CIM Briefing Papers

C.I.M. Outline #31

                 THE CHRONOLOGY OF PASSION WEEK

I.   Introduction

     A.   The Importance

          1.   Understanding the events surrounding the death of
               Christ is of supreme importance to believers who
               endeavor to understand a fuller meaning of
               Christ's death.   

          2.   Understanding the chronological elements of
               Christ's death enables us to stand in awe as we
               see how His death perfectly fulfilled the typology
               and prophecy of the Old Testament.

          3.   A proper understanding of the events of Passion
               Week leads us to worship our Lord who alone is
               worthy of our worship. 

     B.   The Problems

          1.   The skeptics see the accounts of Passion Week in
               the Gospels as a being hopelessly contradictory. 
               For example, the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark,
               and Luke) seem to indicate that the Last Supper
               was a ritual Passover meal, whereas the Gospel of
               John seems to show the Last Supper as being eaten
               before to the Passover:  "Now before the feast of
               the Passover...". (Jn. 13:1).  See also:  Jn.
               13:29; 18:28; 19:14, and 19:31.

          2.   Solutions to the chronological problems of Passion
               week can usually be found by recognizing the many
               different ways of reckoning time during the NT
               period.  For example, the Romans had one way, the
               various Jewish parties (Sadducees, Pharisees, and
               Essenes) had different ways, and we today reckon
               time differently than they.  The Galileans may
               have even differed from those living in Judea. 
               For the Romans, 6:00 AM was the first hour of the
               day.  The Old Testament reckons sundown as the
               beginning of a new day (see Gen. 1).  We, begin
               our day at midnight.  Some groups in NT times used
               a solar calendar;  others used the Lunar method of
               calculation.

II.  The Date of Christ's Death

     A.   Modern research is continually plowing new ground in
          the area of NT chronological studies with the aid of
          computers and computer-aided astronomical studies.


     B.   The day of Christ's crucifixion.  There are three
          different days of the week that are proposed as the day
          of Christ's crucifixion:

          1.   The Wednesday view.  Christ died Wednesday
               evening, and exactly 72 hours later (Sunday
               morning), arose from the dead.  This view was
               proposed by W. Graham Scroggie and others as a
               result of a literal, westernized interpretation of
               Matthew  12:40.

          2.   The Thursday view is suggested by the Greek
               scholar, B. F. Westcott.  This view is not widely
               held and has some of the same difficulties as the
               above view.

          3.   The Traditional, or Friday View is not only held
               by most Bible scholars, but is also the most
               defensible.  The oriental mind counted a part of a
               day as a whole day.  Jesus was in the tomb part of
               Friday, all day Saturday, and a part of Sunday. 
               There are other Biblical examples of this kind of
               reckoning (see Gen. 42:17,18; I Kings 20:29; I
               Sam. 30:12,13.).  This is also confirmed in
               rabbinical literature.

     C.   The day of the Month of the Crucifixion.

          Passover occurred during the month of Abib, the first
          Jewish month of the year.  After the exile this month
          was called Nisan.  This corresponds to March or April
          in our calendar.  Passover lambs were to be slain on
          Nisan 14 between 3 and 5:00 PM and then eaten after
          sundown (see Ex.12).  Jesus died about 3:00 PM, or the
          ninth hour according to Galilean and Roman reckoning
          (see Mk. 15:33).  A problem appears when two passages
          in John's Gospel (18:28; 19:36) indicate that some had
          still not eaten the Passover the day after Jesus had
          already eaten it with His disciples.  John's account
          seems to be in conflict with that of the Synoptics. 
          Some evangelical scholars today believe the accounts
          can be reconciled due to the different ways of
          reckoning time.  Jesus, the Galileans, and the
          Pharisees reckoned days began at sunrise.  The
          Sadducees, who had authority over the temple, reckoned
          days from sunset.  Thus the problem can be eliminated
          if the Synoptics reckon one way and John's Gospel
          another.  Jesus both ate the Passover and was immolated
          as our Passover Lamb as Paul says in I Cor. 5:7. 

     D.   The year of Christ's death

          We know for certain that Christ died somewhere between
          26 and 36 AD.  If we are settled that He died on a
          Friday, then by astronomical calculation we know that
          in the years 30 and 33 AD Friday occurred on Nisan 14. 
          There are good arguments for both dates.  Of late, the
          30 A.D. date is gaining in popularity because it would
          make Jesus about 30 when he began His ministry.  If
          Jesus was born on Sept. 11, 3 BC on the Jewish Feast of
          the Trumpets (see Outline #19), He was about 33 years
          old at His death.

III.  The Chronology of Passion Week

      A.   Introduction

           Jesus and His disciples began their trip to Jerusalem
           from Galilee.  They traveled south on the eastern
           side of the Jordan River.  They traveled through the
           city of Jericho where Zaccheus met Jesus.  On Friday
           they then arrived at Bethany, a little village just
           east of Jerusalem.  They more than likely stayed with
           His friend, Lazarus, and his two sisters, Mary and
           Martha.  This family not only supported Jesus
           financially, but their home was His home whenever He
           was in the area.  The chief priests and pharisees
           hoped that Jesus would come to the feast, and had
           laid plans to arrest Him (Jn. 11:55-12:1).  They were
           apparently offering a reward of 30 pieces of silver
           for information leading to His arrest.

      B.   Friday Evening--Six days before the Passover

           Mary anoints Jesus' feet with costly perfume.  John
           12:2-11.

      C.   Saturday.  Jesus keeps the Sabbath in the traditional
           fashion with His friends.

      D.   Sunday.  The Triumphal Entry.  Mt. 21; Mk. 11; Lk.
           19; Jn. 12.

           1.   Jesus rides triumphantly into Jerusalem on a
                donkey fulfilling an ancient prophecy (Zech.
                9:9).  The people welcome Him with "Hosanna" and
                the words of Psalm 118:25-26.

           2.  Jesus, at this moment is officially presenting
               Himself to the nation as the Messiah.  This date
               according to the Jewish calendar, was Nisan 10,
               the day pilgrims presented their paschal lambs
               for examination.

     E.   Monday.  Cleansing of the Temple.  Mt.21; Mk.11; Lk.19.

          On this day Jesus returns to Jerusalem (He spends each
          night in Bethany).  On the way He curses the fig-tree,
          a highly symbolic act.  He then enters the Temple and
          chases out the  corrupt money-changers.  This shows His
          Messianic authority ("My Father's House") and fulfills
          another prophecy that implies the Messiah will appear
          there suddenly and take possession of it. (See Mal.
          3:1).  They then return to Bethany.  On the way home
          they see the withered fig-tree.

     F.   Tuesday.  The Day of Controversy and Teaching in
          Parables.

          On this day Jesus personally confronts the authorities
          and defends His claims to be the Messiah.  The occasion
          for their questions was His violent action the previous
          day.  Mark's gospel gives the most detailed account--
          Mk. 11:27-13:37.  The day ends with Jesus pronouncing a
          curse on the city and announcing that the Kingdom will
          be taken away from the nation.  See Matt. 23.  On the
          return to Bethany the Disciples are loaded with
          questions.  Jesus stops at the Mount of Olives
          overlooking the temple, and gives the Olivet Discourse. 
          See Matt. 24,25; Lk.21:5ff.  The Olivet Discourse is a
          detailed prophecy largely about the destruction of
          Jerusalem.

     G.   Wednesday.  The Silent Day.

          After an exhausting day of controversy, Jesus more than
          likely spends this day resting and visiting with His
          intimate friends.

     H.   Thursday.  Day of Preparation and Passover.

          1.   On this day (and perhaps on the previous day)
               preparation is made for the Passover.  Judas may
               have also utilized this time for his betrayal. 
               Matt. 26:1-5; 14-16; 17-19.

          2.   The Passover is celebrated on Thursday evening in
               an upper room.  Tradition has it that it was owned
               by Mark's parents.  At the end of the Jewish feast
               Jesus institutes the Last Supper.

          3.   The Last Supper is followed by the Upper Room
               Discourse.

          4.   Sometime in the evening after the Passover, Jesus
               and His disciples leave the Upper Room and go to
               Gethsemane, a place near the Mt. of Olives where
               it was a custom for Jesus to Pray.  Matt. 26:36-
               46.

          5.   While in the Garden Jesus is betrayed by Judas and
               arrested by Roman soldiers and Temple guards.  Jn.
               18:2-12.

          6.   The Trials begin.  Before dawn Jesus is tried
               twice before Annas and then Caiaphas.  Everything
               about these trials is illegal.

     I.   Friday.  Trials, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial.

          1.   Jesus' third trial is held early in the morning
               before the Sanhedrin.  The first three trials were
               before the religious authorities where He is found
               guilty.

          2.   Jesus is then taken before Pilate (the fourth
               trial) where He is found innocent.  He is
               subsequently taken to Herod who also finds Him
               innocent (the fifth), and then back to Pilate who
               again finds Him innocent (the sixth) but relents
               under pressure.

          3.   About 9:00 AM. Jesus is crucified on a hill called
               "The Skull" outside the city.  At noon, the sky
               becomes dark, either due to  supernatural darkness
               or because of an eclipse.

          4.   At 3:00 PM Jesus utters the most important words
               to believers "It is finished".  The phrase
               literally means "Paid in full".  The spotless Son
               of God became sin for us!  Isa. 53:5,6.  Jesus
               gives up His life and fulfills the typology of the
               Passover Lamb at exactly the time the lambs were
               being slaughtered in the Temple.  The vail is rent
               in the Temple (Mk. 15:38.)

          5.   Before 6:00 PM Jesus is laid in Joseph's tomb (the
               Sabbath begins after 6:00 PM).

     J.   Saturday.  Jesus' body lies in the tomb.  After 6:00 PM
          the Sabbath is over and His body is treated with
          spices. Mk. 16:1.

     H.   Sunday.  Resurrection Day!

          Before sunrise, Jesus rises from the dead to fulfill
          the typology of the Firstfruits.  I Cor. 15:23.  Matt.
          28:1-13.  Through His death believers are justified;
          through His resurrection our resurrection is certain.  

          For information on the order of events after the
          resurrection see C.I.M. Outline #1
    
 
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