Suffer With Me

Session 1: Sunday

Before We Begin…• The timing of the days of the week is somewhat

uncertain.• Sometimes, there may be more than one time

an event could have happened.• Our goal is to realize the culture of Jerusalem,

the radical teaching of Jesus, and the speed of events which brought about the greatest moment in all of history.

• Several helps, such as Kurt Aland’s Synopsis of the Four Gospels, and Edersheim’s The Life and Times of Jesus will be the basis for our study. We will be following Edersheim’s schedule for the most part.

More On Time

• The Gospels could very well work under two different calendars:– The Roman Calendar– The Jewish Calendar

• The Roman day went from Midnight to Midnight, but the Jewish day went from sun-down to sun-down.

• This will cause many time issues throughout our sessions.

Before We Begin…• Why do we call it Passion Week?

– Passion comes from the Greek word pavscw, which means “to suffer.”

– The “Passion Week” really means “The Week of Suffering.”

• Jesus suffered throughout the entire week, not just on Friday afternoon.

• As much as possible, we will interact with the culture of Jesus’ day and seek to experience what He experienced (But I promise we won’t crucify anyone, although I do believe in the resurrection).

Psalm 122 (ESV)

1 I was glad when they said to me,“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

2 Our feet have been standingwithin your gates, O Jerusalem!

3 Jerusalem—built as a citythat is bound firmly together,

4 to which the tribes go up,the tribes of the Lord,

as was decreed for1 Israel,to give thanks to the name of the Lord.5 There thrones for judgment were set,

the thrones of the house of David.6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!“May they be secure who love you!

7 Peace be within your wallsand security within your towers!”

8 For my brothers and companions’ sakeI will say, “Peace be within you!”

9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,I will seek your good.

On the First Day:

• The Figless Fig Tree

• The Triumphal Entry

• Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

• The Return to Bethany

The Figless Fig Tree

– Mt. 21:18-19, Mk. 11:12-14• Bethphage was named “House of Figs”• It was well-known that even in the earliest of

the fig bearing months, Bethphage always had the earliest budding figs.

• But this one tree was barren.• The fig tree is a symbol of the Israelites.

The Triumphal Entry

– Mt. 21:1-9, Mk. 11:1-10, Lk. 19:28-40, John 12:12-19

• Jesus entered from the North. The first thing He saw was the Herodian Palace (map).

• The next thing He saw was the temple of Ezra.

• It is believed that on Sunday, Jesus only observed the city and wept.

The Triumphal Entry

• This event is prophesied about in Isaiah 62:8-12 (and Zech 9:9). This is a positive prophecy about the coming Messiah.

• The Jewish leaders know about these prophecies. Jesus is not “pulling the wool over their eyes.”

The Triumphal Entry

• Notice the overtones of the “large crowd” (Matthew) of disciples:– “Hosanna” comes from the Hebrew word

for “save.”– “Son of David” is an explicit reference to

the Davidic Covenant and the Messiah who would save God’s people.

Herod’s Palace

• The mountain Herod had chosen for the fortress Herodium was too low. Herod has his architects raise the summit and build his palace inside this man-made cone. (http://

www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Herod.html)• The Jews saw Herod as a pagan of pagans

and would do anything (and later did) to get rid of the evil in their midst.

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

– Luke 19:41-44

• This section ties into Isaiah 22:1-7. Jesus weeps as He suffers over the dead city of Jerusalem.

• In v. 44, some might say Jesus is prophesying about the Roman destruction of Jerusalem under Tiberius in the war of 67-70 AD.

Jesus Returns To Bethany

• Bethany appears to be the place where Jesus stayed throughout the week. It was much like a suburb of a city is to us today.

• This concludes the first day of the Jewish week: Sunday.

Next Week…

• On Monday, Jesus began His teaching and judgment of Israel and its religious rulers– The Fig Tree– The Temple Cleansing– Jesus’ introductory teachings in the

Temple