Chapter 19

Jesus Christ, Superstar: Jesus’ “Ministry Years” (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)

In This Chapter

Tracing Jesus’ transformation from a carpenter’s son to the Son of God

Joining the twelve disciples as they follow Jesus

Understanding the importance of Jesus’ miracles to his message

Listening to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and his parables

Following Jesus through his last meal, betrayal, trial, and crucifixion

Witnessing Jesus’ resurrection from the dead

J esus was raised in a small village by parents of modest means in an area considered the backwaters of the Roman Empire. He had no formal education, never held a political or religious office, never led an army (in fact, he condemned violence), and as an adult never traveled more than 100 miles from his hometown. Yet, because of the impact of Jesus’ life and teachings, over 1 billion people today identify themselves as Christians.

In this chapter, you witness Jesus’ transformation from a carpenter’s son to the Son of God, and you watch as his life and teachings initiate a movement that quite literally changed the world.

The four New Testament gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — each approach the life of Jesus from a different perspective (see Chapter 18). These differences in perspective often result in differences of detail, even when recounting the same story or teaching. In addition, these differing viewpoints can affect the order in which the events of Jesus’ life are presented. In this chapter, we weave together the accounts of these gospels in order to provide you with a coherent retelling of the life of Jesus. However, we also point out some of the more important and interesting differences among the gospels, so you can compare their different perspectives.

Charting Jesus’ Ministry

We don’t know the exact duration of Jesus’ ministry of teaching and miracle working, though most scholars believe it spanned about three years. Although not corresponding to these three years exactly, Jesus’ ministry is usually divided into three general periods:

Period of Inauguration

Period of Popularity

Period of Opposition

This outline is, by necessity, oversimplified, because life — especially a life as complex as Jesus’ — rarely fits into neat stages or categories. However, it provides a useful way for understanding the overall development of Jesus’ ministry and why he left such an indelible mark on our world.

The Period of Inauguration

The inauguration or beginning of Jesus’ ministry seems to have taken place largely in and around his hometown of Nazareth. At the nearby village of Cana, for example, Jesus performs what the Gospel of John calls his “first miracle” — changing water into wine at a wedding celebration (John 2:1–11). Now you may be thinking that providing alcohol at a party is a pretty trivial miracle for starting a worldwide movement. Some have argued, however, that the “trivial” nature of Jesus’ first miracle is just the point: God cares about every detail of life (though, if you’ve ever thrown a wedding reception, you know that these are anything but trivial affairs).

Changing addresses with Jesus

Despite his ability to rescue parties from certain disaster, Jesus eventually falls out of favor with his hometown of Nazareth when he rebukes them for not believing he is the Messiah. As Jesus reminds them, “No prophet is accepted in his hometown” (Luke 4:24). After further rebukes, the people listening become angry, and try to kill him by throwing him off a nearby hillside, but Jesus escapes. After this event, Jesus changes his base of operations to Capernaum, a town on the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Beyond leaving those hometown blues, Jesus’ move to Capernaum is strategic — Capernaum is located on the major trade routes going around the Sea of Galilee, and it would be along these thoroughfares that news of Jesus’ miracles and teaching would spread far and wide.

Why fish ride on the back of cars

The majority presence of fishermen among Jesus’ disciples, along with Jesus’ call to become “fishers of men,” resulted in the figure of the fish becoming a symbol of early Christianity, and was even used as a secret code to escape detection during times of persecution. Also, the Greek letters for the word “fish” became an acronym for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” Today, many people still use this symbol to identify themselves as Christians, including wearing fish symbols on jewelry and clothing, as well as placing the outline of a fish on the back of their cars.

Choosing Jesus’ twelve closest followers

Another strategic move is Jesus’ choice of disciples “to be with him always.” The gathering of students or disciples around a master for the impartation of instruction was well known in the ancient world. That the sayings and actions of many great teachers from the past have endured to the present testifies to the effectiveness of choosing disciples.

Jesus’ choice of twelve disciples has tremendous symbolic significance as well, because twelve was the traditional number of tribes making up ancient Israel (see Chapter 6). Thus, Jesus’ disciples represent the totality of Israel — a fact that Jesus alludes to when he says that the disciples will one day sit in judgment over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

The makeup of Jesus’ disciples is also significant for understanding the intended scope of Jesus’ ministry.

Fishermen

Four of Jesus’ disciples, and perhaps more, were fishermen:

Peter, also called Simon or Cephas (both Peter and Cephas mean “rock” in Greek and Aramaic, respectively; a name given to Simon by Jesus)

Andrew, Peter’s brother

James and John, brothers whom Jesus affectionately calls “the sons of thunder,” in apparent recognition of their explosive temperaments

When Jesus first calls these fishermen, he simply says, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). With this call, the disciples “left their nets and followed him.”

Jesus’ choice of fishermen emphasizes that knowledge of God is not restricted to the learned or priestly classes. As one New Testament writer puts it, “God chose the simple things of this world to confound the wise” (1 Corinthians 1:27). (And, no doubt, Jesus knew that changing the world took patience — so what better choice than fishermen?)

A tax collector

In addition to fishermen, Jesus chooses a tax collector named Levi or, as he is also called, Matthew (the reputed author of the gospel by that name — see Chapter 18). Few professions were more despised in first-century Judea than the ancient version of the IRS. As evidence of the disdain people felt toward tax collectors, when the religious leaders wanted to slur Jesus’ character, they would say he spent time with “tax-gatherers and sinners.” Now that’s low — but it was also true. As Jesus would say in response: “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick” (Luke 5:31).

A Zealot

The Jews’ growing disdain for foreign rule helps to explain another group represented by Jesus’ disciples: the Zealots. As the name suggests, this movement was “zealous” for Israel’s ancestral traditions and, by implication, the removal of foreign rule and religion from Israel. For many Zealots, nothing less than the violent overthrow of Rome would do. Thus, Jesus’ choice of the Zealot Simon carried with it certain risks. Jesus will condemn violence, but his choice of Simon demonstrates that no one is excluded from God’s kingdom merely because of an ideological orientation.

The other disciples

Although the gospels don’t specify the professions of the other disciples (most were probably fishermen), here are their names to round out the list:

Philip: Perhaps the brother of Bartholomew (next on the list), if Bartholomew’s alternate name is Nathanael.

Bartholomew: Seemingly the same person as Nathanael in John’s gospel.

Thomas: Best known as Doubting Thomas, for doubting Jesus’ resurrection.

James: Different from James, the brother of John.

Thaddaeus: Also called Judas, though not the same person as Judas Iscariot.

Judas Iscariot: The disciple who would betray Jesus.

Although the twelve disciples are all men, Jesus’ wider circle of followers includes women. Women help to support Jesus and the twelve disciples financially (Luke 8:1–4). Moreover, women are present at Jesus’ crucifixion, when most of the male disciples have fled for their lives. Finally, women are the first to testify to Jesus’ resurrection. In light of a woman’s diminished status in the ancient world, Jesus’ choice of women among his followers would convey that God’s kingdom is intended to be equally enjoyed by all.

The Period of Popularity

Although Jesus’ popularity is first localized to the Galilee region, it soon spreads far and wide due primarily to two factors: his miracles and teachings.

Witnessing Jesus’ miracles

The word miracle comes from the Latin word mirari, meaning “to wonder at.” And, according to the New Testament, Jesus gives the people of his day plenty to wonder at. Jesus calms tempestuous seas, gives sight to the blind, makes the deaf to hear, enables the lame to walk, and even raises the dead.

Yet many scholars contend that Jesus’ miracles are not really important for understanding his life. Some even extract his miracles from the gospel accounts in order to restore the real Jesus. One of the best-known examples of this editorial exercise is the work of Thomas Jefferson, who not only removed most of Jesus’ miracles but also those teachings he felt “unworthy” of the Son of God. The product of his labors is called The Thomas Jefferson Bible.

The New Testament writers, however, clearly believe that Jesus’ miracles are essential for understanding his ministry and message.

Pragmatically, Jesus’ miracles serve the purpose of attracting crowds, which, in turn, provide large audiences for his teachings.

Thematically, Jesus’ miracles underscore his message. For example, shortly after miraculously feeding 5,000 people with just a few loaves and fish, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never hunger” (John 6:35). And just before raising his good friend, Lazarus, from the dead, Jesus announces, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even if he dies” (John 11:25).

Spiritually, Jesus’ miracles produce faith in those experiencing them. As John 2:23 reports, “many people believed in Jesus because of the signs he performed.” Yet, Jesus’ miracles also require faith. Although that may sound contradictory, the New Testament writers understand faith to be a dynamic interchange between what you believe and what you experience. This tension is best illustrated in the case of a man who asks Jesus to heal his son. Jesus asks, “Do you believe I can?” The man responds, “I do believe, Lord, but help me with my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Jesus does help him with his unbelief, and heals his son. Conversely, when those asking for a miracle have no intention of believing in Jesus, he won’t indulge them.

Finally, the New Testament writers all agree that one miracle is absolutely essential for understanding Jesus’ life: his resurrection. Jesus’ resurrection, according to the disciple Peter, proves he is “both Lord and the Messiah” (Acts 2:36). And, according to the apostle Paul, “If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then our faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:17).

Understanding Jesus’ sermons

Even if Jesus never performed a single miracle, his teachings would have secured his place as one of the greatest moral philosophers who ever lived. In fact, Jesus is a moral philosopher in the true sense: He intends that his teachings be not only contemplated but acted upon. As Jesus himself says, “He who hears my words and does not do them is like a foolish man who builds his house on the sand” (Matthew 7:26).

So what did Jesus teach? In short, a lot. It’s from Jesus that we get such famous statements as “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39), “go the extra mile” (Matthew 5:41), “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44), and the so-called Golden Rule, “Do to others what you want them to do to you” (Luke 6:31).

Yet, Jesus’ teachings are not entirely new. The Golden Rule, for example, could be found in Greco-Roman and eastern philosophical traditions (though usually posed in the negative), and much of what Jesus says had already been expressed in the Hebrew Bible, as Jesus himself admits (see “The Sermon on the Mount,” in this chapter). Still, Jesus’ teachings are unrivaled for their penetrating simplicity and enduring appeal.

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7; Luke 6:17–49)

Jesus gives lectures, or sermons, on a variety of subjects. His most famous, though, is the Sermon on the Mount (so named because, in Matthew, Jesus stands on a mountain when delivering this message). A brief look at this sermon gives us a good idea of what Jesus is all about.

The Sermon on the Mount is, in short, a body of moral teaching characterized by an emphasis on sincere devotion to God, and a corresponding heartfelt benevolence toward others. The emphasis, as this definition suggests, is on the heart. And, therefore, it is to the heart that Jesus directs his teaching.

The Beatitudes or Blessings (“Blessed are . . .”) make up the first part of Jesus’ sermon. Although scholars speculate that the Sermon on the Mount is a compilation of Jesus’ teaching, brought together only later into one message, the Beatitudes’ emphasis on personal righteousness and patience in affliction serves as a fitting introduction. Among its teachings you find:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness sake, for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

Following the Beatitudes is a series of teachings that present clarifications, and sometimes reformulations, of earlier teachings found in the Hebrew Bible and later Jewish tradition. Here Jesus uses the recurring formula, “You have heard it said . . . but I say. . . .” However, Jesus’ use of this formula doesn’t mean he’s rejecting the Law of Moses (as some people believe), but rather he’s rejecting later interpretations of that Law. As Jesus says in the introduction to his sermon, “I came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.”

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus attempts to change people’s attitude toward Moses’ Law from external obedience (that is, “I haven’t killed anyone today”) to internal obedience (that is, “I have forgiven everyone today”).

For example, Jesus says,

You have heard it said long ago, “Do not murder”. . . But I say that if anyone is angry with his brother, he will be worthy of judgment. And if anyone says to his brother, “Empty-headed,” he will be answerable to the Sanhedrin [the Jewish high court]. But if anyone says, “You fool,” he will be in danger of the fire of hell.

—Matthew 5:21–22

Note the progression of Jesus’ teaching.

Don’t murder.

Don’t even remain angry.

Furthermore, don’t devalue others by considering them fools.

According to Jesus, when Moses said, “Do not murder,” he didn’t only mean, “Try to make it through the day without killing anyone,” but he also meant, “Don’t devalue others by thinking yourself superior to them or harboring anger toward them.” For Jesus, devaluing others is akin to (and ultimately the source of) murder. Now that’s deep (and a lot harder to obey by the way).

Jesus goes through the same process with other commands, including adultery (“If you lust over another you’ve already committed adultery in your heart”), oath taking (“Don’t swear oaths,” but “Let your yes mean yes, and your no mean no”), retaliation (“If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other as well”), and hating your enemies (“Love your enemies” and “pray for those who persecute you”). In case you weren’t feeling under the pile already, Jesus concludes this part of his sermon by saying,

Be perfect, therefore, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

—Matthew 5:48

Jesus’ point in saying “be perfect” is not to make people overachievers or type-A personalities. Rather, Jesus wants people to stop comparing themselves with others, because this leads to a false sense of righteousness. You can always find someone more “morally challenged” than you are, but everyone has room for improvement when compared to God’s perfection.

The tendency toward self-righteousness explains why Jesus then moves to a discussion of religious showmanship, which he describes as those who “practice their righteousness before others to be noticed by them.” The word Jesus uses to describe this false piety is hypocrisy, which was a word used to describe actors in a play. To Jesus, those who practice their piety for public consumption are like actors, pretending to be someone they’re not.

The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13; Luke 11:2–4)

It is in the context of Jesus’ teaching against hypocrisy, and in particular hypocrisy when praying (for example, saying words you don’t mean, or saying long prayers just to impress others) that Jesus prays his well-known Lord’s Prayer. Although it appears in slightly different forms in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, the overall thrust is the same. It is a prayer of simple devotion to God, expressing the speaker’s longing for God’s righteous rule on earth, as well as God’s daily provision for food, forgiveness, and protection.

Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Amen comes from a Hebrew word meaning “trustworthy” or “true.” Therefore, saying amen means that you agree with what was prayed and that God is trustworthy to answer the prayer. Sometimes Jesus even begins his teaching by saying, “Amen, amen,” which means, in essence, “You can take what I’m about to say to the bank.”

The greatest commandment

Jesus is once asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” Jesus responds, “‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Mark 12:29–31).

For Jesus the “unifying principle” of life is love (the Beatles got it right). If you truly love God and others, then you will obey God and do good to others, which, in essence, is what God commands in the Law of Moses, and reflects the messages He gave to the Hebrew Bible prophets to deliver.

Deciphering Jesus’ parables

When Jesus is not delivering sermons, he is speaking in parables (stories drawn from everyday life that communicate a theological truth or moral principle). In fact, Jesus uses parable more than he does direct discourse.

The purpose of Jesus’ parables: Clarity and understanding (not)

The reason for Jesus’ prolific use of parable is twofold: to make his teachings more understandable, and to make his teachings less understandable. That may sound like a contradiction, but read on for an explanation.

When using parables, Jesus takes things from everyday life and transforms them into a moral or spiritual lesson. By doing so, Jesus paints a picture in his listener’s mind, making what he says clearer and more memorable. Yet, when Jesus is asked why he teaches in parables, the answer is surprising:

This is why I speak in parables: So that even though they see, they won’t really perceive, and even though they hear, they won’t really listen or understand.

—Matthew 13:13

Say what? Jesus doesn’t want people to understand him? Well, yes and no. As in the case of his miracle-working, Jesus doesn’t want those who are merely interested in a spectacle to follow him. He wants those who follow him to really want “the truth.” So he speaks in parables. If someone doesn’t understand, and doesn’t care to, then he or she won’t go to the trouble of pursuing an answer. But if someone wants to understand Jesus’ teachings, then he or she will go to the trouble to ask, just as Jesus’ disciples do.

The subject of Jesus’ parables: The Kingdom of God

Most of Jesus’ parables — actually, most of Jesus’ teachings — have to do with what he calls the Kingdom of God. So what is the Kingdom of God? A study of Jesus’ teachings on the Kingdom of God reveal that it’s quite a number of things, but falls under two general categories embodied in the phrase “now, but not yet.” That is, Jesus’ notion of the Kingdom of God is that it exists both in the present (“the Kingdom of God is in your midst,” Luke 17:21) and in the future (“until the Kingdom of God comes,” Luke 22:18). Those who know God and obey His commandments can begin experiencing His Kingdom right now on earth through the inner and enduring qualities of righteousness, peace, love, and joy. But God’s Kingdom won’t be experienced fully until God returns to earth and establishes it.

The following sections include some of Jesus’ most famous parables.

The parable of the soils (Matthew 13:3–8, 18–23; Mark 4:3–8, 14–20; Luke 8:5–8, 11–15)

In the parable of the soils, Jesus describes a farmer who sows seed that falls on four different types of soil. The seed, Jesus tells us, is “the word of God.” The four different types of soil represent the different “hearts” or receptivity that people have toward God and His word:

The first type of seed, which falls on a hardened path and is immediately eaten by birds, corresponds to those who have a hard heart toward God. When they hear God’s word, they are unreceptive to the truth and, therefore, Satan (symbolized by the birds) takes the truth away.

The second type of seed, which falls on rocky soil, corresponds to those who initially respond positively to God’s word, but when the truth “starts to hurt,” they abandon it.

The third type of seed, which falls among the thorns and weeds, are those who receive God’s word, but then the “worries of this world” and the “deceitfulness of wealth” begin to take over the garden of the heart.

The fourth type of seed, which falls on good soil, is the individual who hears and understands God’s word, and whose heart then brings forth the fruit of a good life.

Thus, the purpose of this parable — in fact, of all Jesus’ parables — is to weed out (pardon the pun) those who aren’t receptive to the truth from those who are.

The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37)

Today we use the term Good Samaritan to denote someone who does good to others, and, in particular, to strangers. Yet, this understanding doesn’t go far enough in defining what Jesus means by this term.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus tells the story of a Jewish man who, while traveling a desert road, is attacked and robbed by bandits, and left for dead. Soon a priest passes by and, seeing the man in distress, crosses over to the other side of the road and continues on. Then a Levite (another type of priest) happens upon the dying man and does the same thing. Eventually a Samaritan, traditionally an enemy of the Jews (see the sidebar “Who are the Samaritans?” later in this chapter), comes upon the dying man and feels compassion for him. Thus, rather than leave the man for dead, the Samaritan bandages his wounds and takes him to a nearby village where he pays for the man’s expenses until he recovers.

Through this parable, Jesus attempts to expand people’s notion of those they should love to include not only those they know (neighbor), or even those they don’t know (stranger), but those they’ve been taught to hate (enemy).

The parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15)

One of Jesus’ most famous parables is that of the prodigal son, who insultingly asks his father for his inheritance before his father’s death, and then spends it all on loose living in a faraway country. Forced to take a job feeding pigs (a detestable animal to the Jews), the son soon realizes that even his father’s servants live better than him. Therefore, deciding to ask for forgiveness from his father and then offer himself as a servant, the son begins the long journey home. As the son approaches his former home, his father sees him in the distance and runs out to meet him. Before the son can fully apologize, the father embraces and kisses him, and then commands his servants to make preparations for a celebration.

When the prodigal son’s older brother hears that a celebration is being held for his wasteful brother, he becomes angry and refuses to attend. The father goes to his son, assuring him that everything he owns will one day be his. “But,” the father says, “we had to celebrate and rejoice, since your brother was dead and now is alive; he was lost, but now is found” (Luke 15:32). ( Note: These words inspired the lyrics to the famous hymn Amazing Grace.)

Scholars have offered a number of interpretations for this parable, including equating the younger brother with the gentiles (who, like pigs, were considered ritually unclean by the Jews), and the older son with the Jews (who, like the older son, were destined to inherit the father’s [God’s] riches). Whatever the exact identity of the sons, one identification is clear: The father of the parable is God, who lovingly embraces anyone who turns back to Him after going astray. As Jesus says just prior to this parable: “There is rejoicing in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

Who are the Samaritans?

To understand the revolutionary nature of Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, you need to understand a little something about Jewish-Samaritan relations during his day.

According to the Samaritans (who still exist as a people today), they were (and are) Israelites, deriving primarily from the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim. They also believed that they, not the Jews, maintained the authentic site of worship: the temple on Mount Gerizim. According to Jewish tradition, however, the Samaritans were not descendants of the Israelites. Rather, they were either foreigners transplanted into Israel by the Assyrians (721 B.C.E.), or, worse, they were the product of mixed marriages between Israelites and foreigners. The Jews also believed that Samaritan religion was a mingling of foreign cultic practices and the worship of God (2 Kings 17).

These are hardly the attitudes that lead to good relations, and on several occasions the hatred these two groups felt toward one another expressed itself in real violence. As a result, many Jews avoided Samaritan territory altogether, even if it meant going a significant distance out of their way. So when Jesus says that a Good Samaritan helped a distressed and dying Jew when his fellow Jews (religious leaders at that) passed him by, and when Jesus interacts with a Samaritan woman on Samaritan soil (see John 4), he is undermining the prejudices of his day.

The Period of Opposition

Despite Jesus’ reconciling message (and, perhaps, because of it) Jesus’ popularity begins to wane, and opposition begins to grow as more and more people, and especially the religious and political authorities of his day, become nervous about his growing influence and revolutionary ideas.

The most important religious and political movers and shakers among the Jews during Jesus’ day, and the ones that give him the most trouble, are the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Offending the Pharisees with Jesus

The name Pharisees seems to come from the Hebrew word parash, meaning “separated one,” which refers either to their separation from an earlier movement within Judaism, or their separation as devout followers of the Law of Moses (that is, separating between what is “clean and unclean”). Similar to Jesus, the Pharisees believe that not just the writings of Moses, but the entire Hebrew Bible is authoritative for life and doctrine (for a contrary view, see “Confronting the Sadducees with Jesus” later in this chapter). Therefore, the Pharisees, like Jesus, believe in the resurrection of the dead, angels and demons, and a final judgment where God will assign people to eternal life or eternal contempt.

Despite the many similarities between Jesus and the Pharisees, Jesus publicly renounces them as hypocrites and frauds. In fact, the saying “practice what you preach” comes from Jesus’ words directed at the Pharisees (Matthew 23:3). In Jesus’ view, the Pharisees place on others religious burdens they themselves are unwilling to bear. Externally they may meticulously keep the law, but internally they are “full of everything that is unclean” and neglect the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

Confronting the Sadducees with Jesus

The name Sadducees seems to derive either from the Hebrew word tsaddiq, which means “righteous one,” or from the name Zadok, the High Priest during King David’s reign and whose descendants (the Zadokites) were thought to be the only legitimate High Priests. Whatever their exact origin, the Sadducees during Jesus’ day are associated with the priestly upper-class, and therefore hold more formal power than their religious counterparts, the Pharisees. (For example, the High Priests of the Jews are all Sadducees.) Also unlike the Pharisees, the Sadducees believe that only the five books of Moses or Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy) are authoritative. As a result, they don’t believe in an afterlife or final judgment, as they feel these doctrines are not explicitly taught in the books of Moses.

Jesus has less in common with the Sadducees. The Sadducees’ contention that there is no resurrection or final judgment makes them, in Jesus’ mind, worthy of final judgment. But Jesus’ greater difficulty with the Sadducees is how they use their position of power for their own advancement, and not the advancement of God’s Kingdom. True authority, according to Jesus, comes from God and from doing what He commands.

Jesus’ Final Week and Crucifixion

Jesus’ “offenses” against the political and religious powers of his day come to a crescendo during his final week of life (or Passion Week, as it is called, in recognition of the “passion” or suffering Jesus endures during this period). At the beginning of this week, which is just prior to the Jewish feast of Passover, Jesus rides into Jerusalem to the shouts of “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” but by week’s end he is driven out of Jerusalem to the cries of “Crucify him! Crucify him!” How this transition takes place makes for one of the most moving and dramatic narratives in world literature and world history. Because Jesus’ last days are so important for understanding his life and teachings, we walk you through these events in some detail.

The gospel writers’ different approaches to the life of Jesus are nowhere more apparent than during Jesus’ final week, where the need to interpret his life (and death) becomes a pressing issue. What follows is a merging of these accounts. However, you should keep in mind that the differences among the gospel writers’ accounts (several of which we highlight below) are just as important for getting a complete picture of Jesus’ life as trying to fit these varying accounts into a coherent story.

Sunday: The triumphal entry

On Sunday of his final week, Jesus makes a dramatic entry into Jerusalem by riding in on a donkey. Jesus’ choice of a donkey fulfills a prediction made by the prophet Zechariah that the Messiah would one day ride into Jerusalem on “a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). According to Zechariah, the colt is a sign of peace, in contrast to the “warhorses” present in Jerusalem.

Jesus’ victorious reception

As Jesus approaches the city, a large crowd gathers and places their cloaks and freshly cut foliage on the ground before him. Others wave palm branches (hence, the name Palm Sunday to denote this celebration in Christian liturgy), as a sign of victory and celebration. In addition to these actions, the people shout “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!” which comes from Psalm 118, the last of the so-called Hallel or Praise Psalms (Psalms 113–118) typically sung at Passover.

Jesus’ cold confrontation

Hearing the people’s praise, the religious authorities become angry and confront Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” (Luke 19:29). Jesus, believing their praise is rightly directed, responds, “I tell you the truth, if they kept silent, the stones would cry out.”

As Jesus draws closer to Jerusalem, he weeps, saying, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace; but now it is hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42). Then, upon entering the city, Jesus goes to the Temple courts and looks around. Because it is late, Jesus departs for Bethany, a small village east of Jerusalem that will be his base of operations throughout the week.

Monday: Cleansing the Temple

The next day, according to the Gospel of Mark, Jesus again enters the Temple courts, but this time he immediately goes to work.

Prohibiting the commercialization of religion

The specific area Jesus enters is known as the Court of Gentiles (see Fig- ure 19-1), which was the outermost court surrounding the Temple. It was called the Court of the Gentiles because it was the only place within the Temple precincts where non-Jews were allowed. This was a place of vibrant commercial activity, as people from all over the Roman Empire came to exchange money and purchase animals for the Temple offerings and sacrifices. Jesus, however, perceives this activity as the commercialization of religion. In response, he begins overturning the moneychangers’ tables and driving out the animals.

Figure 19-1: Jerusalem during the time of Jesus.

In defense of his actions, Jesus cites two prophets from the Hebrew Bible:

My house is to be a house of prayer for all nations.

—Isaiah 56:7

But you have made it a robbers’ den.

—Jeremiah 7:11

Plotting Jesus’ undoing

After Jesus’ “cleaning house,” many people gather around him, some for healing, others to get a closer look at this “prophet from Nazareth,” and others to sing his praises. The religious leaders, however, are not amused. After confronting him, they begin secretly plotting how to get rid of him.

Tuesday: Paying taxes, giving tithes, and predicting the future

When Jesus enters Jerusalem the next day, he is immediately confronted by the religious authorities. They waste no time in getting to their point: “Who gave you the authority to do these things?” (Luke 20:2). Their concern is understandable, because Jesus has no official religious training nor does he hold any official religious office. Yet, he’s stirring up the people with his revolutionary ideas and actions. The religious leaders, as the shepherds of the people, are responsible for protecting their sheep from danger of this sort.

Rendering unto Caesar his due

In order to test whether Jesus has any revolutionary intentions, some Pharisees and Herodians (supporters of Roman rule under the Herods) ask Jesus if the Jews should pay taxes to Rome. More than a test, this is a trap. If Jesus says yes, the Jews (represented by the Pharisees) will perceive this as giving tacit approval to their subjection under foreign rule — a condition that the Messiah is supposed to rectify. If Jesus says no, the Romans (represented by the Herodians) will perceive this as supporting a revolt. To answer their question, Jesus asks for a coin. Holding it up, Jesus says, “Whose likeness is this, and whose inscription?” (Luke 20:24). The crowd replies, “Caesar’s.” Jesus declares, “Then render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s!” And we’ve been paying taxes ever since.

Weighing the widow’s mites

During this same day, Jesus points to a widow who is placing her offering into the Temple treasury. The amount of her offering is described as two “mites,” which seems to refer to the Greek lepton, the smallest coin in circulation at the time. The Temple treasury of Jesus’ day was located in the Court of Women (see Figure 19-1), and consisted of large trumpet-shaped receptacles that rattled as people deposited their money. This allowed for the demonstration of one’s “piety,” because the amount given would be readily discerned by the noise produced. The sound of the widow’s two small coins, smaller even than a modern penny, no doubt would have escaped notice. Yet, as she deposits her coins, Jesus turns to his disciples and says, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than anyone. Others give from their surplus, but she has given out of her poverty all that she had to live on” (Luke 21:3).

Predicting the destruction of the Temple

The disciples, apparently still thinking that external extravagance is an indicator of religious piety, do some pointing of their own. Turning toward the Temple, the disciples call Jesus’ attention to its beautifully adorned buildings. Jesus is unimpressed, and says in response, “I tell you the truth, not one stone will be left on another” (Luke 21:6) — a reference to the destruction of the Temple by the Romans some 40 years later.

Describing the end times

As Jesus and his disciples begin to leave Jerusalem, they stop on the western slopes of the Mount of Olives (refer to Figure 19-1). Apparently still thinking about Jesus’ comments about the destruction of Jerusalem, the disciples ask, “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Looking over the city, Jesus begins to describe the events leading up to the end times, including a “desecration” of the Temple similar to that carried out by Antiochus Epiphanes (see Chapter 16). In addition to the devastation awaiting Jerusalem, there will be worldwide famines, natural disasters, and “wars and rumors of war.” Despite the dark days ahead, all will end well for the righteous, because the Son of Man will come “on the clouds with power and great glory” and establish God’s Kingdom on earth (Matthew 24:30).

Jesus’ thoughts, however, seem captured by a more immediate event: his imminent death. Therefore, he concludes his discourse on the end times by saying, “As you know, the Passover is only two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified” (Matthew 26:2).

Wednesday: Jesus’ anointing and Judas’ desertion

On Wednesday, Jesus and his disciples remain in Bethany. Presumably Jesus’ confrontations the day before, along with his prediction of the Temple’s destruction, mark the end of his warnings to Jerusalem. He will now stay in Bethany until the Passover, which is less than two days away.

Anointing Jesus for burial

While in Bethany, Jesus and his disciples are entertained at the home of Simon the Leper — apparently someone healed by Jesus, but whose name had stuck. Suddenly, a woman enters the house and anoints Jesus with costly perfume. The disciples are taken aback — not from surprise or from admiration of her devotion, but from the loss of revenue. As the disciples reason, the perfume could have been sold and the money used to feed the poor. Actually, the Gospel of John says this protest came from only one disciple: Judas Iscariot, who, as the treasurer of the group, intended to take the money for himself, just as he had been doing throughout Jesus’ ministry. Jesus’ response (“The poor you will always have with you, but I will be with you only a little while longer”) intends to underscore the importance of his death. Jesus then says, “Wherever the gospel is preached, so will what this woman did be told, in memory of her” (Matthew 26:13).

Deserting Jesus with Judas

After this episode, Judas leaves to inform the religious authorities of his willingness to betray Jesus. What it is about this event that leads Judas to this action — if there is meant to be any connection at all — is unclear. Perhaps Judas gets what the other disciples seem to miss: Jesus is about to die, which was hardly the expectation of the Messiah, who was supposed to bring “deliverance from our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us” (Luke 1:71). Judas agrees to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, which is about 4 months’ wages — a small amount for so infamous a deed.

Thursday: The Last Supper, Judas’ betrayal, and Jesus’ arrest

Thursday is the Day of Preparation for the Passover. As such, Jesus sends two of his disciples (Peter and John, according to the Gospel of Luke) to Jerusalem to make arrangements for their Passover meal. Jesus says,

When you enter the city, a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him to the house he enters and say to the owner, “The Teacher asks, ‘Where is the guest room where I may observe the Passover with my disciples?’” He will show you a large upper room. Make preparations there.

—Luke 22:10–12

It’s not clear whether this is intended to be another example of Jesus’ abilities to predict the future or merely to plan ahead, though Luke’s comment “they found it just as he had said” points slightly in favor of the prophetic.

After everything is prepared, Jesus and the other disciples gather in the upper room (see Figure 19-1) to celebrate Jesus’ last Passover, or, as later Church tradition would call it, the Last Supper.

Washing the disciples’ feet

According to the Gospel of John, as the meal is being served, Jesus unexpectedly gets up and begins washing the disciples’ feet. People usually washed their own feet or the washing was done by a servant. Because Jesus is the leader of the disciples, Peter protests: “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus responds, “Unless I wash you, you can have no part with me.” For Jesus, this is not about clean feet, but about humility. As Jesus says elsewhere, “the greatest among you will be the least, and the one who rules the one who serves” (Luke 22:26). Yet, this action is also intended to foreshadow Jesus’ ultimate act of service: his death. As Jesus says in another context, “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Announcing Jesus’ death and betrayal

After everyone is settled around the table, Jesus makes an announcement: “I have eagerly desired to share this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat of it again until it finds fulfillment in the Kingdom of God” (Luke 22:15–16). The impact of these words, however, seems to be overshadowed by Jesus’ other announcement that someone sitting at the table will betray him. Amidst the attestations of innocence, Judas asks Jesus straightforwardly, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” to which Jesus, equally straightforwardly, replies, “Yes, it is you.” Apparently the disciples don’t catch this interchange, and Judas stays throughout the meal, including the institution of what later tradition would call Communion or the Eucharist.

Jesus takes the unleavened bread that Moses proscribed for the Passover meal and “gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples” (Luke 22:19). The Greek word for “gave thanks,” eucharistesas, has given rise to the name of this meal in Catholic liturgy: the Eucharist. The unleavened bread of the Passover meal was intended to be a reminder of Israel’s hurried departure from Egyptian slavery. Jesus, however, takes this central element of the meal and applies it to himself, “This is my body, given for you.”

Jesus’ equating the bread with his body (and later, the wine with his blood) is taken literally by the Catholic Church, which holds that during the Church’s celebration of the Eucharist the bread and wine actually transform into Jesus’ body and blood (a doctrine known as Transubstantiation). Most Protestant churches understand the bread and wine to be symbols of Jesus’ death.

Establishing a “new” covenant

After the meal, Jesus takes a cup of wine, and in the same way as the bread, “gave thanks” and distributes it among his disciples. That Jesus does this after the meal indicates this is the third cup of the Passover meal, known as the cup of redemption. This is particularly fitting because Jesus says of this cup, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Jesus’ reference to a “new covenant” harkens back to the prophet Jeremiah, who predicted a day when God would make a new covenant with Israel (Jeremiah 31:31). It is from the Latin word for “covenant,” testamentum, when combined with Jesus’ words, that the term “New Testament” derives — a term which has since been applied to the inspired writings of Christianity.

At the conclusion of the meal, Jesus and his disciples sing a hymn, which was probably the second half of the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 115–118) sung at Passover. They then make their way to the Mount of Olives (see Figure 19-1), where they hope to get a good night’s sleep before resuming their celebrations the next day. They wouldn’t get that good night’s sleep.

Going to the Mount of Olives

The choice to stay on the Mount of Olives, besides its proximity to Jerusalem, had tremendous symbolic value for Jesus’ messianic mission. According to the prophet Zechariah, God would one day stand on this mount just before delivering Israel from its enemies (Zechariah 14:4–9).

The specific location on the mount where Jesus and his disciples retire is called Gethsemane (see Figure 19-1), which means “oil press” and refers to the olive oil production that took place here, from which the mount gets its name. While here, Jesus warns his disciples that they will soon deny him, at which Peter declares, “Even if all these fall away on account of you, I never will” (Matthew 26:33). Jesus replies, “I tell you the truth, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” Jesus then tells his disciples to keep watch while he prays. Shortly after he withdraws to pray, and as a foreshadowing of their impending denial, the disciples all fall asleep.

While on the Mount of Olives, Jesus prays one of his best known, yet least understood, prayers: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me. However, not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). In what sense Jesus’ will could be at cross-purposes with his Father’s will has been a point of ongoing theological debate. At minimum, Jesus’ words intend to communicate his deep anguish at his approaching death. This anguish is further underscored by Jesus’ sweating what appear to be “drops of blood.” Whether we are to understand this as actual blood mixed with sweat (a condition occurring under severe duress), or as a symbolic way of expressing Jesus’ distress, or even as a foreshadowing of his death, is unclear. Today the Church of All Nations on the Mount of Olives marks the traditional location of this event.

Betraying and arresting Jesus

When Jesus returns to his disciples, they are asleep. Waking them, he tells them to prepare for what is to come. No sooner does Jesus speak these words than a crowd approaches with weapons and torches. Among those present are the temple guards, the religious rulers, and last (and arguably least) Judas.

Judas approaches and, in a scene that, despite its familiarity, still startles, he betrays Jesus “with a kiss.” Having identified the leader of the “revolution,” the guards seize Jesus.

Peter, in an attempt to deliver his master and friend, takes a sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Because cutting off an ear is hardly strategic sword play, some have seen in this maneuver the fisherman’s lack of skill (though, in defense of Peter, perhaps he meant this as a warning shot).

To prevent further bloodshed, Jesus rebukes Peter, and with him, all who would rush too hastily into armed conflict: “Those who live by the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Then, reminding his disciples who is in ultimate control of the situation, Jesus says, “Don’t you know that I could ask my Father, and He would send more than 12 legions of angels on my behalf? But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” (Matthew 26:53). As a demonstration of Jesus’ control over the situation, and to repair the damage done, Jesus heals the servant’s ear.

When the disciples realize that Jesus is resigned to being arrested, they flee the scene. In a detail found only in the Gospel of Mark, we are told that a guard seizes the garment of one of Jesus’ followers, who then flees, leaving “his tunic behind” (Mark 14:51–52). Mark says that the tunic was all this person was wearing. Thus, one of Jesus’ followers was streakin’ in the night. Given the anonymity and peculiarity of this notice, some have suggested this is an autobiographical comment by the author of the gospel himself: the young John Mark. (As Popeye is fond of saying, “How embarasskin’.”)

Going on trial before the religious leaders

Because it is nighttime, Jesus is taken to the home of the High Priest for questioning (see Figure 19-1). During his “deposition,” several “witnesses” are produced, but their reports contradict each other, rendering their testimony useless. At this, the high priest asks Jesus a question that, depending on his answer, would be enough to condemn him: “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” (Mark 14:61).

The term Blessed One is a way to refer to God without mentioning His name. This practice, still used by many Jews, ensures that you don’t inadvertently violate the biblical commandment against using God’s name “in vain.”

In one of the few times Jesus actually speaks during his various trials, he says, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (During Jesus’ day, the title “Son of Man” referred to the Messiah, based on a prediction by the prophet Daniel.) In response to Jesus’ words, the High Priest tears his robe as a sign of extreme repudiation, and those present agree that Jesus is worthy of death and begin to beat him.

Some readers mistakenly interpret the religious leaders’ beating of Jesus as a childish expression of frustration or anger. However, the Hebrew Bible teaches that, in cases of blasphemy, the guilty party must be stoned. Because the Jews are unable to administer capital punishment under Roman rule, the act of hitting Jesus is a symbolic way of fulfilling the Mosaic Law without violating Roman law.

Listening in on Peter’s denial

As Jesus’ trial transpires inside, Peter lingers outside in the courtyard of the High Priest. While Peter warms himself by a fire, a servant girl approaches and says she recognizes him as a follower of Jesus. Peter denies any association. Soon others join in the accusation, saying Peter’s Galilean accent and appearance give him away as Jesus’ follower. Again Peter denies knowing Jesus. Then someone who had been at Jesus’ arrest, and who had seen Peter perform his “ear surgery,” says he knows Peter is Jesus’ disciple. At this, Peter calls curses down upon himself and swears he doesn’t know Jesus. With this third denial, a rooster crows, fulfilling Jesus’ prediction.

According to Luke, Jesus both hears and sees Peter out in the courtyard. When the rooster crows, Luke records that Jesus “turned and looked straight at Peter” (Luke 22:61). The gaze of his friend and the guilt of what he had just done are too much for him to handle, and he flees the courtyard. Finding a solitary place to hide, the text says that Peter “wept bitterly.”

Witnessing Judas’ suicide

Perhaps one the most captivating scenes in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar is Judas Iscariot’s suicide and subsequent torment in hell. Actually, the conflicted soul so skillfully portrayed in this musical is not too far from the gospels’ own account of Judas’s remorse for having betrayed Jesus, who Judas calls “an innocent man.” Interestingly, Matthew places Judas’s remorse and suicide immediately after Peter’s own remorse and weeping, leaving us to contemplate both their similarities and differences — why one “betrayer” would hang himself, and become the epitome of treachery, and the other would live, and become the “rock” upon which the church would be built.

Friday: Jesus’ trials and crucifixion

The next morning, Jesus is brought to Pontius Pilate, the Roman-appointed governor of Judea, for trial. Because blasphemy is not a condemnable crime under Roman Law, the chief priests decide to charge Jesus not only with undermining Jewish law but with stirring up a “rebellion.” Pilate could not brush aside this latter accusation. It was the Passover, when the streets of Jerusalem were filled with Jewish pilgrims from all over the Roman Empire celebrating how God delivered them from foreign oppression in the exodus, and who had the expectation that God would do it again in the near future by overthrowing the Romans. Such uprisings were not uncommon at Passover, and often resulted in considerable bloodshed.

So Pilate, faced with the problem of Jesus, does what any leader does when a difficult decision needs to be made — he passes the buck.

Questioning Jesus with Herod

Pilate discovers that Jesus is from Galilee, which is Herod Antipas’s (Herod the Great’s son; see Chapter 18) jurisdiction. Because Herod happens to be in Jerusalem for the Passover, Pilate sends Jesus to him (see Herod Antipas’s palace in Figure 19-1).

Herod is extremely pleased to finally meet this wonderworker from Galilee. In fact, Herod asks to see a miracle. Unfortunately for Herod, he falls under the “I-don’t-do-miracles-for-people-who-have-no-intention-of-believing-in-me” clause of Jesus’ miracle contract. After all, Herod killed John the Baptist, Jesus’ relative and the forerunner of his ministry. In addition, Herod had wanted to kill Jesus earlier in his ministry (Luke 13:32).

Seeing that he is not going to get his miracle, Herod mockingly clothes Jesus in a royal robe and sends him back to Pilate. For this act of deference, Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies, become fast friends (Luke 23:12).

Who killed Jesus?

Some scholars have argued that the gospels go out of their way to excuse the Romans and implicate the Jews in Jesus’ death. This is not entirely correct. The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) actually go out of their way not to blame the Jews, but rather the religious leaders of the Jews. (After all, nearly all the New Testament writers and most of the early Christians were Jews.) The prophets of the Hebrew Bible often implicated the political and religious leaders of the Israelite community for leading God’s people astray, and the New Testament writers do the same. Only the Gospel of John uses the inexact title “the Jews” when describing those opposed to Jesus’ teaching and in support of his crucifixion. This language, though not intended by the author of John’s Gospel as anti-Semitic, has been used by later anti-Semites to blame the Jews for Jesus’ death. (Of course, hatred seeks justification wherever it can find it, even if it means distorting the words of others.)

What is clear — both from the New Testament and our understanding of Roman rule — is that Jesus’ execution required Roman sanction, and there is little doubt that they, too, were interested in removing this threat to the Roman peace — no matter how “innocent.”

Sentencing Jesus with Pilate

Having received no formal charge from Herod, Pilate decides to punish Jesus, and then let him go. However, the religious leaders agitate the crowds to call for Jesus’ crucifixion. Whether to placate his own guilt or to provide one more opportunity for Jesus to be released, Pilate offers to set free “a prisoner whom the people requested” — an offer scholars call the privilegium paschale (“Passover privilege”).

The religious leaders, however, convince the people to ask for the release of a certain Barabbas, who had committed murder during an uprising (Mark 15:7). Pilate gives the crowd what they want. Yet, as a demonstration of his disapproval, he requests that a water basin and towel be brought to him. Placing his hands in the basin of water, he says, “See, I wash my hands of this man’s blood.” (The modern saying, “I wash my hands of this” to express one’s noninvolvement in or disapproval of an action comes from this story.) With this said, Barabbas is released, and Jesus is led off to be crucified.

Understanding Jesus’ beatings

Prior to his crucifixion, Jesus is taken into the governor’s residence, also called the Praetorium, to be whipped and beaten — a common precursor to crucifixion. Mocking his claim to be King of the Jews, the Roman soldiers clothe Jesus in purple and place a crown of thorns on his head. Following this, they strike him on the head with a “royal staff” and spit on him, which, beyond its abusive intent, mimicks the coronation and anointing of a king. In addition, the soldiers mockingly kneel down before Jesus.

Yet, what the soldiers do in jest, the gospel writers understand to be ironic — they believed Jesus was God’s appointed ruler or Messiah, and that one day he would return to earth (after his death and resurrection) to establish God’s kingdom.

Crucifixion: The most wretched of deaths

Cicero, the first-century-B.C.E. Roman statesman described crucifixion as “that most cruel and disgusting penalty.” And Josephus, a first-century C.E. Jewish historian called it “the most wretched of deaths.” Despite its wretched nature, crucifixion was practiced widely in the Roman empire. Although most often crucifixion was used in cases of insurrection, rebellion, or murder, “lesser” crimes, such as robbery, could also qualify. Slaves, who had few rights, could be crucified for even the most minor crimes. Conversely, Roman citizens were, except in rare cases, exempt from crucifixion. As Cicero said, “the very word ‘cross’ should be far removed not only from the person of a Roman citizen but also from his thoughts, eyes, and ears.”

At the place of crucifixion, the condemned was stripped and placed on the cross. To transfix the

criminal on the cross, ropes and nails were employed. The nails were driven through the victim’s hands (or wrists) and feet. Based on the remains of a crucified man discovered in Jerusalem from about the time of Jesus, the nails used measured about 5 inches long.

Sometimes a list of crimes was nailed to the cross. Though worded differently in each gospel, on Jesus’ cross was nailed the accusation “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” — sometimes rendered on depictions of Jesus’ cross with the Latin initials INRI or the Greek INBI, such as in this image of the crucified Christ located above the traditional mount of Jesus’ crucifixion in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher. (Note: The letters below INRI in the picture are the Hebrew initials for the same title.)

Witnessing Jesus’ crucifixion

After being whipped and beaten, Jesus is led to a hill called Golgotha, meaning “skull” in Aramaic (which in Latin is calvary). The mount is so-named because of its head-like shape, though it could also have referred to its status as a place of executions (place of skulls).

It was customary for those heading off to crucifixion to carry a beam of their own cross. Apparently Jesus begins to do so but can’t continue because he is weakened from his many beatings. Therefore, the soldiers enlist the help of a certain Simon of Cyrene. Although it’s not entirely clear who this is, evidence from the Gospel of Mark suggests that Simon and his family, if not followers of Jesus already, become so after (and perhaps as a result of) Simon’s participation in Jesus’ crucifixion.

Jesus is led to Golgotha (see Figure 19-1), where he is crucified between the crosses of two thieves. Interestingly, Matthew and Mark present these thieves as joining in mocking Jesus, while Luke reports that one of the thieves rebukes the other for his impiety: “Don’t you fear God! . . . We’re being punished justly, getting what we deserve. But this man is innocent” (Luke 23:40–41). Then, turning to Jesus, he says, “Remember me when you come in your kingdom.” Jesus replies, “I tell you truly, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Luke’s mention of the repentant thief fits well with his theme that Jesus is the savior of the world, no matter what your background or criminal record.

According to both Matthew and Mark, as Jesus hangs on the cross he shouts, “My God, My God! Why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). Theologians have long queried over this statement. What does Jesus mean by saying that God abandons him? At minimum, Jesus’ statement is intended to fulfill Psalm 22, which Jesus is quoting, and which the New Testament writers believed was a prediction of the Messiah’s suffering. In addition, Jesus’ words communicate his deep anguish while on the cross. Finally, some theologians have suggested that Jesus really is “forsaken” by his Father, because, when Jesus dies, he takes upon himself the sins of the world, requiring a holy God to remove Himself or turn away

Perhaps Jesus’ most penetrating statement on the cross is his prayer for his executioners, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Then, just before his death, Jesus cries out, “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46). With these words, Jesus “breathed his last.”

Joseph of Arimethea and the Holy Grail

According to later Medieval lore, Joseph of Arimethea was also the keeper of the Holy Grail, the name later applied to the cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper. According to these traditions, Joseph caught some of Jesus’ blood in this cup, and anyone who drinks from the Holy Grail would live forever. Although scholars once dismissed these stories as useless fairy tales, we now know, thanks to Monty Python’s In Search of the Holy Grail and Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, that these stories are not useless, but rather make for pretty good movie scripts.

Jesus’ burial

After Jesus’ death, his body is taken off the cross to be buried. Once removed, a man named Joseph of Arimethea comes to Pilate to ask for the body. This is a bold move on Joseph’s part, because he is a member of the Jewish Council of Elders (also known as the Sanhedrin), the majority of whom wanted Jesus executed. Joseph’s actions publicly identify him as sympathetic to Jesus’ cause, if not one of his followers, putting him at odds with his peers.

Joining Joseph in preparing Jesus’ body for burial is another member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus, who early in Jesus’ ministry asked him what one must do to enter the Kingdom of God (John 3). Jesus’ answer, that a person must be spiritually “born again,” has given us the term born again Christian.

After wrapping Jesus in linens and spices (to lessen the inevitable stench of the decaying body), Joseph and Nicodemus place Jesus’ body in Joseph’s new rock-hewn tomb. That Jesus dies as a common criminal, but is buried in so rich a grave, was understood by the early Christians to fulfill a prediction made by the prophet Isaiah:

He was assigned a grave with the wicked, but with the rich in his death.

—Isaiah 53:9

Jesus’ Resurrection

Jesus’ death catches the disciples completely off-guard. After all, they were convinced he was the Messiah, the invincible “son of David” and “Son of God,” who would deliver Israel from its enemies and establish God’s kingdom on earth. Even at the Last Supper the disciples were jockeying for position to see who among them would be “first” in the Kingdom of God. But now their hope for the future, as well as their friend, is lying dead in a tomb.

Three days later, the disciples are still struggling to understand Jesus’ death when some women, who had visited the tomb earlier that day, report that Jesus is alive. According to the women, an angel announced Jesus’ resurrection:

Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen!

—Luke 24:5–6

Rather than rejoice at the women’s report, the disciples refuse to believe it, not because it comes from the women (as some have suggested), but because “their words seemed like nonsense to them” (Luke 24:11). Despite their disbelief, two of the disciples — Peter and John — quickly set out for the tomb. John even tells us (twice!) that he outran Peter to the tomb (though, he admits Peter entered first). They, like the women, also find the tomb empty, and leave wondering what this all might mean.

The day of Jesus’ resurrection is called Easter. However, you won’t find this name in the Bible because it belongs to a pagan fertility goddess, whose springtime festivals were eventually displaced by Christian celebrations of Jesus’ resurrection. (See Chapter 27 for more on the celebration of Easter.)

Although it is difficult to present a unified chronology of Jesus’ “post- resurrection appearances,” a general outline emerges in the gospel accounts.

Mary Magdalene (John 20:10–18): Jesus first appears to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had earlier cast out seven demons. That Jesus would first appear to a woman emphasizes the importance of women to his ministry. Some interpreters have even argued that Jesus’ appearance to Mary testifies to the authenticity of this event, since a woman’s testimony typically had less value in Jewish or Roman legal contexts.

Two men and the disciples (Luke 24:13–49; 20:19–25): On the same day, Jesus appears to two men traveling along a road to Emmaus, a village about 7 miles northwest of Jerusalem. The two men quickly return to Jerusalem, where they tell the disciples about what they saw. While they are still speaking, Jesus himself suddenly appears, saying “Peace be with you.” Jesus goes on to explain that his death “fulfilled what was written . . . in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” The Messiah had to be killed, according to Jesus, in order to provide for the forgiveness of sins.

Doubting Thomas (John 20:26–31): According to John, a week later Jesus makes his famed appearance to “Doubting Thomas,” who would not believe “unless I see the nail wounds in his hands and put my finger where the nails were and my hand into his side” (John 20:25). With the doors locked, Jesus enters the room and again says, “Peace be with you.” Then turning to Thomas, Jesus invites him to place his finger and hands in his wounds. Thomas does, and he is doubting no longer. Jesus then says, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet believe” (John 21:29).

The disciples in Galilee (John 21:1–23): Jesus appears to his disciples again in Galilee, where he had spent so much time with them in “the early days.” On one occasion, the disciples are fishing, but catch nothing. A stranger on the shore tells them to throw their nets on the other side of the boat. They do and catch so many fish they don’t know what to do . . . except for Peter, that is. Realizing that the stranger is Jesus, Peter jumps into the water and swims to shore. This account provides a fitting conclusion to Jesus’ interactions with his disciples, because it was in the context of another miraculous catch of fish that Jesus first called his disciples to be fishers of men (Luke 5:1–11).

The Great Commission and Ascension

While still in Galilee, the disciples gather one last time “on the mountain where Jesus told them to go.” Though the text does not say explicitly, this seems to be the same mountain upon which Jesus gave his first discourse: The Sermon on the Mount. It is on this mount that Jesus gives another discourse — his last, known as The Great Commission:

All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

—Matthew 28:18–20

The fact that Christian communities could be found throughout much of the Roman Empire by the end of the first century testifies to the seriousness with which the disciples took Jesus’ words.

Jesus remains with his disciples for 40 days after his resurrection, appearing, according to one New Testament source, to as many as 500 people. Then, in an event known as the Ascension, Jesus ascends into heaven as his disciples look on — but not before promising them that he will one day return, not as a baby, but “with power” to establish God’s Kingdom on earth. At that time, God’s will really will be done “on earth as it is in heaven.”