"The Most Important Week of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived": That is the sub-title of a book by Andreas J. Kostenberger and Justin Taylor called, The Final Days of Jesus. In the book the authors, both highly regarded evangelical scholars, work through each day from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. The book provides a helpful reflection on the historicity of these events, but it also gives a good set of readings for individuals and families who want a way to reflect deliberately on these teachings and events so central to our faith and life.
Here is a look at these seven days with some of the Scriptures they cite:
(Palm) Sunday
Date: March 29, AD 33**
Key Event(s): Triumphal Entry
Bible Reading: Mark 11:1-11
Monday
Date: March 30, AD 33
Key Event(s): Jesus Cleanses the Temple (for the second time; the first time is recorded in John 2:13-22)
Bible Reading: Mark 11:12-19
Tuesday
Date: March 31, AD 33
Key Event(s): Controversies with Jewish leaders in the Temple; Jesus predicts the future
Bible Reading: Mark 11:20-12:12 (controversies) and Mark 13:1-36 (future)
Wednesday
Date: April 1, AD 33
Key Event(s): Plot against Jesus, controversies with leaders
Bible Reading: Mark 14:1-2 (plot) and Mark 12:13-44 (happened on Tuesday, but this spaces out the readings)
Thursday
Date: April 2, AD 33
Key Event(s): Preparations for final Passover, Final Passover/Last Supper, Upper-Room Discourse, prayer in Gethsemane
Bible Reading: Mark 14:3-42; John 13:1-16:33
(Good) Friday
Date: April 3, AD 33
Key Event(s): Betrayal and arrest of Jesus (which would have happened after midnight), Trial of Jesus (Friday morning), Crucifixion, death (3pm because “darkness” was from 6th-9th hours and then he “breathed his last,” 15:37); burial of Jesus
Bible Reading: Mark 14:43-15:47
Saturday
Date: April 4, AD 33
Key Event(s): Jewish leaders post guards (possibly on Saturday, could have been Friday)
Bible Reading: Matt. 27:62-66
(Resurrection) Sunday
Date: April 5, AD 33
Key Event(s): Finding the tomb empty, encounters with the risen Christ
Bible Reading: Luke 24:1-53
Daniel
**You can find a summary of their details for dating these events here.