a Seven Day Rundown

a Seven Day Rundown

As explained in the institute manual: The Life And Teachings of Jesus & His Apostles, pp. 135-137.

My institute manual gives a rundown of the last week before Christ's death, and also His resurrection. Really understanding how He spent his last few days before the crucifixion has given me a new level of respect and a deeper love of the Savior. His complete faith in the Plan, and His lack of any fear for the future is amazing. He knew he would suffer, he knew he would hurt and he completely understood that he would be killed. The details didn't matter, because he had a mission to fulfill; one that would save me, and my children, and make us stand a chance in eternity. 

Day 1 (5 days before the crucifixion): Jesus Christ rode a donkey in to Jerusalem and people gathered around Him while he rode up to the temple. He noted the things taking place at the temple and then He left the city and returned to Bethany for the evening. 

Day 2 (now 4 days to go): Jesus rode again up into the temple. There, he challenged the Jewish leadership, by throwing out of the temple all of the wicked money exchanging going on within the sacred building. The Jewish leadership had previously allowed business and sales to go on in the temple, so when Jesus evicted the those acting in a less-than-sacred manner, those leaders got angry. Christ reminded people that the temple is a place of worship, not a marketplace. Christ left the temple and again spent the night in Bethany.

Day 3 (3 days to go): The next morning, when Christ returned to the temple, he was interrogated by the Jewish leadership. They tried to trick Him, and make him contradict himself. Christ answered the wicked leaders with parables. Unhappy and offended by that, they tried to trick him again. Christ then called them out on being hypocrites and let them know that they were wrong. Christ left them, and did not preach anymore to crowds- only to His apostles. Angry with Christ, the Jewish leaders tried to think of ways to make sure that He was put to death. They worked on concocting a plan that would let them arrest the Savior without causing a scene that might spark an rebellion or riot. 

Day 4 (2 days left): Christ was aware that his mortal life was coming to an end. There aren't really records of what He did on this day, as it was written down in the scriptures. However, it was spent outside of Jerusalem.

Day 5 (the day before): Christ and His apostles spent the Passover alone. He introduced the Sacrament ordinance to them that night. Jesus also explained to the apostles that he knew His end was coming, and told them of Judas's upcoming betrayal. After His intercessory prayer (or a prayer on behalf of
other people), 11 of the 12 apostles (Judas was busy betraying) left and went to Gethsemane. Just inside the garden, Christ left all the apostles but Peter, James and John, who went with Him deeper in to the garden. After a while, the three apostles stayed behind as Christ went on alone to pray. 

In this garden, at this most holy of times, the Savior knelt in prayer and atoned for the sins of every person who has, or will ever walk the Earth. The pain and sorrow that I feel for just my own selfish self is sometimes unbearable. Christ felt that. He also felt that for every single other person ever. He suffered and felt excruciating pain, so that I would not have to. All of His anguish was felt and endured in behalf of other people. I will forever feel grateful, and blessed, but so unworthy of His perfect love for me. 

Continuing with Day 5...after he had selflessly atoned for each of us, he returned to Peter, James and John, and they all returned back to the other apostles who awaited them. Christ announced that Judas and the Jewish leaders would be there soon, and they did. Christ did not struggle or fight back as they placed Him under arrest and marched Him in to an illegal trial in the middle of the night. 

Day 6 (the day of the crucifixion): Those Jewish leaders worked really hard at scraping up any possible charges they could to make sure that Jesus was put to death. He was given two charges: blasphemy (with which He was unanimously convicted) and sedition (of which he was found not-guilty by Pilate, a Roman governor. However, just outside of Pilot's judging room, the wicked leaders were egging the crowd to demanding a death sentence for Christ. Pilate was scared of a rebellion, so he agreed to it, knowing of His innocence. 

So on day six, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, was crucified in the brutal roman fashion of the cross. Eventually, that afternoon, he gave up his body and sent His spirit home to His Father. Because of the next day being the Passover holiday, and also the Sabbath, Christ was taken down from the cross that night and placed in a sealed tomb by two of His loving disciples.

Day 7 (one day after Christ's mortal death): While His body remained in the tomb, Christ's spirit went to the spirit world to minister unto all those spirits there. In doing this, as we learned last week, Christ forged a gate between Spirit Paradise and Spirit Prison, allowing all those spirits in prison to have to opportunity for conversion.

Day of the Resurrection: Christ left his tomb where His body had been laid, and there met Mary. There are several witnesses to Christ's body arisen from His death. Many saw the scars from his body being crucified. I wasn't aware of this, but apparently this part of the scripture accounts are called "the good news." Christ died, and was resurrected, setting a perfect precedence for us: we will die, and will come alive again, and be resurrected some day.

The last 5 days that preceded Christ's mortal death were amazing. His atonement, crucifixion and resurrection are all because of His love for each of us, and for our Heavenly Father. I am truly blessed to have been able to do this assignment this week, and my heart is full knowing what I know. I encourage everyone to study all of the elements of His last mortal days and the days following.