Holy Week (A)

How important did the Gospel writers view what we call Holy Week and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ? Matthew’s Gospel has 28 chapters, chapters 21 - 28 are devoted to these events. Mark’s Gospel has 16 chapters, chapters 11 - 16 are focused on these things. Luke’s Gospel has 24 chapters, 19:28 - Chapter 24 are centered on Holy Week and the Resurrection. John has 21 chapters, beginning with Chapter 12 John turns our attention to Holy Week and the Resurrection.

Also, all of the Gospels have a lead up to Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. So there is a sense in which the accounts of the life of Jesus Christ in the Gospels prior to Holy Week serve as a prelude to Holy Week, a prelude to the rejection, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks of His death and resurrection in Chapter Two (2:18 - 22), and John the Baptist speaks of His crucifixion in the first chapter with the words, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (1:29). Jesus was born to die, born to suffer for us, bearing our sins, bearing us, ourselves, on the Cross. Thank God that He was also born to conquer death and rise from the dead.

Perhaps you could explore Holy Week in your Bible this week? You could begin by reading the accounts of Palm Sunday in Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 12. What are the similarities in these accounts? Are there any points that one writer emphasizes? What are the reactions of the people and religious leaders? What might you have thought had you been there? How do you see yourself in these passages? What questions are raised when you read these passages?

There are often many dramatic portrayals of Holy Week and Easter in movies and on television, some of them are better than others. But there is nothing quite like reading the Bible yourself and talking about it with God and with others. There is nothing quite like asking God to speak to you as you read His Word. Holy Week is centered on Jesus Christ, and being centered on Jesus Christ it is centered on His love for you - for He loves you so much that He suffered and died for you - and rose from the dead for you - so that you could have an intimate and loving relationship with God. This is the most amazing love story in the universe, it isn’t a fabricated myth, it isn’t something conjured up in a backroom - it is played out before an entire city, before religious leaders, before the Roman governor and his soldiers - and His death was witnessed by a crowd and certified by a centurion who knew death as a way of life.

And His resurrection? Women and men saw Him, touched Him, spoke with Him, ate with Him, and their lives were changed - not just in ones and twos, but in groups. And to this day people still see Him, and many more talk to Him, and He speaks to many of us in many different ways. His appearing and speaking is without regard to culture or ethnicity or education or anything else what we might think would precondition people - in many instances He appears to those who are opposed to Him or who know virtually nothing about Him. He does this because He loves us, He loves all of us.

One of the central ways He speaks to us is through His Word, what we call the Bible. This is a good week to explore Jesus in the Bible, it is a good week to say, “Speak to me through the Bible. Please reveal Yourself to me.”

If you are unfamiliar with the Bible, I invite you to begin with the Gospel of John, you can start with the beginning (Chapter One), or since it’s Holy Week I’d invite you to begin with Chapter Nine.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”