Why Theology is Relevant for Every Christian

Lived Theology: Reconnecting our Faith and Life

In the past, I have distributed a Holy Week chronology to guide readings during this week. Below is an updated version, keeping in mind that this is a very imperfect exercise. For instance, the apostle John says that “there are also many other things that Jesus did” and that “the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” if someone attempted to write everything (John 21.25; cf. 20.30). That is, John is admitting that the gospel writers were not striving for exhaustive detail; Luke writes an “orderly account,” not an exhaustive one (Luke 1.3).

Another way of seeing this is that the gospels were not written to satisfy our historical reconstruction. Rather, they were written to convert (John 20.31) and assure (Luke 1.4) and encourage (Romans 15.4).

That said, here is an attempt:

Saturday evening (Six days before the Passover)

Jesus arrives in Bethany, has dinner, and is anointed by Mary
John 12.1-8; Mark 14.3-9; Matthew 26.6-13

A crowd gathers in Bethany
John 12.9-11

Sunday (early in the day)

Preparation for His entry into Jerusalem
Zechariah 9.9-17; Mark 11.1-6; Luke 19.29-34; Matthew 21.1-6

The Triumphal Entry
Psalm 118.24-29; Matthew 21.7-11; Mark 11.7-10; Luke 19.35-40; John 12.12-19

Jesus laments over Jerusalem
Luke 19.41-44

Some Greeks seek to meet Him, and God the Father speaks
John 12.20-36a

Sunday (evening)

Jesus enters the Temple, then departs Jerusalem
Mark 11.11; Matthew 21.17

Monday morning

Jesus curses the fig tree
Matthew 21.18-19; Mark 11.12-14

Jesus clears the Temple
Isaiah 56.6-8; Mark 11.15-18; Matthew 21.12-13; Luke 19.45-46

Monday afternoon

Jesus departs Jerusalem
Mark 11.19

Tuesday morning

The lesson of the fig tree
Mark 11.20-25/26; Matthew 21.20-22

Tuesday afternoon

Jesus’ authority challenged
Mark 11.27-33; Matthew 21.23-27; Luke 20.1-8

Jesus teaches at length in the Temple, mostly through parables
Matthew 21.28-22.46; Mark 12.1-44; Luke 20.9-21.4

Seven woes pronounced against the religious leaders
Matthew 23.1-36

Jesus leaves the Temple
Matthew 24.1-2; Mark 13.1-2; Luke 21.5-6

Tuesday evening

Jesus teaches His disciples at the Mount of Olives
Mark 13.3-37; Luke 21.7-36; Matthew 24.3-25.46

Wednesday morning and afternoon

Jesus continues to teach
Luke 21.37-38

Wednesday evening

Religious leaders plot against Jesus
Matthew 26.1-5; Mark 14.1-2; Luke 22.1-2

Judas conspires with the religious leaders (and Satan)
Luke 22.3-6; Matthew 26.14-16; Mark 14.10-11

Thursday afternoon

Preparation for the Last Supper
Mark 14.12-16; Luke 22.7-13; Matthew 26.17-19

Thursday evening

The ordinary meal
John 13.2-20

The betrayer revealed in the upper room
Matthew 26.20-25; Mark 14.17-21; John 13.21-30

The Last Supper instituted
Matthew 26.26-30a; Mark 14.22-26a; Luke 22.14-23

Jesus teaches after the meal
John 14.1-17.26

Jesus anticipates Peter’s denial
Matthew 26.30b-35; Mark 14.26b-31; Luke 22.31-38; John 13.31-38

In the garden of Gethsemane
John 18.1; Matthew 26.36-46; Mark 14.32-42; Luke 22.39-46

Thursday (after midnight)

The betrayal and arrest of Jesus
John 18.2-12; Matthew 26.47-56; Luke 22.47-53; Mark 14.43-52

Jesus brought before Annas
Luke 22.54; John 18.13-14; 19-24

Jesus brought before Caiphas and ‘makeshift’ council
Matthew 26.57-68; Mark 14.53-65; Luke 22.63-65

In the meantime, Peter denies Jesus
John 18.15-18; 18.25-27; Matthew 26.69-75; Mark 14.66-72; Luke 22.55-62

Friday (Good, or Holy, Friday)

Jesus condemned by the Sanhedrin
Matthew 27.1-2; Mark 15.1; Luke 22.66-23.1

The demise of Judas
Matthew 27.3-10

Jesus brought before Pilate, privately
Matthew 27.11-14; Mark 15.2-5; Luke 23.2-7; John 18.28-40

Jesus before Herod
Luke 23.8-12

Jesus before Pilate, at the feast
Matthew 27.15-26; Mark 15.6-15; Luke 23.13-25; John 19.1-16a

The crucifixion and death of Jesus
Matthew 27.27-56; Mark 15.16-41; Luke 23.26-49; John 19.16b-37

The burial of Jesus
Matthew 27.57-61; Mark 15.42-47; Luke 23.50-56; John 19.38-42

Sunday to the Ascension

The resurrection
Matthew 28.1-8; Mark 16.1-8; Luke 24.1-12; John 20.1-10

The plot of the religious leaders
Matthew 28.11-15

The resurrection appearances
Mark 16.9-18; John 20.11-18; Matthew 28.9-10; Luke 24.13-49; John 20.19-29; 21.1-23; Matthew 28.16-20; Acts 1.3-5; 1 Corinthians 15.5-7

The ascension
Mark 16.19-20; Luke 24.50-53; Acts 1.6-11