The Final Week of the Earthly Ministry of Jesus

I) Triumphant Entry

The time The Final Week of the Earthly Ministry of Jesus had come for Jesus to come to Jerusalem. Three and a half years he had been ministering and attempting to prepare those around him for this time. However, they still did not get it.

In Matthew 20:17-19 just prior to this triumphant entry, Jesus took the disciples off by themselves and explains to them when they reached Jerusalem he would be betrayed and sentenced to death. He would be mocked, scourged, and crucified, and the third day he would rise again.

They come into Jerusalem but it was not a scene of despair, nor did it appear that the crowd wanted to kill Jesus. In fact, the opposite, they came and lined the streets. They were shouting, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord.

“Hosanna” save us. They understood Zechariah 9:9

Zechariah 9:9 KJV 1900

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; Lowly, and riding upon an ass, And upon a colt the foal of an ass.

They recognized him as the King that would come and restore Israel to its rightful place. This was not a scene that looked like this man was about to die.

II) Jesus beheld the city (41-44)

In this time of joyful celebration, Jesus beheld the city and he wept. He was not weeping because of the coming death, he knew he would defeat that when he arose. He was weeping for the people because they had missed Him and why he was here to begin with .

(42) “If thou hadst known” They knew he was different. His followers learned he was the Messiah. They had heard his teaching, his cries, and his pleas, but most refused to repent and follow Him.

This is just like the church today. The people in that city in that day had a form of religion. 2 Timothy 3:5

2 Timothy 3:5 KJV 1900

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

This is exactly how the church is behaving today. Every Sunday we come together and everyone is so happy and blessed and oh Jesus is wonderful. Meanwhile Jesus is beholding our city, and I believe if he looked upon the church as he did Jerusalem it would cause him to weep.

Come to church put on the mask, but lets not mention how we live in a broken world, and while we sit in here on our blessed assurance there are people dying and going to hell in this very moment.

Come to church where our emphasis is on how much money we have and how much we can store up, but don’t ask us to truly dedicate that money to God and his missions because we need this money to sustain the church more than we trust the power of God to provide and sustain it.

Come to church where we will put on a show, but we won’t allow God to break our hearts for what breaks his. No way we will be moved to this altar and weep for others, or plea for God to heal our Jerusalem, or think about repenting because we have become a self sufficient self sustaining people who no longer needs the touch of God upon us.

Jesus is no more than an afterthought. We can talk about him on Sunday morning but lets just put him back in the box when we leave Church.

It’s not surprising at all when we look back that the religious people of the day were the people that killed Jesus, because when I look around today its the religious crowd that are filling the pews on Sunday morning that is trying to kill him today.

III) What did Jesus really go through this week? From the Triumphant Entry to the Cross.

Within 5 days, the crowd went from Hosanna to Crucify Him. How quickly we can turn on Jesus.

Luke 22:39–44 KJV 1900

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Gethesmane words mean oil press. (44) Being in agony he prayed more earnestly. This is the only usage of the Greek word agonia in the NT. Its defined as Violent struggle and severe mental struggle and emotion. The spirit of God was being crushed. He knows he is going to be taking on sin and what the punishment for sin is.

Jesus is in such agony at this point that he begins to suffer from Hematidrosis or bloody sweat. This is a rare bleeding d/o that is caused by extreme stress. Capillaries rupture and leak into the sweat glands. Skin becomes tender and fragile. It is not fatal but it is VERY uncomfortable.

What made Jesus do this? Sin and The punishment for it. It was so agonizing to Jesus that he sweat blood, and HE WAS SINLESS he did not have to go through this, but he did it for you and for me. Jesus sweat blood, yet we do not even sweat or shed tears we it comes to sin.

Jesus was then betrayed by Judas and arrested at Gethesemane sometime after midnight. He is questioned by Annas, Caiphas, and the Sanhedrin, found guilty of blasphemy, and sentenced to death.

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CONDITION Peter had denied him three times, Judas had betrayed him, the disciples had deserted Him, Guards at this point have blindfolded him, taunted, spit at, and struck him with this fists.

The Jews could not carry out an execution, they were under Roman rule, so they had to get authority from the Romans. He is brought before Pilate the roman governor, and charges are now changed from blasphemy to acting as a self appointed king. Pilate finds nothing and sends him before Herod.

Herod finds nothing but puts on a show. Has him stripped and put into a “robe” and has him beaten. Sends him back to pilate.

Pilate still finds nothing wrong, but in an attempt to keep his hands clean offers the choice of release of Barrabas or Jesus. Pilate gives into the crowd, he releases a murderer and surrendered Jesus to the crucifixion.

Physical and Mental Condition: Still feeling the effects of the hematidrosis. When blood vessels rupture it takes time for them to repair. He was abandon by close friends, physically beaten and mocked, sleep deprived, walked app 2.5 miles in custody between trials, and had no food or water that we know of at this time.

Now that he has been sentenced to crucifixion, what happens next?

Scourging - Legal preliminary to every roman execution with few exceptions.

Instruments - short whip with several single or braided leather tongs, this would have iron balls that would tenderize the skin. Then it would move to the cat of nine tails with the whips that had sharp pieces of iron, glass, or bone tied in that was meant to rip the now tenderized skin. JESUS ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN TO HIM BECAUSE HE LOVED US.

PROCEDURE - Hands were tied to a post and they would beat the back, buttock, and leg areas. They would use either 2 soldiers, one on each side, or 1 soldier alternating sides. Traditionally, Jewish law would limit this scourge to 39 times, but roman law had no limit. It was not uncommon for those sentenced to crucifixion not to make it past this point.

RESULT - Bloody mass of bone and muscle exposed. Shock from blood loss, strips of flesh, and weakened victim. The extent would determine how much time was needed on the cross. The mention of the stripes 1 Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53:5 is actually a singular form in the original languages of Greek and Hebrew. This means the beating could have been so severe that now all these wounds were connected leaving one large open wound on Jesus.

Additional Punishment. They placed the robe on him again and then put a crown of thorns upon his head. Matthew 27:29. Zizyphus Spina Chisti is the plant thought to be used to make this crown. The thorns are typically an inch in length and this was driven onto his head with a staff.

He was mocked, spit on, beard plucked out in patches, robe removed to reopen wounds and the put back on. The prophecy in Isaiah 52:14 “As many were astonied at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, And his form more than the sons of men:” was fulfilled he was so badly beaten he did not look human.

PHYSICAL CONDITION: Pre shock - shock status, Hypovolemic shock from fluid loss, still no food or water, bleeding, cold and clammy, sweating, and at this point blood would begin shunting away from the limbs and to the brain and heart to preserve life.

Now he is ready to go be crucified. Those to be executed were required to carry the crossbar (75-125 pounds). So weakened at this point that Simon of Cyrene had to carry the beam for him. Matthew 27:32

He was offered wine mixed with myrrh to drink. Jesus tasted and refused. The myrrh (gall) was a mild pain reliever. He had to endure God’s wrath in full for our sin.

HANDS NAILED TO THE CROSS - 5-7 Inch iron spikes, through the bottom of palm or wrist. This would have caused the median nerve to be damage or severed. Had to be between the bones. No bones could be broken to fulfill scripture. (passover lamb no broken bones). Arms would have been in the Y position to all some flexion and movement. Had to be able to pull up to breathe. They wanted a show.

Shoulders and elbows would have been dislocated upon lifting onto the main bar of the cross. Psalm 22:14 “I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted in the midst of my bowels.”

FEET NAILED TO THE CROSS - Same spikes through the feet and/or ankles. Damage to the deep peroneal or lateral peroneal nerve. Knees flexed and rotated laterally, and no bones broken.

OTHER FACTORS OF CRUCIFIXION - Titulus ( charges) would be displayed above the victim, He would be taunted and mocked, insects, birds, animals would burrow into the wounds, pick at, and devour body. Most hung on the cross for days, Jesus was taken down because of the passover. His captors were present, demonic activity was present. Psalm 22:12–13 “Many bulls have compassed me: Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, As a ravening and a roaring lion.”

Forsaken - Psalm 22:1 “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”

ASPHYXIATION/SUFFOCATION - problem with exhalation, breathing muscles are fixed in inhalation state(no room for passive exhalation) To exhale, the weight had to be taken off of arms and chest muscles with every single breath.

To accomplish this He would have to flex at elbows and rotate wrists about the nails (remember his shoulders and elbows are dislocated at this point)

Severe pain in arms, exposed wounds on the back which would have rubbed up and down on the cross, and then severe pain when he slumped back down.

BREATHING would become very shallow, portions of lungs would have collapsed due to hypoxia or lack of oxygen, yet he still managed to say 7 phrases, muscles are severely cramping from lack of oxygen, HR and RR are increased, rapid and shallow, Dehydrated blood thickens, and shock continues. At this point organs are dying because the blood is still shunting to the heart and brain. Most crucifixion victims died from MI

Increased fluid production due to lack of exhalation and fluid begins to build up in lungs and the space around the heart ( Pericardial and Pleural spaces) Leading to pulmonary edema, MI, and/or cardiac rupture.

all of these were contributing factors to death on the cross, however we must remember that the #1 reason for Jesus death is because He gave up his life they could not take it from him, he done this because he loves us.

Time on the cross was relatively short compared to most crucifixion victims. Did not have to break his legs. Confirmed death by spear through the heart.

Some people say he was knocked out or did not really die, Romans were perfectionists at crucifixion. They did not make mistakes. They ensured if crucifixion was the sentence no one survived.

Why do we need to meditate on these things? Because if we do, it will break our heart, and should lead us to a place of repentance.

If we try to add anything to salvation, or in case of the church that we have become so numb to what Jesus went through, then essentially we are standing at the cross, looking at Jesus and saying, Nice try, but we know better than you.

Everything that we do, everything that drives us, and everything in our spiritual walk should be driven by this event. Jesus came so that we may have eternal life. He commands us to share this with everyone. His way is the only way, and we need to surrender to him or get out of His way.