For many, Easter is a holiday that is marked by tradition. There are gatherings with family, the familiar symbols of eggs and rabbits, and an overall sense of celebration.
But without understanding the holiday in its context, the magnitude of it can be missed entirely.
As we approach this Resurrection Sunday, it is worth pausing to consider the events that lead up to it. According to the gospels, here is a day-by-day breakdown of what happened on Holy Week:
Palm Sunday: Jesus entered Jerusalem to a large crowd of people, many of whom were shouting, “Hosanna, hosanna” which means “save us, save us.” The problem was, the expectations of these Israelites were not spiritual in nature. They were looking for deliverance from the Romans, not from sin, death, and the devil. They welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem as their hopeful king, but they misunderstood the type of kingdom that He came to establish.
Monday: Jesus entered the temple and found it filled with buying and selling. What was intended to be a place of prayer had become something else entirely. His response was direct and forceful: He cleared the temple with a whip of chords, reminding those present that God’s house is meant to be a house of worship, not commerce (Matthew 21:13).
Tuesday: Jesus spent much of His time teaching His disciples, sharing parables with the crowds, and confronting the religious leaders of the day.
Wednesday: While the Gospels do not record much from Jesus on this day, it is widely believed that Wednesday was the day that Judas decided to betray Jesus to the Romans.
Thursday: First, Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples, establishing the new covenant that we now call Communion. Later that night, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus spent time in arduous prayer. He asked the Father if there was another way to accomplish His will, knowing that He was slated to suffer greatly in the morning. And yet, Jesus chose surrender, ultimately praying: “Not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
Friday: Jesus was arrested, tried, mocked, and crucified. From a human perspective, it appeared that the loss was final. The hope that Jesus’ followers had carried seemed to collapse in a matter of hours. Jesus was buried before the sun went down, and for His followers, there was no clear understanding of what came next.
Saturday: A Sabbath day for the people of Israel, this Saturday was a day of silence and mourning.
Resurrection Sunday: When the women went to Jesus’ tomb to care for His body, the tomb was found to be empty! What appeared to be defeat was ultimately revealed as victory. Jesus was alive, just as He promised. In dying on the cross and rising from the dead, Jesus had defeated sin and death for all of mankind.
Remembering the Full Story
As you celebrate with loved ones this Resurrection Sunday, it’s worth remembering that Sunday doesn’t stand on its own. We cannot forget about Friday, or Wednesday, or Tuesday, or Monday, or anything else that led to Christ’s victory.
Together, they form the full picture of what Christ has done. The resurrection is not just an isolated event. It is the fulfillment of everything that came before it. It is an invitation to reflect on the depth of what Christ endured, and to consider what it means for us today.
Because when we understand the full story of Holy Week, our response is no longer just tropes and traditions.
Spread the good news…
Christ is risen!
Blessings,
