Passion Week: Sunday - Celebration

The Passion of the Christ. © Icon Productions

Since the gospels are Passion narratives with extended introductions, and the crux of the Christian faith occurred in this ten day span, correctly chronicling its key events is paramount. Only after piecing the Gospels together chronologically can a true picture of what transpired be accounted for. The events of Passion week began Friday, “six days before Passover” (Mark 12:1), in Bethany at the home of Lazarus and his two sisters Mary and Martha. The night Jesus arrived, probably after sunset, Mary anointed Jesus' feet with costly perfume, wiping them with her hair. Jesus' defends this act as preparation for His burial when Judas Iscariot complained of the unnecessary waste.    

After the proceeding Sabbath, Jesus set out for Jerusalem after Jesus' disciples secure a sovereignly arranged colt on Sunday, a day of Celebration as the crowds laid palm branches and coats on the road before Him shouting “the great Hallel” welcoming the Jewish King (Messiah) in what is now known as the Triumphal Entry (fulfilling Zechariah 9:9). Despite the enthusiastic crowd, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem who has confusedly refused God's advances for years and later argued with the Pharisees for accepting the Messianic claims Psalm 8:2 the crowds were attributing to Him.   Jesus returned to Bethany that night.