Chapter Nine

1. Chapter Nine The Cross

2. Palm Sunday Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem

3. Holy Thursday 1. Last Supper 2. Agony in Garden 3. Arrest

4. Good Friday 1. Trial/Condemnation 2. Crucifixion/Death 3. Burial

5. Holy Saturday Jesus lies in the tomb

6. Easter Sunday Jesus rises from the dead

7. Sections of Chapter Nine I Introduction: “The Road to the Cross” II Holy Thursday III Good Friday IV Understanding the Cross

8. 193 I Introduction: “The Road to the Cross” A. A man of Peace Jesus, a man of love and peace, seemed to cause conflict and tension wherever he went. How Come?

9. 193 I Introduction “The Road to the Cross” A. He caused conflict... 1. Jesus’ opinions on almost every important issue conflicted with those of the people in power.

10. 194 I Introduction “The Road to the Cross” A. He caused conflict... 2. Jesus made the outcasts of society the cornerstoneof his message about the Kingdom.

11. A. He caused conflict... 194 3. Jesus claimed for himself a position of authority above the religious and political powers of his day.

12. I Introduction: 194 (A. A Man of peace, He caused conflict) B. The Literary Style of the Passion Accounts 1.Passion accounts are much more extensive and detailed than the other parts of the gospels.

13. I Introduction: 194 B. The Literary Style of the Passion Accounts 2. The gospels seem keyed to these events --everything seems to lead up to them.

14. I Introduction: 194 B. The Literary Style of the Passion Accounts 3. The writing style of passion accounts is different from typical stories short sayings, parables.

15. I Introduction: 194 B. The Literary Style of the Passion Accounts 4.Why did the Evangelists use a different style in the passion stories? Three answers:

16. 4.Why did the Evangelists use a different style in the passion stories? 194 Three answers: i Since Jesus’ death and resurrection are at the heart of the Christian story, His crucifixion had to be carefully explained to early believers.

17. 4.Why did the Evangelists use a different style in the passion stories? 194 Three answers: ii What happened to Jesus was contrary to all expectations of the Messiah, so there was an intense desire for information about his passion.

18. 4.Why did the Evangelists use a different style 194 iii The accounts of Jesus’ sufferings would be a source of consolation for early Christians who were suffering persecution for their faith.

19. 195 5. History of the Passion accounts a. The Passion accounts were probably among the first stories about Jesus to take on a consistent form.

20. 5. History of the Passion accounts 195 b. They may well have been part of the worship of the early faith community even before they were written down.

21. Sections of Chapter Nine I Introduction: “The Road to the Cross” II Holy Thursday III Good Friday IV Understanding the Cross

22. II Holy Thursday 196 A. The Last Supper 1. A new covenant a. On the evening before he died, Jesus hosted a meal for his disciples.

23. A. The Last Supper 196 1. A new covenant b. The gospels tell us that this was a Passover meal (seder)

24. 196 b. Passover meal i. The Jewish ritual meal commemorating the exodus

25. 196 b. Passover meal ii the exodus - The angel of death “passed over” the doors sprinkled with the blood of the paschal lamb

26. b. Passover meal 196 ii the exodus --Then God delivered the Israelites from slavery through the Red Sea to freedom.

27. 196 b. Passover meal ii the exodus --- In gratitude for God’s delivering them, the people of Israel pledged their loyalty to God in the “Covenant.”

28. A. The Last Supper 196 1. The New Covenant b. Passover meal c. Thus Jesus spoke of inaugurating a “new Covenant.” He was linking his actions to the OT covenant that was at the heart of Jewish history.

29. A. The Last Supper 196 1. The New Covenant 2. The Eucharist a. The meaning of the Last Supper

30. 2. The Eucharist 196 a. The meaning of the Last Supper i. Jesus had his approaching deathin mind as he gathered his disciples for that meal.

31. 2. The Eucharist 196 a. The meaning of the Last Supper ii. Jesus made a real connection between the meal itself and his death on the cross.

32. 2. The Eucharist 196 (a. The meaning of the Last Supper) b. “Do this in remembrance of ME” i. When Jesus prayed the traditional prayers of blessing over the bread and over the cup, he changed the words!

33. 2. The Eucharist 196 b. “Do this in remembrance of ME” ii. The bread and the cup were no longer to be seen as signs of the Jews’ deliverance from Egypt, but as signs of his own death: “Do this in memory of me!”

34. 197 2. The Eucharist c. The “real presence” of Christ i. The various Christian churches have differing convictions about the way the risen Jesus is present in the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist.

35. 197 2. The Eucharist c. The “real presence” of Christ i. differing convictions about … - Protestant churches believe that the Eucharist is simply a memorial ritual, a symbol of Jesus’ giving himself to others

36. c. The “real presence” of Christ 197 i. differing convictions about … Catholicsand Orthodox Christians believe that in this symbolic action Jesus is truly and fully present

37. 197 c. The “real presence” of Christ i. differing convictions about … --- From the earliest days of the Church there has been an unbroken tradition that Jesus’ body and blood are present in the consecrated bread and wine

38. 198 Holy Thursday A. The Last Supper 1. The New Covenant 2. The Eucharist 3. John’s account of the last supper

39. 3. John: The last supper 198 a. Three differences from the synoptics i. “The Lamb of God” John situates the last supper on the day before the Passover, i.e. on the day before the paschal lambs were sacrificed in the temple. Jesus is the new paschal lamb, sacrificed to save us.

40. a. Three differences from the synoptics 198 ii. The Washing of the Feet In place of the institution of the Eucharist, John substitutes Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet. Jesus gives us a sign of the centrality of serving others.

41. a. Three differences from the synoptics 198 iii. The Last Supper Discourses Chapters 14, 15 & 16 in John are a series of discourses (speeches) by Jesus. Unique to John, these discourses are especially about love of God and neighbor.

42. 199 Holy Thursday A. The Last Supper B. The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane

43. 199 B. The Agony in the Garden A time of sheer terror and darkness for Jesus

44. B. The Agony in the Garden 199 1. Jesus could read the signs - Did Jesus know he was going to die? - He could foresee the future just by looking at what was happening around him.

45. 199 1. Jesus could read the signs a. The building hostility Jesus knew that members of nearly every faction were opposed to him.

46. 2. Jesus could read the signs 199 b. The situation in Jerusalem i. We can assume that his arrival caused some sort of a stir. ii. Jesus would have known that the authorities wouldn’t tolerate any civil unrest at Passover.

47. 199 2. Jesus could read the signs c. The fate of a prophet i. Jesus probably recognized himself as a true prophet of Israel. ii. Since Israel repeatedly rejected prophets, Jesus would have seen it as possible or probable that he would suffer or die.

48. 201 B. The Agony in the Garden (1. Jesus could read the signs) 2. Jesus could have run away a. But he stayed because he was firmly committed to doing the Father’s will.

49. 201 2. Jesus could have run away b. Jesus’ free acceptance of his death is central to all of Christian theology. c. He saved us only because his life was not taken by others but freely and lovingly given.

50. 201 2. Jesus could have run away d. It seems likely that Jesus did not know with clarity and certainty that he would be raised from the dead in three days.