Passion Week in Each Gospel

Matthew

Chapter 21 (Matthew 21:1-11)

Event: The Triumphal Entry. Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9, as the crowd shouts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (v. 9).

Context: This begins Passion Week, followed by the temple cleansing (21:12-17) and subsequent confrontations with the religious leaders. The narrative continues through chapters 21-28, covering the final week, crucifixion, and resurrection.

Mark

Chapter 11 (Mark 11:1-11)

Event: The Triumphal Entry. Jesus enters Jerusalem on a colt, greeted with “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (v. 9).

Context: Mark notes Jesus entering the temple briefly that day (v. 11) before returning to Bethany, with the temple cleansing occurring the next day (11:15-19). Passion Week unfolds through chapters 11-16, ending with the resurrection. Mark’s account is concise but aligns with the traditional timeline.

Luke

Chapter 19 (Luke 19:28-40)

Event: The Triumphal Entry. Jesus rides a colt into Jerusalem, praised as “the king who comes in the name of the Lord” (v. 38). Pharisees object, but Jesus responds, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (v. 40).

Context: Immediately following, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem (19:41-44) and cleanses the temple (19:45-48). Passion Week spans chapters 19:28-23:56, concluding with the resurrection in chapter 24.

John

Chapter 12:12 (John 12:12-19)

Event: The Triumphal Entry. Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, with the crowd waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel!” (v. 13).

Context: This follows the raising of Lazarus (chapter 11) and anointing at Bethany (12:1-8), setting the stage for Passion Week. John places the temple cleansing earlier (John 2:13-17), so chapter 12 transitions directly into final teachings and events, continuing through chapters 13-20 (Last Supper, crucifixion, resurrection).

Key Observations

Common Starting Point: The Triumphal Entry is the consistent marker across Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, signaling the start of Passion Week (Palm Sunday).

Variations:

John’s Gospel places the temple cleansing early (John 2) rather than during Passion Week, unlike the Synoptics (Matthew, Mark, Luke). This likely means there were two instances where Jesus cleansed the Temple but this is not definitive.

Mark includes a brief temple visit on the entry day (Mark 11:11) before the cleansing the next day, adding a slight chronological nuance.

Scope: Passion Week covers the final days of Jesus’ ministry, culminating in the crucifixion (Good Friday) and resurrection (Easter Sunday), though each Gospel structures the timeline slightly differently.