Passion Week, also known as Holy Week, is the time from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday which is also called Resurrection Sunday.
Passion Week became the name for this week because in this week Jesus revealed His passion for us in the suffering that He willingly went through on our behalf.
After everything that he has done for us we should be passionate in our worship and in our proclamation of His Gospel! As He suffered for us, so should we be willing to suffer for the cause of following Him and proclaiming the message of His death and resurrection.
A CHRONOLOGICAL LOOK AT HOW JESUS SPENT HIS LAST WEEK:
Saturday and Sunday
Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, arriving at Bethany six days before Passover, on Saturday. Jesus was anointed at Simon the leper's house. On Sunday, a great crowd came to Bethany to see Jesus.
Monday
The next day Jesus entered Jerusalem, visited the temple and returned to Bethany. It was Nisan 10, when the Passover lambs were selected. Likewise, the entry into Jerusalem was the day when Jesus presented Himself as Israel's Paschal Lamb.
Tuesday
On the way from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus cursed the fig tree, and in Jerusalem He challenged the temple practice of selling on the premises. Some religious leaders began to plot ways to kill Him. That evening Jesus left Jerusalem, presumably returning to Bethany.
Wednesday
On the way to Jerusalem, the disciples saw the withered fig tree. At the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus' authority and wisdom was questioned by some religious leaders. That afternoon Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and delivered His discourse to those assembled. Two additional things occurred on that day: (1) Jesus predicted that in two days He would be crucified at the time of the Passover; and (2) Judas planned the betrayal of Jesus with some religious leaders.
Thursday
Jesus and His disciples prepared the Passover lamb, and they had their seder meal together. Jesus shared heartfelt words with His disciples and offered an intercessory prayer in their behalf. They arrived at the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus suffered in agony awaiting what was to come. Later that night Jesus was betrayed and arrested. He was tried first by Annas and later by Caiaphas and other religious leaders.
Friday
Early in the morning, Jesus was tried by the Sanhedrin, Pilate, Herod Antipas, and Pilate again. He was led to the cross and crucified at 9 A.M. and died at 3 P.M. and was buried later that day. Jesus died at the time when the Passover lambs were being sacrificed.
Saturday
Jesus' body was in the tomb during the Sabbath, and the Pharisees hired Roman guards to keep watch of the tomb.
Sunday
Christ was resurrected from the dead. His was the first of many resurrections to come, in which it was a type of first fruits offering. (First-fruit offerings were made on the day after the Sabbath.)
