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(All quotations from the King James translation unless stated otherwise).

Saturday 9th Nisan

Jesus arrives at Bethany.

John 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. [Verses 2 to 11 relate to meal at Bethany-2 days before the Passover (Mt 26:6; Mk 14:3]

Sunday 10th Nisan

Jesus enters Jerusalem on an ass in fulfilment of Zechariah 9:9.

Matthew 21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass (compare John 12:14).

He prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem; that one stone would not be left upon another.

Luke 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. 43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

He convicts the Jews of abusing the Temple.

Matthew 21:12…and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Monday 11th Nisan

Jesus uses the fig tree as a parable of the Mosaic dispensation which was to be done away.

Matthew 21:18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. 19And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

He convicts the Jews of abusing the Temple for a second time.

Mark 11:15... Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves. 18... all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

The Greeks desire to see Jesus, underlining that his sacrifice would open up the way of salvation to the gentiles bringing forth much fruit (In Abraham's seed all nations will be blessed).

John 12:20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Jesus explains that a willingness to give up all in this life (which he was shortly to demonstrate in an unmistakeable way) is necessary to attain to eternal life. His servants must follow his example if they would receive honour from God in the kingdom to come.

John 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

He explains that it is an ordeal which filled him with dread, but he would endure it to glorify God.

John 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name...

God responds audibly as a witness to those standing by.

John 12:(28)... Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

Jesus explains that death which reigns in this life (Romans 5:14, 17) will be conquered by his death (which would be reversed by resurrection). He indicates that he would die by crucifixion which they could not understand.

John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.

Jesus explains that his first coming was not to judge but to save. Those who will not believe will be judged (when he returns) by the words which he has spoken because they were God’s words (compare Acts 3:22, 23).

John 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

Tuesday 12th Nisan

Jesus uses the withering of the fig tree to exhort his disciples to have complete faith in God. (They were the ones who would taste the powers of the world to come).

Mark 11: 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them (compare James 1:5-8).

He emphasises the necessity to forgive if we would forgiven.

Mark 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

He uses a parable to point out the hypocrisy of the chief priests, scribes and elders in not acting on the teaching of John Baptist.

Matthew 21:28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

He continues with a parable to show that as their fathers before them had maltreated and slain the prophets so they would kill the son and bring destruction upon themselves and the nation and God’s salvation would be offered to others (the gentiles). This would be the fulfilment of the prophecy in Psalm 118:22.

Luke 20:14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? 16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others.17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

He likens the kingdom of heaven to a marriage arranged by a king for his son, which the invited guests refused to attend; some even ill-treating and killing the messengers and bringing destruction upon their city. The marriage was furnished with others who would accept the invitation. Of these one refused to put on the wedding garment supplied and so was rejected.

Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

The Pharisees and Herodians try to trap him over tribute money for the Romans. Christ puts the paying of taxes in their proper perspective (compare Romans 13:1-7).

Matthew 22:21...Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

He proves to the Sadducees that resurrection from the dead is the hope of the gospel. That in the resurrection we are made equal to the angels, do not marry and cannot die.

Luke 20:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. 37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

Matthew 22:33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

To the lawyer he explains that the principle of all the Law and the Prophets is rooted in two commandments.

Matthew 22:35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

To which scribes agree and the questions come to an end. Jesus then shows that the Messiah is recognised by David as being his Lord and by implication the son of God as well as the son of David. By quoting Psalm 110:1 he indicates that he must go to the right hand of God until the time comes for his enemies to be subdued.

Luke 20:42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

He warns them to beware of the false doctrine of the scribes.

Mk 12: 38  And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

He instructs his followers that they are all equal as brethren and to acknowledge no other spiritual master than himself and no other spiritual Father than God. They are to serve one another and not exalt themselves over others.

Matthew 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

He prophesies that the scribes and Pharisees by their hypocrisy would fill up the measure of their fathers and bring (as it were) retribution for the blood of all the deaths of the righteous recorded in the scriptures upon that generation of the Jews. Further that the nation and Jerusalem would see him no more (after his death) until the day when they would be ready to receive him (compare Zechariah 12:10).

Matthew 23:32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers... 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias... 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Opposite the treasury he uses the widow to again point out that God requires all that we have in terms of resources or talents.

Mark 12:43... Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

As they leave the temple and go to the Mount of Olives Jesus prophesies the complete destruction of the Temple.

Matthew 24:2...Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another...

On the Mount of Olives Jesus gives a concise prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews through the times of the gentiles until his return in power and glory. He says that no one knows (and by implication it cannot be worked out) the time of his return but God himself. Everyone should therefore keep themselves in a state of readiness. As the time draws near signs will be understood by those who know their scripture and are patiently watching.

Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

He illustrates what he means by the parables of the ten virgins and the talents. He teaches that when he comes in judgment we will be judged on how we have shown the love of Christ in practical ways to others.

Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me... 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

He tells his disciples again that his betrayal and crucifixion was now just two days away.

Matthew 26:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Wednesday 13th Nisan

Jesus at the feast prepared for him at Bethany explains that Mary has unwittingly anointed him for his burial.

Thursday 14th Nisan

Jesus demonstrates the way we are to serve one another by washing the disciples’ feet. He explains that they are clean because they have received the words that he has spoken to them (the entrance of the words of God give light). He institutes the memorial meal and says that he will not drink wine again until he drinks with them in the kingdom of God.

After Judas has left, Jesus reiterates that they are not to exercise lordship over one another.

Luke 22:24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. 25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. 26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

He promises that they would each judge a tribe of Israel in the restoration in the kingdom of God (see Ezekiel 40 onwards).

Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus tells them he is going away from them and that in the fullness of time he would return to take them to himself. When he goes they would receive the Holy Spirit which would give them total recall of what he had said during his ministry.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

He prophesies that they would be scattered by his death but arranges a rendezvous in Galilee.

Mark 14:27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. 28 But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

He exhorts them to abide in him (keep his commandments) and to love one another. He warns them of the persecution to come. He tells them that they would see him again and their coming sorrow would be turned to joy.

He prays for both them and us.

John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

At Gethsemane he forbids the use of the sword on his behalf.

Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword (not killed by the sword but destroyed when war is abolished).

Friday 15th Nisan

Jesus is tried.

He explains to Pilate that he could have no authority over him without it being given by God, showing that God has complete control over the kingdoms of men and appoints rulers; be they good or bad (compare Daniel 4:17; Romans 13:1).

Jesus is crucified and placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea.

Saturday 16th Nisan

Jesus remains in the tomb on the Passover Sabbath

Sunday 17th Nisan

Jesus is raised from the dead on the first day of the week.

Following his resurrection he instructs his disciples that salvation is to be offered to all on the basis of belief and baptism.

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (condemned).

I hope this helps.

Glenn Smith