Holy Week

Matthew 21:8-9 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!”

 

This last Sunday, Pastor Obie preached on the eternal significance of Holy Week, which begins with “Palm Sunday” and culminates with “Easter’s Resurrection Sunday”. He stated that the story of the triumphal entry is one of the few incidents in the life of Jesus which appears in all four Gospel accounts (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19) and that repetition in the Bible begs for attention. We remember that momentous occasion of the sacrificial Passion of Jesus Christ.

 

Lent is the Christian season of spiritual preparation before Easter. In Western churches, it begins on Ash Wednesday and in Eastern Orthodoxy, the spiritual preparations begin of Great Lent, starts on Clean Monday. During Lent, Christians observe a period of fasting, repentance, moderation, self-denial, and spiritual discipline. The purpose of the Lenten season is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ—to consider His suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial, and resurrection for our salvation.

Palm Sunday begins “Passion Week” (also known as “Holy Week”) with Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. Pastor Obie explains the three declarations that Jesus made on the day that He rode into Jerusalem that faithful day in history during the Passover feast. (1) Jesus proclaimed that He is King. And a King has a kingdom in which they reign and rule. Psalm 145:13 proclaims, “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.” The donkey on which He humbly rode in upon symbolized a king of peace. The palm branches laid in His path symbolized His victory. Cloaks laid before Him symbolized honor for the king. 

 

(2) Jesus proved that He is the prophesied Messiah. The “Christos”, the anointed One of God, the Messiah. The were over 300 prophesies about the coming Christ, which Jesus fulfilled (including the day and method of His entry into Jerusalem). (3) Jesus paved the path for our salvation. The eternal Passover Lamb was selected and arrived and Holy Week begins. 

 

According to tradition, Holy Monday is the day on which Jesus cleansed the temple, was praised by local children, and cursed the fig tree. According to common interpretation of the Bible, Holy Tuesday is when Jesus was issued various challenges by the Pharisees and Sadducees over subjects such as marriage in heaven, paying taxes to Caesar, and the source of His authority. By this same interpretation, this is the day Jesus commented on the widow’s donation and was approached by a number of God-fearing Greeks. Tuesday would also be the day Jesus spoke His seven “woes” against the Pharisees and the evening on which He delivered the Olivet Discourse.

 

Holy Wednesday is the day on which Jesus was anointed with spikenard (an aromatic essential oil) during a meal. The day is sometimes called “Spy Wednesday” since it is traditionally thought of as the day Judas conspired with local authorities to betray Jesus. Maundy Thursday is the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples, known as the Last Supper. The word Maundy is derived from the Latin word for “command.” The “Maundy” in “Maundy Thursday” refers to the command Jesus gave to the disciples at the Last Supper, that they should love and serve one another. Two important events are the focus of Maundy Thursday. First, Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples and thereby instituted the Lord’s Supper, also called Holy Communion. Second, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as an act of humility and service, thereby setting an example that we should love and serve one another in humility.

 

Good Friday, also known as "Holy Friday," is celebrated traditionally as the day on which Jesus was crucified. Why is Good Friday referred to as “good”? God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 1 Peter 3:18 tells us, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. Sin separated us from our just and holy God, but Jesus dying for our sin reconciles us and reunites us with God. Jesus saves. Holy Saturday is the name given to the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Christians recognize Holy Saturday, the seventh day of Holy Week, as the day on which Jesus “rested” from His work of providing salvation. As Jesus died, He called out, “It is finished!” There was no further price to pay; sin had been atoned for. He is the Savior of the world.

 

Faithfully and humbly reverence this sacred Great and Holy Week in gratitude.

In Christ, Brian