He Is Risen Series

My purpose for this series is to sort of connect the dots of the last 10 days of Jesus’ life.

For me personally, I know the events, but have never looked at them from a one day to the next perspective.

It has been very eye-opening for me to compare the 4 gospels, and weave the story together.

There were a few things, that although I had read them several times, have been “a-ha” moments for me.

I’m going to do my best to bring this story to life, as well as teach a few things along the way.

Y’all ready?

Another thing we are going to do differently this Sunday, is in our observance of The Lord’s Supper, which we will do in just a few minutes.

Pre-Passion Week

The Journey begins...

8th of Nisan- Jewish calendar the beginning of a day is at darkness. As a consistent figure, you could use 6pm. (Friday night)

As we go through this timeline, I’ll ask you not to get hung up on the “days” but rather focus on the events instead.

However, as a reference I will give you this:

Genesis 1:5 “God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” (So the evening and the morning were the first day)

You don’t have to raise you hand, I’ll raise it for you. Did you know it said that in the bible, and was it a shift for you? It was for me.

John 12:1–4 “Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said,”

John 12:5 ““Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?””

Passover:

PASSOVER (????????, pischa'; ??????, pesach; ??s?a, Pascha). A sacred observance in Judaism that commemorates the climactic 10th plague in the book of Exodus, when Yahweh punishes Egypt by killing all the firstborn, but “passes over” (??????, pasach) the firstborn of Israel (Exod 12:12–13), resulting in the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Exod 12:14–17).

The Institution of Passover

Passover is celebrated on the 14th day of the first month Abib (later called Nisan). (Exod 1–12).

The 10th and final plague was the death of all the firstborn—human and animal—in Egypt (Exod 11:4–6). God punished Egypt but spared the firstborn of Israel,

On the night of the plague, the Israelites were instructed to stay in their homes after slaughtering a lamb and placing its blood on the lintel and doorposts of their houses (Exod 12:7, 21–22). The blood was to be a sign that distinguished the Israelites and separated them from the intended … victims of the plague.

Jesus predicts His death

John 12:6-8“This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.””

Matthews recording of this event adds:

Matthew 26:13 “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.””

Spikenard- fragrance filled the room (I think the Greek transliteration for spikenard is “Smells of dirty feet...”)

v5 NLT That perfume was worth a years wages.

So I did a thang. I researched what a pound of spikenard would cost today, based on today’s minimum wage:

7.25/hour x 12 hours=$87/day

that would make 100 denarii=$8700

which would make 300= $26,100

When the disciples saw her pour $26,000 on Jesus’ feet, they became indignant!

But Jesus replied:

“Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.

“Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.””

Here’s a quick recap of 8th of Nisan, or the first day of our journey today:

Six days before Passover

They have supper that Martha prepared

Mary anointed Jesus' feet (and/or head if you look at Mark 14:3 “And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.”)