The Final Hours of Jesus' Life: The Via Dolorosa and the Doctrines of the Cross

1. “He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross.”

2. The Final Hours of Jesus’ Life • THURSDAY • The Last Supper (Matthew 26:20-30; Mark 14:17-26; Luke 22:14-38; John 13:21-30) • In the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-45) • Jesus is Betrayed by Judas and Arrested (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-11) • “I am he” READ John 18:4–8.

3. The Final Hours of Jesus’ Life • THURSDAY • He’s taken to Annas and Ciaphas (Matthew 27:1-2; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66-71) • FRIDAY • 6 a.m. Jesus Stands Trial Before Pilate (Matthew 27:11-14; Mark 15:2-5; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-37) and is sent to Herod (Luke 23:6-12) • 7 a.m. Jesus Returned to Pilate (Luke 23:11), is scourged (Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:23-24; John 19:16) • 8 a.m. - Jesus Is sentenced to death and led to Calvary (Matthew 27:32-34; Mark 15:21-24; Luke 23:26-31; John 19:16-17)

4. SINS, SACRIFICES, AND OFFERINGS 1 - Presentation of the animal (Leviticus 1:1-3) When did this happen for Christ? 2 - Laying on of hands, transferring sins to the animal (Lev 1:4-5) East of the altar When did this happen for Christ? 3 - Slaughtering of the animal (Leviticus 1:9-11) on the north end of the altar. When did this happen for Christ? Who kills the animal? 4 - Burning of the sacrifice, followed by a meal (Leviticus 1:12-13) When does this happen for us? 5 - Sprinkling of blood (Leviticus 1:15) When does this happen for us?

5. The Via Dolorosa ("Way of Suffering“) The winding route is a distance of just under ½ mile. Jesus carried his 125lb cross along this route.

6. Jesus is condemned by Pontius Pilate. Jesus receives his Cross. Jesus falls under the weight of the cross. Jesus meets his mother. Simon of Cyrene Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. Jesus falls a second time. Jesus speaks to the daughters of Jerusalem. Jesus falls a third time. Jesus is stripped of his garments. Jesus is nailed to the Cross. Jesus dies on the Cross. Jesus is taken down from the Cross. Jesus is laid in the tomb.

7. Jesus was marched The Via Dolorosa

8. The Via Dolorosa

9. The Via Dolorosa

10. The Via Dolorosa

11. The Via Dolorosa

12. The Via Dolorosa

13. Simon of Cyrene Matthew 27:27–32 Where is Cyrene?

14. What other famous event happened near this same location?

15. Psalms 22:6 “I am a worm” (Hebrew) TOLA’ATH,: “Crimson worm” or “Scarlet worm”.

16. Psalms 22:6 Jesus is a worm? When it is time for the mother Crimson worm to have babies, she finds the trunk of a tree, a wooden fencepost, or a stick. She then attaches her body to that wood and makes a hard crimson shell.  She is so strongly and permanently stuck to the wood that the shell can never be removed without tearing her body and killing her. The Crimson worm then lays her eggs under her protective shell. When the larvae hatch, they stay under the shell. Not only does the mother’s body give protection for her babies, but it also provides them with food – the babies feed on the LIVING body of the mother! After just a few days, when the young worms grow to the point that they are able to take care of themselves, the mother dies. As the mother Crimson worm dies, she oozes a crimson red dye which not only stains the wood she is attached to, but also her young children. They are colored scarlet red for the rest of their lives. After three days, the dead mother Crimson worm’s body loses its crimson color and turns white and eventually falls to the ground like snow. (see Scarlet, Crimson, Snow, and Wool, Ensign December 2016)

17. DOCTRINE/APPLICATION STATEMENT FROM THE CROSS • Father forgive them • Today, you will be with me in paradise • Woman behold thy son • Why hast thou forsaken me? • I thirst • It is finished • Into thy hands I commend my spirit • ______________________ • ______________________ • ______________________ • ______________________ • ______________________ • ______________________ • ______________________ Matthew 27:35–50

18. “It was required, indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean thing had to know how the rest of humankind—us, all of us—would feel when we did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally, abjectly, hopelessly alone” (Elder Holland, “None Were with Him,” 88).

19. Why did Heavenly Father withdraw His Spirit from Jesus at this moment? “In that hour I think I can see our dear Father behind the veil looking upon these dying struggles until even he could not endure it any longer; and, like the mother who bids farewell to her dying child, has to be taken out of the room, so as not to look upon the last struggles, so he bowed his head, and hid in some part of his universe, his great heart almost breaking for the love that he had for his Son. Oh, in that moment when he might have saved his Son, I thank him and praise him that he did not fail us. His love for us made it possible for him to endure to look upon the sufferings of his Son and give him finally to us, our Savior and our Redeemer.” (Elder Melvin J. Ballard of the Council of the Twelve from 1919 to 1939) Mormon Messages video “None Were with Him” (4:25). 

20. DOCTRINE/APPLICATION STATEMENT FROM THE CROSS • “Father forgive them” • “Today, you will be with me in paradise” • “Woman behold thy son” • “Why hast thou forsaken me?” • “I thirst” • “It is finished” • “Into thy hands I commend my spirit” • ______________________ • ______________________ • ______________________ • ______________________ • ______________________ • ______________________ • ______________________ Matthew 27:35–50

21. The Final Hours of Jesus’ Life • Noon - "The Sixth Hour"  - Darkness Covers the Land (Mark 15:33) and Jesus Cries Out to the Father (Matthew 27:46) • 3 p.m. He died (John 19:30; Luke 23:46) • Cause of death? (John 19:34) • AFTER • The Earthquake (Matthew 27:51-52) • The Centurion - "Surely he was the Son of God!“ (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:47) • Soldiers Break the Thieves' Legs (John 19:31-33) • Jesus is Laid in the Tomb (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)

22. “Don't compare your best to their worst. Leave room for holy envy. Be willing to recognize elements in the other religious faith that you admire and which could, in some way, be reflected in your own religious tradition.” Rabbi David Rosen (Chief rabbi of Ireland and director of the Anti-Defamation League in Israel) commented, "That is a beautiful idea! The fact that I can see something beautiful in another’s religious tradition should not make me feel disloyal in any way to my own tradition. On the contrary, it seems obvious to me that no one tradition can encapsulate the Divine totality. I see some very special, beautiful things in LDS religious life that testify to God’s presence, which has been a pleasure for me to witness." KristerStendahl, Dean at the Divinity School at Harvard University, before being elected Bishop of Stockholm in 1984. He responded to the opposition of the LDS temple being built there.

23. Acts 3:1 • Matthew 27:45-46

25. “There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you will confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first. In a moment of weakness we may cry out, ‘No one knows what it is like! No one understands!’ But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens. And because of His infinite and eternal sacrifice, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us” (“Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 90).

26. “He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross.”