Jesus a third time; Jesus looks upon him]; the blame repeated, then Jesus taken to Romans
Fourth trial earlier Pilate [till “beginning at Galilee”]
Fifth trial previously Herod [aspects for miracle]
6th trial before Pilate
Jesus is tormented; the city cries, “Crucify Him or we will tell Rome!”
Jesus is lastly turned over to be executed
Jesus make fun of (Roman soldiers); crown of thorns
Judas hangs himself
Jesus bears His cross to gate on north of city and is executed about 9 am
Jesus’ Seven Sayings from the Cross
“Father, forgive them…”
“Today…with me in paradise”
“Woman, behold thy son…” [darkness: noon – 3 pm]
“My God, My God…”
“I thirst”
“It is finished”
“Into Thy hands…”
The Death of the God-Man
Around 3 pm; veil torn, rocks rent; some tombs undone and people rise [to humanity] and go into the city.
· Jesus’ side stabbed
· Passover lambs killed in temple
· Jesus buried by sunset
Friday’s events are documented in Matthew 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, and John 18:28-19:37.
Day 7: Saturday in the Tomb
At the appeal of the Jewish leadership, Pilate allows a guard and sets a seal on the tomb of Jesus.
Jesus’ body lay in its tomb, where it was watched over by Roman soldiers all through the day on Saturday, which was the Sabbath. When the Sabbath finished at 6 p.m., Christ’s body was ritualistically preserved for burial with spices bought by Nicodemus:
“He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth.” (John 19: 39-40, NLT)
Even though his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the consequence for sin by proposing the perfect, unblemished sacrifice. He won over death, both spiritually and physically, safeguarding our everlasting redemption:
“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” (1 Peter 1:18-19, NLT)
Saturday’s events are recorded in Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, and John 19:40.
Day 8: Resurrection Sunday Or Easter Sunday
On Resurrection Sunday, or Easter, we reach the conclusion of Holy Week. The revival of Jesus Christ is the most significant event of the Christian belief. The very basis of all Christian policy centers on the reality of this account.
Early Sunday morning, a number of women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Salome, and Mary the mother of James) went to the tomb and found that the large stone covering the entry had been moved away. An angel announced:
“Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.” (Matthew 28:5-6, NLT)
Sunday’s events are documented in Matthew 28:1-13, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-49, and John 20:1-23.
