Palm Sunday

The day on which Jesus entered the city was Palm Sunday, so called because the crowds escorted him by carrying palm branches in his honour.  Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week, the last week of Lent.

Maundy Thursday and Good Friday

On the Thursday, that is, Maundy Thursday, Jesus and his Apostles had their Last Supper together.  It was at this Supper that he instituted the Eucharist, the great Christian act of worship, and gave them the right and power to celebrate it.  After supper he went out to the Garden of Gethsemane, and it was there that he was arrested by his enemies.

As only the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, had the power to put anyone to death, the Jews brought Jesus before him and there accused him falsely of treason.  Pilate, who knew Jesus was innocent, at last let his enemies have their way, and condemned him to be crucified, that is, nailed to a Cross.  This happened on Good Friday.  The Crucifixion shows us what the sin of human beings has cost God, for that was the price he paid for coming to save us from our sins.  And for the same reason the Crucifixion also shows us how dearly he loves us.

Jesus died at 3 o’clock on Good Friday afternoon, and his body was taken down from the Cross and buried in a tomb (sepulchre or burial cave).

But three days later, on Easter Day, God raised Jesus from the dead and now he is alive for evermore.  We shall think about this in our next session.

SUMMARY

Please see the summary at the end of the next session.