1) Jesus enters Jerusalem on Sunday riding on a donkey colt.  After casting out the money changers and healing a few sick folk, he leaves Jerusalem bound for Bethany.  He returns to Jerusalem the next morning and begins teaching in the Temple over the next several days.

2) As the Feast of Passover draws nearer, Jesus prepares His disciples for what would happen to Him in the days ahead.  Matthew 26:2 says, “Ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.”  He also tells them of the persecution of the Church, the destruction of the second temple with the subsequent dispersion of the Jewish people, signs of His return, and of events pertaining to the tribulation period.

3) On Thursday, the disciples make ready the Passover meal.  On Thursday evening, Jesus sits down to eat the Passover meal with His disciples.  Luke 22:13-15 says “And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the Passover.  And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”

4) After the supper, Jesus and His disciples cross over to the Mount of Olives headed for the Garden of Gethesemane for Jesus to pray.  There during the wee hours of the night, Jesus is arrested by the temple guard, and taken to a secret meeting of the Sanhedrin where he is eventually condemned to die. He is convicted of blasphemy.  The council, who is unable to put him to death, decide to persuade and convince the Romans into believing that Jesus had committed treason against the city of Rome. 

Early Friday morning around dawn, Jesus is bound and taken to Pontius Pilate, the Roman Procurator for Judea and Samaria.  Upon questioning Jesus, Pilate learns that Jesus is from Nazareth, and thus the responsibility of Herod who is Tetrach over this particular area of Galilee.  Pilate sends Jesus back to Herod who is also in Jerusalem celebrating the Passover.  Herord returns Jesus back into the custody of Pilate with the news that Jesus was born in Bethelehem of Judea, and thus his responsibility after all.  Furthermore, Pilate eventually yields to the will of the religious leaders, and the people by condemning Jesus to be crucified, and prior to his crucifixion, Jesus is brutally flogged—a preliminary practice prior to any Roman execution. 

5) Jesus is placed on a cedar wood tree at the time of the morning sacrifice or 3rd hour (i.e. 9 A.M.). “At the sixth hour (i.e. 12 noon) there is complete darkness over the land unto the ninth hour (i.e. 3 P.M.).” Tertullian, a Roman historian, wrote that the darkness was a worldwide event.  Thallus, another ancient historian, explained the darkness as an eclipse of the sun; however, this was unlikely since this event occurred during Passover, the time of the new moon.  At the ninth hour (i.e. 3 P.M.) or the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Jesus dies.

6) Because the preparation for the Sabbath was to begin in just a few short hours (i.e. 6 P.M.), Jesus’ body is not adequately prepared for burial and is hastily placed in a tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea (a Saduccee and member of the Sanhedrin).  Luke 23:54-56 says “And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.  And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how the body was laid.  And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.  John 19, 31, 33, 42 says, “the Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was a high day, Feast of Unleavened Bread, besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.  But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs.”

7) Thus, Jesus died on Friday, the sixth day on the Feast of Passover.  He rested in the tomb on the Jewish Sabbath, Saturday which was also the time of the Unleavened Bread.  He resurrected on Sunday, the first day of the week at the time of the celebration of the Feast of Firstfruits.

Good Friday to all and Happy Resurrection Day!