The Week Before Holy Week

This week, back in Jesus days, some critical things are happening that lead up to Palm Sunday. I don’t think in previous years I really put much thought into the significance of this week. It always seemed that the focus was on Holy Week and the events leading to Easter, but lets take a look at what was happening.

Jesus had been preaching, healing, casting out demons and teaching his disciples for almost 3 years. He was reaching large crowds and people flocked to him to learn more about the kingdom of God. At the same time he caught the attention of the religious leaders. Some found his teachings to be disturbing on several levels. They were concerned he was drawing people away from age old teachings and of course their leadership. People were saying he was a prophet, …. maybe the Messiah and that really concerned them. Who is this Jesus? Why does he claim to be “one with God”? 

Jesus used parables to teach. Some of which the people, even his disciples, had a hard time understanding. It caused him to repeat things he wanted them to understand, The most important being that he would save them but not the way they thought. He would not raise a big army and defeat the Romans to save them. The saving and salvation he was trying to tell them about was more powerful. It would forge a new covenant with God, On several occasions he spoke of laying his life down to pay the price for mans salvation, that the only way to the kingdom of heaven was through him. 

The time frame before Palm Sunday, Jesus found himself having to flee to avoid being stoned because some of what he was teaching was being considered as blasphemy. Jesus knew he was running out of time so even against the advise of his disciples he would go back and continue preaching.

All things are according to God’s plan, we see this now as we read the account of Lazarus. 

Jesus had been given news that his good friend Lazarus was gravely ill but he waited until he received word Lazarus had died before he went. In retrospect we see that he knew he would be preforming his greatest miracle and raise Lazarus from the dead. Why did Jesus weep learning the news of Lazarus death when he knew he would be raising him from the dead? He wept because he loved Lazarus and knowing the pain this caused touched his heart. He was God living in human form and could feel the pain of man as well as his own.

There was something else very significant that took place. At the feast Mary took a very expensive bottle of perfume and poured it over Jesus. Some might think the only significance was that she was showing immense appreciation for what he had done, but it also revealed Judas. 

Judas anger over Mary having wasted the expensive perfume instead of selling it for money to give to the poor, gave Jesus the opportunity to reveal that Judas was not interested in the poor. Nobody really caught it, but Jesus was revealing he knew Judas would betray him. It may have been that incident when Judas realized the fortune and fame he hoped would happen by being one of Jesus disciples was not going to happen. 

Raising Lazarus from the dead was critical to Jesus ministry. It resulted in two things;

When people saw and heard about this miracle, they believed in Jesus. When he approached Jerusalem they hailed him. John 12:13 describes it, “They took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

The other result, it enraged the Chief Priests, so much so, they considered putting Lazarus to death as well as Jesus. It was imperative in the Chief Priest minds that Jesus was a serious threat and they must find a way to get rid of him. 

The disciples discouraged Jesus from returning to Jerusalem, as they knew it would be dangerous but Jesus knew all was happening in accordance with his Fathers plan. So as we approach the high point of celebration of Jesus, understand the stage was already set. We can not as humans completely wrap our minds around what Jesus was about to do for us. This week Reflect, Ponder and Pray.